Data breaches are an all-too-common occurrence these days. It seems we can hardly go a month without hearing about another massive leak from a major corporation. Indeed, data breaches have increased by 14% in the first quarter of 2022 alone.
That’s why employee confidentiality is so important. Not only should employees’ information be kept confidential, but they should be trusted to keep internal and consumer information secret as well.
Read on to learn 7 best practices your business should follow for employee confidentiality.
1. Clarify What Counts as Confidential Workplace Information
The easiest way to prevent leaks is to clarify what counts as classified information. If you have clear guidelines on what information must be kept private, there’s no confusion as to who can be told what.
2. Keep Information on a Need-to-Know Basis
Another step you can take to improve employee confidentiality is to keep information on a need-to-know basis. Does any other department need access to HR’s employee records? If not, then don’t give them access.
The more people that have access to information, the more likely it is to get leaked.
3. Use Updated Information Security Software
To ensure that you have a confidential workplace, make sure you use the latest information security software and protocols. Hackers move incredibly fast. Your digital security must keep up with them.
4. Review Legal Standards
The standards for employee and consumer privacy change over time. To ensure that your organization remains in compliance, make sure to conduct regular reviews of the legal standards for confidential information. One legal standard to watch includes HIPAA guidelines.
5. Have Employees Sign Workplace NDAs
One way you can prevent leaks of insider or trade secrets is to have employees sign workplace NDAs. They’re not just useful for the entertainment industry, after all.
Not sure what an NDA is? This guide from our associates will give you more information about the document and the process to procure it.
6. Dispose of All Information Properly
Another major reason that employee confidentiality gets violated is that secure information isn’t disposed of correctly. Records get thrown in the trash that should be shredded. Digital files don’t get deleted thoroughly enough.
If you don’t dispose of confidential or classified information properly, you can rest assured those loose ends will get used against your business.
7. Train on Proper Security Procedures
This goes hand in hand with the clarity that we mentioned at the start of the article. In addition to clarifying what counts as secure or confidential workplace information, you should provide regular training on security procedures. This includes training employees on changing guidelines, disposal procedures, and how to avoid social engineering.
Looking for More Ways to Improve Employee Confidentiality?
Employee confidentiality is an important practice, especially in the modern age. That’s why it’s so important to improve security at all levels of the organization.
NDAs, security updates, and disposal protocols are but a few ways to manage this issue. If you’d like to learn more confidentiality best practices, then check out the Business section of our blog. We update each day with more helpful guides like this one!
