Running a business means wearing many hats at once, and one of the most crucial hats you wear is that of the safeguarder. As a business owner or manager, you will be held responsible for any breaches in security, even if the fault lay at someone else’s door. 

Implementing smart security solutions for sensitive documents is imperative to the safety of your company. According to a 2018 survey, 43% of businesses were victims of a cybersecurity breach that year alone. In addition, break-ins, fires, water damage and human error can destroy physical documents that are essential to the wellbeing of your business. These could be legal documents, personal records of staff, or financial papers. 

If this information makes you nervous, don’t sweat it. Read this guide on how to keep your sensitive documents safe and make the changes your business needs.

Online documents

Nowadays, most businesses operate online for the most part. More and more businesses are using cloud computing servers for the main day-to-day transference of files, conversations and online presentations. Having everything in one handy hub for all employees boosts productivity and makes working from home easier than ever. However, it also makes your business vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches from hackers and fraudsters. 

How can you keep your online documents safe? First, enquire with your cloud computing provider about the measures they take to make your operations watertight. Under your contract, the onus usually is on the server provider to ensure your sensitive documents are kept safe. Secondly, it is imperative to ensure all devices that are being used for work purposes by any employee are installed with an up to date antivirus program. This type of program should shore your devices up against any breach of security. 

Finally, all sensitive and important documentation should exist in both digital and physical form. That way, if they are lost in either capacity, the backup version still exists.

Physical documents

If your company deals with physical documents of a sensitive nature, such as medical records, financial records or law papers, it is best that you take every precaution against the destruction of these documents. It is best that you store your physical documents in:

• A safe. A safe that is fire-resistant and has an access code will avoid damage or theft of your documents.

• The head office of your business. The documents should be stored on site and only moved if absolutely necessary. This will ensure that there is no loss of important documentation.

Destroying documents

In some cases, sensitive documents should be destroyed. For example, if you hold medical documentation for a client or employee that leaves the company, these documents should no longer be in your hands and should be destroyed. You can access secured document shredding from cost-effective companies that will prove that the documentation no longer exists. This sounds extreme, but if your company holds onto any documentation that should not be in its hands, you could face legal ramifications down the line.

In conclusion: keeping sensitive information safe is one of the pillars that upholds the legitimacy of your business. Use this guide to ensure you aren’t caught on the wrong side of things.