Employee theft is a severe issue in any workplace. It can result in lost revenue, decreased productivity, and even criminal charges against the employees involved. To protect your business from employee theft, it is essential to understand the causes of this behavior and take steps to prevent it.
Here are six steps you can take to help prevent employee theft in your workplace:
1. Educate Your Employees
One of the best ways to prevent employee theft is to educate your employees about the issue. Make sure they understand that theft is a severe offense that can result in criminal charges and termination from their job. Also, explain how employee theft can impact the business by causing financial losses or decreased productivity.
You can educate your employees about theft prevention by holding meetings, sending out memos or emails, or posting signs in the workplace. Not only will this help to prevent employee theft, but it will also create a more positive and productive workplace overall.
2. Provide Policies and Procedures
Be sure to have policies and procedures in place that address employee theft. These should be clearly written and easily accessible to all employees. The policies should explain what constitutes employee theft, the consequences of such behavior, and how it will be dealt with if it occurs.
Ensure you review these policies with all new employees during their onboarding process and that all employees know them. You should also periodically remind employees of the policies to help prevent employee theft from happening in the first place. Here are a few examples of workplace policies that can help prevent employee theft:
- Prohibiting personal items in the workplace
- Requiring employees to clock in and out
- Restricting access to certain areas of the workplace
- Conducting regular inventory checks
3. Implement Security Measures
No matter your business type, it’s important to implement security measures to help prevent employee theft. This could include things like installing security cameras, alarms, or locks. If you have a retail business, you may also want to consider investing in anti-theft devices for your products.
Security measures can be costly, but they’re often worth the investment if they help to prevent employee theft. Not only will this save you money in the long run, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing that your business is better protected.
4. Conduct Background Checks
When hiring new employees, it’s important to conduct background checks to help screen for any previous history of employee theft. This can give you some insight into an applicant’s character and whether they’re likely to steal from your business.
There are a few different ways to conduct a background check, but you may want to start by running a criminal history check. You can also ask for references from previous employers and check social media accounts to see if there are any red flags.
5. Hire Private Investigators
If you suspect employee theft in your workplace, you may want to hire a private investigator. This is especially true if you’ve tried other prevention methods that haven’t been effective. A private investigator can help gather evidence of employee theft and even assist with catching the thief in the act.
Hire investigators with TSCM experience to ensure they know how to conduct surveillance properly and gather evidence. TSCM is an acronym for Technical Surveillance Countermeasures, which is the process of detecting, analyzing, and countering surveillance. So, an investigator with TSCM can properly detect and investigate any employee theft in your workplace.
6. Take Action
You should take action if employee theft does occur in your workplace. This will send a strong message to the thief and other employees that such behavior is not tolerated. Be sure to follow your company’s policies and procedures when taking action against an employee who has stolen from the business.
This may include things like firing the employee, pressing criminal charges, or taking civil action. The exact course of action will depend on the severity of the offense and the company’s policies. But, it’s important to take some form of action to show that employee theft will not be tolerated in your workplace.
There you have it! You can take six steps to help prevent employee theft in your workplace. By taking these measures, you can create a safer and more honest workplace for everyone. Also, if employee theft does occur, you’ll be better prepared to take action. No business is immune to employee theft, but you can help reduce the risk by taking these steps. So, don’t wait—implement these measures in your workplace today.
