In executing their functions, the HR unit inevitably handles a lot of sensitive employee and company data. This HR data ranges from information like employees’ bio-data, background check information, medical records, bank account number, and the company’s payroll data, among others.
Depending on how your data is stored, here are a few steps you can take to ensure that your HR data is protected, to minimise your organisation’s risk exposure level, and to ensure that your HR software is maximised.
Read: 6 strategies to building a strong company culture
How to prevent HR software misuse
1. Train your HR unit
If your organisation uses an HR software, it is important to ensure that everyone with admin access should be trained to use it efficiently. You can do this by ensuring your service provider trains the system admins to use the software. If possible, the HR solutions provider can provide written or recorded video guides on software usage, so your team has content to refer to when needed.
Even if you don’t use HR software, training your HR unit on how the information will be collected, managed, and stored is equally important.
2. Develop organisational security policies
Developing an information security management system will help your organisation create a set of policies and procedures to manage its data safely. Your organisation’s security policies can include direction on how employees can work from home, password management, acceptable use of company collateral (like computers, software, etc.)
It’s also essential for companies to have their employees sign a non-disclosure agreement to have legal protection in the event of an intentional data breach by an employee or ex-employee.
Read: What are the best practices for storing HR data
3. Set up approval workflows
For organisations that use HR software, setting up approval workflows on the system is one of the best ways to prevent data misuse in your HR unit. Using approval workflows means that one member of staff cannot begin and complete an action by themselves. After initiating the action, approval to proceed is then pushed to the identified approver or as many approvers as possible. This helps to prevent internal fraud in HR functions like payroll, performance management, and other organisational processes.
The approval workflow function also means that HR can block off important company days so employees cannot request leave on those days.
4. Track the activity log
Using an HR platform like SeamlessHRMS, lets you view users’ and admins’ activity on the system. This means that no action is hidden, and every activity taken on the platform can be ascribed to someone.
This feature helps with transparency and ensures that users with malicious intent can be caught and held accountable.
