The success of any company is built on its people, and the days of hiring an employee and keeping them confined to a desk are long gone. Today, employees are often remote workers, freelancers, or employed via apps. As the trend in IT goes toward new platforms and ways to collaborate with colleagues, there has also been a dramatic increase in cyber attacks on businesses. The percentage of cyber attacks resulting in a data breach is increasing hence cyber security is top-of-mind for today’s business leaders and their employees. Most employees prefer to work with a company that assures them that their data is safe from cyber threats and breaches.
1. Understand Legal Requirements for Protecting Employee Data
The introduction of computers and the internet has changed almost every aspect of our lives, including how work is conducted. Data breaches continue to be a problem, and employee information is often taken without the permission or knowledge of the victims. Understanding the legal requirements for protecting employee data can help you stay on the right side of the law and improve security measures.
2. Create an Employee Data Access Policy
Create a clear employee data access policy that clearly states employee responsibilities and the privileges granted to ensure complete and total protection of customer data. An effective policy should be easy to understand but easy to implement. Be aware of who has access to customer information and the consequences of incorrectly handling data. Your employee data access policy should detail what actions to perform with that information.
3. Adopt Integrated Employee Document Management Software
Employee documents are an excellent target for any cyber-attack. These documents and files include personally identifiable information (PII), customer data, and intellectual property. Since most of these documents are stored in your system or in paper form, you need effective employee document management software that is easy to use and can protect all your sensitive employee data from any cyber attack. The software automatically encrypts all employee documents and files so no one can access them. The software preserves your sensitive information in a secure, controlled, and auditable manner.
4. Provide Cybersecurity Education And Training
You can help prevent cyberattacks by educating your employees about what to do in case of a breach. The training should include steps to take after a data breach. It provides the tools to protect sensitive data from hacking attempts and the knowledge to avoid becoming an unwitting accomplice to cyber threats. Train the employees to recognize phishing emails and respond if they have received a suspicious file attachment.
Protecting employee data has become even more critical after recent data breaches. Organizations must understand how to protect sensitive employee data to prevent costly breaches. By providing your employees with clear policies for safeguarding sensitive information and access to integrated secure document management software, you can foster a safe environment for your employees, business, and customers. Occasionally conduct updates on company policies and procedures to ensure that employees are aware of any changes and follow best practices.
