Why is shredding documents important - Shred-on-Site

1. Why is shredding documents important? In any office environment, shredding is a vital part of the document lifecycle. Many organisations handle confidential information and not disposing of this properly can create a multitude of problems. Most workplaces are not yet paper free today and this can mean documents accumulate, creating opportunities for data theft to take place and exposing the business to consequences. These are just some of the reasons why shredding documents is so important. Not using paper shredding increases organisational risk There are a number of different risks and expenses involved in an environment where paper shredding is not a priority. Reduced productivity. If paper shredding is not part of internal processes then paper can build up around the office and this can mean an increase in the time it takes employees to find the documents that they need. This leads to reduced productivity. There is also an impact on productivity where employees are being used to shred documents in-house - valuable staff time is wasted on processes that can be slow and time-consuming. Additional costs. If it’s difficult to locate paper copies of documents, staff may reprint these, leading to extra costs being generated, especially if this is being done repeatedly. Some of the most significant additional expenses involved with a failure to shred documents can come from the fines and penalties that might be imposed under a  

2. regime like the GDPR if a failure to shred documents means that the data in them falls into the wrong hands. The physical risks of paper. A lack of robust shredding initiatives can mean that waste paper simply builds up in an office environment. This not only looks messy and demotivating but can also be a fire hazard and mean that boxes of documents are taking up space and even blocking essential escape routes.  The issue of identity theft Identity theft is a crime on the rise, costing businesses billions every year. Where documents are either simply being recycled or are left in unorganised piles they are vulnerable. All of the data in those documents could be used at any time, whether that is personal data relating to customers, employees or suppliers or confidential data about the business itself. The most effective way to ensure that there is no exposure to identity theft is to implement comprehensive shredding processes that minimise these potential risks to the business and the people it comes into contact with. There are some organisations where this is a particularly big problem, including those in the legal and medical sectors, where documents containing sensitive data are routinely printed and then may not be properly stored or disposed of. The risk of document theft can be high too, especially where there is a potentially substantial reward for stolen data. While it’s not possible to completely guard against identity theft, document shredding is a great way to invest in the best possible outcome. Shredding documents is especially important to protect data and help to minimise the risks to an organisation. Get in touch with us today to request a quote for all your shredding needs, whether that’s a one-off service or setting up a regular service. Why not try our online tool. Please visit: https://www.shredonsite.co.uk/blog/why-is-shredding-documents-important