Report: Physical and digital threats to workplace security are very real

Today’s workplace is currently undergoing an extreme transformation. Gone are the rows of grey cubicles as flexible, responsive workplaces become the norm. But, as the workplace changes, so do the potential risks to you and your company–unwanted intruders, cyber attacks, and IP theft.

We partnered with Wakefield Research to survey 1,000 U.S. IT and Security professionals who are responsible for technology impacting physical security, data, and network elements. We wanted to know what your biggest workplace security concerns are, who is responsible for keeping your space secure, how much of your budget is dedicated to protecting your building and the people in it, and what role visitor management systems play in your security process.

You can read the full results in our Workplace Security 2020 Report. Here are the highlights:

Physical and digital threats to the workplace are very real

Today’s IT and Security professionals feel like they’re being attacked from every angle. When evaluating on-site data security, more than 2 in 5 (44%) feel most threatened by external malicious actors, while more than half (56%) worry about internal threats such as employee negligence (28%) and accidental data slippage (28%).

When asked what was a greater vulnerability for their company, IT and Security professionals are nearly split down the middle. Fifty-seven percent are focused on cyber data security and 43% are concerned about on-site physical security.

Security plans are in place but there are weak spots

Workplace security is so critical that 99% of IT and Security professionals have someone directly responsible for setting up the workplace security policies and tools their spaces need to keep their people, property, and data safe. This includes both dedicated internal security teams, employees themselves, and outside companies.

What’s shocking is that over ⅓ of companies place workplace security responsibilities solely on their front desk receptionist, who may not have the training or experience required to handle these responsibilities.

What’s also surprising is that almost half (47%) consider a pen-and-paper logbook to be an adequate visitor management solution. This sign-in method poses a serious threat to workplace security. Pen-and-paper solutions leave visitor information out in the open, making their details exposed and visible for anybody to see.

Workplace security budgets are set to increase with a focus on visitor management

Visitor management systems help you keep track of every person that comes through your front door, leaving a digital log of all guests authorized to be in your workplace, who they came to see, who is using your network, who signed mandatory legal documents, and who has left the building. Almost all people surveyed (98%) see some benefit in investing in a visitor management solution, the top benefit being workplace security (63%).

Many IT and Security professionals (63%) expect to see their workplace security budget increase in 2020, by an average of 13%. The numbers also reveal that this upward trend is expected to continue over the coming years, with younger generations (Millennial and Gen X) putting more of an emphasis on workplace security (71%) than baby boomers (48%).

View key security and safety trends from the Workplace Security 2020 Report

Download the full report to learn more about the physical and digital threats your colleagues prioritize, how much of their budget is dedicated to workplace security efforts, the common mistakes your company may be making, and details on features and integrations your visitor management system can offer to keep your workplace safe and secure.

Download the report