When employees leave their workspaces behind — whether that’s for the night, the weekend, a longer vacation or just a quick lunch break — they may leave behind potentially sensitive information where it can easily be accessed by unauthorized parties. Unsecured USB drives, data files left open on desktops and printouts of confidential documents are just a few examples of items that employees may carelessly leave out when stepping away from their workspaces.

The purpose of this customizable Clean Desk Policy, written by Kara Sherrer for TechRepublic Premium, is to provide guidelines for protecting sensitive information and data from unauthorized access when staff are away from their desks.

Featured text from the policy:

Employees working in private offices with locking doors should still make a point to secure papers, hard drives and other confidential items in filing cabinets when leaving their offices. They should bear in mind that other individuals, such as custodial and maintenance staff, do have access to locked offices after hours and may disturb papers and other items left out, either intentionally or unintentionally. Again, employees should take the keys home with them after securing their offices and filing cabinets.

To reduce paper waste and improve security, employees are encouraged to access confidential files digitally on their computers instead of printing them out when possible. If documents must be printed out and/or scanned, they should be retrieved promptly from the printer or scanner and not left unattended where anyone can take them.

Enhance the security of your organization with our five-page policy document. This is available for download at just $9. Alternatively, enjoy complimentary access with a Premium annual subscription. Click here to find out more.

TIME SAVED: Crafting this content required 10 hours of dedicated writing, editing and research.