Canadian Businesses Increasingly Vulnerable to Data Breaches as Workplace Mobility Increases, According to New Shred-it Survey

Toronto, Ontario, June 20, 2018 — A new Ipsos poll of C-suite executives and small business owners (SBOs) for Shred-it reveals that Canadian businesses are becoming increasingly vulnerable to data breaches as workplace mobility increases. For over eight in ten (82%) C-Suite Executives and two thirds (63%) of SBOs, there is a belief that the risk of a data breach is much higher when their employees work off-site. Yet the vast majority of C-Suites (89%) and half of SBOs (50%) report that their organizations are embracing workplace mobility, by offering flexible or off-site working environments. Moreover, a large majority of C-Suites (83%) and SBOs (66%) think that the option to work remotely will become increasingly important over the next five years.

Clearly, the option to work remotely is of growing salience for most businesses yet many do not appear to be prepared for open-concept offices and off-site work environments. This is especially true for SBOs, with almost half (46%) claiming that they do not have any policies for storing and disposing of confidential information when employees work off-site. Further, just one in four (27%) SBOs offer employee training on using public Wi-Fi and four in ten (38%) do not have any protocols in place for off-site employees using electronic devices containing confidential information. By comparison, C-Suites in organizations with more than 100 employees are doing a little better, as more than nine in ten (93%) have security protocols in place for off-site employees using electronic devices containing confidential information, three in four (74%) have policies for storing and disposing of confidential information when employees work off-site, and around half (48%) offer employee training on using public Wi-Fi.

While it may appear as though C-Suites are more disciplined than SBOs, there is considerable room for improvement among this group as well. Only a slim majority of C-Suites report that they train their employees on the following practices: keeping sensitive information out-of-sight when working in a public space (58%), sharing company-issued electronic devices with family and friends (53%), and keeping company-issued devices safe from interference at home (53%). Indeed, there is room for improvement, as oversights in employee training can be potentially damaging to a company’s reputation and bottom line if a data breach does occur.

Gen Pop Survey

In addition to the Shred-it tracking survey among C-suites in large businesses and owners of small businesses, Ipsos conducted a short survey among a general-population sample of n=1,002 Canadians aged 18+ about data protection and security. The results indicate that most Canadian consumers view data protection and security as important, meaning that having robust data-protection policies, procedures, and practices should be a high priority for businesses in all sectors of the economy. More specifically, the vast majority of Canadians view data protection as important when making decisions about which bank to use (85%), while slightly fewer, though still a large majority think it is important when making decisions about where to work (79%), which legal firm to hire (77%), which hotel to stay at (74%), or from which dealership to buy a car (72%).

There are striking generational differences in terms of attitudes and behaviours towards data protection and security in the workplace. Among working Canadians, millennials (18-34 year olds) lag behind their older colleagues when it comes to safe data protection practices, despite having spent their formative years in the digital and mobile era. Only half (50%) of millennials shred confidential documents compared to two thirds (65%) of Gen Xers (35-54) and 52% of Baby Boomers (55+). Around four in ten (37%) millennials report regularly leaving their computer on and unlocked after work, compared to around two in ten (22%) Gen Xers and just 12% of Baby Boomers. Lastly, close to half (48%) of millennials leave their notebooks on their desk after leaving work for the day compared to four in ten (37%) Gen Xers and one in five (21%) Baby Boomers.

About the Study

Ipsos conducted a quantitative online survey of two distinct sample groups: small business owners in Canada (n=1,002) under 100 employees, and C-suite executives working for businesses in Canada with a minimum of 100 employees (n=100). The fieldwork was conducted between April 3rd and April 21st, 2018. Data for Small Business Owners is weighted by region. Data for C-Suite Executives is unweighted as the population is unknown. The precision of Ipsos online surveys are calculated via a credibility interval. In this case, the Canada SBO sample is considered accurate to within +/- 3.5 percentage points had all Canadian small business owners been surveyed, and the Canada C-Suite sample is accurate to within +/- 11.2 percentage points had all Canadian C-Suite Executives been surveyed.

In addition to the quantitative online survey, Ipsos conducted a short survey among a gen pop sample of n=1,002 Canadians about data protection and security. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online surveys is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the survey is accurate to within +/- 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadians been surveyed. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Vice President, Ipsos Public Affairs
+1 416 324 2002
[email protected]

About Ipsos Public Affairs

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of Canadian American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.
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About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry.
With offices in 88 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management.
Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.
Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,782.7 million in 2016.