Data Protection Week 2023
Data Protection Week 2023
This week (January 22nd-28th) is ‘Data Protection Week’. To celebrate the occasion, we at FlexManager have outlined a few key ways in which our award-winning software can help you’re your company with this crucial element of modern business practices.
Data protection and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) has fortunately become a major focus for many businesses globally. This is due in no small part to the introduction of EU legislation in May 2018, which formally enforces the protection of data and privacy of online information as a right.
The rate at which GDPR has been implemented across all industries has drastically altered the global business landscape. Since 2017 the employment of DPOs (Data Protection Officers) has increased by 700%, with estimated figures rising from 83,000 to nearly half a million in this period.
The problem with the introduction of the new role to operations is that it is just that, new. There are unchartered waters directly associated with GDPR and data protection, ones that can hold heavy fines and penalties. In 2019, GDPR fines globally totalled €55,955,871. This figure has been steadily increasing with Q3 of 2021 penalties amounting to 20 times higher than Q1 and Q2 of the same year combined. With the largest individual GDPR fine being €888 million in 2021.
To avoid substantial damages and punishments such as this being enforced on your company here are some simple measures to take:
Enforce GDPR Policy and Procedure Companywide
The introduction of DPOs has created information gaps in many businesses. In fact, 82% of people hired for this role believe that they require additional education and knowledge to effectively carry out their data protection duties.
It is important to ingrain GDPR into your company’s culture to resolve this problem. This can be achieved by creating and implementing data protection governance into formal policies and procedures. Disseminating this information internally will be key to any effective GDPR code of practice.
FlexManager provides a secure and easy-to-navigate Policy and Procedure module that has the ability to assign documents to employees based on location, user group, or role. Ensuring that all relevant parties are knowledgeable on data-related security. Additionally, with the use of FlexManager’s ‘Version Control’ and ‘Expiry Date’ features your company can notify employees of the updates made to policy and inform them when they need to undertake further training on the topic.
This will allow for a standardised approach to all data protection matters within an organisation as a preventative measure against fines that can reach 2% of a company’s national revenue, or €20 million (whichever is higher).
Provide Data Security for all Visitors
An integral element of GDPR legislation is the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ or the ‘Right to Erasure’. This has introduced the right for individuals to have their personal data to be deleted once it has served its agreed-upon purpose.
Under GDPR it is mandatory for the exact reason and intention for storing collected data to be clarified and agreed upon by all parties. This effectively limits how a company can use customer information and how long they can hold it in their system.
The ‘Right to Erasure’ is particularly important for organisations with a high online traffic volume or with many on-site visitors. For the latter, it is crucial that visitors be made aware that their data is being processed and what the exact purpose is. The reasons for processing a visitor’s data can extend from security reasons to COVID-19 tracking. As part of this mutual agreement, companies must ensure that they have the ability to correctly and securely store, find, and delete data quickly and effectively.
FlexManager provides a ‘Visitor Management’ module that allows for complete control over sensitive information. This means that your organisation has an easy-to-use system, encouraging your customers and visitors to trust you with their data. Allowing visitors to input their data into an award-winning software removes the need for unreliable paper-based forms. Most importantly, your business’s reception will no longer be a GDPR blind spot and can now be the foundation on which data protection policy can be built.
Conclusion
Your company has a responsibility and duty to protect your customer’s data, with your brand reputation depending on it.
To ensure your organisation can fulfill its obligation to its customers, contact a member of our sales team today to find out how FlexManager can provide a comprehensive solution to your GDPR needs.
