Thursday, 7 November 2024

Employee Privacy & Data protection in HRM


Ensuring the safety of an employee's personal information while they are employed by a corporation is known as employee data protection. Names, addresses, social security numbers, bank account information, and other details are examples of personal data. Without the employee's permission, the business should make sure that no one has access to this data.

Organizations seeking to adhere to international privacy regulations are finding that protecting employee data is becoming more and more crucial. This puts pressure on all firms of HRMs to act as accountable stewards of their employees' data.

International Data Privacy Laws Concerning the Protection of Employee Data

In order to address this Data Protection, data privacy laws have been established globally, requiring businesses to safeguard employees' personal information and stop breaches from happening. These laws also give workers rights over their data. A detailed list of Globally Inherited Data Protection Laws and Regulations could be accessible via https://securiti.ai/privacy-laws/

Data Protection Principles

  • Six "Data Protection Principles" must be followed when processing personal data. It has to;
  • be collected and processed exclusively for specific, explicit, and permissible objectives;
  • be accurate and kept up to date;
  • be sufficient, pertinent, and limited to what is required for the purposes for which data is processed;
  • be processed fairly, legally, and openly. Any erroneous information must be immediately removed or corrected;
  • it must also be processed securely and not retained for longer than is required for the purposes for which it is used.


Best Practices of Employee Data protection

Best practices should be in place with in organizations to ensure that the employees are confident that there won’t be any breach for their personal and sensitive data are fully secured.

Verify that all operating systems and software are up to date – Outdated systems and software may often create system malfunctions, hence it is always advisable to update the systems frequently to mitigate system issues.

Ensure best password policy in place within HR – In order to diminish phishing password attacks it is always prudent to maintain a proper password policy structure with in the organization / HR.

Stay compliant with global data protection regulations - HR personnel must be aware of current data protection and cybercrime legislation and maintain compliance. They must also respect both corporate and individual data rights.

Perform penetration testing and vulnerability scanning on a regular basis – Regular penetration tests, which use ethical hacking to test security measures with pre-planned attacks, and vulnerability scanning are effective ways to increase the security of HR data.

Educate employees on data protection best practices – HR should provide staff members the authority to actively safeguard their data. Show them how to safely store data and conduct safety audits. Assist them in understanding what software they can install, what kinds of information they can exchange on it, and how to respond to shady communications.

Conclusion

HR departments commonly face cybersecurity threats, including risks from human error and inadequate access controls. Security breaches in HR can impact both the organization and its employees. It is the responsibility of HR to establish and enforce robust data security protocols and processes. This includes training employees on cybersecurity and maintaining secure information systems. However, for these measures to be effective, the active involvement of every employee in the organization is essential.

Reference;

Nyathani Ramesh (2023) Safeguarding Employee Data: A Comprehensive Guide to Ensuring Data Privacy in HR Technologies [Online]. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/RameshNyathani/publication/376134134_Safeguarding_Employee_Data_A_Comprehensive_Guide_to_Ensuring_Data_Privacy_in_HR_Technologies/links/656a70013fa26f66f445c4b9/Safeguarding-Employee-Data-A-Comprehensive-Guide-to-Ensuring-Data-Privacy-in-HR-Technologies.pdf Accessed on 07th November 2024

 Kashyap Dave (2023), HR Data Privacy and Security: Protecting Employee Information (2023) [Online]. Available at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hr-data-privacy-security-protecting-employee-information-tigihr-my9zc Accessed on 07th November 2024





4 comments:

  1. Great insights on employee data protection in HRM! The emphasis on international data privacy laws and the six data protection principles highlights the importance of accountability. Best practices like regular vulnerability testing and employee education provide a proactive approach. A must-read for HR professionals aiming to safeguard sensitive employee information!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This post provides a comprehensive overview of the critical role HR plays in safeguarding employee data. With global privacy laws and security best practices, HR must proactively ensure data protection through regular updates, compliance, and employee education. Securing sensitive information is not just a responsibility—it's essential for maintaining trust and minimizing risks for the organization and its employees. Great insights!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This blog gives a good theoritical and a practical exposure on employee data protection. Data protection is very critical and there are many laws and regulations. Good one!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is very important topic.
    Protecting employee data is crucial for maintaining trust.

    ReplyDelete

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