The holiday season is upon us, and while it’s certainly a festive time for everyone, it’s also the season when some untoward things can happen to your business if you are not alert and aware. Unfortunately, this is often the time when intruders and criminals can strike, especially since many businesses and business premises may be unoccupied for long periods of time. It is your duty to protect the assets of your business, whether physical or intangible (i.e. the people who work in your business and your customers), and you may need to enforce stronger security measures in order to keep your business safe and your assets secure. This is especially true if you hold a lot of cash in your business or you make a lot of cash transactions (if you are a retail shop, for example). So how can you make sure that your business is safe during this holiday season? Here’s how you can keep your business safe during the holidays.
- It’s best not to make your employees open or close your business on their own. A member of your staff who is in charge of opening or closing your business is particularly vulnerable; if you can, assign two people to be in charge of opening and closing your business, especially if you close at a later time. If you cannot find two people to open and close your business, you may want to take advantage of a lock up and unlocking service, such as that provided by experienced experts in security services in Oxford. With such a service, you can be sure that your business is opened and closed by a licenced and experienced mobile security officer, who will arrive at your premises before the start of the day and at the end of the working day.
- If you already have procedures in place for the handling of cash in your premises, it’s also best to review this procedure and make sure there are no risks or loopholes which can affect your business’ safety and the safety of your staff. If possible, set clearer expectations and rules for the handling of cash as well. If you have cash registers, perhaps you can also establish a procedure for removing cash at certain times of the day so the money can be placed in a secure location, such as a safe. If you have any cash deposits to make in a bank, make sure that it is done before nighttime.
- You should also double check your access and ID cards and make sure that only those who are authorised can enter various prohibited areas.
- If your business has hired temporary employees or staff because of the holiday rush, it would also be a good idea to conduct security and background checks on the staff so that you can be sure that everyone working with you has a good personal record.
- You can also install extra security cameras around your business property and invest in good lighting, especially for areas which are not often frequented, such as warehouses or alleys. If you have a parking lot, you should invest in lighting and CCTV cameras for the area as well.