Client confidentiality is very important when working with clients in a care setting. As a beautician professional, it is important to assure your client that what they tell you will remain confidential and it is essential that you deliver on that promise. It is not only a question of maintaining professionalism, but it is an important way to gain the client’s trust and confidence in you. If the client feels that they cannot trust you, they may not share important information that can affect the clients desired results. Confidence and Trust go hand in hand when it comes to providing your client with utmost satisfaction.

What Is A Breach Of Confidentiality?

In short, a confidentiality breach is the disclosure of information to someone without the consent of the person who owns it. In other words, failing to respect a person’s privacy or the confidence in which they gave the information or data to you, by passing it onto someone else.

Breaking Confidentiality – Is It Ever Justified?

There are a small number of cases when breaching confidentiality might be OK. Here are some of them:

1. If there’s a significant risk of the client harming themselves or someone else, particularly if a child or vulnerable person is involved
2. When sharing the information is required to comply with the law. If it came to light that your client’s company was breaking a law, depending on the circumstances, you may have an obligation to report this

Employee Conduct

Include primary elements of your salon employees’ required code of ethics conduct. Use statements such as “employees will treat all clients with integrity and dignity.” Include prohibitions against poaching clients from other stylists and bad-mouthing other stylists’ work or abilities. Encourage your employees to exhibit the highest levels of integrity and professionalism in their dealings with clients and each other.

How To Protect Confidential Information In The Workplace

There are a few steps you can take to protect yourself and your livelihood from breaches:

1. Talk to your client early on about what information you’ll have access to (if they’re a business), how their information will be used and when (if ever) you would need to break confidentiality and share their data. A written contract or agreement is useful here
2. Treat personal data very carefully. Don’t store information for longer than necessary, and make sure your computer is secure and compliant (for example, that it has the right security software)
3. It seems obvious, but don’t spread confidential information relating to client outside your professional practice. If you are given permission to share sensitive or confidential information, make sure you and your client is completely clear about who you have permission to share it with and in what circumstances.
4. It is important to bring up the issue of confidentiality directly with your client. Consider that you understand the information they share and open up about is private. The client’s personal information will only be registered forth with the mantle of educational purposes only.
5. When you ask the client to sign the confidentiality agreement, you must sign it as well. Your distinctive assurance and your signature are an embodiment of your professionalism and integrity. Do not hold that integrity in jeopardy by sharing or leaking that information about a client with anyone other than your mentor indefinitely.

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