Recruitment = Data Security.

Your business is all about people and relationships, and where is all that recorded? Within your data. Without your data, you lose track of those relationships, and ultimately your business.

It is a well-known fact that the recruitment sector is fast-paced and highly competitive, and with that comes the risk of comparatively high turnover in staff numbers against many other industries.

Being such a data-centric business puts you at considerable risk to threats from all angles. Whether that’s a malicious attack, a human error, or a theft by a departing staff member.

How do changes in the ‘new working world’ impact on the safety of my data even further?

Working around the challenges in recent months that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to us all, businesses in all sectors have been forced to adapt their operations in order to not only remain effective but to survive; and the recruitment sector is no exception. 

Allowing your staff to work from home, and in the rush to set up remote working, many businesses like yours have unwittingly caught themselves in a trap.

To remain effective – you must provide easy access for staff to data and systems, and this might come in the form of tools, services and working practices you wouldn’t have otherwise adopted. In taking these steps have you unknowingly opened the door to a range of threats to the security of your data?

Recruitment Agencies are generally well-versed in the importance of good data handling practice in order to protect staff, clients and candidates and remain GDPR compliant. However, when remote working is introduced to the equation, several additional security concerns present themselves.  Some of these new concerns include:

• Staff may likely be using personal computers, which are not secured or backed-up
• Data may be shared or stored in uncontrolled, insecure locations outside of the company’s control
• Data may be lost, become corrupted or be stolen
• Compliance to regulations, such as GDPR, can become impossible to maintain

In a data-heavy sector like recruitment, files need to be readily available and easily shared while remaining tightly controlled and monitored.

Where do I begin to identify my insecurities and get control of my data?

Data security can seem daunting and it can feel difficult to know where to begin. Start by identifying the files or systems that are being accessed.  Then, for each, ask:

• Where is my data stored?
• How are staff accessing it?
• How are staff sharing it?
• What permission-based controls are in place to control system & data use?
• Can I be sure that no unauthorised persons can gain access to these files?

If you can’t confidently and comprehensively answer any of these questions – you need assistance in getting back control of your data.

There is a way forward

We appreciate that your business is all about your data – your clients and your candidates – and without complete control and visibility of that data, the security of your business is in jeopardy.

Urban Network has years of experience in deploying efficient modern workplace solutions, which are tailored to your working practices and have security best practice built-in by design.

To learn more about tackling your challenges, please get your free copy of our ‘Adapt. Survive. Thrive.’ guide tailored to businesses in the recruitment sector.

We welcome the opportunity to provide you with a free, no-obligation discovery call – in which we’ll offer guidance in helping you answer the questions contained within this article, and map-out solutions to tackle those challenges, quickly, before they become an issue.