Protecting Staff Info as Important as Safeguarding Customer Data, Lawyers Say
Though protection of customer and consumer data often dominates privacy professionals' conversation, safeguarding sensitive employee information is just as important, said Downs Rachlin lawyers in a blog post Wednesday. "In today’s digital world, keeping your team’s data safe isn’t just a nice-to-have -- it’s absolutely crucial," said Matthew Borick and Jennifer Drake.
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"Imagine for a moment the types of information your company handles for its employees every day," like "social security numbers, bank account details, personal contact information, health records, and performance evaluations," they said. "Each piece of data is like a puzzle piece that, when put together, can create a complete picture of your employees’ lives."
"The stakes are high," Borick and Drake added. "A single data breach can be devastating and result in significant financial penalties, legal battles, and -- perhaps worst of all -- a complete erosion of trust within your organization."
To combat this, a comprehensive data protection strategy is needed, the lawyers said. Encrypting the data comes first, followed by precautions like multi-factor authentication, requiring strong passwords and up-to-date software, among other protocols.
But "technology and policies aren’t enough," the lawyers said. Companies "need to build a privacy-first culture," where everyone is trained "about the importance of data protection," there is transparency around it and employees have control of their information.
Though legal compliance is also crucial, it's not about avoiding penalties, but showing that employee privacy is a large part of the company's values, the blog said.
"Protecting employee data isn’t a one-time project," but "an ongoing commitment," Borick and Drake said. "Technology evolves, laws and regulations change, and new threats emerge. Your approach to data protection needs to be equally as dynamic."