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When an employee leaves your organization, your company data could end up leaving with them. Small business IT support is an essential consideration for the business owner or manager to check off the “to-do” list to make sure the organization is protective and productive during the change in staffing.
“The best thing to do when it comes to IT security is to create a checklist of protocols to follow when an employee leaves,” said Brian Kane, NerdsToGo Senior Director of Technology, who leads the Managed IT Services technology practice.
Update Passwords Across Software Apps & Devices
Among the most important items on this list is ensuring that computer and network passwords are changed for email and other frequently used systems such as point-of-sale systems. After that, it’s imperative that you change passwords or even reset the former employee’s laptop, phone, tablet or other devices to ensure that they are secure. In addition, it’s essential to check your software services and change passwords on those services as well as contacting vendors to change passwords with them.
Use Data Security Protocols to Prevent Employees from Taking or Abusing Sensitive Company Information
When protecting your assets and utilizing your cybersecurity protocols, it is important to remember that you are also possibly guarding against disgruntled employees who have been terminated in the instance that they decide to take or share company information. Types of data they could attempt to take include contact lists or proprietary information for personal use. Unfortunately, many departing employees end up taking confidential corporate information, whether it’s unknowingly or with ill intent. Those in charge of company IT support need to be proactive and take the necessary measures to protect data when employees move on, because the consequences of not protecting your data can be severe if you don’t.
Smaller organizations and businesses may not have the IT staff on hand to manage offboarding. That’s when a managed IT services company or outsourcing IT from a professional managed service provider can be a real benefit.
Here are a few suggestions that our Nerds recommend you do while offboarding:
- Reset all passwords
- Disable email accounts
- Block any shared accounts
- Perform an audit on all devices
- Collect physical building keys
- Perform an exit interview
Does your company have an effective data backup strategy? If not, outsourcing IT with a robust solution of managed IT services can be an ideal and cost-effective solution. Backups are critically important as you do not want to risk a crippling data loss. Having a regular schedule for backing up data is important, and a small business IT company near your business can be a great resource to help:
Train your people properly. Before employees leave an organization, business leaders and managers need to be trained properly on the problems that may arise when employees resign and how to handle those scenarios professionally.
Develop policies on the proper use of company platforms. With the significant amount of data that is regularly stored on company smartphones and laptops, it is crucial to have policies in place regarding the proper use of company-owned devices and software. Employees should be thoroughly trained on these policies and asked to sign an agreement indicating that they understand them. If your business is taking payments, making sure your business operations are PCI compliant is critical for security and data governance.
Utilize Managed IT Services
Many companies rely on their Information Technology (IT Support) departments to ensure their systems are secure after an employee leaves the company while small businesses often don’t have IT services to help with these processes. In order to make certain your important data and information is secure, consider the assistance and outsourced managed services of an IT Solutions and IT Services provider such as NerdsToGo.
If we can learn anything from the latest workplace trends as recapped by Business Insider, such as the great resignation, quiet-quitting and career-cushioning, changes in employee staffing and dynamics will continue to challenge the attention and time of business owners and leaders. With the IT support of a professional IT solutions provider, navigating the pitfalls of IT security can be one thing small business can check off their punch list.