Top Reasons For Business Document Shredding

Whether you own a small restaurant or a large law practice, every business will have some documents with sensitive information that need to be disposed of properly. If you are working on a paper filing system, chances are you’ve experienced the frustration of cluttered office space due to the accumulation of unneeded files. While the build-up of old documents is certainly an inconvenience that slows down daily operations, it is also a security risk that could render your business liable of mishandling sensitive information.

Though many companies are now switching to digital storage solutions to easily manage important files and dispose of unneeded documents, you may still have some sensitive paper files that need disposal. To truly understand why it is so important to shred classified business documents, read on for some of the top reasons.

Document Shredding is the Law

All businesses are subject to a variety of legal regulations that are designed to protect the security of consumers and employees. Failing to meet these legal requirements could put your business at risk of legal penalties and fines for mishandling customer information. By shredding your unneeded sensitive documents, on the other hand, you can protect the privacy of your customers and avoid such legal infringements.

Prevent Identity Theft

Failing to shred sensitive documents also puts you, your employees, and your customers at risk of identity theft. Countless individuals fall victim to identity theft every year, primarily due to breaches in security and failing to properly dispose of documents that contain sensitive information. By shredding sensitive files when they are no longer needed, or securely storing them in a safe environment, can prevent the theft of personal information.

Protect Your Customers

When customers choose to do business with your company they are entrusting you with any sensitive information that they may need to provide. Protected this customer information is a not only a legal obligation but an ethical one as well.

Protect Your Employees

When it comes to information security, customers are not the only ones that can be affected by improper document disposal. A company’s employees are protected by a legal right to privacy, requiring businesses to uphold confidentiality and information security. To protect the privacy and security of your employees, it is important to shred documents, like void checks, health records, copies of photo ID’s, and anything that includes an address, NI, or other personal information.

Protect Your Business

Using an accredited document shredding service can be reflected in your business’s records, protecting it from any allegations of improper document disposal. In addition to protecting your company from legal liabilities, document shredding will also protect your company’s reputation. Failing to properly dispose of sensitive information will reflect poorly on your business, giving it an unprofessional reputation. On the other hand, by properly shredding and disposing of sensitive files your company will be able to avoid such scandals in security breaches.

Free Up Office Space

If you are working on a paper filing system, chances are your office space gets cluttered over time, as old documents accumulate and filing cabinets begin to overflow. Shredding your documents in a secure off-site location allows you to free up valuable office space that can be used for more productive operations. Eliminating unneeded files in this manner will improve your overall daily operations, allowing your employees to save time finding the documents that they need, in addition to improving the overall atmosphere of your office environment.

These are just a few of the top reasons why it is important for your business to shred important files.

Some of the documents your company may have that should be properly disposed of can include:

• payroll records
• credit card information
• tax returns
• copies of photo IDs
• customer lists
• Any other compromising information that could breach the security of yourself, your employees, or your customers.

Proper document shredding may seem like a tedious task, but it is a vital one that can be made easy with the help of document storage and disposal services. Properly disposing of sensitive information and old documents will add to the overall functionality and professionalism of your company, making it one your customers know they can trust.

Have you had issues?

Have you, or your business been affected by any issues mentioned in this post? If so, feel free to leave a comment below.

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