How can you keep employee records safe?

1 Choose a secure storage method

The first step to keeping employee records safe is to choose a suitable storage method that meets your legal and operational requirements. Depending on the type and volume of records you have, you may opt for paper, digital, or hybrid storage. Paper records require physical space, locks, fireproof cabinets, and shredders. Digital records require encryption, passwords, backups, and cloud services. Hybrid storage combines both paper and digital formats, but also requires consistent synchronization and maintenance. Whatever storage method you choose, make sure it is accessible, organized, and compliant with relevant laws and regulations.

2 Limit access and permissions

The second step to keeping employee records safe is to limit who can access and modify them. Not everyone in your organization needs to see or edit every record. You should establish clear roles and responsibilities for handling employee records and assign different levels of access and permissions based on the need-to-know principle. For example, you may grant full access to HR managers, partial access to supervisors, and self-service access to employees. You should also monitor and audit the access and usage of employee records regularly and report any suspicious or unauthorized activities.

3 Train your staff and educate your employees

The third step to keeping employee records safe is to train your staff and educate your employees on the importance and best practices of data protection and privacy. Your HR team should be familiar with the policies and procedures for creating, updating, archiving, and deleting employee records. They should also know how to handle requests, complaints, and incidents related to employee records. Your employees should be aware of their rights and obligations regarding their own records and how to access and update them securely. You should also provide them with tips and resources on how to prevent and report data breaches or identity theft.

4 Update and archive your records regularly

The fourth step to keeping employee records safe is to update and archive your records regularly. Employee records are dynamic and change over time as employees join, leave, or change roles within your organization. You should keep your records accurate and up-to-date to avoid errors, confusion, or conflicts. You should also archive your records periodically to free up space, improve efficiency, and comply with retention laws. Archiving means moving your records from active to inactive storage, where they are still accessible but not editable. You should have a clear archiving schedule and criteria for different types of records.

5 Dispose of your records securely

The final step to keeping employee records safe is to dispose of them securely when they are no longer needed or legally required. Disposing of your records means destroying them permanently and irreversibly, so that they cannot be accessed or recovered by anyone. You should have a clear disposal policy and procedure for different types of records and follow the relevant laws and regulations for data destruction. You should also use secure methods and tools for disposing of your records, such as shredders, erasers, or certified vendors. You should also document and verify the disposal process and outcome.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?