EMPLOYEE SABOTAGE AMONG ASIAN EXECUTIVES` TOP CONCERNS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- Employee sabotage and misdirected emails
are among Asian executives' greatest concerns, according to a survey by leading
public relations firm Weber Shandwick.

The survey, conducted in cooperation with the Economist Intelligence Unit,
found that 74 percent of top Asian executives believed their own companies'
reputations are threatened as a result.

This was higher compared to 64 percent of Australian executives and 67
percent of executives globally, said Weber Shandwick in a statement today.

"Our research found online reputation management officially making it to the
top of leadership agendas as executives recognise that new challenges can topple
even carefully-built corporate reputations," said Tim Sutton, chairman of Weber
Shandwick, Asia Pacific.

According to the survey, a majority of leaders are out of touch with rogue
employees online.

In Asia, employee criticism is considered a clear risk to the company's
reputation but only one-third of Asian executives know, or admit to knowing, of
a fellow employee who badmouthed their company online.

"Leaders' short-sightedness about employees going online to complain about
their bosses, discuss salaries and leak confidential information highlights one
of the most dangerous threats to corporate and professional reputations now and
in the years ahead," said Weber Shandwick's chief reputation strategist, Dr
Leslie Gaines-Ross.

All levels of employees have had a hand in potentially harming their
company's reputation online, Weber Shandwick said.

"The unintended and unexpected consequences of misdirected electronic
messages can taint, sometimes permanently, company reputations in seconds," it
said.

The survey was conducted among 703 senior executives within more than 20
industries in 62 countries spanning Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and
other markets.

-- BERNAMA