Data protection is a prevalent issue in this day and age. Data breaches are rife; companies have vast amounts of data on both their users and their employees. This data is meant to improve productivity in employees and personalise care for customers. There are some sceptics that question the motives behind collecting this data. This scepticism doesn’t change the fact that this information will continue to be collected and used. But, there are ways to use it ethically and dispose of it securely. There is the potential for misuse of an employee’s data, not purely from employees but from other people gaining access to it illegally. Laws have been put in place to protect the interests of consumers in terms of their data, but this is yet to extend to employees. The governance of workforce data skews in favour of the companies themselves. Employees should have access to the data collected on them, the opportunity to read the files, manage the information and potentially delete any data that they feel is incorrect or unjust.
Some companies have created roles to place someone in charge of the data, to ensure the use of it is ethical. Trying to get employees involved in an effort to better monitor the workplace data and technology is important. If employees are given some input into the design and implementation of these systems, they can be confident in the intentions of the company. Companies can use technology to track the performance of their employees, this can sometimes lead people to feel like they’re being watched, or that they are going to be penalised for everything they do. Although, with the right motivations this can be beneficial to employees, to help them improve and succeed. It can help reduce bias and subjectivity in decision making, allowing employers to choose the person with the best track record and not just what they perceive to have been the best track record.
Privacy and performance trade-off in terms of employee data – It can help access a person’s potential, but it can diminish the trust between employees and employers. There will always be questions of equality, as the employers have a wealth of information on the employees but they don’t have access to their own files or have files on the employers.
Disposing of obsolete employee data is sensitive. The personal details must be destroyed to stop them from falling into the wrong hands. As technology advances, so do our security networks. The obvious defences such as anti-virus or firewalls, encryptions and passwords are utilised. However, business’ often overlook the simplest breach – the wastepaper. It is a sound investment to use the services of a secure shredding service. It is a small price to pay for the peace of mind knowing that documents are destroyed and disposed of properly. Document destruction is not to be forgotten despite the digital era we live in. One Time Shred provides confidential paper shredding throughout Essex and all over Britain.
