Paper documents and the information in them are not given utmost care as it should be. And now that we are in the age of digitization where most of these documents are moving into the digital space and are either using digital documents partially or wholly.
Companies often ignore the security of physical paper documents while taking a lot of precaution when it comes to digital documents. This leads to careless disposal of paper documents with personal data without taking into consideration that it might lead to data breach.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t just trash your physical documents.
- Disposing the documents should be done in the best way possible such as using document shredding.
- Retention and disposal policy should be put in place to give direction on the disposal process.
- All documents have some sensitive information, dispose all of them with utmost care.
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There are quite a number of documents that companies thrash without second thoughts or retain documents for a long time even after reaching their retention period. This can lead to very costly legal and compliance risks, mess up the companies reputation and reduce customers and suppliers risks.
Companies handle different types of documents from multiple pages contracts to small tits and bits of sticky notes. The most frequently used documents include
01. Drafts/ Rough notes
These are documents created and revised before a final document is produced. Regardless of the drafts containing sensitive documents they end up being trashed instead of shredding to eliminate the possibility of access.
A person with not so good intentions can access this information easily and use it fraudulently.
02. Duplicates
These are documents reproduced from the original one for reuse or sharing across stakeholders. Here neglect can be quite high from forgetting the documents in the copiers to producing excess copies, handling them carelessly, leaving them on desks and trashing them.
Instead these are documents that should be shredded immediately they have been used to minimize the possibility of accessing sensitive data included in the documents.
03. Sticky notes/Memos
Tit bits of notes used within an office for follow ups, reminders and for tagging might have sensitive documents and yet when stakeholders are done with them, they get trashed carelessly.
This makes it very easy to access the information written on them.
04. Labels/Tags
Mostly used on parcels and mails are trashed carelessly with the packaging material or envelopes without a second thought. These labels contain personal data such as names, telephone numbers, addresses and locations.
These are sensitive data that if accessed by a person with ill intention can be detrimental to a company’s reputation.
05. Unsuccessful Applicants CVs / Resumes
These are usually disposed of carelessly without thinking about the personal information of the other person.
This is a very common practice in many SME’s and this can be very detrimental to your company, if accessed.
If a complaint is made to ODPC in regard to this, it will cost you.
06. Outdated employee records
Companies keep these beyond their retention period. Even after employees have left the company or have passed on, you will still find companies holding on to these documents.
This is mostly common in companies that have no retention and disposal policy in place. They have no idea or fear disposing of these employee records.
07. Expired Company IDs/Badges/ Name tags.
These are usually disposed of carelessly without a second thought. When staff are done with the company IDs, exhibition badges and they no longer need them, they are left carelessly lying around.
These documents have personal information such as names, company name and job descriptions, which can be easily used illegally.
08. Expired Bank/Credit card statements.
These are mostly kept for so long beyond their retention period. This is the point that someone can access them without your knowledge because you rarely go through them. You won’t even notice when any of them goes missing.
The best thing to do is to get rid of them the safest way possible.
09. Payslips
People tend to be careless with their payslips as long as they have received money in the account. These are documents that are holding personal information that can be used against you, from name, company name, salary etc.
Leaving them lying around is being careless, one attempt by a fraudulent person will cause you a lot of trouble.
10. Cancelled cheques
Cancelled cheques does not mean it is no longer useful. There are people who will still find it useful.
The importance is in the details it is still holding. Trashing it without precaution is risky.
11. Old Client files
Even though you are no longer working with a client, you don’t need to hold on to their file for so long unnecessarily. Don’t even dispose of it carelessly.
Disposing the files with utmost caution is required to protect their information as much as possible.
12. Boarding passes/tickets
After use don’t trash them.
The best way is to shred them, because despite not being in use, they still have your personal and sensitive information.
Conclusion
Don’t take your physical documents for granted. The way you are cautious of your digital documents is the same way you need to handle your physical documents.
They all contain sensitive and personal information that if leaked can be detrimental to the company.