26/07/2007

Over three-quarters of employers do not take steps to make sure their staff understand the ICT policies they have in place, according to new research.

The survey by NETconsent and the Federation Against Software Theft also found that while 94 per cent of professionals said their employers have such policies in place, less than half thought their co-workers actually understood them.

A further 40 per cent of respondents stated that disciplinary procedures have had to be initiated as a result of the flouting of ICT policies.

'All board members must take their responsibilities seriously to ensure that organisations are complying with the law,' commented John Lovelock, director-general of the Federation Against Software Theft.

'Policies are an important communication tool, not only to educate users and remind them of their rights, responsibilities and the consequences of their actions, but also to protect them.'

A recent survey by email security provider Proofpoint found that over a quarter of firms have fired an employee for breaking email policies in the last year.

It also discovered that nearly half of businesses have had to discipline a member of staff for violating company email usage policies.