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Are Consumer Devices, Social Media and Video Causing Company IT Policies to Bend, or Break?

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PCQ Bureau
New Update

Cisco announced the latest results of the Cisco Connected World Report, an international study that  reveals the expectations and behavior of workers in accessing information anywhere, anytime, with any device. The second set of results from the Cisco Connected World Report shows a disconnect between IT policies and workers, especially as employees strive to work in a more mobile fashion and use numerous devices, social media and new forms of communication such as video. As technology trends alter the way businesses communicate and operate, more than two-thirds of workers surveyed believed their companies' IT policies could be improved, and at least two of every five (41 percent) said they break those policies to meet their needs.

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This announcement builds on the initial findings released in October, which examined the desire of workers to access corporate networks, applications and information anywhere at any time with virtually any device. With this desire as a backdrop, the latest findings reveal how real-life consumer trends like social media, video and increasing numbers of devices in the workplace are causing many employees around the world to question the relevance of corporate IT policies and break them with more regularity.

Key Findings

· The study, which involved surveys of 2,600 workers and IT professionals in 13 countries, revealed that while most companies have IT policies (82 percent), about one in four employees (24 percent) are unaware that such policies exist. An additional 23 percent reported that their companies do not have IT policies on acceptable device usage. When combined, almost half of the workers in the study (47 percent) either do not have an IT policy on device usage or do not know that one exists.

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· For those employees who have an IT policy, 35 percent say IT does not provide an explanation or rationale for why it exists, which can result in apathy, misunderstanding and selective compliance.

· Among workers aware of IT policy, about two of three (64 percent) feel it could use some improvement. These employees believe policies could be updated to reflect real-world needs and work styles, such as finding an acceptable medium between device usage, social media, mobility and work flexibility.

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