Yes, that old wicket. I have worked in various shops over the years and I have seen both happy employees and disgruntled ones everywhere I have been. Thankfully I’m of the “gruntled” variety. Well, most days at least. Sometimes a douche bag colleague will be dismissive towards me and that just gets:
a) my blood pressure up
b) the vengeance engine running
Sorry, getting side tracked. Heh.
Where I’m heading here is towards that old whipping post…the “insider threat”. But, allow me to take a slightly different tack. I have witnessed (and been involved with) time and again the management attempt to gauge employee satisfaction. This usually is encompassed in a online survey to gauge the overall temperament of the rank and file. More often than not the staff has responded negatively. I’ve learned over the years that people aren’t usually going to respond to these surveys if they are happy. Usually just when there is an axe to grind, although by no means a hard and fast rule. That in of itself is great data. It can help you to determine potential problems before they arise or head off ones that have already taken root.
Time and again the “insider threat” angle gets trotted out and examined. The press rails against the evils of employees and then we all go back to sleep again. I have a phrase that I apply to damn near every environment I have worked in (and will). The harder you squeeze your employees the more they will slip through your (management) fingers. So, what are you to do? Security is necessary for the wellbeing of your corporate/military/government data. And compliance with the plethora or legislation is not an optional aspect for most outfits last time I checked.
Instead we as managers have a golden opportunity to DO SOMETHING with the data that gets collected from employee surveys. In the past I have seen companies collect this information and then let in languish in a circular file. A hollow exercise that is only meant to satify a check box. Somewhat maddening when you consider how often we hear stories of pissed of staffers stealing data et cetera from their employers. Only to be answered with stricter controls, more policies and a round of firings.
Admittedly, not without appeal at times.
But seriously. One can gather a great deal of value from talking to the staff either in person. Yes, you might actually have to leave your ivory tower for a spell. Whether this communication is in person or anonymously through another method of collection it is a necessary exercise only IF you actually do something with the gleaned information.
Don’t look at respondents as whiners. Look deeper into the root of the problem. Remember that? Root cause analysis? Stem the insider threat by making an ally rather than an adversary. If the citizenry is fed, they are less likely to rebel.
I’m just saying…
Thoughts?
[tags]Insider Threat, Security Management, Management[/tags]
