Free Shredding: The Hidden Risks for Businesses

Some companies think they can save money by buying a shredding machine and shredding the confidential paper documents they don’t need any more in-house.

How Free Shredding Can Lead to Unforeseen Costs

However tempting an office shredder may seem for its apparent cost-effectiveness, here are 8 reasons why DIY shredding can lead to unforeseen expenses.

1. Data Security

Do-it-yourself shredding lacks the necessary security controls and process to protect confidential information – increasing risk of a data breach and all kinds of costs. A data breach can damage an organisation’s reputation, cause negative media coverage, and lead to a loss of customers. According to a Ponemon Institute study, in 2017 the average cost of a data breach is £2.48 million. Outsource: A professional document destruction company provides a secure chain of custody from start (locked consoles in the workplace) to finish (secure shredding of documents by security-trained professionals).

2. Reassembly

Office shredders are often strip shredders – and the long strips that are created can be reassembled. The risk of a data breach increases whether insider fraudsters or bin raiders steal the shredded paper. Outsource: A professional document destruction company utilises industrial cross-cut shredding, which destroys documents by turning them into confetti-like pieces.

3. Proof of Destruction

For legislative compliance, companies may be required to have proof that documents have been securely shredded. In-house shredding is often haphazard and without records. Outsource: A document destruction professional provides a Certificate of Destruction after every shred.

4. Efficiency

Many office shredders cannot handle metal materials such as staples, binders, paperclips, etc. These items must be manually removed from documents before shredding. There’s also time and effort required to separate documents into easily-shredded portions, feed paper into the shredder, empty the receptacle, clean up the area, and put the bag of paper into the bin. Outsource: Industrial shredding machines can handle paper clips and other materials, and shred materials quickly and effectively.

5. Wages

Employees who shred have less time for the tasks they were hired to do. Outsource: All employees have to do is put documents that need to be destroyed into conveniently located locked tamper-proof consoles. Security-trained professionals take care of the rest. 

6. Maintenance

A shredding machine will require maintenance and repairs. Outsource: Contracted shredding by a professional includes all overhead costs.

7. Volume

During busy times such as the end of the financial year, the amount of paper documents that must be destroyed increases. But the shredder can still only do as little as 5 sheets at a time – meaning the employee has to spend more time shredding. Outsource: Shredding is scheduled as required.

8. Employee Error

Without policy or process, errors are inevitable. Among 874 security incidents reported by companies in a 2016 study, 568 were caused by employee or contractor negligence.Outsource: Earlier Ponemon research showed that respondents believed an outside shredding service is more reliable than employees. Implement a Shred-it all Policy too so all documents are destroyed when no longer needed.

Discover Professional Shredding Solutions in UK

Explore comprehensive shredding solutions tailored to your needs with Shred-it UK. Our professional services ensure secure document destruction, regulatory compliance, and peace of mind for businesses of all sizes.

Contact us today to safeguard your confidential information effectively!