Blog

How to Keep Documents Safe at Work: Protecting Sensitive Information

Sensitive information is a fact of life for businesses. Whether it’s confidential company data or personal customer information, businesses have to take measures to protect it from theft and misuse. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t take the necessary precautions to keep their documents safe. This can lead to disaster, both in terms of legal penalties and lost revenue. In this article, we will discuss some of the best ways to keep your documents safe at work. Follow these tips, and you can rest assured that your sensitive information is protected!

Shred Your Documents

Professional document shredding is one of the most effective methods for protecting your documents from theft. By shredding sensitive information, you make it difficult for thieves to steal and misuse your data. A secure and lockable bin is also a good way to protect your documents. This will keep unauthorized people from accessing your documents, and it will also help keep your documents secure if your office is ever broken into.

Document Management Plan

A document management plan is also essential for protecting your documents. This plan should include procedures for handling and storing sensitive information. Employees should be trained on how to protect confidential data, and they should be aware of the consequences of mishandling or leaking information. Also, have a written, signed, confidential non-disclosure agreement before disclosing confidential information to any parties.

Train Employees About Document Security

Employees should train on how to handle confidential and proprietary information with care and regard for its sensitivity. You should specifically train your personnel on how to protect sensitive information, shred documents, and how to store files with private information.

The employees should know how to report any actual or suspected unauthorized access to management as soon as possible.

Limit Access To Sensitive Information

It is important to assign an authorized person who can manage your paper documents. This person should be responsible for shredding documents when they are no longer needed, and they should make sure that all sensitive information is stored in a secure location.

Secure Paper Document Storage

Steps must be taken to guarantee that any physical papers are as safe as possible from theft. Begin by ensuring that the locations where they are all kept are secure all day and night. Employees should be taught how to lock sensitive papers and double-check that they are protected. Investing in safe offsite storage for records that require a longer retention time might also be beneficial. For the safe disposal of private documents, the best way is to rent or buy lockable, secure shredding containers. Usually, the shredding company will provide these bins; it is a cost-effective way to dispose of the documents and shred them later.

Backup Your Documents

Where possible, always back your information. Physical documents should be scanned and saved on secure servers. If the worst does happen and any of your secure documents are lost or stolen you will still have access to them.

 

Businesses need to be vigilant about protecting their sensitive information. This includes taking precautions such as using secure document shredding services and keeping documents locked up when not in use. By following these simple tips, you can rest assured that your confidential data is safe from theft and misuse.

At A1 Datashred, we are experts at protecting your information, and you can trust us to destroy your documents in a secure manner. To learn more about our shredding services or to get a quote, please contact us today.

May 17, 2022