Can You Keep a Secret? by Marc LeVine

Can you remember a time you were asked to keep a secret and you somehow “let the cat out of the bag?”?We all have done this at some point in our lives, especially as children.?Back then, we may have ruined someone's birthday surprise or revealed a best friend's school crush. Whatever it was, it was likely something that would have been more disappointing than damaging to anyone.

Fast forward twenty years and you are a department manager with several people reporting to you. In confidence, your human resources director tells you that one of your reports is being internally questioned about company theft.?Somehow, you let the news slip to another employee on your team, who spreads it along - as gossip - throughout the company.?Now, no one wants to work with a person they think is a crook, but may not be.

A breach of confidentiality occurs when information given to you in confidence is disclosed to a third party without prior consent. Most confidentiality breaches happen accidentally. Regardless, those affected can still face financial losses and reputational damage as a result. So, breaking confidentially can do great injury to your co-workers, employer and to your own career and professional reputation.

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Confidentiality is a soft skill not too difficult to learn.?It is based on the understanding that a level of authority has determined that some information is not be shared with others at the present time, for a variety of reasons. Those receiving this privileged information may not pass it along to others without special permission. The required skill necessary is to respect whatever are the reasons for confidentiality and to follow the directions for managing confidential information.

What is expected of you when you are given confidential information to safeguard? Here are some guidelines to follow:

1.??????Keep all confidential documents out of sight. They should never be left in public places while unattended. They should always be locked away for safe keeping when you are not around.

2.??????Confidential documents must be properly disposed of when they are no longer of use.? Even shredding must be done in a very careful manner, so they cannot be reassembled.

3.??????It is always very smart to provide ONLY the necessary details to others whenever discussing confidential information.?People, who “overtalk” often give too much information away and can soon find themselves in trouble.

4.??????Be aware that legalities may exist when it comes to confidential information.?For example, HIPPA laws may apply when it comes to personal medical information.?If unsure about any possible legal requirements that may exist, please check with your human resources and or legal departments before you share.

5.??????Avoid discussing confidential information over the phone. You cannot see who else may be in the room listening in on the call.

6.??????Have you signed a confidentiality agreement that restricts what you can share with others? Be sure to review all such legally binding agreements and adhere to their terms.

Confidentiality is easy to reconcile. We all have information about ourselves we prefer not to share with others.?Companies have them too – and worse, it can be information about their employees, who deserve to be protected from gossip and worse. As an employer's representative, you share in the responsibility of protecting other's rights to privacy.

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The Author

Listen to Marc's latest interview on The AutomationBlog Podcast with Shawn Tierney.

Marc LeVine?is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions and Learning and Development Lead at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021. His prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge NJ and Plainsboro, NJ and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his hometown of Freehold Borough, NJ