Common sense security
The urge to pick up one's computer terminal and smash it to smithereens on the ground is something most of us have experienced.
In these days of almost universal dependence on computers anything that disrupts the smooth running of IT systems causes a great deal of stress and frustration.
Luckily for the IT budgets of most businesses, few people actually act on these urges.
But according to computer experts, employers do not generally recognise the risk they face from staff venting their frustrations in subtler, but potentially far more damaging ways.
An article in this week’s Accountancy Age warns that it only takes one disgruntled employee to abuse his access rights and damage the organisation.
This is an important issue, and one that employers should sit up and take notice of.
Directors of publicly quoted companies in particular will be aware that they have a legal responsibility to act on computer security since the implementation of the Turnbull reforms.
But employers should be careful before they start implementing expensive big brother-style systems to ‘monitor’ their employees.
Excessive snooping could feed the disaffection the consequences of which they are seeking to avoid, and make staff feel they are being treated like children. And overly complicated security systems will just cause more frustration among a stressed workforce.
Security is important, but it needs to be applied with a large dose of common sense.