Knowledge base
July 28, 2025
Offboarding and Data Security for SMEs.
When an employee leaves, sensitive data is often left lying around: open mailboxes, forgotten files and accesses to company apps that are never revoked. This poses serious risks for Dutch SMEs, especially with strict AVG regulations. Offboarding seems simple, but without a structured process, it can lead to data breaches and compliance issues.
In this blog you will discover:
- Why a good offboarding process is crucial
- What steps to follow for secure data removal
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- What are the costs and ROI of a structured process
- How ALTA-ICT helps your company do this
What is offboarding and why crucial for Dutch companies?
Offboarding is the process by which an employee is safely and completely phased out of the company. This goes beyond simply turning in a laptop; it also includes removing accesses, cleaning up files and closing or archiving mailboxes.
Why important?
- Preventing data breaches and misuse of corporate data
- Complying with AVG and GDPR legislation
- Maintaining business continuity and knowledge transfer
Implementing Offboarding in the Netherlands – Step-by-Step
- Close or forward mailbox – Ensure that e-mail accounts are closed or forwarded to a responsible colleague in a timely manner.
- Clean up files – Delete or archive the employee’s personal SharePoint and OneDrive folders.
- Revoke access to all apps – Revoke access to all business applications such as Microsoft 365, CRM systems and cloud storage.
- Document the process – Keep a record of what actions were performed so that when audited, you can demonstrate that offboarding was done correctly.
- Automate where possible – Use tools and processes that minimize human error.
Common offboarding mistakes and how to avoid them
- ❌ Mailbox remains open – Risk of misuse and data breach.
- ❌ Files remain scattered – No overview of where data remains.
- ❌ No clear process – Manual steps create errors.
Solution: Work with a standardized and automated offboarding process that meets ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and NEN 7510 standards.
Cost and ROI of a secure offboarding process.
Although implementing an offboarding process takes time and resources, it pays off handsomely:
- ✅ Reduced risk of data breaches (AVG fines can reach €20 million)
- ✅ Time saved through automation of processes
- ✅ Improved compliance and audit traceability
The ROI is high, especially when you consider that data breaches can involve reputational damage and legal costs.
How ALTA-ICT helps your company with offboarding
At ALTA-ICT, we have developed a structured process that is fully compliant with our ISO27001, ISO9001 and NEN7510 certifications. We help your company with: ✅ Full insight into where company data resides ✅ Automation of offboarding steps ✅ Compliance with Dutch legislation and AVG
Schedule your free consultation call now:
📞 Free ICT consultation books
Reference
¹https://www.linkedin.com/posts/altaict_data-iso9001-iso27001-activity-7349009801323929600-hK_M
Want to know more?
