Employees and data security at workplace

On the agenda:

• Key figures from the IFOP study
• Challenges related to the use of digital tools 
• The cybersecurity culture

Employees and security: key figures

• Cybersecurity: 51% of employees express concerns about their professional data (an increase of 6 points compared to 2019)
  
  
• Digital incidents: 49% have been targeted by phishing attempts, 48% store personal information on their work devices and 37% share sensitive documents.
  
  
• Impact of AI: 56% of employees are concerned about the impact of AI on data security, and 42% are not aware of the nature of the data collected by these tools.
  
  

Risky behaviour: 27% of employees use external AI tools with personal accounts, and 10% enter professional data into them.

The vigilance of employees of large companies in digital matters is increasing: in a trend that is both strong and consistent, we observe that employees are very concerned about the security of their professional data and the future consequences of artificial intelligence (AI). A concern that is all the more acute as employees are far from fully mastering the tools made available to them and, for some, even engage in “risky practices”.

Towards an enhanced cybersecurity culture

Despite these challenges, awareness of the importance of data security appears to be well established among employees. An overwhelming majority (91%) believe that all employees should be involved in the overall data security strategy. 91% also believe that individual security management helps limit the risks of hacking, and 90% say that data security relies on each person having control over their digital environment.

Cybersecurity issues are now seen as being as crucial as other societal issues such as sustainable development, with 89% of employees sharing this view.

"It is abnormal that even today, employees say they are worried about the security of their data. Some even go as far as not using digital tools provided by the company. This is a problematic situation for companies that are in the midst of digital acceleration and AI deployment.  There is a decisive lever to work on here to increase confidence and the quality of work"

Testimony of Daniel Benabou –                      CEO IDECSI

*Large survey conducted in May 2024 (an initial IFOP study was carried out in 2019) among a representative sample of employees of companies with 1,000 employees or more working in France for IDECSI and CESIN.

CESIN is an association that promotes cybersecurity and the sharing of best practices, bringing together more than 1,000 members from various sectors.

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