Many large corporations and even small business experience it, yet many have no idea how to deal with it head on: Employee theft. The idea of employees stealing from a company can be very scary for businesses and can potentially end a company in worst case scenarios. But employee theft goes way further than just what employees take from the office nowadays. Today employee theft can be everything from employees taking small or large physical property, confidential data and/or intellectual property theft. For companies looking to protect their own and put an end to theft, here are some tips of things to know and look out for when dealing with employee theft.
1. Knowing What Signs to Look for…
Like anything, there are warning signs or red flags that can be very helpful if more companies pay attention to them, the signs are not always huge and easily noticed either. Warning signs can be something small like an employee who always insists on working alone, changes in habits/behavior, or just noticing “strange” behavior from an employee.
2. Why Employees Steal…
There are many reasons for employee theft in companies. While many would believe that most employees steal only during bad economical times or due to lack of pay/compensation, there are other reasons as well. Studies have shown that a large portion of employee theft is carried out by those who simply feel a sense of entitlement to whatever it is that they are taking, some feeling that since they had a hand in creating what they are stealing that they somehow have a claim to it.
3. Prevention Should be a Top Priority…
This should be something that automatically goes without saying. Keeping employees honest and preventing the opportunity to steal is of the highest importance, and there are a few steps to take here. All employees should have a background check conducted before hire, books should be checked on a regular basis, and employees should not be allowed to park their vehicles close to restricted entrances/exits.
4. High-Tech Resolutions…
Keeping an eye on things in the office is not as hard as most would think, it’s actually quite simple. Of course, equipping the office with some type of surveillance is a no-brainer, but employers can also takes things one step further in today’s high tech workplace. Companies can install in-depth employee monitoring software onto their computers to see what employees are up to when they think no one is looking. Also, for companies that issue company smartphones to employees for work related tasks, installing employee cell phone monitoring software is a quick solution to get to the bottom of things.
5. Do Not Trust Everyone…
It is very easy and quite understandable to think most employee theft is carried out by young, new, financially unstable employees, but this is not always the case. In many cases, the most trusted, dedicated, and favorite employee can actually be the one more likely to steal from the company. Most companies are shocked when they finally discover the person stealing from them was one of their most trusted individuals.