Managing Data Safety Within an Increasingly Agile Workforce

In order to succeed in attracting and retaining talent from an increasingly diverse working population, businesses have had to respond by creating more flexible and agile working practices. In today’s society, more and more people require enhanced flexibility in the workplace to help them balance their lives at work and at home, to manage increasingly different caring responsibilities and to aid transition into retirement. Advances in technology and globalisation have aided this transition and enable individuals to work from anywhere in the world using either their own or business owned IT equipment or equipment owned by a 3rd party such as computers in hotels and internet cafes and social media. This flexibility poses huge security risks for businesses, however, not only in terms of confidentiality, brand protection and reputation but also in terms of compliance with GDPR and DPA. The challenge is to ensure businesses can continue to grow and prosper with flexible working practices but ensure that sufficient safeguards and policies are in place and are embedded into the organisation to ensure compliance with GDPR and DPA and to ensure breaches are identified and responded to effectively.