All Points Mobile Shredding Blog

What is the clean desk policy?

And how can it protect my company from ID theft?

Companies today are getting more and more proactive in the fight against ID theft. The clean desk policy is one step that many organizations are implementing to ramp up security efforts—and the benefits are more than just a cleaner, less-cluttered work space. Take a look:

Clean desk policy defined

To put it simply, the clean desk policy mandates that every employee clear their desk before leaving for the day. This includes any and all paperwork, post-it notes, files, removable media and any documents open on their computer home screen.

Reduce the risk of a data breach

The most important and obvious benefit to having a clean desk policy at your company is preventing the breach of sensitive data. It stands to reason if desks are cleared each day, it will be less likely that confidential information can be lost or stolen. Post-it notes with passwords or account numbers, documents that have client information or company data on them and any and all digital files, USB drives and other devices can easily be picked up, pocketed or copied after hours when no one is around.

Clearing each day goes a long way

Once implemented, a clean desk policy becomes part of the daily routine. If employees are trained properly and continuously and held accountable, they will find that clearing their desks each day reduces stress, leads to a more productive work day and makes finding files and information easier. By putting away files and media, the office becomes less cluttered and more organized, benefiting everyone on your team.

Be aware of recycling risks

One result of clean desk policy that can have negative effects is the recycling of unwanted or duplicate documents. While in theory it may make sense to toss old paperwork into recycling bins, the fact is that you are just relocating the risk. It’s much safer to have all unnecessary or outdated documents shredded. This ensures that confidential data is not lying around in the recycling bin or the trash—the other places that ID thieves look to gain access to information they can steal.

All Points Mobile Shredding is a family-owned and operated company located in Stuart, Florida. We offer full service shredding and destruction on-site at your office. Talk to us today about setting up a regular shred schedule to safeguard your company against data breaches and ID theft.

Dawn Connelly

Dawn is the vice president of All Points Mobile Shredding. All Points Mobile Shredding is a family-owned and operated on-site document destruction company that has been serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches, and surrounding areas since 1994.

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