Data Compliance
Featured courses
What is data compliance?
Data compliance is the process your organization uses to protect the data your business keeps. There are laws in place to regulate how data is gathered, stored, manipulated, and accessed to prevent it from being lost, stolen, compromised, or abused.
If your business works with data, then putting the appropriate measures in place to protect that data should be your highest priority. This includes having the right technology, processes, software, and staff training.
Why is data compliance important?
Ensuring your business meets data compliance requirements is far more than a box-checking exercise. It’s also your moral responsibility to protect the data your customers, employees, and providers have trusted you with.
It’s the law
As we’ve already covered, data compliance is the law. Depending on your industry, there may be strict regulations you need to follow to keep data safe.
Loyalty and trust
When your business takes all the necessary steps to protect data it builds trust and loyalty. In the event of a data breach, and it’s discovered that your business negated its responsibilities, it can cause irreparable damage to your reputation.
Avoid losses
If your business doesn’t meet data compliance standards you could face hefty fines. The disruptions to your operations, and lost customers and revenue, will also come with heavy profit losses.
Build a company culture focused on trust
When your employees see that your business takes data compliance seriously, it establishes you as an employer with strong values. This also helps your business attract top talent.
Streamlines your data management processes
Data compliance helps keep your processes tight so you only handle data when necessary. This helps improve your efficiency and productivity.
The consequences of non-compliance
As we highlighted above, failing to comply with regulations set to keep data secure can have serious consequences.
For example, if your business doesn’t comply with GDPR regulations and data is stolen, then you may face a fine of up to €17 million or up to 4% of your annual turnover.
On top of fines, the damage to your reputation can also lead to the downfall of your business. While the breach may not have been directly your fault, the fact that you didn’t take the proper precautions means you will partly be to blame. As a result, you’ll lose the trust of your customers, which in turn will result in a loss of revenue.
How can you train your employees in data compliance?
Data compliance training should be a key part of your employees’ learning and development strategy. Not only does it help demonstrate that your organization has done everything it can to protect the data you handle, but it ensures your employees have all the knowledge they need to prevent and identify potential risks. Data compliance training helps to protect your business, your employees, and your customers, so it should be a key priority.
However, training often goes beyond simple data protection. Different industries and regions have their own regulations which you should ensure your business adheres to.
GDPR training
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the privacy and security regulation passed by the European Union (EU) in 2018. It firmly outlines the EU’s stance on personal data protection and that organizations need to take serious steps to protect their data. It’s recommended that every employee understands the core principles of GDPR, from senior management to entry-level employees.
GDPR is broken down into two areas:
- Technical - the technology and processes that an organization uses when handling data
- Organizational - the employees who work with data
GDPR training for employees allows you to show evidence that your business has done everything in its power to prevent a breach.
HIPAA training
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are regulations that ensure that organizations that handle protected health information (PHI) have security measures in place to protect it.
HIPAA rules state that training must be given to every employee, including agency staff and contractors, even if those employees don’t have access to that data.
It’s the responsibility of your organization’s privacy officer to ensure that training is completed to a satisfactory level. It’s also recommended that regular refresher training is given to ensure constant compliance. While health professionals are already under immense pressure, training is a vital part of protecting those in their care. However, online HIPAA training courses can be taken in and around other responsibilities, so shouldn’t interfere with their day-to-day work.
For more information, read our blog post on everything you need to know about HIPAA training.
PCI-DSS training
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) is a set of regulations set out by MasterCard, Visa, American Express, JCB International, and Discover Financial Services. PCI-DSS protects sensitive financial information and is a requirement for businesses that process any credit and debit card transactions.
Training gives your employees the knowledge needed to handle transactional data carefully. PCI-DSS training should be given to new employees, with refresher training given annually.
Is eLearning a good way to learn data compliance?
eLearning is a great way for employees to learn data compliance. Online data protection courses can be accessed instantly as and when employees have the time to learn, so don’t interrupt their daily responsibilities. They’re also affordable and easily scalable, so your entire workforce - whether office based or remote - can learn from the same materials.
If your organization uses a learning management system (LMS) you can track how employees engage with their training. This allows you to provide additional support to those who need it, so you can demonstrate that your entire workforce has completed the training. This not only protects your employees but your business as well.
What are some of the best eLearning courses for data compliance?
There are plenty of data protection training courses available, covering everything from the essentials to specific industry topics. Some of the best eLearning courses include:
- Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
- Information Security Essentials
- Compliance - Privacy Awareness
- Privacy and Data Protection Laws (HIPAA, FTC & GDPR)
GDPR courses:
- Data Privacy Regulations at Work (GDPR and CCPA
- GDPR - Board Training
- GDPR UK Essentials Training
- GDPR Government Data Protection Regulation
HIPAA training:
PCI DSS training:
Train your employees in data compliance with Go1
Looking to train your employees with data compliance courses? Go1 has a wide range of eLearning courses available to access instantly. For more information on how we can support business with essential training to ensure you’re compliant, book a demo with a member of our team today.