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Improving Document Security With A Clean Desk

There comes a point when you have to admit that your desk is in shambles. Papers jumbled across it like some madman’s idea of a jigsaw puzzle. While it may be an environment that you can work well in, it’s an environment that comes with a great deal of risk. How could that be, you might wonder from somewhere under a scattering of papers.

It simply comes down to the fact that the papers are not secure, obviously leaving them scattered around your desk is no bar to someone deciding to help themselves. Maybe you think this isn’t such a large issue, since you trust your co-workers to be honest people. Fair enough, but what about outsiders who come into the office for one reason or another? Clients, cleaning staff, and people coming for interviews could easily make off with something. We don’t like casting doubt onto people, but you need to take precautions as the damage could be immense should something happen.

Implementing The Policy

The first thing that must be done is establishing a clear understanding in all employees about which sort of documentation needs to be secured. Ensuring everyone is up to speed will make the process an easier one to accomplish. Any kind of document with information that could be used to hurt someone or a business must be considered confidential. Even the smallest scrap of information can be collected and used in the pursuit of information fraud. Names, addresses, financial information, etc, are the common examples.

Next you need to decide on how you wish to have information secured. For records that do not need to be retained and are instead destined for the shredder ASAP, secure containers are the ideal choice. They are specifically designed to hold documents and prevent them from being removed until it is time to shred. These will be provided from your document shredding company of choice.

For records needing some longer retention, you’ll need another option, as the bin doesn’t really allow you to retrieve things. Clearly the surface of your desk won’t do, so perhaps a lockable drawer would work, but those may not be the most secure option. Whatever you end up deciding on, make sure it is secure from casual inspection. A professional service can help you with all of this, so you don’t have to go it alone.

January 31, 2021