Reduction in Productivity

Reduction in productivity means less useful work is completed in the same amount of time. It happens after a security breach when staff cannot work normally. For example, staff logins may be suspended while passwords are reset, so people cannot open the software they need to do their jobs.

Staff may then be idle while they wait for access to return. Others may have to re-enter lost data from paper records or memory, which is slow and can introduce mistakes that then need checking. Some may use slower workarounds, such as writing orders on paper, phoning customers to check details or using a different device. Staff may also be pulled away from their normal duties to help with the investigation, for example by explaining what they saw or checking which files were accessed.

The work still has to be done, but it takes longer. Staff are still at work for the same hours, but less gets done: fewer orders are processed, fewer customers are served or fewer jobs are completed. The backlog can take weeks to clear, so output stays low even after systems are back online. This affects the whole organisation, not just the IT team: reception, sales, warehouse and finance staff can all lose time.

For example, a bike repair business with three workshops has its booking system locked during a breach. Mechanics cannot see today’s jobs, so they wait or phone customers to confirm details. Office staff re-enter bookings from paper notes and help the IT team check which accounts were accessed. Fewer repairs are completed that week, and the missed jobs have to be fitted in later.