Data security tops employers’ compliance worries

September 9, 2008 by Sam Narisi

Posted in: Employee computer use, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Security and law

What’s the compliance area most companies are concerned about in 2008?

Data security, according to a study by compliance consulting firm LRN.

When surveyed by LRN, 52% of executives said electronic data protection was the top risk they were worried about. Almost as many (47%) said “data privacy.”

Those two were higher than sexual harassment, executive corruption, safety and other issues.

Why are companies so worried about data? The answer is two-fold, says LRN: The amount of electronic information companies have is growing, and it’s coming into greater focus because of new “electronic discovery” rules that dictate what info companies need to keep in case of a court visit.

The firm’s advice for staying compliant:

Develop privacy and data security policies
Periodically audit information storage practices, and
Educate employees on the impact of lost or stolen data.

Tags: compliance, data security, e-discovery, privacy

See what readers are saying...

Bob: Some HR professionals will argue that they can't provide a "termination list" to the help desk, due to confidentiality r...

Ed: The department manager should have informed the complainantg that tey would have to go to HR. They should have reminded...

Mike R: In the first instance, the company took measures to check on its employees (web use) and lost a court case for not repor...

john king: Good Job US COC. These fn policies and laws are driving our economy into the ground. Go be racist somewhere else not on ...

Jim Rittgers: I see the court decisions as being the opposite of what Mike R. seems to state. The message sent by the Doe v. XYC Corp...

Amy K.: Mike R, I disagree. Companies have no obligation to be police officers for their employees. Certainly knowing about so...