UK workers take laptops on holiday

Over a quarter of workers will check email from the beach this summer

UK workers seem unable to ignore email while on holiday, as a new poll suggests that 83 per cent will take their mobile phone or BlackBerry away with them.

The survey of over 300 workers conducted by Credant Technologies found that 65 per cent will make contact with the office, either by phone, text or email, while on leave.

Over a quarter of workers will check work emails once a day while on holiday, and 14 per cent will check more than once a day.

Some 18 per cent will view their emails two or three times during the holiday instead of taking the opportunity to relax and forget about the daily grind.

A meagre 40 per cent of workers are comfortable enough to resist the temptation to email the office while away.

The poll also found that one in three people will take laptops with them on holiday, and that one in five of these will not secure the devices with a password. Some 68 per cent do not encrypt the information on their laptops.

Michael Callahan, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Credant Technologies, said: "Whether it's paranoia on the part of employees, or unrealistic demands from employers, numerous workers will be accessing the corporate network from all over the globe this summer.

"If any of these devices are lost or stolen, and are unsecured, the cost of the holiday will pale in comparison to the cost of losing the data.

"Employers must face up to the fact that their employees could be putting the company at risk, and that it is their responsibility to protect the company's crown jewels, i.e. data, wherever it travels."