Workplace Security Threats: Are You Doing Enough?

As a business owner, security threats come at you from every angle. While some risks are more prevalent than others, it’s time to assess whether you’re doing enough to ensure your employees, data, assets, and workplace premises are safe.

Security Issues in the Workplace? 4 Workplace Security Tips

Protect Employees with Safety Training

Workplace hazards often occur without warning, so being prepared before they strike should be part of your risk management strategy. That preparation needs to include safety training for hazard awareness and responsiveness.

If you don’t have an outsourced HR partner to help with risk management, check with your workers’ compensation carrier for safety trainings. Remember that workplace safety is a team effort, so you need to encourage a safety attitude in the workplace. 

Involve your managers to assign staff for choosing the safety topic of the week and leading safety trainings. Blending peer-to-peer instruction with activity-based learning, particularly from those who have experienced emergencies, is an effective tool to curb potential disasters.

While it’s important to be vigilant about tripping hazards and staying safe around heavy machinery, workplace safety also involves protecting employees and assets from malicious intent and crime. If something or someone looks suspicious, train your staff to use a code or method to quickly report a potential threat. Employees should also be encouraged to keep their valuables hidden and/or locked away to avoid potential theft issues.

Protect Data from Cyber Security Hacks

Scammers are becoming more sophisticated with their attacks, which means your employees need to be more vigilant on identifying and preventing cyberattacks. Prevention methods should include:

• Ensuring the domain of the email sender is from a legitimate source
• Inspecting emails that have attachments with extra scrutiny
• Only using phone and USB charge cables from a known and trusted source, in the event they have infectious malware
• Using different passwords for different websites or work applications
• Utilizing phrases for passwords rather than single names or words

Educating employees about various cyberattacks will help them be more alert and aware. Coaching them on methods to protect themselves could potentially avert your company from being the next cyber breach victim.

Related articles:

• CyberSecurity Alert Heightened: What Are You Doing About It?
• Preventing Workplace Violence: Tips for Reducing Threats
• Establishing a Zero-Tolerance Workplace Violence Policy
• Is Your Workplace Susceptible to These Injuries?

Protect Workplace Assets 

If your business regularly deals with cash, your basic safety precautions should include the following:

• Changing your route and time to deposit the cash
• Having a maximum amount of cash your staff may handle or access
• Knowing when to record the cash intake or outflow, as well as what documentation is needed
• Establishing where and how much cash should be stored on the premises

You may also want to consider providing badges for employees to easily swipe in and out of the office. Guests who come onsite should have a different badge color to make them more easily identifiable.

If your company has crucial documents and company artifacts you want to protect, consider safeguarding them in a security-rated, fireproof safe. Limit the number of individuals who know the combination and change the safe combination regularly.

Protect Workplace Premises 

Most office break-ins take place during brief periods when staff members leave the premises unlocked and unattended. To curb this potential security flaw, create a policy that prohibits employees from leaving the office open and unmanned. You should also coach employees to lock their computers and document cabinets whenever they step away, even if it’s just to the water cooler.

Keep worksites and offices well lit. This not only enhances the comfort and safety of your staff, but also averts crime. Bright spaces eliminate hiding spots for criminal activity.

To deter thieves after-hours, install high-quality security cameras and recorders, then publicly announce your security measures. Post security signs at every access point, and, without going into too much detail, disclose the heightened security efforts on your social media platforms. Criminals are much less likely to attack a business where they might get caught.

Security issues in the workplace? Don’t Stop Here! 

Whether you’ve spent a lot of time developing your workplace safety plan or are new to developing safety measures, nearly every company has room for improvement. Being proactive will help you prevent injuries, damage, theft, and potential lawsuits from internal and external victims.

For more tips and recommendations, please reach out to your Stratus.hr Representative. If you’re not a current client, book a consultation and our team will be in touch with you shortly!