In 2020, businesses need to prioritise the safety and security of their staff and their premises. And yet there are some issues that can be so easily overlooked. The issue is that these overlooked issues can come back to haunt companies and end up costing a great deal more to fix after the fact.
Here we take a look a look at some of the key safety and security issues that businesses are overlooking.
Many businesses are looking for ways to upgrade their security but don’t think about CCTV. This might be because some still think of CCTV as a security measure that is only useful after the fact. After all, having cameras recording incidents is only worthwhile if something actually happens – and by then, it is too late to do anything about it, right?
Actually this is missing a crucial aspect of having CCTV cameras in place; they are a fantastic deterrent against crime. If a criminal sees that CCTV is in operation, they will be put off targeting your premises. This is why it is so important to put up signage to make it as clear as possible that CCTV is recording.
One aspect of your business that needs security, but is commonly overlooked is the car park. It may be the case that you have a car park area that you rarely think about – but it has never been more important to safeguard against dangers here.
There are actually many different ways that criminals may use your car park against you. For example, the car park often allows direct access to the building itself. This means that if a car can get into the car park it can be used to ramraid the building. Additionally, criminals are using car parks as a place to carry out surveillance against members of staff.
It is important, then, to put security measures in place, such as concrete barriers, which can be used to impose physical limitations on cars in the car park, as well as to restrict access. It is also important to implement a barrier system – this can use automatic number recognition, or be granted access from elsewhere.
Cyber security has never been a more pressing issue as it is in 2020 – the truth is hackers and criminals are becoming more sophisticated and well-funded. Statistics now suggest that a cyber-attack is attempted every two and a half minutes. The only way that businesses can defend themselves is by taking the issue very seriously.
It is no longer the case that a business can afford to ignore the problem. Now is the time to invest in powerful cyber defences, not only in the form of software but also in working with cyber security specialists who can help you to plan and mitigate the risk of cybercrime.
No business wants to believe that their staff could ask maliciously against them, however, it does happen. Of course, the vast majority of staff are hardworking and dedicated to doing the best that they can for the company. But there is always the danger than an unscrupulous individual who spots an opportunity could do damage to the business.
Insider attacks can be extremely damaging for companies as they can be almost impossible to detect. However, there are things that you can do reduce the risk. One is periodically reviewing user privileges in the accounts of every member of staff, as it is when staff have access to more data in your system that they can potentially do more damage.
Of course, another major issue is that businesses are not providing their team with enough training. Staff play an absolutely crucial role in safety and security throughout your business so you need to ensure that you are providing them with the tools they need.
It is a great idea to spend time talking with staff about the training that they feel they need for more effective safety and security procedures.
If you have a business and you are concerned about improving the workplace for staff and ensuring that your company is protected against criminals, you need to be taking these issues seriously. Taking greater care with these issues can not only reduce your costs, but it can also help you to remain compliant with increasingly stringent regulations.
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At this time of lockdown, when so fewer people are working at commercial or organisation premises, the risks of vandalism and attempted thefts are further increased – just this week the Church of England, for example, is moving hundreds of valuable items from churches to the Tower of London for safe-keeping, as churches are temporarily closed. So CCTV security takes on an additional significance, not only because it is a proven deterrent to burglaries, but also because it is a safe way of maintaining socially distant security, but remaining effective.