Fiberlink Survey Finds That Employees Are Concerned About Security Although They Admit to Altering Security Settings and Visiting Inappropriate Web Sites

BLUE BELL, Pa., Oct. 29, 2008 – Fiberlink Communications Corporation, the trusted provider of enterprise software and services that solves mobility issues, today announced survey results revealing what IT needs to know about mobile employees’ habits. To fully understand mobile employees’ thoughts on mobility, security, IT and work-life issues, Fiberlink commissioned Kelton Research to conduct a survey of 300 employees who work at companies with more than 500 employees and work remotely on company-issued laptops at least some of the time.

• 43% - Download personal pictures and videos 
  
  Tip: Set and enforce policies around the use of company-owned devices
  
  
• 31% - Download software for their own use 
  
  Tip:  Inspect laptops before allowing them to access the network
  
  
• 25% - Admit they’ve visited a blacklisted or inappropriate Web site 
  
  Tip: Install software that prevent employees from viewing these sites
  
  
• 24% - Altered security settings 
  
  Tip: Configure settings so it’s not possible for end-users to alter them
  
  
• 23% - Delayed security settings purposefully 
  
  Tip: Set security updates so they occur without user interaction

To prepare for the future and keep employees happy and productive, businesses must understand what their mobile workers value. Further, this helps companies attract talent and understand where to put IT resources when supporting a mobile workforce.

Mobile working is on the rise.  In the future, mobile workers expect to:

• Physically attend meetings less (74%)
• Become more reliable on remote and mobile connections in the next year (55%)
• Use more email and instant messaging than they currently do (48%)
• Rely more on video conferencing than they do now (46%)
• Use more Web-based applications than they currently do (46%)

Employees Say the Benefits of a Corporate Laptop are the:

• Ability to work remotely improves work/life balance (94%)
• Power to stay productive when traveling for work (85%)
• Freedom to work from home (81%)
• Transportation cost savings when working remotely (69%)

Not surprisingly, employees appreciate the benefits of mobility. Nearly all (99%) remote workers think there are plenty of advantages to having a laptop provided by their employer. With the positive aspects employees enjoy from corporate laptops, concerns around data security remain an issue. IT must stay one step ahead, not only providing employees with the tools they need, but also understanding the impact these shifts will have in information leakage and network security.

Additionally, employers reap the rewards as well. Forty two percent of laptop-toting employees work more hours each week when working remotely. Thirty-five percent of these employees work more than 30 additional hours each month, and twenty-four percent work 10 to 14 additional hours when working remotely each month.

Fiberlink Communications’ MaaS360 provides enterprises with a single platform to cost-effectively manage all the elements of its growing mobile operations regardless of where the users, devices, or data are located or connected.

Survey Description and Methodology
The Fiberlink IT Survey was conducted by Kelton Research in August 2008 using an email invitation and an online survey. The sample size was 300 employees who work at companies of 500 or more employees and work remotely on company-issued laptops at least some of the time. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 5.7 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

*Note to media: The full report can be obtained by sending an e-mail to ssutton@fiberlink.com.

About Fiberlink
Fiberlink is a leading provider of mobility as a service to companies worldwide. Fiberlink’s products allow a business to cost-effectively manage all the elements of its growing mobile operations regardless of where the users, devices, or data are located or connected. Market research firm Current Analysis recognizes Fiberlink for its leadership in delivering secure mobile workforce solutions. Fiberlink is the trusted mobility platform for companies such as Continental Airlines, Grant Thornton and McKee Foods. Additional information about Fiberlink is available at www.fiberlink.com. 

For Additional Information Contact:
Schwartz Communications
Joe Palladino or Lesley Cannata
MaaS360@schwartz-pr.com
(781) 684-0770

© 2008 Fiberlink and the Fiberlink logo are trademarks of Fiberlink and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other brand names are trademarks of their respective partners.