One of the biggest nightmares to any office is a break-in. No matter what line of work you're in, even if there is nothing particularly valuable to steal, the very idea of someone rummaging around your office when you don't want them to is chilling. And for some companies, intellectual property theft is worse than the theft of any amount of money, hardware or jewelry. At worst, somebody may end up getting hurt.
This is why you need to get proper security set up in your office. Don't think of this as something that just happens to other people - it can happen to you. And no, an insurance policy and a padlock is not enough.
Employee Training and Screening
Let's start with your employees. This may not be something you would like to hear, but you must implement some kind of screening policy when hiring. Checking on any criminal records, and following up on references is a must. A lot of theft happens from inside the office - do your best to minimize it.
Next, implement proper restrictions. This means that only a select few can access confidential databases. If you're afraid of somebody committing intellectual property theft, restrict certain shared networks to a couple of people that you trust. Keep information on a need-to-know basis. If you have something physical of value, hand out the keys to certain rooms only for employees who need to access them.
Training is also an important issue. You should provide your staff with proper and in-depth training seminars. The training should focus on both real-life security and cybersecurity. By the latter, we mean learning how to set up proper passwords and locks as well as knowing how to recognize malicious websites and e-mails. The former type of security focuses on teaching your employees how to take care of confidential documents, how to secure the building and to look out for some not-so-obvious malicious behaviour.
Office Safety Infrastructure
Office safety infrastructure is all about setting up your office properly. This means cameras, alarms (more on that in the next section) and getting the appropriate equipment. You should get a safe that is fire-proof, and that sticks to all the guidelines set out by your insurer. Install quality cameras and set up a backup system for all the videos said cameras make.
You should also keep your printers locked if you deal with confidential documents often. Printers have their own onboard memories that keep track and save the documents they copied. It's relatively easy to retrieve these documents once a printer has been stolen.
Get a Proper Alarm Installed
The very first thing you should do is get a proper alarm system. Something that's loud and that can and will freak out any would-be burglar and thief. Or you can get something quieter, and catch this individual red-handed.
Now, there are a couple of types of alarms that you can choose from. You have systems that are very loud and that are all about attracting attention - unwanted attention. Some even have a strobe light installed, alerting every living thing near your office. The advantages of this type are that they will instantly deter the burglar from causing any more damage to your building, as well not needing to be monitored. However, it also lets the person escape, and a false alarm ends up being very annoying.
Another option is a monitored system that automatically contacts both you and the police when activated. It is completely silent and the burglar won't even know that he triggered it. The moment it's activated, it sends out a message either directly to local law enforcement, or to a call center (that contacts said law enforcement). The advantage here is that the police will catch the guy in the act, and may possibly deter any further break-in attempts. A disadvantage here is that you rely on the police to arrive, and there is a chance that they show up too late.
These alarm systems can have a variety of triggers. Some are activated by cameras or motion sensors, while others are triggered by pressure. Also know that there are alarms that are triggered when somebody interacts with the actual office, while some go so far as to include the outside area of your building.
Choosing a proper alarm system may be difficult, but it may also be the most important aspect of office security measures. You need to think long and hard about what type you need since every location is different.
Final Thoughts
While office security may seem like a nightmare, you just need to stick to a couple of basic guidelines and you are good as gold. Invest properly, think long and hard about who you're hiring and get a proper alarm system.
Guest Author
Leila Dorari is an entrepreneur, freelance writer and business-improvement enthusiast from Sydney. Currently, she is consulting companies on various effects different marketing solutions can have on their business. In her spare time you can usually find her window shopping.