Getting an office to operate efficiently is a growing concern as many companies try to find a way to eliminate costs in an effort to boost productivity. And in a time when the nation is seeing record numbers of unemployment claims, there are some of the biggest companies that are willing to dip into their reserves to make sure that they are able to keep employees on staff. It is at these times, or course, when the most effective and productive companies are able to shift their focus and to repurpose their equipment to create needed materials.
Basic office tasks like secure paper shredding and recycling efforts are still in use, but there are other kinds of procedures that are transforming into different job descriptions. And in a time when there is so much concern over the transmission of germs and disease, it is even more important that an office is as clean as possible and that there are ways companies can reduce clutter.
Industrial Shredder Machines Offer an Important Option for Many Businesses
High security paper shredders and industrial shredder machines offer one way that offices can most effectively eliminate unnecessary documents and provide spaces that are easier to clean and maintain. As more and more companies have switched to using a digital format for the documents that they need, there are fewer companies that need to deal with paperwork. But in settings where paper documents are still generated on a daily basis, the use of industrial shredder machines remains common.
In an interesting ramification of digital breaches, however, a 2018 study by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration discovered that nearly 50% of internet users in the U.S. refrained from online activities due to privacy and security concerns. This report revealed that of those refraining from online activities, identity theft was cited as the top concern. So, as companies deal with privacy issues in both paper documents and digital data, there are entire industries that are offering their security services. From the industrial shredders that are included in a mobile truck that can easily and efficiently move from office to another to the teams of coders and cyber security workers that strive to protect digital data, it is important that your office works to be as secure as possible.
Consider some of these statistics about the many reasons that document security, both paper and digital, is important in today’s world:
- 49% of consumers think their own security habits make them vulnerable to identity theft or other information frauds, so they are increasingly cautious of practices by companies that gather this data.
- The security of company records is one of the top five critical issues facing businesses, according to top executives from 300 companies.
- Research from 2017 indicates that there were an estimated 16.7 million victims of identity fraud that year alone.
- The fact that 24% of consumers discovered they were a victim of identity fraud by accident is alarming to consumers who may have already been concerned about how their digital data was handled.
- As many as 40% of consumers indicate that they would stop doing business with a company or brand if that business previously suffered a breach in security. Unfortunately, it is increasingly difficult to find a company that has not suffered this problem.
- As many as 30% of consumers fail to shred documents containing sensitive information before throwing them out.
In these confusing times when workers are at risk of losing their jobs and the entire nation is at risk of contracting a virus that can prove fatal to some, it is not surprising that so many people are looking for answers. It is even more unfortunate, however, that at this unsettling time in the nation’s history there are companies that are using fraudulent practices to get information from unknowing people. Scam phone calls, emails, and traditional mail deliveries may promise the delivery of government stimulus checks and other resources, but these are times when Americans need to be even more vigilant in the kind of information that they share, in person, online, and over the phone. Best practices like shredding your mail is a great first step to protecting your privacy and companies will continue to use industrial shredder machines as well.