How to Prevent Theft Within Your Business

No matter what kind of business you run, theft can be an issue for everyone. Even if you only work online, theft can still happen. This is why one of the many jobs that a business owners must do look out for theft and to prevent it wherever possible. Here are some ways to do it.
 
Install A Firewall
It is likely that some, if not all, of your business will be conducted online, and this is great – it’s what people expect and increasing amounts of customers prefer to buy in this way. However, it is also where problems lie when it comes to potential theft; if the proper security procedures are not taken out, cyber criminals can easily slip through into your network and steal important information such as baking details and personal information.
 
A firewall like the Watchguard T series will act as a digital barrier against any malicious software that is sent towards your system. It will prevent viruses or malware from getting any further or causing damage. If you don’t have a firewall in place, you could run the risk of allowing any kind of virus into your system, at which point it will be too late to do anything about it.
 
CCTV
As well as digital protection from theft, physical protection is also important, even if you work from home. If someone were to break into your office and steal your computing equipment, machinery, or even a work vehicle, what kind of impact would this have on your ability to conduct business as usual? It would probably have an extremely negative effect, and you might have to close indefinitely.
 
Installing CCTV in a visible position will act as a deterrent to most thieves. After all, why would they run the risk of breaking into premises that are covered by CCTV when they can break into somewhere that isn’t? Even if they did try to break in, you would have footage to hand to the police to identify them and compensate for any losses.
 
Look at Employees
Sadly, theft from a business doesn’t always come from the outside; sometimes employees can be stealing from you too. Again, CCTV will help to make evident and hopefully prevent this, but there are other things you can do too.
 
Firstly, get to know your employees if possible (in a large company this might be more difficult). This way, you can screen those you employ for any suspicious behaviours. In addition, having a good relationship with employees will prevent any malicious intent behind potential theft. Things to look out for include someone suddenly choosing to work late or start early (when no one else is around, for example) or living outside of their means. They might be less happy to chat, or shy away from you when they can. If you are suspicious, changing how and by whom the inventory is done may prevent current theft and even reveal who is behind it.