All businesses should have paper shredders on-site for the disposal of important documents - this helps from a GDPR point of view, as it allows companies to dispose of private business data and also the personal data of customers. There are several myths in the public consciousness about shredding which will be addressed below.
False: People Would Never Look Through Your Bins and Piece Together Old Documents
This myth is false. If sensitive data has been placed in a public bin, it can be accessed by anyone and is vulnerable to theft. For example, personal data such as that contained on a bank statement can be used by criminals to open bank accounts or take out credit cards, which can lead to people going into debt or having a bad credit rating. Identity fraud is quite common and this is a major way in which thieves manage to steal data, so you would be better off shredding office documents, instead of putting anything containing personal data in the bin.
False: You Should Keep Your Documents Forever
This myth is also false. Whilst company records do have to be kept for a minimum of six years, it is not necessary to retain these documents forever. As per the government website, records must be kept for a minimum of 6 years if:
- They show a transaction that covers more than one of the company’s accounting periods.
- If the company has bought something that it expects to last more than 6 years (like equipment or machinery).
- If you sent your Company Tax Return late.
- If HMRC has started a compliance check into your Company Tax Return.
More information can be found on the government website.
False: At-Home Shredders Are Cheaper Than Professional Shredding Services
Whilst having office or at-home shredders may seem cheaper on the surface, a professional shredding service can be more cost-effective in the long run, particularly in terms of time consumption. It takes a great deal of time and effort to shred documents in the office, especially when running a business, and company documents should not be shredded at home for data protection purposes. If you hire an office paper shredding service, this will free up employees to do other tasks, so you are not wasting time and money on something that can easily be done elsewhere. Business document shredding services are more likely to do a more professional job too.
False: Recycling Paper Is Just as Good as Shredding It
This is also false - as previously stated, putting rubbish in a bin can be very unsafe due to the potential theft of private data and documentation. Thieves may target recycling bins in particular as they may assume that documents containing personal data have been placed in the paper bin. The best practice is to shred documents instead - you may be able to recycle these documents once shredded.
False: Owning a Shredder Is Enough
This is another falsehood - if you own a shredder, you should also use it regularly, so simply owning it is not enough. Records of everything you are shredding should be kept and you should check regularly which documents need to be shredded to ensure that you keep on top of it.
Hopefully this article has debunked common myths about paper shredding services and gives you that push to get in touch with us today. Our experts can advise and provide you with bespoke solutions today. If you would like more information about office paper shredding services, contact Hungry Shredder now.
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