Internal crime can be devastating for a business. Not only does it eat into profits, but it also impacts company morale.
And sadly, it’s a situation that all too many businesses find themselves in on occasion. Some 58% of small businesses have reported internal theft, with many experiencing multiple cases each year.
There’s no ironclad way to eliminate internal crime in the workplace, but there are ways to reduce the risk. In this post, we’ll outline some of the top strategies that security experts recommend, which, when combined, should help to make your workplace safer and more trusting than ever.
Hiring the Right People
Your gut instinct can tell you when you suspect that someone isn’t to be trusted, but it’s also not perfect. All the businesses that have been the victim of internal crime hired someone that they shouldn’t have.
You can always train an employee, but you can’t teach them character. Performing in-depth background checks to see their criminal background, credit history (in some cases), and employment history won’t tell you everything about them, but it can go a long way towards giving you a clearer picture of who they are and whether you can trust them as part of your team.
Restricting Access
Many young businesses allow their employees to have access to virtually all parts of the workplace. It’s only when they experience an issue that they realize that allowing everyone to have the same level of access is a security risk. Modern access control systems can ensure that each employee only has access to parts of the building that are relevant to their specific role. This follows the Principle of Least Privilege, a cybersecurity concept, in which employees only have access to the systems (or in the real world, spaces) that they need to perform their job.
In addition, adding an access control system to the workplace can also provide in-depth, verifiable data about who was in the building during a security incident, which can aid the investigation process.
Installing CCTV Cameras
Even employees who are considering committing a crime against the business will think twice if they believe that there’s a reasonable chance that they will get caught. Installing CCTV cameras provides a reasonable chance. The simple presence of CCTV cameras can be enough to deter a potential criminal — just make sure that they’re placed in the right areas, accompanied by lighting, and that the cameras are of high quality.
Managing Internal Crime
Even businesses that take all the necessary steps to reduce internal crime can find themselves victims. There is, after all, no solution that is 100% effective.
How the business manages internal crime can influence whether it occurs. Encouraging employees to speak up (anonymously) if they see or suspect something can tell staff that there are multiple eyes watching. If an incident is caught, then dealing with it appropriately, both through internal measures and involving the authorities, can show that the business takes it seriously and isn’t afraid to take action against perpetrators.
