The Growing Burden: IT Staff on the Front Lines of Data Protection Compliance

Data Protection Compliance: A Burden on IT Departments

Compliance with data protection regulations has become an increasingly significant concern for organizations, placing a burden on IT departments. A recent survey conducted by Hornetsecurity found that 80% of organizations are more concerned about compliance than they were five years ago. However, the responsibility to maintain compliance falls primarily on IT departments in more than half of the businesses surveyed.

Perception of Compliance

There is a negative perception of the compliance burden within organizations, not just at the technology level but throughout the business as a whole. Many organizations view compliance as a necessary cost, akin to taxes. While some prioritize data protection regardless of regulations, there are others who adopt a more dismissive attitude.

Andy Syrewicz, technical evangelist at Hornetsecurity, notes that the heavy burden of compliance is increasingly being placed on IT teams, leading businesses to seek ways to manage it effectively. This burden stems from the introduction of the Accountability Principle in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires organizations to demonstrate evidence of upholding data protection principles, respecting data-subject rights, and fulfilling governance obligations.

The Burden of Compliance

Rowenna Fielding, director of Miss IG Geek, draws parallels between compliance and other regulations aimed at protecting individuals, such as health and safety laws or consumer rights. She argues that the perception of compliance as a burden rather than a responsibility is not surprising. Compliance requirements can be extensive and time-consuming, making it challenging for organizations to catch up on decades of “compliance debt” and meet new, more stringent standards.

Fielding emphasizes that the responsibility for compliance cannot solely rest on the IT department, as this is a recipe for disaster. IT’s role should be facilitating compliance by ensuring that IT equipment and services align with the organization’s obligations. Instead, compliance should be a shared responsibility across the entire organization, starting with strong leadership from the top.

Shared Responsibility and Organizational Culture

To effectively manage compliance, Fielding suggests that senior management takes the lead, providing clear parameters, resources, and guidance to the rest of the organization. Compliance should not be seen solely as a box-ticking exercise, but as a fundamental part of the business strategy. However, all too often, senior management treats compliance as a task that can be achieved through orders and threats of punishment for noncompliance.

This approach fails to create an environment where compliance is incentivized, nor does it provide the necessary resources to achieve it. Instead, organizations must foster a culture that enables compliance and holds all business units accountable for meeting their compliance requirements. Fielding argues that it is easier to scapegoat junior employees for noncompliance than to build a robust culture that promotes and enables compliance.

Editorial: Striking a Balance

The burden of compliance on IT departments is a pressing issue that businesses must address. While regulations aim to protect individuals and their data, the increasing complexity and scope of compliance requirements can overwhelm organizations, particularly their IT teams.

It is essential for organizations to shift the responsibility for compliance away from solely relying on IT departments. Senior management must take a proactive role in providing resources, support, and clear guidelines to all business units. Compliance should be viewed not only as a legal obligation but also as a vital component of ethical and responsible business practices.

Building and maintaining a culture that values and prioritizes compliance is crucial. This includes incentivizing compliance, providing ongoing training and education, and fostering an environment where transparency and accountability are valued.

Organizations must strike a balance between meeting compliance requirements and facilitating the day-to-day work of IT departments. This may involve allocating dedicated compliance officers, ensuring adequate resources, and implementing efficient processes and procedures. By spreading the responsibility for compliance throughout the organization, businesses can ensure a more holistic approach to data protection and minimize the burden on IT departments.

In an ever-evolving digital landscape, compliance will continue to be a significant challenge. However, by embracing compliance as a shared responsibility and fostering a culture that values data protection, organizations can navigate these challenges more effectively, thus ensuring the security and privacy of both individuals and businesses.