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Prevent Theft in the Workplace

Theft in the workplace can be a real problem for small businesses and can seriously affect your profitability. As an employer you need to protect yourself against this unpleasant fact of life.

Below is a list of precautions you can take:

  • Make sure all monies coming in and going out are dealt with by different employees
  • Randomly check deliveries, both to your business and to your customers
  • Monitor the petty cash fund
  • Question excessive amounts of voids, credits, or damage claims
  • Never accept photocopies of invoices, delivery notes, etc.
  • Investigate unusual occurrences such as missing documents or unexplained absences during the working day
  • Tell your staff to pay only for goods received, and remind them not to pay for goods that have not been ordered, even if an invoice is provided
  • Change locks and computer passwords periodically
  • As a last resort, if you do discover theft in your business, consider prosecution - experts believe it works as a strong deterrent to others

Failure to implement controls indicates the potential for a serious problem. Overly rigid controls, on the other hand, can create an oppressive atmosphere and hinder both productivity and creativity.

Be sensitive with your employees, and try to nurture a climate of co-operation against crime - your profitability could depend on it!