How Secure is Your Business?

Do you ever stop for a minute and wonder just how truly secure your business really is? As too many business owners have discovered over time, theft inside their companies leads to financial problems, not to mention morale issues.

With that in mind, what can you do as a business owner to minimize and all but eliminate theft in your workplace?

Know the Threat

While you can’t physically guard your office 24/7 on your own, there are steps you can initiate that will significantly cut down on the threat of employees or outsiders stealing from you.

They include:

• Vetting your new hires – Even though many more businesses use background checks these days; there are still too many who do not. While there is no 100 percent guarantee the person you hire is never going to steal from you, you can certainly increase the odds they won’t by thoroughly reviewing their background. Yes, making sure they are paid well and have satisfying roles in your company is important, but their moral character should never be taken for granted. If there is even the slightest hint of concern regarding their backgrounds during interviews, don’t be afraid to take a different course;
• Securing your office property – While it may sound like a no-brainer, just how secure is your workplace. Just as you might use a provider like ADT in Chicago to secure your home and its property, it behooves you to do likewise with a trusted security provider for your office. You can undertake security measures such as installing cameras, documenting all machinery in the office (record serial numbers etc.), and providing employees with I.D. passes, therefore allowing you to make sure only the people who need to be in your office are there. If you have a business where current and potential clients visit you regularly, make sure to have them check-in at a front desk so no one who is not supposed to be in your office gets in;
• Avoid becoming complacent – One of the ways thieves can make life miserable for you and your business is if you become complacent. Not changing office/computer passwords from time to time, not regularly reviewing security measures with staff, and broadcasting to the world that you are not all that secure are all invitations to trouble. Thieves look for patterns in order to gain their best time to strike, so don’t help them along the way by falling into a pattern or patterns.

With all that you and your business have to lose by becoming a crime victim, take the appropriate measures today to secure what you have worked so hard for.

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business matters on the web.