Today, you not only need to hire people to do a job, but you also need to hire them to keep your company safe as they do it. While the mom and pop shops of the past may have only needed to install an alarm system to protect their assets, now you also need to be concerned about digital security and so do your employees. How can you find employees who will help your insurance agency grow and keep it safe at the same time?
The Importance of Digital Security
Why is it important to keep your information safe? It’s because it is not just your information; that information belongs to your clients as well. For instance, a problem with your corporate credit card could lead to some hassles on the phone as you navigate through the fraud system. However, you don’t just use your credit card online. You also have your clients’ information on your computer systems.
Unfortunately, if a hacker accesses all of your clients’ credit card information on your computers, then you have a huge problem on your hands. Not only has your clients’ information been compromised, but you also have a public relations problem. Your reputation will likely be damaged, and some of your clients could sue your company because you failed to protect their information. All of this can occur because your employees didn’t follow proper security protocols.
Hiring Employees Who Will Keep You Safe
If you’re trying to improve your security processes, who should you hire? According to Security Planet, “despite sophisticated IT security defenses, one weak link – employees – remains a major vulnerability.” Hiring the right people can help you avoid this weakness.
- Hire people who have or can attain a high level of digital literacy if they are working with computer systems. Your employees don’t need to love coding or design, but they do need to be able to follow security procedures or ask for help. According to CSO Online, “91% of cyber attacks and the resulting data breach begin with a spear phishing email.” Make sure that your employees know that they need to be suspicious and refer their concerns to someone who can help them assess the situation if they are uncertain.
- Look for someone who is self-reflective and proactive. Has this prospective hire made positive changes to the places where she has worked in the past? This is a person who will strive to make your workplace security better.
- Find someone with a growth mindset. Does this person learn from mistakes? You want to have an ongoing dialogue about security at your insurance agency, and sometimes this means encouraging people to find their mistakes and learn from them.
- Examine employee references carefully. You want to make sure that your employees are trustworthy and detail-oriented. Enthusiasm goes a long way in a job, but careful work is what will protect your agency.
Improving Workplace Practices
How can you make your insurance workplace safer? It’s not just about who you hire – it’s also about how they behave on the job. A lot of this connects to the ways in which you engage with security as a company.
- Conduct spot checks and employee reviews. You want to find problems before they occur. Ask your employees to reflect on their behaviors and where they could improve, and create a culture of positivity around suggested changes. Don’t shame people because they made a mistake; help everyone learn from the mistake so that you have stronger security processes at your insurance agency.
- Update your computer systems regularly with the help of professionals. Make sure that you have the best possible systems and the best possible practices to support the work of those computer systems.
- Conduct regular security training updates for your employees. Make sure that they know when procedures have changed, and involve them in suggesting changes that could make your workplaces practices safer.
- Finally, make sure that you have E&O insurance. That way, if an error or omission does happen, you can help pay for the damages. Even if a client has a perceived problem that turns out to have little basis in reality, that person could sue you, leading to costs. E&O insurance protects your company.
Are you trying to create a better insurance agency every day? At American Agents Alliance, we help support the growth of your agency by providing resources and tools for your business growth. For instance, we offer discounted E&O insurance so that you don’t need to worry about the cost of insuring your business against employee errors. Contact us today to learn more about our many resources for your insurance agency.
