Starting with February’s tip, do you have GDPR covered?  Just in case, GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation, but I’m sure you’re already aware of this legislation.  I am in no way going to go into anywhere near the amount of detail you need to be aware of.  However, having attended a fantastic GDPR event last month in Yr Egin, Carmarthen, three pieces of advice stood out like a sore thumb.

1) When you receive an e-mail from a client, are you someone who saves that e-mail “just in case” you might need it in the future?  If so, get out of this habit.  If there isn’t a legitimate reason to keep that e-mail, save yourself time in the future, and delete it. Top tip: use separate folders to file your important emails, away from the ones you don’t need to keep.  Periodically, clear out the remaining messages to ensure you aren’t inadvertently keeping ones unnecessarily.

2) Make sure your laptops, IPADs, phones, absolutely any device with personal data, are locked away when these devices are not physically with you.  On your way home from work, if you decide to pop to the shops, do not leave your laptop in the car.  You must take it with you.  Otherwise this presents a potential risk of data breach.  Fines already given have been astronomical.  Don’t be naïve and think it won’t happen to you.  

3) Transparency is so important.  You must be open and honest with your clients from day 1, about the reason you have their data and how you’ll use it.  At the very least, you must show you have a process in place in the event of a data breach.  Create an Incident Response Plan.  You must have a plan of action in place.

In a nutshell, if you don’t comply to the rules and regs, the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) could be on your back before you can turn around and say GDPR.  They could come down on you like a tonne of bricks, and nobody wants that.  If you need to know more, please make it your mission to find out.  Or let me know and I can get you in touch with someone who can help.