Keeping your business information confidential is an important part of your overall security. Is your company doing enough in this area? Below are five steps to help you keep your company’s business information confidential and out of the hands of your competitors.
- Designate Information as Confidential. While this seems kind of obvious, this simple action will help categorize information important to your company’s security.
- Develop a Policy Statement. A Policy Statement in your employee handbook will make employees aware of the confidential nature of information to which they have access, and how it should be handled.
- Restrict Access. Sensitive information should be segregated from non-sensitive information.
- Have Contractual Protections. Three types of contract provisions are common—non-competition agreements, non-solicitation agreements, and non-disclosure agreements. You should consult with your human resource and/or legal professionals to help you determine which agreements fit your particular needs.
- Protect Electronic Data. Internet, E-mail, databases and other electronic communication methods are common in most workplaces, and for some, have replaced traditional paper communication and files. In order to protect confidential information and trade secrets, many of the same concepts discussed above should apply to electronic media as well.
Author: Charles Wilkinson, SPHR, is CEO of Human Resource Management, Inc., a management consultancy and outsourced administrative services organization. Learn more at our Contributors tab.
