Small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly being made aware of online scams and hackers that could damage their reputation and result in huge GDPR lawsuits. But one area that’s commonly-overlooked is physical premisessecurity – that is, CCTV, security guards, key holding, etc, designed to protect employees and your assets from harm’s way.
Below, we’ve put together some of the reasons why investing in security is so important…
Queue management
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live and work, no more so in retail where businesses now have to police patrons on mask-wearing and social distancing. When you work with a company that offers facilities management services, you don’t have to worry about security issues like queues. But failing to manage queues or police your customers on mask-wearing could result in harsh fines, local lockdowns, and a damaged reputation. By paying a firm to handle this, there’s one less thing to worry about in these unusual times.
Looting and burglaries on the up
According to one report, burglaries and looting are on the up due to the COVID-19 outbreak and mass protests relating to human rights, coronavirus, wealth inequalities and more.
As a small business, can you really afford for your premises to be looted and have to submit a claim to your insurance company during these tough times? Having CCTV and a manned security guard on-site during the day is the best way to reduce the chances of potential losses and damage. Afterhours services will also protect your premises from bad actors.
We’re entering into a recession
COVID-19 has pushed the world into a global recession, and most agree that recessions lead to an increase in crime. A typical recession leads to a 5 percentage points higher than the normal unemployment rate, but this recession is likely to be sharper and more noticeable, which could encourage people to burgle stores due to desperation. Investing in a good security outfit will give you confidence that your business, assets, and team is protected.
A rise in lawsuits means you’re responsible
Finally, it’s important to note that more and more businesses are facing lawsuits as a result of burglaries and workplace crime. As an employer, it’s your responsibility to keep your staff safe and out of potential danger. Though it’s impossible to shield against every possibility, it’s your duty to protect staff as much as possible. In the US, attornies are increasingly encouraging workers to submit lawsuit claims if they were a victim of a robbery in the workplace, though they must be able to prove their employer’s failure to provide a safe work environment constituted “gross negligence” or “wanton disregard” for their safety. Looking after your team should be a priority without having to think about lawsuits, but if you’re still on the fence about upping your security budget, this should surely demonstrate its worth.
Do you have any other tips for businesses considering upping their security efforts? Let us know and check back for more tips and tricks on running a successful business, right here.