According to a study by Softchoice, 1-in-5 employees still keep their passwords in plain sight (like a Post-it Note on their desk or in the top drawer of their desk—now that’s original), have accessed work files from a device that was not password protected, and have lost devices that were not password protected. Really?

The study also found that employees continue to download apps without letting their IT department know, which puts their organization at risk. Even more surprising to me is that employees continue to use cloud-based applications like Google Docs and Dropbox for work, which may not be approved by their organization. According to Softchoice, employees “continue to display reckless technology habits that put their employers at risk.”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be “that” employee. I don’t want to be the one that gets that phone call that accuses me of doing something “reckless.” I am thinking you don’t want to be that employee either.

The study shows that younger employees are more likely to download cloud apps that put their company at risk, and that although most employees respect their IT department, that didn’t stop them from breaking the policies and procedures of the organization. That is a sobering statistic that we all need to pay attention to and reverse. Give your IT guys a break—they are working hard.

According to the Verizon 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report, data security training for employees is essential. Employees need to be aware of company policies and abide by them. So employers, step up that training of your employees. And employees, step up that vigilance to help protect your employer and your company data. You really don’t want to be “that” employee—do you?

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