New BenefitsPRO Custom Solutions Study Reveals Data Privacy Concerns Have Grown as Employees Continue to Work From Home

New York – July 7, 2022 – As hybrid work becomes the norm in a post-pandemic world, employers are spending 50% more of their time and resources on data privacy and security risks compared to two years ago, according to a joint research study published by ALM’s BenefitsPRO Custom Solutions Group and sponsored by IDX.

ALM, which publishes BenefitsPRO – the premier online, magazine and event provider for benefits professionals – recently partnered with IDX, a leading digital privacy platform and data breach services provider, to survey HR professionals and benefits decision makers to measure their awareness and concern levels regarding data privacy and security risks to employees and companies in light of increased work-from-home and hybrid-work environments.

Other key takeaways from this survey, which includes responses from more than 120 HR and benefits professionals, include:

• Seventy-three percent (73%) of the employer respondents report they are significantly or moderately more concerned about organizational data breaches due to work-from-home and hybrid work models.
• Looking ahead, 67% of employer respondents expect their company to spend more time and resources on data privacy and security risks related to remote and hybrid work over the next three to five years.

“The survey shows how much the post-pandemic workplace has changed and how data privacy is no longer solely the concern of the security and IT departments – these risks now directly affect every employee," said Tamara Gentry, senior director of integrated media at BenefitsPRO. "In turn, companies and other organizations must offer employees a way to protect their personal information as a way to not only secure their information but company data privacy as well."

“The survey shows how much the post-pandemic workplace has changed and how data privacy is no longer solely the concern of the security and IT departments – these risks now directly affect every employee," said Tamara Gentry, senior director of integrated media at BenefitsPRO. "In turn, companies and other organizations must offer employees a way to protect their personal Information as a way to not only secure their information but company data privacy as well."

The survey also finds that averting phishing scams, protecting employees from fraud, and resolving poor password management rank as the top data privacy and security concerns for employers.

“The shift to remote work is a major trend that’s in its infancy,” said Brian Cleaver, senior vice president of employee benefits and marketing at IDX. “Organizations are still figuring out how they can safely and securely enable their employees to work from home. Providing employees with the necessary tools to safeguard and protect their digital privacy has become essential.”

About ALM

ALM is the most trusted media, information services, and data company supporting both the practice of and business of professionals in the legal, insurance, commercial real estate and financial services industries. ALM delivers premium content, influential audiences and high value data essential for growing businesses globally to over 7 million professionals. Please visit alm.com for more information.

About IDX

IDX is a proven partner in digital privacy protection. Thousands of organizations and over 40 million individuals trust IDX to protect sensitive personal information from the growing threat of cybercrime. As a leading provider of data breach response services, IDX serves both public and private sector clients as an unparalleled strategic partner in data protection.

For part two of the BenefitsPRO study series, click here.