What does the GDPR mean for recruitment in Dublin?

Every year, society becomes more and more reliant on data. This makes it vital to have appropriate regulations in place that protect all of the information that is now being collected and kept. That's why we now have Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

The GDPR will significantly change laws surrounding data protection, and it's critical for organisations and individuals to understand these adjustments. One area where the new rules are particularly important is recruitment, which relies heavily on the collection and proper use of candidate data.

Let's take a closer look at the GDPR and what recruitment agencies in Dublin need to know about it. 

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) explained

In essence, the GDPR is a set of rules that apply to any organisation which processes the data of EU residents. While there are several different elements to this change in the law - particularly when it comes to increasing the responsibilities of businesses - the most important factor is transparency. 

Under the GDPR, organisations will need to provide full clarity in regards to how they use data, as well as the security measures they have in place to protect it. They will also have to prove full accountability and oversight for any and all data processing activities. 

In addition to tightening the requirements for any organisation collecting data, the GDPR also increases the potential consequences of failing to operate responsibly, introducing fines of up to €20,000,000.

What does the GDPR mean for recruitment?

Due to the enormous volume of data collected during recruitment, it's vital for businesses in this field to implement best practices (including secure firewalls, internet gateways and regular malware scans) early, to avoid any potential mistakes once the GDPR takes effect. Many businesses will need to hire or train a specialised data protection officer to manage the transition, as well as ongoing tasks such as drawing up documents for candidates on how their information is collected and used. 

Without a doubt though, the most important element of the GDPR for recruitment companies is understanding as much as possible about the data they collect. This includes where it comes from, the circumstances through which it's obtained, where it's stored, how it's used, and much more. Failing to gather all of this information will make it much more difficult to implement any changes that may be required under the GDPR.

For candidates, this is all great news. The GDPR means that you'll no longer need to worry when handing over your personal information as part of the recruitment process, and can rest easy knowing that your privacy is backed by new laws that reflect the changing way we use data today.

By Chris Pelow