Your office is a place of business and, like any other workplace, it has some dangers that you need to address. Theft and fraud can run rampant if you don’t put effective measures in place to prevent them. Here are eight tips to help prevent office theft and other crimes to avoid this.
1. Keep Your Office Well-Lit
It’s important for offices to have well-lit hallways, storage rooms, conference rooms, cubicles, etc., particularly at night when there are fewer employees and visitors in your office.
If you have dimly lit areas, it becomes easy for thieves to hide when they come in unannounced. Putting up lights that activate when a sensor is triggered will give intruders away and alert you and your security team.
2. Install Quality Cameras
Improving the quality of cameras, you have throughout your building can go a long way towards crime prevention. Make sure they record video in high definition so criminals’ faces are easily recognizable and keep them updated on the new technology, so they can’t be hacked or disrupted by intruders.
Ensure the footage is saved in both analog and digital formats so it won’t be lost if the lighting goes out unexpectedly or there’s an electrical surge from a storm outside.
3. Don’t Store Sensitive Information in Plain View
Make sure that sensitive files and paperwork are kept out of sight. Thieves will root through your office when you’re not looking if it means they can get their hands on confidential information.
Keep documents in locked file cabinets or filing rooms when they aren’t being used, and make sure to shred anything you no longer need before throwing it away.
4. Remove All Laptops from Unattended Desks
When employees leave for a break or to use the restroom, they should remove all laptops from their desks and lock them inside file cabinets or vaults, just like documents and other valuables.
This is because digital thieves often lurk around offices waiting for an easy opportunity to steal something they can sell for a lot of money.
5. Upgrade Locks and Keys
Filing cabinets, vaults, and filing rooms should have heavy-duty locks to ensure they can’t be forced open by potential intruders.
In addition to this, your keyrings should only contain keys for doors that need them instead of generic master keys that can unlock everything from the front door to the kitchen pantry.
This reduces the chances of a thief finding an easy opportunity to steal something without knowing where it is or who has access to it. You can buy commercial locks online from websites like Banner Solutions.
6. Only Hire Trusted Employees
One of the best ways to keep your office safe is by hiring employees whom you know and trust. They should have a history of paying bills on time, living in their own homes or apartments rent-free, having no criminal convictions, and being gainfully employed at another company where they’ve been for several years.
If an employee has any issues with these things, it’s better not to hire them because they might steal from you to pay off debts or support a drug habit. You can help protect yourself during interviews by conducting background checks on candidates before making a final decision.
7. Take Precautions When Outsourcing Work
When leasing office space in a building that has businesses other than yours occupying space, take precautions before handing out sensitive documents or allowing them to work in your office.
Businesses that are not involved in the same industry as you might have employees who use their access around offices for nefarious purposes. Only give access to vendors and outside contractors when it’s necessary, so they don’t go wandering where they shouldn’t be.
8. Create a Secure System to Get Around Your Office
Having building maintenance or security enter through the front door at all hours of the day makes it easier for criminals to know when no one is around, which increases the chances of crime occurring in your office space.
It’s best if whoever needs access uses a separate entrance that only allows them to get into specific areas like hallways, conference rooms, and offices. This ensures they can’t get their hands on company secrets, files, or equipment in the event of a robbery.
Office theft is a common problem, but it doesn’t have to be an inevitable one. By following the tips we’ve outlined in this article, you can make your office a less appealing target for criminals and help keep your employees and assets safe. Implementing just a few of these measures can go a long way in preventing crime from happening in your workplace.
