To protect your clients’ confidential information during a corporate move, take four steps: count and record everything you hold, destroy what you no longer need, lock down what remains, and use a trusted, accountable moving and storage partner. Doing these in order means you always know what you have, where it is, and who can reach it.
Business owners and employers worry about confidentiality for good reason. From firms that hold sensitive client data to organizations subject to strict privacy rules, protecting information is an essential duty, and a move creates risk because records leave their usual locked rooms. In New York, the SHIELD Act requires businesses that hold New York residents’ private information to maintain reasonable safeguards, and those physical safeguards include protecting against unauthorized access during the transportation and disposal of information. This is general information, not legal advice, so check with your counsel about the rules that apply to your business.
Pre-Count Inventory
Any items you plan to bring to your new location need to be counted before they leave, and that is especially true for confidential records. A pre-count inventory shows you exactly what information you hold, so you know what is missing if something goes astray. If you do not know what you have, you have no way of knowing whether it has been compromised.
If your business stores documents in folders or boxes, record each folder and its contents. A spreadsheet broken down by categories, such as client information, business information, and other matters, makes this easier. Also remember protected data saved on laptops, external drives, and other devices, and include every way your business stores information on the list.
Assign one person to own the inventory and have a second person verify it. After the move, run through the list at the new location to confirm that everything arrived.
Get Rid of Unneeded Items
Over time, businesses accumulate large volumes of documents and information. If you no longer need certain records, and your retention requirements allow it, destroy them before moving day. Scaling down makes the move less hectic and gives you fewer confidential items to protect in transit.
The key is to dispose of them properly. Throwing sensitive files in the trash, or simply dragging them to the recycle bin on a laptop, is not enough. Paper documents should be shredded, and digital files should be fully erased. The National Institute of Standards and Technology publishes NIST Special Publication 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization, which helps organizations decide how to sanitize storage media. Our post on document shredding versus digital archiving can help you decide which approach fits your records. New York’s SHIELD Act also calls for erasing electronic media so that information cannot be read or reconstructed, as this Kelley Drye summary explains.
Your IT department or a corporate moving company that provides IT relocation services can help with the best way to approach discarding electronic files.
Secure Remaining Items
After you clear out what you no longer need, lock up everything that remains. This step is commonly overlooked, which leaves confidential information vulnerable to theft and unauthorized access. Furniture, office equipment, and supplies can go into standard moving boxes, but restricted information should stay in locked filing cabinets, drawers, or containers until the moment it moves.
Protect devices as well. Laptops and computers should have strong passwords on every account and application, and encrypting drives adds another layer of protection if a device is lost. Limit the list of employees who can access sensitive records during the move, keep keys and access codes under control, and back up important data before anything is unplugged. Our guide to data backup strategies before your IT equipment move explains how, and our post on how to safely transport sensitive IT equipment covers the equipment itself.
Store at a Trusted Warehouse
Corporate moves present unique security challenges. Working with a licensed and insured moving company helps protect private information, and a reputable commercial mover trains its crews to handle your items in line with any regulations that apply to your business. Your belongings should be attended to throughout the move, and anyone handling them should be accountable for what they carry.
If you are storing items to free space in your new office, choose a trusted commercial warehouse in NYC. Before you commit, ask how access is controlled, who can enter the space, whether activity is logged, and how records are tracked and retrieved. Our guide to the security features to look for in commercial storage lists what a well-protected facility should offer.
A Quick Confidentiality Checklist
Use this list to confirm the basics are covered before moving day:
- Inventory: Record all paper files, devices, and drives, and name one owner for the list.
- Disposal: Shred paper and erase digital media that you no longer need to keep.
- Locks: Keep restricted records in locked containers until they are loaded.
- Devices: Use strong passwords and drive encryption, and back up data first.
- Access: Limit who can handle sensitive records during the move.
- Verification: Check the inventory against what arrives at the new location.
Checking items off together with your moving partner keeps responsibilities clear on moving day.
Hire CRS Moving & Storage for Your Corporate Move in NYC
At CRS Moving & Storage, our goal is to help you complete your corporate move with ease, and part of that is making sure your items reach their destination safely and securely. Whether you need corporate moving, storage, or warehousing, our team has the experience to help you get the job done right.
We offer a free move plan and logistics session with our professional moving team, who will listen to your needs, budget, and security considerations before we start planning. To get started, complete our contact form today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Protecting Confidential Information During a Move
How do I keep client files confidential during an office move?
Start with a complete inventory of paper and electronic records, destroy what you no longer need, and keep restricted files locked until they are loaded. Limit who can handle sensitive records, back up your data, and use a moving company that is accountable for your belongings throughout the move. After the move, check the inventory against what arrived.
Should paper records be shredded before an office move?
Shred paper records that you no longer need once your retention requirements allow it, since moving fewer confidential documents lowers risk and cost. Keep any records you are required to retain, and store them securely. Check with your accountant or attorney if you are unsure how long a document must be kept.
Does New York law require businesses to protect client data during a move?
The New York SHIELD Act requires businesses that own or license computerized data containing New York residents’ private information to maintain reasonable safeguards, including physical safeguards that protect against unauthorized access during transportation and disposal. Other privacy rules may apply depending on your industry. Because requirements vary, confirm what applies to your business with your legal counsel.
How should I handle laptops and servers during a move?
Back up your data first, use strong passwords on every account, and encrypt drives where possible. Pack devices so they are protected from damage, and keep an inventory with serial numbers so you can confirm each one arrives. A moving company with IT relocation experience can handle the equipment and its transport.
What should I ask a moving company about handling confidential records?
Ask whether the company is licensed and insured, how its crews are trained to handle sensitive items, and how your belongings are supervised from pickup to delivery. If you plan to store records, ask how access to the space is controlled and logged and how items are tracked and retrieved. Get the answers in writing so responsibilities are clear.