Creating A Secure Culture For Your Business

1. Build a Company Culture around Security

Keeping your valuable employees in or outside of your building as well as the building itself safe should be an immensely top priority. Building a culture around being diligent and committed to safety is the best way of implementing a secure and sound foundation inspired by integrity. Building a culture starts at the top with ownership. As a business owner the best way to establish and maintain an ever flowing culture is to lead by example. Do the small things such as keeping door mats flattened or keeping walkways clear. If the owner is making an effort, then that way of thinking will trickle down throughout the rest of the company.  The simple things make a big difference as well in regards with security and safety culture. 

Create an emergency response strategy, develop an evacuation plan and designate someone to call 911 and designate first responders as others evacuate. Implementing a reward system for employees or having incentive initiatives for safe work practices is a phenomenal method of establishing a sound work culture committed to security and safety.

2. Understanding the Different Types of Protection 

Since there are many avenues and solutions on how to further add security to your building, it is important to understand the different types of protection that can be provided. Depending on what kind of business you are running out of your building, will determine what kind of security and what level of security you will need to look at. Places that are open late night or are operational 24/7 require close to the maximum of security detail that one can provide such as an armed guard, since the opportunity for crime is at a much higher level. Parks, parking lots, and other large open areas would benefit from the security services of a foot patrol or even a mobile(bicycle or vehicle) patrol as well. Let’s take a look at the different varieties of security protection:

• Standing officers on foot are posted at the site for the duration of their shift.
• Courtesy Patrol officers in a vehicle drives throughout the site at variable times of the day & night and will cover all grounds on foot as well.
• Mobile Officers, the best of both worlds, the officer has a vehicle and drives around the site for visibility and conducts scheduled on-foot patrols.
• Bicycle Officers are highly mobile and patrol the site on mountain bikes.

3. Natural Access Control

Protecting one’s building could be as simple as adding or removing some foliage! According to the Henrico County Police Division, the concept of natural access control can be defined as such: Natural access control– is the physical guidance of people coming and going from a place by the judicial placement of entrances, fences, landscaping and lighting. This principle helps deter access to a crime target or victim and creates a perception of risk to a perpetrator. 

If your parking lot is really dark, then you might want to consider adding some lights as a deterrent. Making sure all entrances and areas of high traffic have the necessary lighting is a vital necessity for safety. If a criminal can be seen then in most cases a crime cannot be committed. Removing dense or tall shrubbery and trees while adding smaller more transparent plants will reduce the amount of hiding places a criminal can hide behind thus limiting the amount of criminal acts that can be carried out. Adding tall fences around the property is another great security measure.

4. Understanding Premise Liability

As a business owner, keeping your business safe also means protecting yourself from what could happen from inside the business itself. Accidents can happen at any moment and you need to be prepared to handle any misfortune that may present itself. At minimum, consider buying a commercial general liability insurance policy. If you could have taken steps to prevent an injury or damage from occurring then you will be held accountable. From slip and fall incidents to hazardous substances running off your property and onto a neighboring property there are ways to minimize these untimely and costly events. Inspect, correct and warn:

• Inspect: You and your employees need to diligently monitor potentially unsafe conditions- in both individual spaces as well as the property at large. Be aware of your surroundings. Potential liabilities can be detected before an employee finds out the hard way.
• Correct: If an unsafe condition is detected or even suspected it must be corrected immediately! Establish clear policies and procedures so employees know what to do in the event of dangerous conditions.
• Warn: If solutions can’t be corrected immediately then you need to display a conspicuous warning so that customers and employees alike can avoid the hazard until it is fixed.

5. What to Look for when Hiring a Security Company

When hiring a security company, it’s important to know what to look for to ensure that your business needs are being met by the security company. The last thing you want to do is shell out thousands of dollars over a service that fails to meet your required needs and standards. Here are some of the elements you should look out for when hiring a security company: 

• They are a Reputable Industry Provider.
• They have Strong Financial Health.
• Contain a Trained and Certified Staff. 
• Utilize Innovative Technology.
• A Defined Services and Management Plan.

The nature of security and the evolution of its practices and technology have made the approach to safety an undeniable necessity. As a business owner, the many courses of action have exponentially doubled. Figure out what works best for you and your business or home as there are plenty of solutions that can be specifically geared to keeping you aware of your surroundings. No matter the scenario, safety and security awareness shouldn’t be taken lightly. Utilizing any of the security tips in this article will help establish and maintain lasting safety procedures and protocols when dealing with security awareness.