| Small to mid-sized business executives and managers | | | | and access. |
| often worry about the security of their company's | | | | Before handing out laptops, cell phones and other |
| sensitive files. What is the best way to harbor a | | | | items to employees consider setting up a remote |
| healthy flow of information while keeping your | | | | solution for wiping each device from important |
| company information secure? | | | | company files. If you are worried about expensive |
| Most of this kind of sensitive information should not be | | | | hardware disappearing make each employee |
| stored on a computer's hard drive. If someone were to | | | | accountable for the products they are issued either by |
| get a hold of client credit card information the | | | | having them sign a waiver allowing employer to deduct |
| company is subject to lawsuits. Instead, consider using | | | | an amount from wages or requiring employees to pay |
| a third party services that manages this for you such | | | | a deposit that will be refunded when the items are |
| as PayPal, eBay or AcceptPay. These processors | | | | returned. |
| can facilitate transactions but more importantly keep | | | | Yes, you want to know what your employees are up |
| credit card data out of employees' or hackers' reach | | | | to but serious monitoring is somewhat unsettling and |
| which will limit the company's exposure and decrease | | | | extremely time consuming. Website logging, keystroke |
| the risk for fraud and identity theft. | | | | tracking, videoing or any other form of spying can |
| Human resource records are an example of | | | | cause backlash, send the wrong message and create |
| information that requires special attention. Be mindful of | | | | suspicious distrusting employees. Website filters will |
| this and other sensitive company information because | | | | inevitably block good content along with the bad which |
| what is stored electronically may become a liability. | | | | can have a negative effect on productivity and cause |
| Most information should be free flowing between | | | | unnecessary frustration for hardworking employees. |
| departments and staff members. If employees sense | | | | If you detect a problem it is easier to resort to more |
| that you are trying to hide something there is likely a | | | | traditional methods of management such as evaluating |
| larger issue to address. Staff should have relevant and | | | | a person's daily/weekly productivity and walking |
| pertinent company information related to his/her job | | | | around to get a feel for what might be going on in the |
| function. | | | | office. Also, make sure that company policies are in |
| Another solution is to have employees sign in using | | | | place so that you have a method of recourse in the |
| individually assigned usernames and passwords to a | | | | event of a problem. The company policy should clearly |
| secure server. This assures employees are | | | | state a web use policy and outline what is |
| responsible for the company information they save | | | | unacceptable in the workplace. |