Encrypted hard drives should be a company policy for all computers, but especially for employees who take their computers with them, such as outside salespeople who travel to call on clients, workers out at construction sites, or executives on the road; imagine all the intellectual property and business intel those CEOs and business owners have on their laptops. It must all be protected and a password simply isn’t enough to do the trick.
If your laptop users go to industry conferences, using an encrypted hard drive will safeguard company files from competitors who may see an opportunity to snoop (or steal) from you after a seminar.