Workplace theft can be a cause of business failure and this is not a random thought. This has been brought out in a survey by CNN. The range of items that get stolen from offices and workplaces is as varied as you can imagine. Hard drives, computers, USB devices, cash, keys, identities, and others can get stolen. Some of these may even have the effect of impacting businesses. The best way to prevent such occurrences is to make your office burglar proof. Here are some ways to do that.
Identifying Possible Elements
This is the key element in securing your office from burglars. In an office setting, there are so many individuals who can steal stuff. He or she can be a disgruntled employee, an employee with addiction, a cleaning staff, a visitor or someone else. You need to device security plans while keeping in mind all the suspects. A report from the US Chamber Of Commerce suggests that about 75% of employees steal from office.
Using Deterrent Measures
People steal whenever there is an opportunity to do so. Such crimes can be reduced considerably by using deterrent measures. So what can be the deterrent measures? It can be high-security locks, alarm systems, closed circuit TV along with monitoring, software that track employee activities etc. Contact locksmith lock-up services inc for a detailed report on how to maintain your office’s security.
Identifying Stuff That Got Stolen
In order to protect your office from burglary, you need to identify the items that can get stolen. Common items stolen from offices may include valuable ones like PDAs, iPods, laptops etc; office supplies like pens, envelopes, CD-Rs etc.
However, the most serious security lapse occurs in an office when there is a breach of data integrity. Important and confidential data about business or employee bank accounts can be taken away in USB drives, CDs, emails or by other means.
Validate Integrity While Hiring
This is the most important step to ensure a burglar-proof office. You need to validate the integrity of your new hires. Even after hiring you need to conduct periodic background checks, especially in high-risk operational areas. People with doubtful integrity stay away from companies that conduct regular background checks.
Consider A Security Audit Of Your Building
A security audit may expose the loopholes in security systems of your office. Such audits can find out the vulnerable points and offer their best advice to fortify these areas. There are many security companies that carry out such audits.
Consider Access Control
This can enhance your security by a big margin if you implement it correctly. Access control is not meant to control access to the building only. It is meant to control access to individual sections, computers, and systems. By this you can ensure that only people authorized to access these places, computers and systems are accessing them. If theft occurs despite that the zone of consideration regarding the suspect narrows down to a few. Such theft can be tracked down easily.
Enhance Surveillance
Make arrangement for CCTV throughout the office and record video footage throughout the office hours and even beyond. This will deter even those who may consider circumventing security systems beyond office hours.