This is a contributor’s blogpost …
Getting ahead in business is difficult enough without having your own team against you, but that’s just what happens from time to time. More employees than you might think actively steal from their own employers, and it’s usually because they’re able to get away with it. Take the right steps to ensure your employees are not able to steal from you, and it won’t be a problem you’ll have to deal with.
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Hiring the Right People
Naturally, if you hire the right people in the first place then you won’t have to worry. That being said, it’s usually easier said than done. Apart from making sure you establish the degree to which they can do the job, you should also make checking their references and conducting a criminal background check a standard part of your hiring process. Also, don’t ignore your intuition – it can save you trouble down the line.
Know Where You Stand
When it comes to employee law issues, most companies don’t really know what they’re able to do to prevent crime or what they should do if they suspect an employee of committing a crime against the company. If you don’t have an onsite employment law expert, look at services like those offered by http://www.elliswhittam.com/ and get the expert help without the expert cost. The law is on your side more than you might realise when it comes to your employees, so make sure you know where you stand.
Watching Eyes
Installing CCTV onto your premises is another way to reduce crime. It works on two levels. The first is as a deterrent. People are much less likely to commit a crime if they think they’re being watched. Second, if a crime is committed you’ll actually have some evidence to back up any claims you make. Installing CCTV will also reduce crime from outside sources. For a list of CCTV benefits, take a look at https://www.business.com/articles/5-ways-your-company-can-benefit-from-security-cameras/.
Be a Presence
People are much less likely to steal if they actually know the person they’re stealing from. If you’re a boss who keeps a distance from his or her employees and is barely seen “on the shop floor”, as it were, then it might be worth reconsidering your approach. Getting to know your employees has benefits that go beyond just reducing crime, but it is a factor. In any case, people like to feel their work is valued and it’s hard to feel that if you’re never around to tell them.
Encourage Open Conversations
Your workplace should be an open, trusting place. If someone is stealing from you or otherwise making it not as trusting as it should be, then there’s no reason why they should be protected. Encourage your employees to come forward with any workplace crime – anonymously of course – and then take action upon what you learn. You want your employees to be a team, and teams don’t let players who are bad for morale stick around when they should be shown the door.
