How to Enhance Your Business Security

We’ve all heard horror stories about how some business or other became victim to theft and infiltration. And nowadays, theft isn’t all just about physical theft or the taking of valuables and cash – theft can also be about the taking of valuable or confidential information, both by cyber criminals and even by the people whom you have decided to trust.

So if you have a business of your own, what steps can you take in order to protect your property?

Conduct an assessment of risk and make your premises secure

The most important thing you should do before you even begin doing anything else is to conduct an assessment of risk. Identify the physical areas in your premises which might be most susceptible to break ins. While performing the assessment, you can get an expert opinion as well, such as from security services Oxford specialists Securipol Ltd. A security expert should be able to give you better suggestions and recommendations with regards to thoroughly protecting your property.

Once you have done your assessment, you need to take measures in order to make your premises more secure. This includes strengthening your windows and doors and fitting the proper locks and locking systems. You should also install lights around the perimeter of your business property to deter intruders from trying to break in. If you have any areas which can be considered weak or vulnerable to break ins, you may want to protect these areas even further with CCTV. You should also have a working alarm system complete with signs that tell intruders you have one.

Make your staff aware

The second thing you should do is protect (and train) your staff. Make it a point to have your staff undergo the proper training in security so they will know what to do in case of emergencies or threats. Your staff should also be trained in recognising suspicious or dubious behaviour, especially if you have a shop, retail or dining establishment. The experts from a security Oxford company like Securipol also recommend that you do not keep too much cash in your business premises and make sure your tills are regularly cleared or emptied. If you have excess reserves of cash, just store this in the bank.

Protect your assets

If you have plenty of valuable equipment in your premises, what you can do in order to protect it is to conduct routine audits for your equipment and property. You can even choose to allocate the responsibility for certain pieces of equipment to some of your trusted staff. You should also tag your office computers and take note of their serial numbers.

If you have stock in your business premises, you can also protect this by being very well-organised with your records, particularly so you can easily identify discrepancies. You should always have your stock records updated so it will be easy for you to question excessive voids, claims for damages, or credits.

Check your employees

When you hire staff, whether they are temporary or permanent, you should always check their history of employment and their references. Make sure your staff know and understand your policy regarding theft. Carefully choose those who will be holding keys or learning security codes to certain areas. If you are running a retail shop or commercial establishment, keep an eye on your tills and your allotment of petty cash, since these are actually more vulnerable to theft from your staff.

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