TIPS TO PREVENT OFFICE THEFT
Conducting Background Checks
If you are looking to hire help for your office, conducting a background check should be at the top of your list. This step can cause you headaches and a loss of assets if not properly conducted.
People can sound great during an interview and may promise to be the best sliced pie. But, just to err on the side of caution, you must conduct a background check to screen all potential applicants.
Many types of businesses are susceptible to office theft. Theft ranging from theft of cash, credit card data theft, customer personal identifying information and business data. Protecting your office, data, assets and reputation begins with a good background check that can be conducted using third party background check resources.
Training
How you conduct your training, sets the tone for how your business should operate. Imagine not training your personnel on what to do and how to do it. Your business would operate in mad confusion. Training your personnel on how to protect your assets and customers information is key to operating a solid office.
You should have clear policy and procedures on the day-to-day office operations. Things like cash handling procedures, how to accept checks, and accepting credit card payments.
How are you protecting your network? Do vendors and contractors have a process they have to go through before doing any work? Getting paid? Is there a separation of duties? Who is responsible for receiving and paying invoices?
These are the questions that should be answered and put into your policy and procedures so you office personnel are clear on their duties .
Access Control
When it comes to the separation of duties in your office, it should be restrictive and carefully planned out. Depending on your office setup, each employee should have their own credentials to access computers, tablets, and specific files (physical and digital files.) Passwords should be strong and changed frequently to prevent the risk of exposure.
For those employees who work remotely, you should seriously consider having security measures placed on company devices or any devices that access company information or emails. Setting up two factor authentication or multifactor authentication helps control who gains access to your company’s information.
All sensitive files should be under lock and key. Consider using keys that cannot be duplicated or copied. And only certain personnel should have access.
Who has access to the cash and who is permitted to make bank deposits. Who has access to the safe?How are refunds conducted and can anyone give a refund? More importantly, is your office secure from the public making entry?
If you have a server room for you computer equipment, is it under lock and key? These are questions that must be answered and preferably before you open up shop.
Cameras
Cameras have a way of showing up when no one else appears to be there. As we have all heard, big brother is watching. Installing cameras in your office and other parts of your business can be beneficial when you need them.
Think about if you’ve had cash shortages in the past and you had no video. How would you conduct your investigation? Having video would shed light on the employee with sticky fingers.
Further, if you decided to prosecute, you could turn over video evidence to law enforcement.
Having cameras in the office is not full proof against theft. But it does make people think twice about stealing data, assets or cash from your business and the potential of going to jail
Securing your office, data, cash and assets does not have to be difficult. However, it does take careful planning and deliberate actions.
