The holiday season brings people together in celebration. Office employees enjoy decorations, parties and gift giving. But if they are not mindful of potential risks, business could be open to serious security breaches.
In the mad rush to complete shopping and other holiday details, normally vigilant employees may forget to lock doors and set alarms. As gifts arrive from vendors and customers, office receptionists may be lax about who they admit to the loading dock. And holiday parties are a perfect cover for someone to sneak in and steal valuable physical and logical assets.
Now is a great time to plan and issue office-wide reminders to employees on security protocols and procedures.
Security Reminders for Office Environments
- Make sure doors are locked at the end of the business day. Also, make sure secondary entrances typically kept locked throughout the day remain so.
- Remind employees to set door alarms and use their codes to enter. Remind service providers, such as janitors, to share codes with substitute workers to avoid false alarms.
- Use security cameras or a video intercom to ensure delivery door packages are being dropped off by known and reputable services. Watch as the person enters and leaves, making sure no one else enters at the same time.
- Inspect packages and identify the sender prior to signing for or opening packages. If any appear to be suspicious, don't open them and call a first responder for assistance.
Reminders for Holiday Parties
- Ask employees for lists of spouses and others they may invite. Check in guests as they arrive and note when they leave.
- Lock doors to offices with sensitive data or valuable equipment.
- Have security cameras record events to alleviate potential liability claims, such as slip and falls.
Most likely your company has been following these suggestions throughout the year. But a friendly reminder to keep your guard up during the holiday season never hurts.