Best Practices For Protecting Employee Information

All companies have the responsibility to keep the information of employees secure. Specifically in the United Kingdom, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as the Data Protection Act 2018 has introduced policies that are aimed at enhancing the protection of data, especially personal data relating to employees.

These policies make it clear that the employees’ personal information such as their ID information, phone numbers and email addresses, bank details, medical history need to be kept confidential.

Legally, people have a right to privacy and so having these policies in place is reassurance for employees that no one will access their data and misuse it.

There is also more to it than just the regulatory aspect. Protecting the employees’ information also creates trust, as people are likely to give out their personal details because they have adequate measures in place to protect this information.

Moreover, with the increasing number of cyber threats, unsecured employee information puts a business at risk of identity theft or even ransomware that obstructs the normal running of the business.

While data protection is obligatory for UK organisations, it also serves to protect the respect of workers and their privacy.

The Legal Framework In The UK

The United Kingdom’s data protection laws are rooted in the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. They are applicable to every organisation that manages employee data and outline certain levels of protective measures.

This is to make sure that organisations do not only collect and process employee data in a legal, fair and transparent manner, but also take the necessary steps to prevent misuse of such data. Additionally, they outline how long data can be kept for and the purpose for which it is stored.

In a nutshell, it needs to be made clear why and how the data is intended to be used and that only the essential information be collected. Organisations also need to have preventative measures in place to protect the data from any potential security breaches.

Best Practices For Protecting Employee Information

Let’s take a look at the ways in which a company should protect the information of their employees, from a legal and cybersecurity perspective to employee training.

Use Strong Access Controls

Having the correct access controls in place will prevent unauthorised parties from accessing confidential employee information. The access should be strictly limited to those who require access to the data, and should be accompanied by a two-factor authentication system for an extra layer of security.

Develop A Retention Policy

According to the GDPR, employee data should only be kept for as long as it is deemed necessary. A retention policy should outline the timeline for keeping employee information along with the procedure for removing the information after the employee has left the company.

Have Security Measures In Place For Remote Teams

More businesses have moved to a hybrid or fully remote working model, and this requires extra security measures against cybersecurity threats.

Employees should be encouraged to use a VPN when working, as the encryption of the data will prevent hackers from intercepting it. Additionally, it is beneficial to teach employees on how to secure their own home Wi-Fi networks to maximise their security.

Train Employees On Data Protection

Employees should receive regular training on how to protect theirs and the company’s information. This will include new updates in cyber threats, how to identify phishing attempts and any other suspicious online activity to look out for that could compromise their data.

Have Ongoing Monitoring And Audits Of Protection Measures

Securing employee information will be an ongoing process. This should comprise of both internal and external audits to identify weak points in the current security measures and where they could be improved.

This step is probably the most essential one to maintain the ongoing protection of sensitive data.

Be Prepared For Any Incidents

While every step is taken to safeguard personal information, the risk of security breaches still remains a possibility.

Companies who have an incident response plan in place in the event of this happening are more likely to deal with and resolve the threat quicker. If it does happen, it’s important to know the step-by-step actions to take instead of scrambling, causing further stress.