Workplace security is about taking actions that keep your people, assets, and property safe from threats like theft, vandalism, and violence. But workplace security does more than protect your assets and staff. It creates an inviting environment where people can work with confidence. The only question is, how do you design a secure work environment?
Importance of Workplace Security
When you protect your employees, safeguard your assets, and ensure regulatory compliance, you set up your business to succeed and run without disruptions.
Protecting Employees
Your employees are more than just a resource; they are the backbone of your company. How important is security at work? Very. A 2022 report from AlertMedia reveals that 89% of working Americans say workplace safety is more important to them now than ever before. And 97% said that feeling safe is a crucial factor they consider when choosing a workplace. This means that improved security in the workplace increases the chances of attracting and retaining top talent.
Safeguarding Assets
Your business’ equipment, intellectual property, and data are vital resources you should fiercely protect. Many times, they are the competitive advantage you have in the market. So, they must not get into the wrong hands.
Workplace security measures, such as office access control, video surveillance cameras, intrusion detection systems, and motion detectors, can protect your assets and keep your workplace safe. These help to prevent theft, vandalism, and unauthorized access.
Ensuring Regulatory Compliance
Security at the office isn’t just a nice-to-have. Many laws and regulatory organizations set safety standards your business must comply with. Failure to comply could lead to fines and penalties.
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) is one such regulation. Under its Safeguard Rules, companies must have physical security measures to protect access to customer’s nonpublic personal information (NPI).
Also, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule, organizations must implement security measures to limit physical access to their facilities.
The cost of non-compliance is staggering. Large corporations have already been hit with millions and even billions of dollars in fines for breaching global regulations.
The Key Components of Workplace Security
Workplace security has many moving parts requiring your attention. There’s physical security, where the focus is to protect your property from theft, vandalism, fires, and unauthorized access. This typically involves using technology like surveillance cameras, fire sensors, alarms, and motion detectors.
You also have to think about protecting your business’s sensitive information. To do this, you need not only cybersecurity protection but also physical security measures because on-site infiltrators can do as much damage as a remote hack. For example, restricting access to your data centers can help keep critical information safe.
Employee safety is equally important. You need security systems to protect your employees from workplace violence. Your organization must also follow health and safety regulations and have a contingency plan for emergencies.
Common Security Threats in the Workplace
Have you considered the risks of theft and vandalism within your office? Here are some common workplace safety threats to plan for.
Theft and Vandalism
Your business has many valuable items, such as computers, vehicles, and expensive gadgets, which may attract thieves. In addition to external threats, internal theft also poses a significant risk. Up to 22% of small-business owners have experienced employee theft.
Unauthorized persons getting access to your facilities can also compromise your digital security. Bad actors can steal passwords, access unlocked computer screens, and drop virus-infected flash drives.
Workplace Violence
About 2 million American workers are victims of workplace violence every year. Workplace violence comes mostly from strangers, which is why workers in public-facing roles are more likely to be assaulted while at work. But it also occurs between employees.
Effective Workplace Security
Keeping your office secure requires deliberate actions. The following workplace security tips can help keep your workplace safe, including:
Office Access Control Systems
Access control systems let you determine who can enter a building and their access level. The common ones are QR codes, facial recognition, badges, touch IDs, key cards, and PIN codes. Access control systems also keep a database of access activity detailing who accessed specific areas and when they did so.
A vital part of the workplace of the future is pairing access control systems with hands-free access. With a hands-free system, your employees can enter your office building and navigate various areas—from the elevator to their suite and the garage—using credentials stored on their phones.
Visitor Management
A visitor management system will help you ensure only persons cleared to visit can enter your premises. It will also integrate with your calendar so you can verify and manage visits smoothly.
For instance, with KastleVisitor, you can send visitors an email with a QR code an hour before their visit. When they arrive, they scan the code to gain entrance. The scanning also activates their access for the day, the specific times, and locations they can enter.
Remote Video Surveillance Monitoring
Securing your property means more than installing security cameras. You’ll need to watch your surveillance feeds 24/7 to spot risks on time, which requires hiring security personnel. However, human agents are costly and susceptible to “change blindness.” So, they may not notice changes in their visual field and might miss critical events. How do you handle this?
AI-powered cameras eliminate the need to monitor your security feed at all times because they can alert your security personnel when suspicious events happen. Someone will still need to confirm that a specific event is not a false alarm. However, with remote video surveillance monitoring, you can work with external security experts to oversee your building. Outsourcing your video surveillance monitoring puts your workplace in the hands of those better equipped to take charge of your security needs.
Incident Reporting Procedures
Even with all protections in place, a security incident may occur, so it’s critical to have an action plan for handling it. Have clear protocols for reporting security breaches, suspicious activities, and accidents. For instance, your policy could mandate employees to alert the security team through the company’s designated emergency reporting system if they notice a potential security breach, like unauthorized access.
Employee Training Programs
Untrained employees are a weak link in your business’s security infrastructure. Conduct periodic training on your security policies. Teach your employees how to recognize potential risks and respond to emergencies. The more training you offer, the more likely employees are to follow your security protocols.
Develop a Workplace Security Policy
The state of office security changes rapidly. Develop a safety policy that suits your company, property layout, size, and use. For instance, combining security solutions for multiple office buildings may be an overkill for a smaller facility.
How do you develop a customized workplace protection policy? Follow these steps:
- Identify your security needs: Conduct risk assessments of potential threats. Then, decide the security measures you need to minimize the risks. For instance, if you’ve experienced a burglary or someone gained unauthorized access to your facility, that’s a sign it’s time to set up a proactive video surveillance system.
- Establish guidelines and procedures: Have guidelines for preventing and reporting security incidents. For example, your policy may require employees to access critical areas with a key fob or an access card.
- Spell out your employees’ responsibility in securing your workplace: Inform employees what you expect from them and get them to participate in security at the office. For instance, your policy could direct employees to never share their key fobs or access cards and report any stolen or lost credentials immediately.
Training and Awareness Program
Conduct security training and awareness programs for your employees periodically. It will help teach employees how to recognize and respond to potential security threats, raise general awareness about security risks so employees are alert, and help follow security policies.
Your program can include:
- Physical security training
- Health and safety training
- Emergency response drills
- Workplace violence prevention training
Monitoring and Accessing Security Measures
It’s not enough to set up safety measures. You should constantly monitor and assess them. Start by conducting regular security audits to identify any vulnerabilities in your physical systems.
Also, when security incidents happen, track them and your team’s response to discover what went wrong and confirm whether everyone followed the security protocol. This also helps identify security breach patterns so you can refine your security strategies.
Finally, workplace security is not a set-it-forget-it system. It requires continuous improvement. Criminals invent new tactics, and you must keep up.
Weather conditions create additional risks. For example, implementing winter safety for your workplace during the cold season may help prevent accidents.
Building a Secure Workplace
Building a safe workplace requires commitment, strategy, and continuous improvement. Start small, but stay vigilant.
If you’re ready to implement world-class security, Kastle provides modern security solutions for the modern workplace. Contact us today to install an innovative and customized security system and keep your assets and employees safe.