Phil Parkinson, Head of Commercial Law at Blacks Solicitors, discusses the rise in new issues being experienced by businesses in terms of handling personal data, and what employers need to be aware of.
COVID-19 continues to have significant impacts on businesses and the economy. From the extension of the furlough scheme, to mass redundancies and remote working, every aspect of business has been affected.
Businesses across the UK have needed to continue work uninterrupted, however this has been challenging. Remote working has been a lifeline for many employers and employees, and the pandemic has proven that mass flexible working is possible.
This does provide new challenges, particularly when it comes to handling personal data and with Brexit also having an impact, I’ve shared insight into what businesses owners should be aware of.
What do employers need to know?
Preserving the trust of clients, suppliers and customers is really important if you’re to maintain cash flow. GDPR and the handling of personal data should continue to be a key focus for employers and employees to ensure that any sensitive information is kept secure.
A breach in GDPR during this difficult time could be catastrophic for many businesses with the potential for fines of up to £10m or 2% of annual global turnover1. This could leave many organisations crippled, particularly in a time of recession which we’re currently facing.
The impact of COVID-19
Overall, businesses appear to have dealt with COVID and data effectively with information continuing to circulate.
You should regularly review procedures and security systems in place to enable employees to continue working from home successfully. This will also ensure GDPR policies are still followed.
You can train staff in cybersecurity, including protecting documents (both physical and virtual), at home and in the office so that they understand how to adhere to data policies and handle personal data correctly. Employees should also be made aware of potential scams as these are prevalent and criminals look for security weaknesses.
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I also think a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a valuable tool for businesses to invest in as it keeps connections and personal data secure.
What can we expect from Brexit?
The Brexit deal has ensured that personal data can continue to be transferred between the UK and EU. Current practices will continue for up to six months, with the transfer of data between the EU to UK being confirmed by June 2021.
I believe that this is the best possible outcome that could have been achieved for UK organisations which process personal data from the EU. You can remain confident in the continued free flow of personal data without having to make any changes to data protection practices.
Employers should continue to monitor for any updates to policies, with a particular focus on the review in June this year and what this could mean for GDPR and data protection.
The societal and economic changes currently taking place in the UK are having far reaching and significant consequences for the majority of businesses. However, if you monitor for important updates and methods of protecting data, the day-to-day running of your business, including the ability to comply with GDPR regulations, shouldn’t be impacted.
Do you feel worried about handling personal data in a time of change?
If you need to speak with someone for advice on a commercial law matter, please visit https://www.lawblacks.com/business/commercial-law/
