What Training Should New Staff Receive Before Handling Sensitive Family Information?

Before granting access to sensitive family records, train employees on the office's confidentiality rules and information procedures. Staff need to know what they may handle, how to protect it, and whom to contact when a request or mistake falls outside the written process.

Cover the Rules and the Reasons

Start with the types of information the office holds and the limits on its use. Explain that financial records, legal records, household records, and personal records should be accessed only for assigned work. Clarify who may receive information, how requests are approved, and what employees should do when a relative, adviser, or outside party asks for material beyond their authority.

Connect the rules to written governance and ethics policies. These documents can define responsibilities, decision rights, and standards for personnel. A signed confidentiality agreement may be part of onboarding, and staff also need to understand the procedures behind it. See single family office governance for the broader policy framework.

Practice Common Situations

Use short scenarios to teach the steps. For example, ask what an employee should do if a document is sent to the wrong recipient, a device is lost, or a family member asks for records about another branch. Show where approved files are stored, how to share them securely, and how to report a suspected disclosure quickly.

Train staff on access controls, password practices, approved devices and communication channels, physical document handling, and record retention procedures. Explain how access changes when an employee's responsibilities change or employment ends. New employees should know where to find the current procedure and who owns updates.

Reinforce and Check Understanding

Ask employees to explain how they would handle a few routine cases. A presentation or policy acknowledgment alone may not show whether they understand. Have a supervisor review the employee's first tasks involving sensitive information. Keep a record that training occurred and note topics that need follow-up.

Refresh training when systems, roles, or family arrangements change, or when a mistake reveals a gap in the process. Staff who cover for a colleague need the same guidance on access and confidentiality. The office should identify a backup for critical responsibilities and document the steps they may take. See setting confidentiality expectations and planning for employee coverage for related practices.

Training should make clear that employees are expected to raise questions early. If a legal or tax issue affects access, retention, or disclosure, talk with your attorney or CPA. For screening and role preparation, consider appropriate background checks for employees and the operational process framework. Clear procedures make it easier for staff to protect family information consistently.

You can join other family offices in using this self-paced audio and video training program to train new hires or access a specialized talent pool of professionals who hold this designation.

Sources: How to Start a Family Office, The Single Family Office. Informational only, not financial, legal or tax advice.