Of the many aspects of running a business, one of them is making sure that you have all the necessary office equipment. And one of the most important things in a business or office is getting rid of old documentation which is no longer required. Most documentation in the office place is confidential. So you can’t just throw them in the trash can. That is why you need paper shredders for proper disposal of documents.
Office or business paperwork contains personal information that needs to be confidential and accessed only authorized personnel. So relying on a third-party firm to do the job of shredding the documents is risky.
This article will help you to understand the reasons why you should have a paper shredder to destroy sensitive data.
Importance of shredding
The safety of people is one of the main reasons for having a good paper shredder. If any sensitive information gets into the wrong hands, then it can result in crimes such as identity theft.
Identity theft is when a fraudster uses someone’s personal information to get products and services under that person’s name. But if the fraudster can get such information from a business, then by law both the parties will face legal action.
It is good for the environment. You can recycle the shredded paper to make other paper products like cups, boxes, and tins. Thereby, fewer trees are cut down.
Documents that need shredding
Some documents might look unimportant, and you might give a second thought whether it needs shredding. The following list of documents that you should destroy will help you to get a clear picture.
Documents containing personal data
If the documents contain personal information like phone number, address, bank account number and others, you have to shred it.
Office procedures
The plans and guides that are inside information of the company along with clients’ and staff’ data require shredding.
Contract documents
Some information in the business contracts got to be confidential even after it had expired. And some of them can have agreements confidentially. So to avoid legal trouble, it is best to destroy such documents.
Consequences of failing to shred documents
Destroying such papers might look a waste of time and effort. But in reality, there are heavy consequences for failing to shred documents. Some of them are:
Fines
In some countries, the law specifically fines a huge sum of money if the business failed to protect the clients’ details. So rather than paying a fine, it is better to invest in a paper shredder.
Reputation of business
Another problem of identity theft, especially in an office or business setting is the damage to reputation. Such damages to the reputation can ruin your years of hard work you invested in your business.
Final thoughts
As you can see, owning a paper shredder is not to make your office space look sophisticated but to protect sensitive data from leaking. Make sure to research the right kind of paper shredder for your business.
