A Forbes article reported a 300% increase in security breaches from 2020 to 2022, a staggering statistic that should concern businesses of all industries and sizes. Couple this with a survey that found half of employees stated they will not work for companies where they feel unsafe.
But are companies taking action? Another report assessing security management since 9/11 found that while there has been some improvement in corporate environments’ security efforts, they remain “decentralized in most companies.”
This is especially true of smaller companies, largely due to the cost. Large companies, on the other hand, tend to have more resources to invest in security staff and technology.
Looking beyond initial and on-going costs, consider the ways investing in corporate security gives back by keeping your employees and your business safe:
- Guarding the Front Door
- Having A Guest Policy Is the Best Policy
- Constantly Assessing, Improving Weaknesses
- Employee-Proofing Your Building
Your employees are your company’s number one resource. Contact Atlas Aegis about upping your corporate security efforts.
Guarding The Front Door
Despite being the first line of defense, office managers and receptionists are not always trained or equipped to respond if a security incident happens. One workplace study discovered that one-third of companies have not provided their office managers with adequate security training, even though they ask them to keep an eye out for potential threats.
Give your office manager or receptionist the tools they need to feel safe and the skills to raise the alarm in the event of a breach. In addition to a formal training or class, provide them with a door entry system so they can grant or deny any unwanted visitors access to your business. Position the receptionist behind a glass window for their safety and install a security alarm button in an easily accessible space that will notify authorities when pressed.
Having A Guest Policy Is the Best Policy
A relatively inexpensive and straightforward security measure? A visitor management policy. In fact, 80% of companies are already investing in some form of visitor management solutions.
It is a safeguard to protect the people who are supposed to be in your building – your employees – from those who are not.
Examples include a door entry system, sign-in sheets, requiring identification to be shown, and visitor’s badges, to name a few. If applicable, some companies may also choose to alert their employees to the presence of guests in the building, whether through email or a direct messaging tool.
Constantly Assessing, Improving Weaknesses
Who can evaluate and create an action plan for points of weakness better than a security consultant? Whether contracted or hired to a full-time position at your company, such professionals specialize in finding risks to your company’s property, personnel, and assets.
While your first thought may be a security guard who stands in the corner, a security guard can be armed or unarmed, wear a uniform or normal clothing, and make it a point to be seen or unseen within your company. They can help facilitate the movements of your employees and your guests, be present during a corporate meeting, or assess and make recommendations for your company’s policies, among other things.
Learn more about Atlas Aegis’s various security guard services.
Employee-Proofing Your Building
How many points of entry does your business have? While multiple doorways are beneficial in the event your employees need to leave the building – say, due to a fire – they can also pose a security risk. Employees who enter your office space through a backdoor, for example, could leave the door unlocked, or open by accident, if the doors do not have automatic locks or added security features. Or, if your company has clients or partners stopping by frequently, an unlocked door might mean more unscheduled visits than you would like.
Rather than a badge or ID that could be swiped and abused by a non-employee to gain access, a newer and more secure option might be access control software. Such software serves as a digital, unique ID that can be downloaded as an app onto your employees’ smartphones and allows them to enter the building during business hours.
