If you own a business in Las Vegas, then it is important to understand that you are at risk for trade secret theft. The good news is that you can prevent those secrets and that information from being taken. According to Inc. magazine, more and more companies are becoming victims of trade secret theft – not from foreign shores but from their own employees. These employees may take financial information on the company, designs or creations and other data with them when they leave the company or before they leave the company.
One way to protect your company against harm is to prohibit any employee from bringing their personal laptop, cellphone or handheld device to the office. If your data is electronic and employees will be using such devices for work, it is better to have them provided by you. You can better monitor and control the type of information that is placed on these devices. Furthermore, if an employee will be traveling, check the devices and remove anything that the employee will not need for the trip.
Setting up the right monitoring system for sensitive property is another way that you can discourage employees from taking it. The property should only be accessible to employees who need it for their job. Computer files should be protected with passcodes that can be changed on occasion and only given to a small number of people. Additionally, all documents that are in the physical form should be marked as confidential.
Employees often take trade secrets when they leave, so this is the time to keep a special eye on them. Monitor their movements to make sure that they haven’t been accessing any files or making copies of trade information. You can ask your technology department to monitor their electronic activity and the printers’ records. If you feel that an employee has violated a noncompete agreement or taken sensitive information, prompt action should be initiated.
