Realizing the legal responsibility to protect personal information, many organizations buy an office shredder, place it where everyone can see it, then hope for the best. Unfortunately, soon after, that shredder sits idle, and the organization is right back where it started.

This blog discusses why shredders often go unused and how Shred Vault® offers a more secure, convenient, and sustainable solution.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, efficiency is key. Employees often juggle multiple tasks and deadlines, leaving little time for what might seem like mundane tasks. One such task is shredding sensitive documents. While crucial for data security, shredding is often overlooked or avoided, leading to potential risks for both the individual and the company. Here are some key reasons why employees might be avoiding the office shredder.

One of the primary reasons is the focus on core responsibilities. Employees are hired to perform specific duties that directly contribute to the company’s success. Shredding documents, while important, is often considered a secondary task that takes away time from these primary duties. When faced with a choice between completing a report or shredding a stack of papers, the report will almost always win. This prioritization is understandable, but it can lead to a backlog of documents waiting to be shredded, or worse, improper disposal.

Another significant factor is a lack of awareness about the risks of improper disposal. Many employees may not fully grasp the potential consequences of simply throwing sensitive documents into the trash. They might not realize that even seemingly innocuous information can be used for identity theft or corporate espionage. Without proper training and reinforcement of data security protocols, employees may underestimate the importance of shredding.

Additionally, the absence of direct supervision can contribute to the avoidance of shredding. When no one is actively monitoring their actions, employees might be more likely to take shortcuts or skip tasks they consider less important. If there are no immediate consequences for not shredding, employees may neglect it. Such behavior is not necessarily a sign of malicious intent, but rather a reflection of human nature and the desire to focus on tasks with more immediate visibility and accountability.

The process of shredding itself can also be a deterrent. Office shredders are often slow, noisy, and prone to jamming. The repetitive task of feeding documents into the shredder can be tedious and time-consuming. In a hectic office setting, where time is crucial, employees may be hesitant to dedicate valuable minutes to this task. They may opt for a quicker, albeit less secure, method of disposal.

Furthermore, the reliability of office shredders is often an issue. Many offices have outdated or poorly maintained shredders that often break down. A malfunctioning shredder can lead to frustration and further discourage employees from using it. If the shredder is constantly out of order, employees will inevitably find alternative ways to dispose of documents, which may not be secure.

Shred Vault: The secure, convenient, and sustainable alternative!

With Shred Vault, there is no shredder to buy and no requirement for employees to take time away from their primary tasks.

In small offices where there is too little discarded paper to justify a shredder, confidential documents can be simply placed in a sealable Shred Vault Bag, then deposited in one of the city’s many, conveniently located Shred Vault kiosks. And, unlike the shredder, Shred Vault provides an immediate record of deposit and for registered users, a certificate of destruction after shredding. This record of ongoing compliance is crucial to establishing any organization’s compliance with data protection regulations.

For larger offices, Shred Vault’s certified shredding service can provide collection containers and routinely remove and shred the materials either onsite or at their high security shredding facility. And, best of all, remote employees, top executives, and sensitive departments can also use the sealable Shred Vault Bags and Shred Vault kiosks for assuring their information is never seen by anyone prior to its secure destruction.

Either way, at a time when secure information destruction is a legal requirement, Shred Vault is the best way to meet your data protection requirements.

Visit the Shred Vault website today, to learn how we can help.

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