#GDPR has boosted employee confidence in data security

More than half of UK’s workforce (53%) feel confident that their personal data is stored responsibly and securely, a rise since the introduction of GDPR in 2018.

Today (25 May) marks one year since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force and findings from ADP shows that the regulation has had a positive impact on employee confidence around data security.

More than half of respondents (53%) say that they feel confident that their data is stored responsibly and securely by their employer, a rise of six percentage points since 2018.

In May 2018, GDPR was implemented to enhance individual data protection and ensure the privacy of those living within the European Union and Economic Area.

The ADP Workforce View in Europe 2019 surveyed over 10,000 employees throughout Europe, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK, and found a positive link that shows employees throughout Europe feel more confident about data security since the legislation was introduced.

However, more than a quarter (26%) of UK employees still worry about the security of their personal data; a figure that rose to more than a third of employees (34%) in France which suggests a significant number of organisations need to do more.

The biggest concern amongst UK employees is that they have no control over the data being stored (11%), followed by worries that their organisation’s systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks or data breaches (9%). A further 8% are concerned that too much data is being held without their consent.

Cécile Georges, ADP Chief Privacy Officer, commented: “It’s highly encouraging to see that the implementation of GDPR has coincided with a significant rise in employee confidence, suggesting that employees feel more assured than they were prior to GDPR that companies will actually comply with Data Protection requirements that for most part were already in force in the European Union. It is crucial for both the organisations and their employees that the former are complying with GDPR and have a thorough understanding of the impact of wrongfully processing data on employees.

She continued: “GDPR has already led to positive results but companies must continue to work to maintain data security and ensure their employees feel confident about the way their employers hold and process their personal data.”

‘The Workforce View in Europe 2019’ report explores the attitudes of employees toward the future of work. The research for ADP was carried out by independent market research agency Opinion Matters in October 2018. The sample consisted of 10,585 working adults in eight territories across Europe, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.