Unfortunately, business offices tend to be a target for crime. This is because many offices contain high-value items and even data. While insurance can help to cushion the blow, these crimes can still have a huge impact on the business.

Items need to be repaired or replaced, compromised data will need to be reported and secured, and this all eats into time and money. Crime can also harm morale, as employees may feel unsafe in the office. Someone may have even been injured. Here are some ways to improve security in your business premises.

Assess Risks

Before you can do anything to improve security, you need to identify any weak points of entry that may be susceptible to attack. Once these have been found, you can determine the necessary steps to resolve the issues.

Keep your employees involved as well by using the risk assessment to set up a detailed training program about safety and security in the workplace. This will help your employees to feel more prepared and secure. It will also ensure that everyone knows how to deal with any security issues.

Invest in a Security System

A security system has a two-fold effect. First, seeing that a security system has been installed may deter criminals from even trying to break in or damage your property. Even if someone still tries to break in, a security system makes it more difficult for them to do so and increases the likelihood of them being caught.

A security system installation may include a burglar alarm system, cameras, and other security measures. Position external security lights as well, to further put criminals off. 

Secure Doors and Gates

Many people hoping to break into a property will focus on quick, easy jobs. One particularly common form of burglary is “smash and grab”, where a burglar uses tools and brute force to enter a property before taking what they can in a short time.

If you replace your exterior doors with robust security doors, the burglar will be delayed and may give up the job. While you’re at it, use gates to secure areas such as car parks to prevent unauthorized entry.

Protect Your Electronic Devices

One recent danger concerning business crime is that of cybercrime. The electronic devices in your office will be a target for several reasons. First, the devices themselves are worth money and can be broken into parts or simply sold on.

But even more concerningly, a skilled criminal can use your electronic devices to gain access to confidential data and information. This may be employee data, information about your business as a whole, or even customer information. 

This data can then be used for further crimes. One common ploy is to hold this data at ransom, demanding that a company pay for the data to be returned. A criminal can also sell this data to someone else, or use personal data for identity fraud and related crimes, possibly impacting your employees or customers. You can outsource to a cybersecurity company to protect your business from these threats.