Whether you’re part of a well-established business or the head of a small start-up, it’s equally important to protect your company. Not only must you protect the intellectual property of your business, but it’s also essential that you secure your business premises and to minimize the likelihood of theft or fraud at the hands of an employee.
Theft and Fraud
All business are susceptible to the possibility of theft and fraud, whatever their size and however many employees are retained. To reduce the likelihood of this occurring, it’s important to separate the responsibilities that employees take on. The person responsible for accepting cash should not be the same as the person who records the transaction in the company books. Checks should be prepared by a separate member of staff to the person who authorizes the check, and bookkeeping functions should be kept distinct as much as possible. When it comes to financial reporting, make sure that the employee preparing your reports is different to the employee responsible for entering the day to day financial data. You can even use an outside accountant if there aren’t enough qualified employees to fulfil these functions correctly.
Data Security
Business is increasingly being done online, and this means that your business needs to be protected in cyberspace. Just as you wouldn’t give the keys to your commercial building to all your employees, not everyone should be able to access company files and data. Only the relevant members of staff should be able to access client records and financial data. It’s important that the information of your customers is given adequate protection, and that client details are never transmitted via email. Staff should be made aware of the important role they play in data security and should be encouraged to create strong passwords. If some employees are working remotely, they must be aware of the risks inherent in accessing business data over an unsecured wifi connection, as this can leave your company open to security breaches.
Physical Security
If your business operates from a commercial building, you need to consider the security of your workplace. Businesses are often targets for thieves and vandals, and you should minimize this risk in every possible way. Make sure that the outside of your workplace is kept tidy and looks well-maintained. Burglars and graffiti artists are much less likely to target a building that is cared for and appears to be regularly in use. It’s definitely worth investing in automatic security lights that are triggered by motion sensors, as these discourage intruders from approaching your workplace. It’s very important that your business has a high quality CCTV system as this will enable the police and other security services to identify intruders in the event of a break-in. Specialist systems that are designed for businesses can be purchased from retailers like JMC Secure. A burglar alarm is another essential security item, and you should never underestimate the importance of displaying notices that reference your alarm and CCTV system, as these can be a major deterrent.
