Today, since almost all of a company’s assets and valuables are in a form of a data, company owners often make a mistake and ignore the importance and value of basic physical security. Instead, they put all of their efforts in securing the data with software-based programs. However, combining the two may be of crucial value for your company. No matter how big or small your business is, at the end of the day, you want to feel safe and not worry about its basic safety.
Here are seven measures you can take to improve your company’s safety and the safety of your customers:
1. Risk Assessment
Start by knowing your risks about each aspect of your company. The last thing you want to do is invest your money in the wrong places and leave the weak parts open to intruders. Having someone from security services is always important, but it’s not always a possibility. There are also many companies that provide risk assessment services. The important thing is to be certain of the company’s liability since they’ll have access to all of the valuable assets of your company.
2. Make Your Surveillance Cameras Visible
Let’s assume you already have security cameras set up. If you don’t, that’s one of the first things you should have as part of your security system. Not only do cameras give you information about everything that is happening in your company, but they also intimidate possible thieves and intruders. When people know they’re being watched, they’ll act much more carefully and possibly give up their bad intentions. That’s why the visibility of your surveillance cameras is important.
3. Keep Track of Visitors
You don’t want random people to wander around near your sensitive data. It depends how large your company is, but in most cases, knowing everyone in your company, including visitors, is unlikely to be possible. That’s why having some kind of ID check in the entrance is very important. Consider having a separate gate for visitors at your entry point and limit the areas that they can access. Also, if you have a large company where all the employees don’t know each other, consider marking visitors with some kind of badge, so you can always recognize them.
4. Upgrade the Locks When Possible
Upgrade your locks, especially the ones that are keeping the company’s most sensitive data or other valuable equipment safe. Invest in high-quality security locks, and be sure to change the locks as soon as you notice they don’t work properly. Also, it’s critical that you give the keys to the least number of employees possible. This will keep the risk of misuse at the lowest level. Securing all of your entrances well is also very important, but what many forget is that emergency exits also need to be secured. Besides the locks, checking a photo ID of each employee or visitor is very important. That way you’ll know who was where, for what reason, and at which time.
5. Don’t Underestimate the Use of Lighting and an Alarm System
In every movie, most of the theft and crimes are committed when the sun goes down. Outdoor lighting is of great importance, so be sure to have all of your entrances lit. If possible, consider getting motion-sensor lighting, since it also detects the presence of someone rather then just lighting an area. Investing in a high-quality alarm system is also crucial to your company’s security.
Nowadays there are many types of alarm systems that you can choose from. They consist of many sensors, such as glass break detectors, motion sensors, contact sensors, panic alarms, etc. Strobe lights are a very good addition to your alarm system as well. Strobe lights have a deterrent effect, especially combined with an audio alarm system. The way it works is that once the sensors are triggered, the audio alarm and the strobe lights activate, which puts the intruder in a very unfavorable position (to say the least).
6. Keep iPhones and Laptops Secured
Laptops and iPhones are some of the easiest targets for thieves, and a lot of data leakage comes just from portables. Make sure to secure all the phones that have access to any kind of important data, as well as laptops. It’s easy for an intruder to steal the entire computer, or hard disk, full of valuable information. You may consider having your employees take their laptops with them after work, or securing them by locking them in the server room. Having all of your data backed up is necessary, but making sure to secure backed up data is even more important.
7. Understanding Your Security System and Proper Employee Training
In order to keep your company secure, it’s very important to understand what you type of security measures you have in place and. Technological aspects are essential, of course, but having your employees well informed about safety procedures is equally important.
Finally, it’s good to remember that there are many ways to make your company secure and safe for you, your employees, and your customers. With that being said, it’s good to know all of your options and to carefully examine what is that your company needs, and then tailor safety procedures to those needs. Be aware that safety doesn’t only depend on how updated your security system is. It also has a large human factor. Cultivate the sense of loyalty and safety among your employees, and make sure to educate them properly.
About the Author
Emily Wilson is a business psychologist with a passion for design. Researching, exploring and writing are her favorite things to do. She works as a consultant at Portcullis Australia, and she loves animals, music, and traveling
