UK bosses more worried about office chores than GDPR

Nearly 90% (86%) of UK office workers claim they are more likely to be told off for forgetting to do office chores, like emptying or loading the dishwater and keeping their workplace tidy, than complying with GDPR policies, according to a new report issued today.

The poll, conducted by office equipment specialist Fellowes, assessed whether GDPR is being taken seriously by UK office workers since its introduction in May of this year.

The study from Fellowes found that only 14% of workers have been given a ticking off about careless handling of confidential data, while 25% claim office chores, like emptying or filling the dishwasher, has landed them in the hottest water.

The data, collected from over 1,000 UK office workers in July 2018, also reveals that many are more likely to be challenged about missing deadlines and being late (17%) than ensuring they are compliant with GDPR.

Further data from the Fellowes survey reveals workers are yet to get to grips with how confidential data should be handle according to the GDPR guidelines:

• 54% have seen personal or confidential data they shouldn’t have.
• 33% of workers admit they have left confidential or personal data unattended.
• 45% have sent a confidential email to the wrong person.
• 61% have received an incorrect email from the wrong person.
• 19% have left a USB pen lying around somewhere.
• 14% have left confidential documents in public places.

Darryl Brunt, Country Head UK & Ireland at Fellowes, said:

“It’s a worrying sign that companies in the UK are more concerned about office chores than GDPR, which could cost businesses millions of pounds. One in ten workers don’t know who is responsible for GDPR within their business, and the truth is, protecting confidential data is everyone’s responsibility. It’s also troubling to see that almost one in five workers haven’t been given a concrete policy for handling GDPR. This has to change, or businesses will pay the price.”

The Fellowes Keep It Confidential team decided to find out just how offices in London were handling sensitive information following the GDPR roll-out, and whether there is still confusion around the correct disposal of documents.

Research found a variety of documents displaying private details including business contracts, printed emails and handwritten notes. Worryingly, these documents displayed client information including names and addresses, financial details and even bank statements, as well as contracts detailing business agreements.

Highlighting just how badly data is disposed of, the documents were found in shared refuse areas and only ripped rather than shredded – a key mistake that organisations across the UK are making.

Nearly all of UK office workers (94%) said they print out documents to read, but 7% have a shredder they never use and 16% of offices don’t even have a shredder. A quarter (26%) also admitted they throw confidential documents in the bin as they are or just ripped a few times.

Fellowes, which is celebrating 100 years in the office product industry, helps to protect companies with innovative office solutions including paper shredders, the first line of defence for data protection and PrivaScreen™ blackout privacy filters which prevent prying eyes from reading your screen. Bankers Boxes from Fellowes also ensure any documents that must be stored can be easily located if required.

Key tips to ensuring data is secure in any organisation include:

• Set up an audit team: By having a dedicated team within an organisation who understands what data you hold, you can ensure key data policies trickle down to employees in different areas of the business.
• Train and re-train staff on data protection: Make sure all your employees are fully up-to-date with data protection laws with a robust policy implemented.
• Shred any documents you don’t need: Ensure all employees have access to shredders so all confidential paper waste – from sales figures to CVs – are destroyed correctly.
• Add signs to common areas: Add signage to shared workspaces as well as frequent update emails to remote-workers highlighting GDPR risks.
• Don’t leave documents behind: Remember to check for any documents you might have left behind after working in public places including USB sticks.

Find out more at Fellowes dedicated GDPR page here.