Robert offered these five recommendations for managing new communication tools while considering information security, policy controls and more complicated archiving processes.

1. Do a risk/benefit analysis to decide which tools explicitly can and cannot be used by employees. Have you considered anything that could go wrong by allowing a wider range of communication tools in your agency? Are you able to apply the necessary privacy controls? Are you confident that individuals cannot leak intellectual property or other high- value information that now may be exchanged over Teams or Zoom? Do an audit of all applications and devices employees are using, apply due diligence to each of those tools, and make sure to have the appropriate stakeholders involved in that conversation.

2. Ensure that basic archiving controls are available. When looking at any new technology that your employees are using or have requested to use, you should determine whether it has the capabilities to capture and retain a historical record of information. Can you retrieve three years of data from Slack or Zoom? Can you receive and store all the content, activity and files that people are exchanging? That data is crucial for public records obligations, but also to understand what employees are doing and if the information they are sharing is secure. If those controls aren’t available, and your current archiving solution is not capable of meeting those needs, it may be time to consider a new option.

3. Look closely at vendor capabilities. Every organization — government or otherwise — is struggling with how to manage the volume and variety of data that's now being generated through digital communication tools. For government organizations with official requirements to retain this data, now is a good time to assess whether those needs are being met. If you’re using a third-party tool for capturing and retaining your data, is it capable of preserving and aggregating all communications data being generated? Make sure you’re working with a vendor partner that has the resources to meet your current and future needs.

4. Review and refine your communication policies. This is one of the most critical elements to getting your arms around the breadth of technology that agency employees are using. If you look at information governance as a by-product or a function of policy training and technology, policy really is where it begins. Are your communication policies up to date? Do individuals know what they can and cannot do? Have you updated and addressed work-from-home behaviors in your agency’s code of conduct policy? Do you have the ability to spot things that may come up that are in the realm of harassment? All of these policy controls need to be examined to make sure that they work and are functional in this remote scenario.

5. Develop an ongoing training program for your employees. Training employees on communication policies and information security is critical. Staff should be aware of their responsibilities while working in the office or remotely, especially as new tools are introduced and your work scenario changes. Training should be ongoing as new employees join and done regularly to keep people on the same page.

Managing government archiving in the digital age requires that your organization is prepared but agile. There have been a lot of changes in the past several months that will continue to require policy adjustments and technology controls. Staying on top of evolving communication trends and tools will help to ensure that you're meeting all of your information governance objectives.

Watch the full recording of Robert's session: "Government Archiving in the Digital Age"