Organizational risks posed by technology in the workplace include data privacy issues

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Examples of organizational risks posed by technology in the workplace include data privacy issues and data security breaches. HR personnel are often tasked with assessing risk factors revolving around HR data. HR personnel also often help mitigate risk factors by providing training and awareness sessions to managers and staff-level employees. As described in the SHRM-CP learning system, three organizational security measures must be addressed: 1) Exposure of electronically stored sensitive data (such as personal or benefits information). 2) Loss of sensitive personnel data. 3) Unauthorized updates of key data. Please respond to the following:

Which of these three do you consider to be the most important? And, why?
If left unmitigated, select another security measure, and describe what types of organizational impacts/damage might be caused.
Select a security protection method you believe to be the most effective for an organization you are familiar with; select from these methods: encryption and protecting against hacking and social engineering methods.
List and discuss two ethical dilemmas workplace technology may pose to HR personnel.
Be sure to respond to at least one of your classmates’ posts.

Sample Solution

Prioritizing Security Measures:

Most Important: I consider Exposure of electronically stored sensitive data (such as personal or benefits information) to be the most critical security measure. This is because unauthorized access to this data can have severe consequences for both the organization and individuals:

  • Individual impacts: Identity theft, financial fraud, discrimination, and reputational damage to employees.
  • Organizational impacts: Legal penalties, regulatory sanctions, reputational damage, loss of trust, and potential business disruption.

Unmitigated Risk of Loss of Sensitive Personnel Data: If left unaddressed, the loss of sensitive personnel data could lead to:

  • Data breaches: Exposure of data to unauthorized individuals or entities outside the organization.
  • Blackmail or extortion: Threatening individuals or the organization with leaked information.
  • Discrimination lawsuits: If data loss involves protected characteristics, it can lead to legal action.
  • Disruption of operations: Data loss can hinder HR functions like payroll processing and benefits administration.

Security Protection Methods:

For an organization I’m familiar with (e.g., a large research institution), I believe encryption is the most effective security measure, combined with protecting against hacking and social engineering methods.

  • Encryption: Renders sensitive data unreadable without a decryption key, protecting it even if intercepted.
  • Anti-hacking measures: Firewalls, intrusion detection, and vulnerability patching prevent unauthorized access attempts.
  • Social engineering awareness: Training employees to identify and resist phishing scams and other manipulation tactics.

Ethical Dilemmas for HR:

1. Algorithmic Bias in Recruitment: Using AI-powered tools for resume screening can perpetuate biases based on factors like gender, race, or socioeconomic background. HR needs to ensure these tools are fair and unbiased in their selection processes.

2. Employee Monitoring Technology: Monitoring employee activity and productivity raises privacy concerns. HR must strike a balance between monitoring for legitimate business reasons and respecting employee privacy.

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