Almost half of UK employees would take information and data with them to their next job, new research has found.
A survey conducted by internet security firm Check Point Software Technologies, questioning 200 senior IT professionals, found that three-quarters of firms lack any security measures to prevent information from being shared outside the company.
Moreover, 85% of employees said it was easy for them to download competitive information and take it to their next job, despite three-quarters of these companies having a policy that specifically stated otherwise.
The same survey conducted with Scandinavian employees found that only 32% would use information from their previous employer for competitive advantage in their next job.
Check Point advises companies to educate staff on the security and legal implications of downloading sensitive or competitive information. It urges companies to include the management of all mobile devices in their security policy, which should be signed by all staff members.
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Martin Allen, a spokesman for Check Point, said: “Companies spend millions on their security and just forget about the fact that millions of pounds worth of valuable data is going walkabout on people’s key rings and a great deal are very happy to download information to take with them to their next job.”
