From employee communication apps like Slack to personal text messages, today’s organizations rely on modern tech for all aspects of their workplace productivity. This shift in how businesses communicate requires a shift in how businesses achieve compliant productivity.
More than 40% of Fortune 100 companies today use Slack for internal collaboration and communication. Within these companies, dozens of channels have been created for teams, tasks, and projects, all without requiring IT involvement. Simply download, click, and add. A new network for communication is open. Do they have an existing compliance policy in place to ensure these messages are captured and archived securely?
70% of Millennials admit to bringing their own apps, even against corporate policy, for work purposes.
Think your corporate policy banning communication through various avenues is enough to protect you? It might be time to rethink your compliance strategy. Instead of prohibiting certain streams, embrace these tech communication trends in your business and enable employees to maintain compliance with the proper tools in place.
In a recent survey, 50% of North American businesses said they had adopted Bring Your Own Device policies, allowing employees to use their personal devices for work purposes. In a business world where 33% of millennials said they would choose social media freedom and device flexibility over a higher salary, it’s easy to see why.
With 3 out of 4 global workers being Millennials in 2025, embracing technology in a way that supports productivity within a company is not just an option anymore. In order to continue to grow, businesses must integrate these tools into their structure, but trying to figure out how they will remain complaint may seem like a daunting task.
The Key to Compliance Starts with Understanding the Communication Shift
WHAT PLATFORMS DO I NEED TO CONSIDER?
Social Media: Social media provides a broad reach that was economically impossible ten years ago. With direct interaction between employees, investors, and consumers, official company information can be dispersed internationally in seconds.
Email: Email is still the number one method of communication within organizations. Hundreds of thousands of emails containing regulated data are exchanged daily.
Collaboration Platforms: Any project management program or internal collaboration platform like Slack or One Note allow employees to collaborate and communicate with the benefits of social media, email and texting, combined. Conversations within these collaborative spaces are subject to the same regulations and compliance standards as any other content generated internally. This content must also be captured and archived in order to ensure compliance is met.
Comprehensive Archiving Solution
Archiving solutions for total compliance must meet certain criteria and have the ability to capture all data and content in various formats throughout numerous apps in their native form. These must be archived and secure- unable to be modified or deleted- without loosing their original meaning. The solution also must restrict access and allow roles to be set that allow or prevent classified or sensitive material from being accessed by an individual without the permissions to do so. Those employees responsible for compliance within an organization need a solution that allows them to maintain a secure archive of data in order to prevent fraud, comply with privacy laws and to protect the company in the event of litigation.
Stop Ignoring The Reality.
Text messages, social media use, app incorporation, and collaboration tools are going to be used whether they are permitted corporately or not.
Set your organization and employees up for success by putting the right solution in place. It’s not necessary to fear employees are using banned channels for business communications. Utilizing a comprehensive archiving solution protects your business and enables employees by giving them the freedom to use the tools they are familiar with in a secure method. It’s a win-win for everyone.
