What Is a Clean Desk Policy?

What Is a Clean Desk Policy?

A Clean Desk Policy is an organizational guideline that requires employees to maintain a clean and organized workspace. Under this policy, employees are expected to clear their desks of any unnecessary papers, files, personal items, or electronic devices at the end of the working day or when they leave the workspace unattended.

The main objectives of a Clean Desk Policy include enhancing security, improving efficiency, and creating a professional and well-organized work environment. By following this policy, organizations can ensure that important documents and information are easily accessible and reduce the risk of lost or misplaced items. Additionally, a clean workspace can contribute to a more efficient workflow and a more productive working environment.

A Clean Desk Policy Checklist

A Clean Desk Policy is is a useful practice to ensure that employees consistently maintain an organized and secure workspace. This checklist can help employees remember what actions they need to take at the end of the day or when they leave their workstations unattended.

Here is a detailed Clean Desk Policy checklist:

Clear paperwork

• Store all paper documents, files, and notes in designated storage areas such as file cabinets or digital storage systems.
• Dispose of unnecessary paperwork in a shredder to maintain confidentiality.

Secure sensitive information

• Lock away sensitive documents and confidential information in secure storage, such as lockable drawers or cabinets.
• Ensure that any personal identification numbers, passwords, or other sensitive information are not left out or visible.

Organize digital workspace

• Log off from all applications and systems when stepping away from the workstation.
• Lock your computer screen by pressing the appropriate keyboard shortcut (e.g., Windows Key + L on Windows, Control + Command + Q on macOS).

Tidy up personal items

• Remove personal items such as mugs, photos, and snacks from the desk to maintain a professional appearance.
• Store personal belongings in designated areas or take them home at the end of the day.

Manage office supplies

• Return office supplies like staplers, pens, and paper clips to their designated storage locations.
• Ensure that stationery and office tools are neatly organized and not scattered across the desk.

Check equipment and electronics

• Turn off and secure electronic devices that are not in use, such as monitors, printers, and external hard drives.
• Ensure that portable devices like laptops, tablets, and USB drives are secured, either taken home or stored in locked drawers.

Clean and sanitize

• Wipe down the desk surface with a disinfectant to maintain cleanliness and hygiene.
• Dispose of any trash or waste materials properly.

Review and comply

• Review the Clean Desk Policy periodically to ensure understanding and compliance.
• Report any security concerns or breaches to the appropriate department immediately.

Use a reliable employee monitoring tool

Malicious insider breaches are one of the most common threats to companies. You can avoid this problem by incorporating an employee monitoring tool with your Clean Desk policy.

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So, not only do you have a tool to help enforce Clean Desk policies, but you also have an app that can help with administrative tasks.

How to Implement a Clean Desk Policy for Your Remote Team?

A Clean Desk Policy can help keep an organization’s data safe, whether it is operating in a remote or a shared office capacity. So, how do you implement this system for your work-from-home team? Here are some tips:

Start with a clear guide

As a manager of a remote team, you must establish the expectations for the Clean Desk policy. The first thing you need to do is make a list of the employees who will work from their homes. You should also determine what networks they will access and for how long they will do so. Begin by creating a security checklist that your employees can follow. For instance, you can impose a Clear Screen policy, which will require them to lock their computers whenever they step away from their desk. This way, the contents of their device will be protected from prying eyes.

Require everyone to use a strong password

One of the first things you must require your remote employees to do is to use strong passwords when joining the company network. You would be surprised as to how easy it is to hack generic passwords. So, this should be part of your clean desk policy guidelines. According to tech security experts, passwords should be changed at least every three months.

Use a secure VPN

You cannot stop remote workers from bringing their work to their local coffee shop. However, remind them to never connect to public Wi-Fi. Moreover, they should always use the best VPN that offers protection and security. It will function as an encrypted barrier that will protect their network from any intruders. This way, no matter where they’re working, they can join the company’s network without fearing that someone may sneak in.

Regularly update your team

Keeping your remote team informed is critical in ensuring the success of your policy implementation. So, send email updates and reminders regularly to ensure that everyone knows if there are changes to the employment discipline policy. Moreover, your employees will appreciate the support they get along the way. They will be confident in complying when they know that the organization has their back. Also, you should educate them about security protocols for data in the event of a power outage.

What Are the Benefits of a Clean Desk Policy?

When it comes to implementing a Clean Desk policy, the ISO/IEC 27001 lays out the guidelines your company can follow. It also shows how having this system in place can be advantageous for information security management. Here are some of the benefits that your remote operations can enjoy with a Clean Desk policy:

• Less paper = save money and the environment: With a clean desk setup, remote workers are encouraged to course all documents digitally. By reminding work-from-home employees to avoid printing files, you’re also saving on operational costs. What’s more, the initiative will help your company and your workers live a greener lifestyle.
• Manage sensitive information: In a brick-and-mortar office, only authorized people can access the facilities. So, there’s still some level of security for sensitive information. Now, since your employees are working from home, you don’t know who has access to their desks. Without a clean desk policy, your staff members will be free to print documents and leave them lying around. If your organization’s budget permits, you should also issue work laptops to your employees. Make sure that their devices are password-protected and that staff members use them for work exclusively.
• Meet compliance requirements: As we’ve mentioned, having a clean desk policy helps you meet the requirements of ISO 27001. Its implementing guidelines cover the assessment and treatment of information security risks. Data theft and leaks are some of the biggest threats in remote work. A clean desk policy requires that all company-related materials (hard copies) must be discarded at the end of the day. Moreover, it requires storing files in a secure cloud storage instead of locally to avoid leaking sensitive information.
• A Clean workspace = a productive worker: A Clear Desk policy will result in a workspace that is free of clutter, consequently reducing distractions. Our brains are hard-wired to break focus from time to time. However, we can still take measures to ensure optimum concentration. You may think that a messy workspace or a desktop filled with documents won’t bother you. However, not having clean desks will reduce your remote employees’ ability to focus.

What Are the Risks that a Clean Desk Policy Mitigates?

Risks naturally increase when you start managing a remote workforce. Here are some of the concerns you might encounter when implementing a clean desk policy:

• Cyberattack risks: Compared to traditional office workers, remote employees are more likely to encounter cyber threats. Neglecting work-from-home staff members is like handling a ticking time bomb. When you do not check on them, other people who have access to their homes may copy, print, and even share sensitive corporate information.
• Compromising corporate data: Remote employees are mostly free to work anywhere they want. However, this also means that they may choose to set up office in a café and connect to a public Wi-Fi network. When they connect their company-issued device to an unsecured public network, they are opening up the organization’s data to vulnerabilities. After all, data management will not be within the jurisdiction of in-house IT specialists anymore.
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): BYOD wasn’t an issue before, and many viewed it as a cost-effective, practical, trendy, and smart solution for office workers. However, data breaches have become a common occurrence, especially with remote workers using their own laptops and devices for work.

Conclusion

Every company deals with confidential information to varying degrees. Ensuring that sensitive data stays hidden can be even more challenging when you’re managing remote employees. However, having a Clean Desk policy will be one of the ways you can keep company information secure. Having strict guidelines for your work-from-home staff will safeguard the organization from data threats or breaches.