How To Protect Your Business

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When you own a business, you need to know how to protect it. There are threats that could damage it – and you – from all directions, including cybercrime, lawsuits, and contract issues among many more. By putting some of these ideas into practice, you can give yourself an added layer of protection that could save you a lot of worry and money in the long run. Read on to find out more.

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | How To Protect Your Business

Be Wary Of Social Media

Social media can be great for business; it’s the ideal way to connect with more of your target audience, and you can advertise very cheaply – if you post the right kind of post that captures people’s imagination, you might even go viral and essentially advertise for free.

But just as social media can be wonderful for your business, boosting it much further and giving it greater reach than any other method could, it can also be dangerous. Anything you say online will be archived for all time, and sometimes it can even be taken completely out of context and used against you, and this is especially true if it’s a business account posting.

When using social media, always think twice about what you’re about to say, and if it could be taken the wrong way, think again. In the worst cases when your reputation has been attached through social media, you can hire reputation management services to help you regain your good name.

Train Your Employees

No matter how much you know not to open email attachments from strangers or to click on links that look suspicious, your employees might not, and it’s vital that they are trained to understand more about online safety because it’s all part of protecting your business. Don’t just assume that they know what to do and what the best practices are; ask them outright.

To be completely sure, even if most people are aware of what to do, it’s still a good idea to implement regular training on the issue. The more they know, the more they’ll notice, and the more protected your business will be.

Destroy Your Data Properly

All businesses are going to have some form of confidential data or sensitive information in their files somewhere. Whether it’s customers’ address details or credit card numbers, or the company’s own bank accounts, if any of this information were to get into the wrong hands, it could spell disaster for you, either because your finances could be compromised, or because the information could be used to steal your customers’ identities.

If you have this information on paper, make sure you destroy it properly when you need to – shred it, rather than simply throw it in the trash. If it’s digitally stored, make sure you destroy the information completely rather than just deleting it because a cybercriminal will be able to restore it and use it for their own illegal needs.

Using the cloud is going to help in most cases with this issue. The information will be securely stored, so you’ll be able to access it whenever you need to, and no one else will be able to find it.

Keeping Your IT Systems Safe

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |IT Systems|Keeping Your IT Systems SafeBoth small businesses and large corporations are vulnerable to data breaches and cyber-attacks. Small businesses are more vulnerable because they don’t have enough resources to set up high-tech security systems to keep their data and IT systems safe.

But there are ways around this. If you are on a shoestring budget and cannot afford to get a security system for your business, here some practical ways you can protect your data and keep your IT systems safe and secure.

Keep your remote collaborations secure

Team messaging apps have become an integral part of our day-to-day business operations. They have simplified the way people transact businesses by providing intuitive collaboration tools that make communication and information sharing easy. Messaging apps like Slack and Mattermost are at the forefront of remote collaboration. These apps enable companies to manage projects and internal teams easily and effectively.

As for security, when you compare Slack vs Mattermost, the latter offers an array of features to help protect your business from data breaches. Mattermost is an open-source app that you can install on an on-premise server giving control over who can access information. Since it gives your complete control over your information and data, this can help minimize the risk of data breaches.

Use strong and unique passwords

Make sure all your employees use strong and unique passwords. Don’t use your name or date of birth as a password as they are easy to guess. Create a password that has a combination of letters, symbols, and digits, and make sure it has more than eight characters long.

If you are going to find it difficult to remember the password, write it down in a notebook or use a password manager.

Secure your Wi-Fi

Many small businesses don’t have the necessary resources to secure their network. This makes them vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

To minimizes the risk of external entities hacking into your network, make sure that every device you use at work for connecting to the internet is secure. This includes routers, smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

Install an antivirus

Antivirus software can help prevent data breaches and protect your computer systems from getting hacked. Many antivirus programs come with free plans, which offer some level of security for your data. It would be advisable to pay for a premium plan, as it includes advanced security features that keep your data and systems safe.

Control access to systems

You need to control who has access to your data and information. If you are a large company, you need to limit access by department. You cannot have employees from different departments accessing all the company data, as this can lead to data breaches.

If you are a small company, you can limit access to specific individuals. It is also important to make sure that if someone no longer works for you that you disable their access to all your electronic systems.

Takeaway Point

Securing your IT systems ensures that all your company data is safe. If you cannot afford a high-tech security system, take other steps to ensure that your systems are protected from outside attacks.

What Is A Data Protection Policy? Can It Be Beneficial?

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Data Protection Policy|What Is A Data Protection Policy? Can It Be Beneficial?Navigating in the digital world is a journey full of learning. Thanks to the numerous digital tools and solutions available today, businesses can achieve their goals faster and more efficiently. However, as a business owner, you must be cautious when using information systems. Along with the advantages of these online solutions are their disadvantages—some of which are data loss and theft. When using these online services and software, your data might be at risk.

Because of potential online and offline security threats to your business, it’s essential to set up your information technology (IT) team dedicated to data privacy and security. By arranging a data protection network inside your company, you can lower your company’s vulnerability to security crises today and in the future.

What makes data privacy and security significant? What could happen if a company isn’t able to protect its data? In this article, you’ll explore how you can level up your business security by establishing a data protection policy. You’ll discover how this policy can benefit your business or organization.

Importance of Data Privacy and Security

A simple click on the internet can leave significant digital footprints about your organization. Since it’s in the business’s nature to negotiate with consumers and investors, companies can obtain personal information from people they transact with. Still, they should keep these pieces of information confidential.

After meeting a stranger for the first time, bet you wouldn’t entrust them with your accurate personal information. You’ll only disclose more information about yourself as you develop more profound connections with people. The same goes for organizations. It’s the company’s responsibility to ensure data privacy by managing how data is collected, used, and stored. Likewise, it needs to establish data security to protect business data from internal and external attackers or any loss that could lead to the company’s downfall.

What Is A Data Protection Policy?

Essentially, a data protection policy defines how your company will protect the confidential, personal data of every individual involved in the organization. Personal data may include any information related to an identifiable person such as:

  • Name, address, and contact information
  • Online identifiers
  • Health information, records, and documents
  • Bank and credit card details
  • Employment information

Data protection policy shouldn’t be interchanged with ‘Privacy Policy’ and ‘Privacy Notice.’ While a privacy policy or notice explains how users’ data will be used, the data protection policy involves guidelines, rules, and principles that notify individuals on their protection coverage according to data protection laws.

Benefits of Implementing A Data Protection Policy

While smaller companies tend to overlook their data protection, it’s them that will be most vulnerable if they don’t recognize its importance immediately. Protecting your organization’s data with the data protection policy should be your top priority, especially during the first few years of your business, as it’ll help you reap these primary benefits:

1. Safeguard Your Company From Online Hackers

Digital threats can come from both inside or outside of your company. As most cyberattacks are unexpected, your organization can stay vigilant 24/7 from potential attackers with the help of a data protection policy. Aside from protecting your company’s data, implementing cybersecurity policies protects your businesses from costly data breaches and cyberattacks.

Employees are most vulnerable to online attacks as they travel from websites to attachments, share passwords, bypass encryption, and other small actions that may put them and the company’s safety at risk. Spreading security awareness among your employees is a crucial aspect of the data protection policy.

2. Offer Peace of Mind To Employees and Customers

As a loyal customer, what would you feel if you’ve recently discovered that one of your trusted brands hasn’t established a strong data protection policy yet? Of course, you’ll feel worried that anyone can easily access your confidential information, and worse, take advantage of it to cause you or other people harm.

Establishing a data protection policy on your company gives your customers and employees peace of mind that their information is always kept secure and private. While there’s an uncertainty that their data can’t be compromised in the future, having a data protection policy prevents or lessens the damage inflicted by any potential data breach.

3. Increase Customer Engagement and Trust

Companies that have had security issues now look less appealing to customers and investors. Sixty-five percent of 4,500 consumers indicated that they wouldn’t transact with businesses with a data breach history. These consumers also feel that only 50% of companies they negotiate with take data privacy and security seriously.

Therefore, if you’re a company with well-established data protection policies and haven’t had any data security issues before, customers are more likely to be involved in your brand offers. This gives you an edge against brand competitors.

Takeaway

In this technological age, businesses and organizations should always prioritize managing their data. While these data are mere combinations of letters, numbers, and figures, they hold an unparalleled value to your company. Entrepreneurs should understand that data integrity isn’t a burden to their plate and acknowledge it as an important element to drive business growth and success.

Worried About Safety? Make Armed Security Your Priority

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Armed Security|Worried About Safety? Make Armed Security Your PriorityIt is natural for humans to worry about people and things they love. It can be your business, employees, customers, and of course, your own life. But sadly, it’s not possible to protect all of these on your own. You need to take the help of someone.

But, who can you trust to protect your most prized possessions? Well, the accurate answer would be ‘professional security, particularly armed security.’

Armed security guards are best for protecting you and your business from all kinds of threats and dangers. They are an incredible deterrent to criminals. Besides, they also offer you a sense of security and peace of mind, which is essential in the hectic work environment. Impressive right?

However, you’ll be shocked to know that many people hesitate to hire security guards. The reason being that they are not sure if their business needs ‘armed security.’ Are you also worried about the same? If yes, then keep reading to find out.

Type of business that needs armed security

  • Health care: On an everyday basis, numerous people visit hospitals, clinics, and medical stores. Therefore they must pay attention to the security of every person. And, armed security guards are the best for this job.
  • Retail: Needless to say that the security guards will help the retailers in keeping an eye on the fraudsters and employees for any suspicious activity.
  • Schools: The protection of students and teachers is of utmost importance, and only armed security can do it well.
  • Politician: Politicians work on making the future of the country. That is why you need armed security for politicians to protect the nation ultimately.
  • Banks and financial institutions: Anything related to money undoubtedly needs protection. They can monitor security electronics and workplace violence protection.

In addition to these, other businesses can also use armed security services for the overall protection from threats.

Benefits of armed security

Now that you know which businesses generally need armed security let’s understand why one must focus on hiring armed security guards.

More trained: As armed guards have weapons with them for your protection, they are more trained than unarmed guards. Besides, they have to pass all the state tests and standards before they are allowed to use them.

Employed after the background check: Think about it: you can’t give weapons to the people who have the potential to harm you. Simply put, security guards need permits for using weapons. They have to go through a proper background check and fulfill other legal requirements to complete the licensing process.

In a few scenarios, they have to do biometric verification or investigation from the FBI.

High-end protection: The presence of security guards will become a barrier to lawbreakers. There will be a significant decline in criminal activity inside or nearby the business premises. Armed security will provide high-end protection to the employees, customers as well as clients.

To Sum Up,

With the rising crime and fraudulent activities globally, it is now crucial to safeguard your business more than ever. By hiring armed security guards, you can leave the protection of your business in their responsible and trustable hands.

Overall we can say that- Armed security has got you all covered.

Four Tips for Creating Your Team’s Rescue Plan

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Rescue Plan|Four Tips for Creating Your Team’s Rescue PlanIf you have been given the ultimate task of creating new or developing existing rescue plans, this article is for you. Whether you’ll be the one supervising the site and rescue plan if it’s required, you’ll need to find some innovative ideas to keep your team safe and happy. Having a coherent and appropriate rescue plan will allow your team to have the utmost confidence in you whilst doing their job.

Rescue plans can truly be the crux between life and death, so it is, therefore your responsibility to ensure your plan is kept up to date with plentiful information. It is also your obligation to formulate the plan alongside the guidelines within your state and remember that you cannot simply rely on emergency services when you’re in a time crunch. Here are four ways you could maximise the efficiency and coherency of your rescue plan with thorough preparation.

Safe Equipment

While creating the rescue plan, you must consider the potential hazards of your site and make sure that all safety equipment is safe and ready for use. Safety equipment should be suitable for the job, and there should be enough for everyone on site. It is crucial to ensure that all employees working on site have full access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), so everyone has the same opportunity at staying safe on the job. Even if the site may not contain potentially hazardous conditions, if you have to create a rescue plan, PPE is definitely required. All workers should be fully visible in all conditions and therefore require some form of high visibility clothing. They should all have correctly fitting hard hats alongside suitable eye, hand and foot protection. All of these points might seem like gospel, but they are essential at all times on site. So, a reminder doesn’t hurt.

Work Tents

As important as PPE, other forms of site protection should include work tents. It’s important to consider the weather conditions on-site when working, but you should also always plan for the unexpected. Work tents are a great form of emergency protection, acting as a quick fix when required. They can shield from a storm and also act as a method of shade for heat relief. If your rescue team have to maintain focus for long periods, bad or even dangerous weather conditions can fuel the initial problem and make it more difficult to conduct the rescue mission in turn. There are plenty of work tents to choose from, including variability in size, shape and colour. Find a provider that offers a wide range of products, so that you can explore a selection, such as Pelsue. The firm has a range of work tents, and you can explore Pelsue’s products here. Work tents have a multi-purpose function which allows you to join tents both together and to cars by having interlocking flaps. Most tents also have a pop-up feature which is useful when in a rush. As you can tell, innovative tents are essential for a rescue plan.

Prepare a Rescue Team

The core feature of your rescue plan should be a rescue team. Make sure each person in the team know exactly what their role is and when their service might be required in a rescue mission. It’s also important to make them aware of where they can access the potential items required to conduct the rescue appropriately and efficiently. Experts suggest that your rescue team should consist of people who can keep calm under pressure and who are confident enough to continue with the rescue mission if required. You should also ensure that there is a competent and approachable person with effective first aid and rescue material experience. This way, that if a rescue mission is required, everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Keep Everyone in the Loop

It is essential that you let the rest of the team observe these rescue drills. A word of warning about the potential hazards before each working day will prevent high stress among the team. Make them aware of potential hazards on site for peace of mind. While giving them this awareness, allow all team members to ask questions so a full brief is conducted. This will help increase their awareness on-site and become familiar with any potential rescue plans. If the team are in the loop and aware of any potential mistakes and mishaps that can occur, each individual is more likely to know what to do if a rescue mission takes place.

Final Word

It is now up to you to create your rescue plan as efficiently as possible. Make sure you have a rescue team and staff who have a constant awareness of potential hazards. Ensure that you brief team leaders and supervisors about your concerns. It may seem like general knowledge, but make sure that your team have good PPE as well as work tents ready for use on-site.