10 February, 2022

6 Data Security Measures to Check for in Your New R&R Platform

The HR revolution is driven by the advent of digital transformation, which has accelerated the growth and adoption of virtual platforms catering to rewards & recognition, employee engagement, and retention. A by-product of this digital age is the colossal amount of data generated, processed, and stored, which has emphasized the need for data governance and security.

Moreover, organizations have become prudent about data privacy, an assumption proven by a recent finding where more than 42% of consumers stopped using the services of a company due to the lack of legitimate data privacy and security policies.

In the employee R&R space, increasingly complex computing environments and employee-sensitive information has proliferated the importance of robust data security measures in a Digital R&R Platform, making it a mandate. Read on to discern the key data security measures to check for in your new R&R platform.

1. Data Encryption

Database encryption solutions are crucial in an R&R platform as they serve as a final line of defense for sensitive employee-centric information. Given the erosion of trust that has arisen amid remote working and hybrid working models, endorsing that your business is conforming to certain encryption standards even within internal systems could be looked upon favorably by both your employees and end customers.

Key data encryption features to look for in your new R&R platform:

i. Data encryption at Rest

ii. Data encryption in Transit

iii. Encryption of Sensitive PII (Personally Identifiable Information)

iv. Encryption of Keys Protection and Rotation

v. Data Retention and Purging (on termination of contract)

2. Data Backup and Restoration

Maintaining meticulously tested backup copies of all critical data is a core component of a robust data security strategy in your R&R platform. Primary data failures can occur in case of accidental deletion, hardware or software failure, data corruption, or malicious attacks (virus or malware). Such inevitable complications can be tackled using backup copies that allow data to be restored from an earlier point in time and enable steadfast recovery. Re-entering and re-structuring gargantuan amounts of data pertaining to employees, rewards, nominations, and so forth can be exceedingly cumbersome and time-staking; this is where a coherent data backup and restoration strategy comes into play!

A major factor to look for in your new R&R platform is incident logging and management, as this can help spot areas of risk post-haste, which can be duly corrected and prevented in the future. For instance, if you want to review your employees’ incident history through the platform without reading through hundreds of incident reports, a log provides the ascetic details you need to assess and assert the platform deviations.

Key data backup and restoration features to look for in your new R&R platform:

i. Regular backup

ii. Restoration of backup (during disasters)

iii. Backup protection (access and encryption)

3. Access Management

Access management is essential for securing a hybrid multi-cloud enterprise. A contemporary Employee Engagement platform should deliver a frictionless and seamless experience for every user, asset, and data interaction providing a foundation for a validated and authenticated access anatomy.

Key access management features to look for in your new R&R platform:

i. Authentication: Complex passwords, SSO (SAML, OpenID Connect, AD-based Integration), MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)

ii. Access Control: Role-based Access Control, Principle of Least Privilege

iii. Auditing and Tracking: Track changes and maintain audit log [Auditability/Traceability]

4. Network Security and Patch Management

A digital Employee Engagement software comprises of a complex network architecture coercing a threat environment and a larger attack surface to exploit vulnerabilities. Thus, every organization, regardless of size, industry or infrastructure, should adopt a platform that has a superlative degree of network security solutions in place to protect it from cyber threats.

Patch management fixes vulnerabilities on your R&R software that are susceptible to cyber/data malware. This helps in drastically reducing the down-time or recovery period and ensuring ceaseless function of your virtual platform, resulting in an improved, consistent employee experience.

Key network security and patch management features to look for in your new R&R platform:

i. Security Group and Firewalls

ii. Monitoring Network Traffic

iii. Regular Patching

iv. Patch Management for Critical Vulnerabilities

v. 3rd Party Audit (VAPT)

5. Application Security

Software-level data security measures are not enough in today’s rapidly advancing tech world; a secure coarse-of-action at the application level is just as important. Every organization wants their internal applications to be mobile friendly; however, providing a mobile application brings a new set of data security standards that need to be met. Your R&R mobile application should encompass elaborate security considerations that aim to prevent data or code within the application from being stolen or hijacked, before and after it gets deployed.

Key application security features to look for in your new R&R platform:

i. OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project)

ii. Secure Coding Practices

iii. 3rd Party Security Testing

6. Compliance

Compliance regulations are an indispensable requisite to a virtual R&R Framework, as not only does it help companies stay on the right side of the law, but also tends to streamline data management processes and amplify profitability.

Deep-diving into the compliance strategy, having a geographical data governance model is quintessential, as governmental privacy regulations often have rules about where data can and can’t be stored. Maintaining a compliance database and mapping out a geographically exhaustive governance model creates a clear, active structure for compliance and helps widen your R&R framework.

Building trust and a sense of belonging within your workforce is the first step to engaging, recognizing, and rewarding them. Keeping sensitive data secure from breaches, improper use, destruction, leaks, and viruses is your way of being ‘compliant’ and driving maximum RoI from your Employee Engagement efforts.

Key compliance standards and regulations to look for in your new R&R platform:

i. ISO 27001 (International Standard for Information Security)

ii. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

iii. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)

iv. SOC (Voluntary compliance standard for service organizations)

Secure to Procure!

The emergence of digital R&R platforms has gained phenomenal traction in recent years amid global workplace disruptions and the Great Resignation; ergo, progressive organizations are increasingly adopting such software to enable an unparalleled employee retention strategy. However, to procure maximized benefits and harbor an impeccable Employee Experience, having a robust data security framework in place is rudimentary to the digitization of your R&R processes.

We hope this list helps you make a righteous and informed decision!

Our product, Gratifi is among the top digital R&R solutions in India. Get in touch with our team to know more!