Workplace security is vital in any business. It protects your employees and office against crimes and corporate sabotage. When a criminal incident occurs in your workplace, it can temporarily halt operations, harm lives, and incur costs. It can also hinder your company from growing. This is why many business owners ensure their workplace has high-quality security in place. To keep your employees, guests, and spaces safe, here are some tips on boosting security in your workplace.
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Issue Proper Identification
One of the fastest ways to increase security in the workplace is to ensure everyone on the premises can easily be identified by wearing an identification badge. This means all your employees, along with company guests, will be issued with an ID so that you know who is coming in and out of the workplace. To encourage the habit of wearing their IDs, supply a lanyard with id holder for each staff member and guest. As added security, you can issue guests with a different colored lanyard that can easily identify them around the workplace.
Keep Spaces Locked
Even if you are stepping out of your workspace for a while, avoid the risk of an office breach by keeping all doors and windows locked. Before you leave, make sure to also lock your computer and secure all confidential documents to prevent intruders from accessing them. This is a common security flaw most people make. At the end of the business day, remember to clean up your desk and secure all documents in file cabinets or desk drawers.
Invest In a Safe
Aside from keeping thieves away from your cash and valuables, a safe is also a great tool to store confidential documents and company equipment. Select one that is fireproof and has a high-security rating. When it comes to access, restrict the number of people to the essential minimum as an added security measure. If you get a safe that can be opened through combinations or pin codes, change codes regularly. Before you buy or install a safe, check with your insurance company regarding the kinds of safes that comply with their standards.
Limit Data Access
Many businesses make full use of today’s technology to secure company assets and information behind password-protected systems. To ensure you keep everything secured, restrict external access to sensitive data. If you want to add another level of security, you can reduce employee access to highly sensitive company data.
In addition, keep keys, badges, and access cards secure at all times. You can make it a company policy for all employees to store company-issued items in a secure location like in their office lockers or drawers.
Install an Advanced Security System
An advanced security system that includes closed-circuit television (CCTV) and alarm systems can increase workplace security. The presence of cameras around the premises is an effective deterrent against intruders and criminals. It can also help record any abnormal activity inside and outside the workplace. To ensure you can monitor people coming in and going, install cameras in the entry and exit points of the workplace. Don’t forget the less conspicuous areas like garages, back alleys, corridors outside the main office spaces. When investing in a CCTV system, remember to acquire the latest standard.
Similar to the CCTV cameras around your workplace, alarm systems are also helpful in deterring criminal activities. Individuals will be discouraged from having ill intentions toward your office because they know that it will alert proper authorities or private security companies to handle the situation quickly if they trigger the alarm systems. Although an alarm system is one of the most traditional tools in boosting your workplace’s security, it still remains one of the most effective.
Design an Emergency Plan
A security breach in your workplace may still occur despite all your best efforts. Before that even happens, you and your employees must be prepared. It’s best to craft a plan and communicate it to all your staff. By having an emergency plan in place, everyone in your workplace knows what their roles and responsibilities are in such incidents. These protocols can include securing sensitive company assets, contacting local law enforcement or your office security provider, and ensuring the safety of all staff and clients on the premises.
Conduct Regular Personnel Training
The human resources department is valuable in keeping the premises secure by informing employees of the proper protocols to follow in various situations. Make sure there is regular training on workplace safety that covers document and data handling, securing the perimeter, and behavior in case of breaches. By equipping your staff with the right knowledge, they become more confident in handling different security scenarios. In the long run, you are empowering them to keep everyone safe. If your business handles cash or other valuables beyond the usual business hours, law enforcement advises training your staff on how to handle and report cash safely, report suspicious activity, and learn how to open and close the workplace securely.
As a business owner, you spend most of your time in your workplace, together with your employees. It is important to keep everyone and everything safe as this can impact your business’s performance. To do this, evaluate your present security plan and see how else you can improve it.
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