Maintain Data Confidentiality In The Workplace

Confidentiality in the workplace has always been important, but modern offices have complicated the status quo. With every technology upgrade, the workforce is forced to adjust to new procedures and expectations. New workplace laws come out to set the standards for businesses and threaten serious penalties in the face of violations. As much work as it is though, confidentiality needs to take priority. The loss of information can mean anything from legal hassles to a complete shutdown of a business. To keep your livelihood protected, here are five tips to getting it right.

Workplace Security 

Use these five tips to set a more well-rounded protocol in place for security:

• Know the types: Personal information of customers, proprietary information, and employee data are all under the umbrella of confidential facts. 
• Watch what is said: Many employees will discuss personal matters casually without realizing that they can easily be overheard by another party. 
• Confidentiality contracts: You can present your policy in writing and have employees sign off on it. This makes it easier to enforce your internal guidelines. 
• Document control: Once you no longer need a document, secure shredding services will ensure it doesn't wind up in the hands of the wrong person. You can also store your documents in a secure space to reduce the odds of a breach.
• Invest in IT: Your network can be one of the more vulnerable assets in terms of confidentiality. Make sure there's someone keeping an eye on it. 

How to Maintain Confidentiality in the Workplace

The most important component of confidentiality is awareness. When employees stop paying attention, this is when problems start to occur. It's why large and small companies alike will have training sessions, sometimes less to teach new skills and more to remind people of the importance of confidentiality. It's also led to more restrictions in terms of overall access. If employees are on a need-to-know basis, there's less chance of information slipping through the cracks. 

Confidentiality in the Workplace Laws

From the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), many workplace laws exist to ensure that employee information is protected. When it comes to enforcing these laws, access must be limited to sensitive information. HR executives can sometimes be put in a difficult position as they're often the keeper of this information and may sometimes be put in ambiguous situations. The best way to navigate these questions is to err on the side of giving out as little information as possible, as long as it doesn't compromise the safety of the person in question. 

Secure Shredding Services 

Why is it important to maintain workplace confidentiality? It's not just million-dollar fines that should convince you to step up your game. Breach of confidentiality in the workplace examples are real stories that hurt real people. Data destruction, whether it's in the form of paperwork or a hard drive, is one of the best ways to keep everyone protected. Gilmore Services offers a number of ways to keep your business safe, whether it's through shredding or storage. If you want to learn more about how we can help, contact us to see how we can work with your workplace.