More than a quarter of 329 London workers surveyed admit they routinely take their laptop or other mobile computing device to bed to do work.
The same survey indicated that 57 per cent of bedmates found it “a very annoying habit.”
More than half of those who do work in bed did so for between two to six hours every week, according to the survey carried out by researchers hired by Credant Technologies.
Eight percent of the respondents also confessed to spending more time on their mobile devices during the evening than talking to their partners.
When asked the question, “What is the last thing you do before going to sleep?” 96 per cent did say it was to kiss their partners goodnight.
The remaining 4 per cent (71 per cent of whom were male, according to the survey) confessed to completing work and checking e-mail.
According to the survey, more than half of the workers are routinely uploading and downloading sensitive corporate information to their mobile device while in bed.
Most use a wireless network, with a fifth admitting their network was not secure as they tapped away answering e-mail and other tasks.
Five tips for electronic pillow talk
Credant Technologies, a security firm making endpoint data-protection products, was inclined to scold in its statement about the survey’s results.
It offers the following five tips to ensure that your business data remains secure, especially when working in bed:
Tip One: If your laptop or mobile device contains important/sensitive data relating to your employer, especially clients’ information, then the data protection act requires it be adequately protected. Ask your IT department to encrypt the mobile device.
Tip Two: Always use a strong password – combining numbers, letters and symbols, to access your device or network. Don’t make exposure easy.
Tip Three: Be aware of all the points of connection and access so you don’t risk disclosure.
Tip Four: Don’t leave your mobile device open to access (e.g. leaving Bluetooth or WiFi turned on) somewhere visible and unsecured.
Tip Five: Finally, use your bedroom for what it’s designed for. And, if you’re not feeling sleepy, your laptop is the last thing you should be turning to!
Source: Computerworld.com