HR Security: How to Protect Your Employees with Secure Shredding

As identity theft continues to be a growing trend in the U.S., businesses have to seek better ways to protect confidential information from falling into the wrong hands. Theft or misuse of information about employees can be devastating for everyone involved. In fact, business owners in North Dakota may face legal consequences if they fail to protect employee data.

A focus on digital data security is necessary, but don’t forget that a lot of employee information is still kept on paper documents. Improper disposal of data poses a security threat to employees and the companies whose responsibility it is to keep these materials secure.

Secure Paper Shredding in North Dakota

Professional shredding and disposal is the safest way to handle private information. If you’re not certain which employee documents are considered to be confidential, one of the technicians at SEAM Services can help advise you.

Typically, sensitive materials include:

• Employee payment and salary records
• Employee evaluations or reprimands
• Intellectual property
• Résumés, especially when they contain personal contact information
• Investment or retirement information
• Employee medical information or insurance claims

You can clarify the status of any data with a supervisor. But if you’re unsure whether outdated documents qualify as being confidential, treat them as if they are.

How Does a Shredding Service Keep Employees Safe?

When you partner with a shredding service like SEAM, you are contracting for the complete and safe processing of sensitive documents. SEAM offers both mobile on-site shredding and haul-away destruction carts for your company’s convenience. With either option, documents are collected in a locked container, shredded, and properly recycled.

On-site shredding offers the extra security of having a supervisor witness the destruction. Documents that are hauled away are shredded at a certified facility. Both types of services can be scheduled as a one-time clean-out or a regular, recurring part of your data organization plan.

More Safety Tips

In addition to using a shredding service, there are several steps that you can take to protect your employees, customers, and your business from potential fraud.

Emphasize information safety in the workplace. Remind employees to remove and properly store or file sensitive information at the end of every day. Documents with personal ID numbers, passwords, or contact information should never be left in plain sight.

Develop a system for storing private employee information. Sensitive data shouldn’t be kept on mobile devices, including company computers or thumb drives.Usually, the Human Resources department is responsible for overseeing all employee documentation. It’s up to management to make sure those responsibilities are being met.

Whether out of habit or a desire to be thorough, some people share private information where it’s not needed. This can happen during a customer phone call or with inter-office memos, emails, and written communication. Practice the art of withholding private data when practical and encourage employees to do the same.

Paper Shredding for Businesses in North Dakota

SEAM Services is a credentialed, secure data destruction company, here to help businesses in North Dakota to keep themselves and their employees safe from identity theft and other types of data-related fraud. If you have questions or concerns about the way your company’s confidential information is being stored, contact SEAM today.