The increasing use of instant messaging (IM) as a business communications tool is exposing UK companies to serious security and legal issues, a survey published today has claimed.

A YouGov poll of more than 2,000 UK consumers found that one in five now use IM at work, but over 60 per cent of companies admitted to being totally unprotected from the threats arising from the technology's misuse.

The survey, commissioned by IM management firm Akonix Systems, claimed that IM is increasingly used for "inappropriate communications".

A quarter of all respondents admitted to having used IM to say something "their boss would not approve of". This figure was particularly high in the 18-29 age group, with four in 10 admitting to having done this.

The poll found that some 16 per cent of workers have used IM at work to send or receive sensitive company information or documents. This included employees sending sensitive information outside the company.

A quarter of respondents have used IM to gossip about work colleagues, with twice as many men as women using IM for this purpose. Some seven per cent of 18-29 year olds admitted using IM to further their careers by liaising with potential future employers.

The survey also found that IM was often used excessively for personal communications and file transfers at work, particularly by younger workers.

Eight out of 10 18-29 year olds use IM to chat to friends and family while at work, while a quarter of this age group use IM to download music and/or film trailers while at work.

However, despite the potential for abuse, the survey found that IM can be a valuable business tool when used properly, increasing productivity and enabling faster decision making.

When asked which parts of their job IM improves, the top answer was communications with customers/partners (46 per cent), while almost 40 per cent said that it improves information gathering efficiency.

Bill Harmer, EMEA managing director at Akonix, said: "The use of IM as a business communications tool is growing rapidly, with some analysts predicting that it will surpass email by as early as 2006.

"IM can benefit companies enormously by improving productivity and the speed of decision making, and increasing the efficiency of communication in the workplace.

"We know that 97 per cent of IM transactions are constructive and legitimate, but the three per cent of inappropriate transactions could be hugely damaging to businesses.

"The findings of this survey should be a wake-up call to UK companies. IM should be embraced, but the consequences can be severe if your business is not adequately protected."