Departing workers 'least likely to take printed stationery'

Around half of workers admit they would help themselves to company when they leave a business.

Workers leaving a company are least likely to help themselves to office supplies such as A4 folders and printed stationery when they depart and will instead target customer data or electronic files, a new survey has discovered.

The figures from SailPoint, which were described as "alarming" by the firm, showed 49 per cent of US employees and 52 per cent of their use counterparts would take some form of company property when they leave their role.

Customer data such as contract information would be the target for 29 per cent of US workers and 23 per cent of those in the UK, while 13 per cent and 22 per cent respectively would go for printed stationery.

"Companies should be gravely concerned with these survey responses," remarked Jackie Gilbert, vice-president of marketing and cofounder at SailPoint, adding some workers do not seem to see taking firm's property as stealing.

Personnel may become disgruntled as a result of being given a bigger workload, with Phil Flaxton of Work Wise UK noting many are working unpaid overtime at present.