On a personal level, New Year’s resolutions often have to do with self-improvement – how can I be better, stronger and cleverer in 2018? People take this symbolic moment of change, as the earth starts a fresh orbit around the sun, to improve, and businesses should be no different.
It can be difficult to find time to reflect on your business’ practices, protocols and procedures, especially in a fast-paced environment, but it is of paramount importance that you do so, especially where security is concerned.
2018: Focus on your business security!
A business’ security needs can get swept under the rug in favour of more immediate or tangible issues, but having a robust and thorough security system, along with proper training, is the backbone of a professional business.
That means cyber security as well as physical security.
Protecting your computer systems from theft or interference, protecting your customers from having their data stolen, securing the physical premises of the business from theft and interference, and restricting the internal access of employees to certain rooms or information – this all falls under the purview of security.
Start with an ID system
A first, crucial step to take is ensuring that you regulate who gets to access your business, and again that is done physically and electronically. Physically, you have to implement a system to recognize employees and restrict access to only them, which is where an ID card system is indispensible.
Finding and using an ID system takes a little bit of training, but you can visit Avonsecurityproducts.com to learn more about how to use an ID printer and effectively put the cards into practice. With that first, fundamental step taken, you’ll notice a heightened level of security, which will in turn give your employees some peace of mind.
Restricting access electronically is also important. To avoid employee snooping, or to avoid outside parties from obtaining sensitive information, ensure that there’s a system for granting and revoking access to certain information, and that all employees have complex, unique passwords. Making information time- and geography-limited can also go a long way toward dissuading employee snooping, as can regular training on the importance of privacy and security, and clear consequences in place for those who violate the rules.
Restricting physical access within a place of business – like say for instance you didn’t want one of your junior level employees in the server room–again goes back to ID cards, which can be used to manage access for greater security. Another common security measure to monitor both the actions of your employees and any outside visitors is a security camera system, which can be installed to monitor and capture any wrongdoing for use as evidence later. It’s not an absolute deterrent, like ID cards, but it can be a psychological deterrent for those considering doing something wrong. After all, if you had a camera trained on you, you’d be on your best behavior too!
Conclusion
2018 is the year to start taking security seriously. Making small changes like developing and enforcing complex passwords, implementing an ID card system to regulate both internal and external access, and installing security cameras are relatively inexpensive ways to add stability to a business, and provide great (albeit largely unseen) returns on investment. Start 2018 off on secure footing!