Uncertainty is everywhere. Businesses are closed under government guidelines. Some may even be shutting down for good. The world is caught up in an unprecedented and bizarre era. But, all is not lost. There are ways to remain hopeful and empowered during such catastrophes. Businesses do not have to shut down if they are prepared and equipped to adequately manage remote working strategies.
While it may be a norm for some organisations to allow a day or two during the week where employees can work from home, it is very different for every business to practice this method. Remote working has become the new standard amidst Coronavirus and some are labelling this as the “new normal”. If you require your staff to work from home then you can use this guide to reduce many liabilities that may come as a result of remote working:
Train
Equip your staff to deal with the legal matters themselves. This does not mean you have to train them for litigation and self solicitation. But, you can allow them to take care of matters that have the potential of becoming problematic for your organisation.
These matters include data protection and GDPR. Just because the world is going through a challenging time does not mean that organisations can disregard data protection and privacy processes. And just because your employees are working from home does not mean that they can disregard these processes too.
In order for your staff to minimise any legal noncompliance risks and to avoid the mismanagement of personal data, you can train them. GDPR Staff E- training is an online program designed to empower staff and teach them to become compliant. By completing this course, staff will gain knowledge and understanding of the responsibility of data processing and the role of a data controller, as well as information as to what an organisation needs to do in order to become GDPR compliant.
Take The Lead
Leaders of an organisation must take the necessary strategic steps to engage their workforce in best practices during the roughest of times. The pandemic is no reason for employees to fall short in their work ethic.
This means that you ought to tell your employees what you allow and disallow, Seer’s policy will help them in understanding their obligations and empower them to take responsibility. Clarify all potential privacy and management issues concerning the data that the employees will be accessing from the comfort of their home. Being proactive about the management of potential issues is what can help you the most during this time.
Keep an Eye Out
As an employer, you do not have to do everything on your own. Hire a talented staff member who is able to look out for potential harm on your behalf. There is no need to bring this person in, they can look out for your organisation from a distance. In order to avoid hefty fines, you will need to hire a Data Protection Officer (DPO) which is the cost-efficient and practical option.
You are going to need an Outsourced. This can help you in limiting the workload and ensuring compliance even during the pandemic. The ICO has clearly stated that it will be lenient with compliance delays, but a total lack of regard will not be tolerated.
As employees work from home, you will not be able to monitor them as well as you might have done when they were in the office. This is why it is essential to remove uncertainty through a clear-cut policy, train them well and allow an external DPO to pitch in with compliance efforts.
Train staff to ensure GDPR compliance. This is a measure required from all organisations that are not used to employees working from home. The new normal can be made easier and legally safe. No businesses can afford to have added liabilities on their organisation. Ensure your staff remain valuable assets that can take care of whatever goes wrong in the face of uncertainty with GDPR Training.
