Study Finds That Employees Ignore Their IT Department and 'Go Rogue'

At a time when cybercrime is running rampant, you'd think employees would consult their IT departments before downloading software and applications.

However, this isn't the case, according to a study using information gathered from 3,000 workers around the world. Among other things, the study by Snow Software, looks at the relationship between employees and their IT departments.

The results show that, if anything, humans are alike, no matter their position on the corporate ladder. Whether it be the top or bottom of that ladder, employees are 'going rogue' and downloading software and other material on their work devices without the knowledge of IT.

Starting at the bottom, a surprising amount of interns - 33% - feel it is beneath them to get permission from IT to download software or applications. Marginally ahead - 34% - are executives (although you may expect this from those occupying the corner offices, as opposed to 'lowly' interns).

The more startling stat involving executives is that 93% of them acknowledge that "unaccounted and unmanaged technology causes business issues", yet 57% sidestep IT and download unauthorised software and apps.

Somewhere in the middle of the corporate ladder are the millennials (Gen Y), 81% of whom admit they have accessed something on their work device without IT's permission.

The fast-paced nature of the world we live in has brought with it an unintended consequence - impatience. Across the board, 32% of workers said asking IT's permission to get software or applications slowed them down and affected deadlines, 27% said it was frustrating and 26% felt it negatively impacted productivity.

Also, it seems that IT departments are 'scary', and 27% of workers said they felt nervous seeking permission from their IT department (executives and managers were both 33%).

Nerves and impatience aside, if employees knew even these two cybercrime statistics - a business will suffer a ransomware attack every 14 seconds during 2019, and the average (company) data breach costs $US3.86 million - they may think twice before 'going rogue' and contact their IT department instead.

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