Security fears sparked over GDPR laws deter staff from working from home

A recent study held by online security manufacturer, Seareach discovered that the majority of staff are put off from working from home, due to security fears heightened by recent GDPR laws

GDPR, general data protection regulation, is a law and regulation in the EU for individuals on data protection and privacy.

Findings from the report also suggest that workers are afraid to work from home because they are worried that it would be unfair to their colleagues who are unable to do so.

When pressed, staff explained that although some employees could do their job from home, others couldn’t and bosses feared some staff would feel disgruntled if they had to come into work whilst their colleagues could work from the comfort of their own homes.

Looking into security situations in the workplace, Seareach, surveyed 2,000 office-based workers to ascertain whether or not they were able to work from home. The report shows that 53% of staff were unable to work from home, while only 21% of participants were free to do so.

Speaking about the study, Stuart Jailler at Seareach commented:

“Thirty years ago, many businesses were excited to explore the prospects of working from home and allowing their staff levels of flexible working.

“It was predicted that many office based staff would be working remotely now, either at home or out and about.

“With the advancements in technology this is possible, however it seems like many businesses just aren’t wanting to let go of their staff and allow them to work outside of the office.”

He added:

“Security and fairness are valid reasons especially when it comes to the concerns of HR departments.

“For managers, productivity and lack of team work can cause issues; having a team who you are not working physically next to can be a challenge and ensuring the team is cohesive, when the only contact is by phone, email or instant messenger can be less than ideal.

“Our study shows we still have a long way to go with mastering working home, which is a shame as the benefits can be huge for workforces, the environment and also wages.”

In order to action the changes coming into effect with GDPR, many bosses are looking to step up their security measures by restricting the amount of workers they allow to work from home.