The importance of risk management in organisations

July 6, 2017

Risk management is important to any organisation as it offers the opportunity to identify and assess potential risks, and put a plan in place for how to respond quickly and effectively should an issue occur.

In a time where many organisations, and individuals, feel that they will benefit from heightened security from potential threats, the safety of staff and visitors, and security of assets, are very high priorities, and both businesses and people should feel that they are prepared in the event of an emergency.

Risk management options

One of the first steps that you can take in order to ensure that your organisation is secure is to employ security officers who are experienced and properly licensed, so that you know that you have the best people for the job.

Monitoring staff development and quality of these employees is important, as they need to be equipped and able to deal with a number of situations which could occur.

Training can also be provided to staff to enable them to feel prepared in case of an emergency, as any individual can be professionally trained to deal with security issues in the workplace. There are plenty of ways in which staff can be trained in order for them to be ready to react if they, or one of their employees, are at risk.

For example, first aid training is something which can be given to ensure that your organisation has the adequate and appropriate provisions that are required by law. This is also training that can be used both within, and outside of, the workplace, giving individuals a valuable skill which could save lives.

With an increased risk of terrorism, many organisations are choosing to provide their staff with counter terrorism training to develop their understanding of what to do should they be caught in a terrorist attack. This training includes how to identify suspicious activity, and how to act when an attack occurs. It also uses real-life examples of terrorism to develop understanding in a hands-on way.

Fire marshalling is another important skill which should help to lower risk within an organisation, as this ensures that the prevention and management of fire within the workplace is under control at all times. This is vital as it keeps both staff, and visitors, safe, and anyone can be trained for this as part of their job responsibilities. If your organisation holds events, large or small, event security is an absolute must-have to ensure that everything runs smoothly, and that no-one is put under unnecessary risk. Carrying out risk assessments beforehand, putting crowd management in place, and ensuring that all of your assets are secure, are all important factors when hosting a successful event.

Conflict management training can also give your company a boost, especially if you work in an industry where things can often get heated, as this training will help to keep discussions professional, allowing you to provide the best customer service possible to your clients, without having to battle with internal disputes.

How Insight Risk Management can help. 

Regular site risk assessments by Insight Risk Management can help you to feel confident that your organisation is protected from a whole variety of risks that can occur. We will provide you with a detailed report following each assessment, so you know your strengths, weaknesses, and how you can improve the security of your staff and assets.

When you work with us, we will also take your budget into consideration, so you can prioritise the resources that are most important to you, without worrying about overspending, or allocating money where it is not necessarily required.

By allowing us to train your staff, we promise to tailor our training to suit your organisation, and to deliver it in a way that suits you and your staff, and they will receive certification at the end of the course so they can prove that they have gained an important skill. Due to using tutors who have years of experience in their respected disciplines, and creating supportive and productive learning environments, we are proud to say that our courses deliver exceptional pass rates, and they can be carried out at one of our pre-arranged centres, or at your own workplace.

If you would like to talk to us about your risk management needs, please do not hesitate to contact us, we would love to hear from you.

Data security tips for businesses

July 18, 2017

Keeping data secure is integral for any business, as this is the only way that potentially sensitive information can be protected from loss, damage, or theft, which could result in terrible consequences for those involved.

There are lots of different types of data that businesses may store, including customer information, financial details, sales figures, and employee records, all of which should not be seen by anyone who is not directly involved with the relevant part of the business.

Data protection legislation

Data is usually one of the most important assets of any business, especially information such as customer records which could be used by competitors, but businesses can also get into trouble if their data is not kept securely in line with data protection rules and legislation.

If data protection legislation is not upheld in a business, they could face legal action, which will cost them a lot of money, and damage their reputation, so it is not worth the risk to cut corners when it comes to storing data safely.

In order to keep track of how data is being stored within a business, a list should be made of which types of data are being stored where, who has access to them, and whether any of these could potentially be under threat.

Data security and your employees

For example, if any data is being stored using a service like Dropbox, who has access to the account and could possibly amend or delete details? Employees should always be fully trained to understand the importance of data security within a business, so that they are aware of what to look out for, and what they should and should not be doing when accessing particular information.

Another way to ensure that staff can’t accidentally, or intentionally, amend or delete files is to put different levels of password protection in place so they can only access the information that they need in order to do their job.

In addition to this, certain types of software will enable you to restore data which has been lost due to human error, once the issue has been located, meaning that information which has been incorrectly changed or deleted is not necessarily lost forever.

Where to store data

Any data held by a business should not be kept on devices which can be easily lost or stolen, such as laptops, mobile phones, or memory sticks, and, if this is absolutely necessary, they should ensure that it has been encrypted and is protected by passwords, just in case an unauthorised individual gains access to it.

It is also important for a business to encrypt data before it is transferred elsewhere, regardless of how it is being moved, or where to, which will protect it if it is intercepted during the process.

Broken or faulty hardware could also cause a data breach, so businesses should ensure that any hardware they use is checked regularly for faults, and properly maintained. This will ensure that data cannot be lost through defective equipment.

Another way that data could be stolen, or deleted, is through someone hacking into the places where it is being stored. Both viruses and ransomware can be used to access business data, so it is important that security software is put in place across all online systems to keep private information safe from these potential threats.

Data back-ups

Backing up data is a sensible idea as should human error, an online virus, or faulty hardware, cause a data breach, none of the information will be lost. This will also help to restore records if data is destroyed due to a reason such as fire or flooding, which may be more difficult to put protection in place for.

Keeping information updated

Data should be available on a ‘need to access’ basis, but anyone has the right to view information that a business holds about them, whether they are a customer, or an employee. They should also be able to amend their own information if any of their personal details have changed, as keeping records updated is just as vital as keeping them secure.

With so many ways that business data could be lost, stolen, or destroyed, it is vital that all businesses put precautions in place to ensure that they are doing all they can to protect their private information, and keep details about themselves, their employees, and their customers safe.

See more at https://www.equahost.com