Preventing Office Theft

By Dave Matthews

At work it’s easy for employees to think “oh, it’s just a pen – no one will notice”, however these small things can add up to big losses for a company over the course of their lifespan. Something needs to be done to reverse the belief of some employees that it is alright to take items that someone else has paid for. One of the primary reasons for this sort of casual theft is that workers may believe that they are getting the respect – or perhaps the money – they feel that they deserve. Other people may do it simply out of opportunism. Whatever the reason, it is in the best interests of the company to prevent it so here are some useful tips on ways to prevent further theft.

Whenever you have a new employee join the company you should provide them with a manual that clearly explains all company policies and procedures. Make sure that you work with your HR staff to ensure that the issue of respecting company property is very clearly addressed. The policies should also address the proper use of company computers, telephones, emails and fax machines so that they aren’t used for personal use as well as stating that any equipment must not be taken off the premises.

Each employee should be asked to sign an appropriate document which states that they have received, read and understood the manual. Office theft is significantly less likely to occur when employees have signed a formal agreement stating that if they are found to be in any violation of the rules that there will be significant grounds for disciplinary action or termination.

Your company should keep a well maintained log of office inventory and which employees they have been assigned to. This should be done not just for the protection of staff but it can also proved extremely useful in the event of a break in where a police report is being filed.

It would be a good idea to keep your office stationary supplies in a suitable locked cupboard with a responsible member of staff being chosen to look after it. A simple system requiring employees to sign out items they are taking would be an effective method of keeping track of inventory.

If you have equipment such as photocopy machines then your company should issue password codes for their use. This is a proven method of reducing cases of employees making photocopies for their own personal gain.

It is also worth asking advice from your employees on how to deal with cases of theft and other security issues. This will benefit the company as the more they understand regarding security issues and the knock on effect that theft has in terms of promotions, holiday bonuses, Christmas bonuses, etc then the less likely they will be to help themselves to company property.

Employees should also be trained how to protect their personal belongings from walk in theft, especially during holiday time. They should be taught the importance of locking up valuables, memorising access codes and being aware of any strangers on the premises.

About the Author: Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of Universal Smart Cards, an online

smart card

retailer.

Source:

isnare.com

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