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When important documents are no longer needed, shredding is the ultimate solution. Shredding prevents numerus of problems otherwise faced if they were taken into someone else’s possession. Here is why.

Holding on to boxed papers because you believe you “may” potentially need it can take up unneeded space. Knowing what is important and should be kept, and what can be disposed can be a baffling decision. Once its sorted out, there is a simple solution, shred it.

Are you considering hiring a shredding company to destroy your organisation's sensitive documents? Chances are that it's for one of these common reasons.

Human error in the workplace is far more common than you think. In fact, an alarming 32% of security breaches are caused by a negligent employee! Classic examples of employee negligence include; Accidentally sending emails to the wrong person, inadequate disposal of sensitive paperwork, and misplacing mobile devices or laptops. The good new? There are some very effective ways to reduce human error when it comes to the employees in your organization. Create a Culture of Security Appoint a Chief Security Officer, and provide them with a clear, concise document outlining all policies and procedures for employees would both in and outside of the office. Get Employees More Involved Form a 'Data Security Committee'. Include representatives from all areas of your company; IT, Human Resources, Compliance, Legal, Marketing & Communications. Come up with ideas for implementing these policies and procedures in a way that everyone within your company will understand, and will be able to follow. Information Security Training Provide Information Security Training on a regular basis so your employees can learn the best practices for protecting confidential information. Emphasize Responsibilities Take every opportunity to remind your employees that it is their legal responsibility to protect all confidential information, and company records. This includes all Entrance & Exit Interviews. Every employee should acknowledge that they are aware of the security policies and procedures. IT Support Provide your employees with the latest and best IT support, such as any data loss prevention or equipment softwares, malware protection, passwords, etc. Security Audits Schedule regular information security audits to help you identify any problem areas, and to help you find solutions. Throw in the odd surprise audit to keep employees on their toes! Catch them once, and they'll most likely try harder next time. This is also a good way to catch any employee who is knowingly committing fraud against your company! Management Protocols Implement information management protocols that include how long to keep certain types of documents and outlines the proper procedures for securely disposing of them. When information is no longer needed, have all documents (paper and electronic) destroyed by your shredding company! Shred-All Implementing a Shred-All Policy will simplify information management, and take the responsibility of deciding if a document is confidential, or important enough to be shredded, all of the employees. All documents are deposited into locked consoles and then securely shredded on site. Partner With Like-Minded Companies When looking for a business partner of any kind, whether it be independent contractors or huge corporation, always look into their data security protocols and ensure that they are as committed to data protection as you are. 

'Spring Cleaning' is the process of thoroughly cleaning your house to be rid of all the winter dirt and clutter. Now, you can apply those same principles to your organization's Information Security Policies! Your Tasks: Organize Clean House Implement New & Better Systems The most efficient way to clean is by starting on the top floor, and working downwards. Similarly, the most efficient way to clean up your policies is by starting at the Executive Level, and working downwards. De-Clutter Every workplace should have an extensive information management program that outlines both retention and destruction schedules based on the privacy laws of the industry or province they work on. Be sure to label all files with their retention and destruction dates. No Short-Cuts Implement a Shred-All Policy so that all document which are no longer needed are securely and completely destroyed. This policy will ensure that employees will no longer have to decide if information is sensitive enough to be destroyed - which will reduce the risk of a security breach. Clean Out Storage Areas. Some companies still hoard old equipment like computers, while other wipe all information from hard drives and then trash everything. The only way to guarantee that sensitive information stored on e-media is secure is to physically destroy it. Hire Cleaning Experts to Help. Partner with a reliable document destruction company to ensure that your documents are destroyed properly.

Smaller businesses tend to have fewer security mechanisms in place, making them popular targets for cyber criminals. Of course, this is no the only reason to create a secure culture in your workplace from the beginning. Another important one being the cost of a data breach, which is not ideal for any company, but especially not for you, as you are still establishing your customer base and your reputation. So, what information security practices are best for a start-up? Understand Your Obligations Research the Privacy Laws and Legislation that are relevant to your business. Data Security is your legal responsibility. Check out our most recent blog for more information! Create a Written Information Security Policy Compose a detailed document about identifying and protecting sensitive data both in and outside of the workplace. Ensure that there are specific guidelines for your mobile workforce. Introduce Document Management Procedures Only collect and retain the personal information that is essential to your organization, and physically control access to these records. Arrange for data backup. Keep an inventory of sensitive information with clearly marked destruction dates on both electronic and paper files. IT Protection Use the latest technological safeguards for prevention, detection, and encryption. Educate your workforce. Provide regular information security training for all employees. Emphasize Physical Safeguards. Implement a policy requiring all office guests to sign in. Ensure there are locked containers to hold any documents that need to be destroyed. Implement a Clean Desk Policy to remind employees to protect information at all times. Risk Assessments Create a Security Risk Assessment Schedule to identify security gaps! Supply Chain Before entering into any business relationship, always evaluate potential partners to ensure that they are as committed to information security as you are. Secure Document Destruction Partner with a document shredding company like Shred-All to dispose of documents that are no longer needed.

As incidents involving malicious internet users become more prevalent in the news, it's easy to forget that sometimes, data breaches are caused by human mistakes in the workplace; using unsecured recycling bins, forgetting to back up data, and not enforcing rules regarding document management when working remotely are just a few of these slip ups. For a small business with a limited (or non-existent) budget for security, this can be both a relief, and a concern. While the risk of a data breach remains high, there are simple but powerful safeguards that can be put in place. Improving information security needs to be a major priority for a business of any size. Small businesses can reduce the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands by following these four tips for beefing up security. On-Going Training Every employee within your organization needs to understand why security policies are in place, and exactly how to follow these procedures. Security Awareness Training can be as easy as regular staff meetings where employees are updated about information security, and taught the safest ways to share critical information online, as well as how to handle confidential information while working outside of the office. Secure Mobile Data A recent study has shown that nearly all small businesses have cyber security systems installed on their company's desktop and laptop computers, but that only around 60% have the same protection on their mobile devices. One easy step to ensure your mobile data is secure is to encrypt devices with password protection. The next step would be to install other tools capable of blocking malware and detecting cyber attacks. Have A Response Plan Everyone needs to know what to do if a data breach does occur. Check out this free toolkit for creating a Security Breach Response Plan from the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Sweat The Small Stuff Businesses should provide lockable drawers or filing cabinets to store sensitive information, employees should regularly change their passwords, and there should be document management procedures in place for both storage and disposal. Try this simple, but effective, system and improve your information security today!

Many business owners don't realize that one of the key places where fraud originates from is within the business itself. Therefore, they often overlook the key areas of vulnerability. We have compiled a list of the Top 5 Most Vulnerable Areas in Your Office: Printers Many offices have a communal printer, which means that sensitive information is often printed and left at the printing station, or accidentally picked up by an employee who printed before or after. In order to reduce this risk, businesses should ensure that employees secure their print jobs with a personal security code, or allow employees who are constantly printing sensitive informations to utilize a printer within their office. Non-Secure Recycling Bins & Wastepaper Baskets Disposing of sensitive information in an open recycling bin is just as risky as leaving it on the printer, or on a desk. Implementing a Shred-All policy will eliminate the risk of any random person being able to pick up these documents. Shredded materials are still recycled, simply in a more secure way. Messy Desks Messy desks with paperwork everywhere are extremely vulnerable to snooping and possible data theft. External staff, such as cleaners, who have access to offices can clearly see any sensitive documents that are left out on a desk. Implementing a Clean Desk Policy and providing lockable storage units to employees will greatly reduce the risk of sensitive data falling into the wrong hands. IT Device Storage Electronic storage devices are very convenient, especially when you can't access the company network. However, they also raise the risk of fraud. One way to counter this risk is by requiring that storage devices be signed out of the office, and by then ensuring that they are securely destroyed when they reach the end of their use. Car/Homes/Hotels In the past, employees mainly worked at the office, and rested at home. With the mobile workforce becoming a more popular option, people are starting to access their filed remotely from anywhere. While this is convenient, it also increases the risk of confidential information being left in non-secure areas. Organizations should caution employees to only take sensitive data outside of the workplace when absolutely necessary, and teach them about secure disposal when outside of the workplace.

is your company at risk of becoming a victim of corporate espionage, fraud, or information theft? This quick self-assessment of your office security will help to identify the most vulnerable areas within your organization! Answer 'Yes' or 'No' to the following questions. Office Document Security Does your organization... Have a secure means of disposal for confidential information? Have locked consoles for the disposal of confidential documents? Have a Shred-All Policy, ensuring that every document is securely destroyed? Monitor any Privacy Legislation that may affect your business? Regularly conduct security audits of your business? Perform full reference checks when sourcing out new vendors? Employee Training Does your organization... Perform full reference checks when hiring new employees? Have easy to understand, written document destruction procedures for employees to follow? Review document destruction policies as part of orientation for new employees? Require all employees to practice a "Clean Desk" Policy? Off Site Document Security Does your organization... Instruct all employees on proper document security and disposal when travelling or working outside of the office? Document Retention Does your organization... Have an up-to-date document retention policy? Store sensitive documents requiring long-term retention in a secure area, where employees have limited access? Use document storage containers that have a clearly marked date of destruction? How Safe Are You? Add up the number of 'No' answers. 1 - 3 You are doing a good job monitoring risk. Partnering with an expert like ShredAll will continue to protect your business and your reputation! 4 - 6 You are at slightly at risk for a security breach. Try reading some of our other blogs on how to mitigate the risk of a potential breach. 7+ You are at a significant risk of a security breach. You need to act now; a breach could be detrimental to your business.