Document Destruction Policy Refresh: What Needs Updating and How Often?

If there’s one thing you want to make sure your business has nailed down, it’s your document destruction policy. A data breach can not only come with serious monetary consequences but also do irreparable harm to your organization’s reputation.

With that being said, you don’t just want a strong, clear document destruction policy — you want one that’s always up-to-date; But how do you know when it’s time to update your document destruction policy? Don’t wait until a data breach has occurred to start retooling your policy. Stay ahead of the game by following these simple tips.

Perform an Annual Review

You may have what seems like an airtight document destruction policy in place, but data security isn’t something you want to get lax about. You should perform an annual review to determine whether your policy is working as well as it can and adjusting accordingly.

Acknowledge New Security Risks

Data security can be a bit like a game of chess: you make your move, then other moves are made in an effort to find a way around the security measures you’ve put in place.

Whenever a new security risk arises, it’s time to rethink your policy and inform your workforce about the new threat and the measures you’re taking to prevent a data breach. Doing so will prevent you from finding yourself in check.

Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Compliance and Regulations

There’s been a lot of evolution in the business landscape over the past few years, and with that evolution have come changes in compliance and regulations. It’s vital to stay up-to-date on these laws and modify your current document destruction policy whenever it conflicts with recent developments.

Adjust According to Changes in Your Workplace

The face of the workplace has also shifted significantly in recent years. As such, you should look at your current document destruction policy and be prepared to make adjustments that reflect these changes.

For instance, hybrid work means your employees are bringing their work home with them, creating the potential for confidential documents to find their way out of the office. These sorts of security concerns should be addressed promptly, even if they haven’t yet proved to be an issue.

Update Your Data Security Training Annually

Keeping your employees current on your document destruction policy — and all other data security policies, for that matter — is crucial if you want to avoid a data breach (which you do, as it could compromise your company’s reputation among consumers at best and devastate you financially at worst).

To this end, you’ll want to make timely tweaks to your data security training to ensure that your employees remain aware of new security threats, new policies, and the overall importance of protecting confidential information in the workplace.

Secure Document Destruction in North Dakota and South Dakota with SEAM

Guaranteeing the secure destruction of confidential documents is a strict necessity when it comes to avoiding data breaches. SEAM provides onsite shredding and other services to businesses in North Dakota and South Dakota. Contact us today to learn more.