With the growth in technology, hackers and data thieves have increasingly found new ways to access vital company data. The onus is therefore on companies to keep important documents safe in the office. Below are five of the best ways to keep documents safe at work.
- Treat Sensitive Documents With Priority: Data breach could cost a company millions of dollars. This is why it is important to identify sensitive documents in order to come up with a foolproof method of storing them. Documents that you should keep securely include customer information, employee records, sales reports, as well as financial information. Always treat these documents with great care, only leaving them in trusted hands.
- Shred Sensitive Documents: Shredding is the best way to get rid of sensitive paper documents that are no longer in use. Keeping the documents lying around on a desk leaves room for unauthorized photocopying, photographing, and even memorization of its content. You can even choose an outsourced service for this task, such as Corodata.
Disposing of the documents in a dumpster is not the best option, as dumpster diving is a thing nowadays. Data thieves might locate your company dumpster and go through its content looking for sensitive information. Using an industrial shredder destroys the document totally, keeping company information safe. In addition, shredding is an environmentally friendly method of disposing of paper, as the waste is usually recycled.
- Use Secure Storage: Having secure storage for sensitive documents in the office is very important. It could be the company safe or a cabinet in your office, make sure to store the documents securely every day. Avoid sharing the details of these documents with coworkers that do not work in the same department. Also avoid taking sensitive documents to shared spaces in the office, such as break rooms and printing areas. Content of your document could be easily copied at a printing area.
- Keep Your Scribbles Safe: Although they are not regarded as such, scribbles and notes actually belong to the class of sensitive documents in an office. During the course of a workday, many individuals write down sensitive information such as addresses, passwords, and even financial information. Do not leave your scribbles laying on your desk after use, shred them along with other sensitive documents.
- Security Training: Security training and sensitization goes a long way in ensuring that documents are kept safe in a company. At the recruitment level, sensitize new employees on the dangers of data breaches. Educate them on the need to keep a clean desk after the day’s work. They should also be taught how to use a shredder to dispose of sensitive documents. When the entire workforce is security conscious, documents stay safe in the office.
Conclusion
Keeping important documents safe is one of the foremost responsibilities of every company. As such, you must follow these tips above in order to keep crucial information safe and secure. Educate your workforce and put in place proper storage facilities, as well as an industrial shredder for these documents.
