Remaining GDPR compliant with a remote workforce

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), enforced in May 2018, has become a major priority for businesses, forcing them to quickly adjust their operations. Small businesses employing freelancers and remote staff can have a harder time ensuring they strictly abide by the rules of GDPR. A study by Apricorn found that 30% of organizations that need to be GDPR compliant felt that remote working is the area that could cause them to be non-compliant.

GDPR compliance remains a bigger challenge for SMBs with remote employees for a few reasons. Many nuances of GDPR are still unclear when it comes to employees using BYOD devices, working from home or traveling. How do the rules apply to an American citizen working for an American-based company, but living and working remotely in the EU?

Secondly, it remains a worrying reality that when not in a formal office, data security best practices tend to be forgotten. Many employees often use their personal email to send work documents. Many remote employees also tend to use public Wifi or shared internet connections and personal hotspots, which add to the problem.

Not to mention the latest cybercrime trend, where hackers leverage GDPR to extort non-compliant businesses. Holding them to ransom with threat of reporting them for non-compliance and pay large GDPR fines.

Undoubtedly, SMBs with borderless employees need to be extra careful when it comes to GDPR compliance.

To remain compliant, borderless SMB’s need to ensure that a clear policy is defined and documented for remote employees, regarding how they handle business data at all times:

• Clearly specify in writing what they can and cannot do.
• Ensure that employees specify which devices they will be using for work, then encrypt and secure those devices with company certified security software.
• Identify and specify the particular information and documents that should never leave the secure workplace, and ensure that this is followed strictly.
• Classify data and set permissions on who can access what. Encrypt all data and devices handling that data.

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