Security professionals and ordinary 9-to-5 workers share the common concern of keeping their workplace safe and secure. One measure that provides great security benefits while making a minimal impact on honest, hard-working employees is employing the use of video surveillance.
Many companies already make use of “traditional” analog video surveillance; increasingly, more and more companies are making the switch to Internet Protocol (IP) systems. IP Systems are gaining in popularity because they can make use of existing infrastructure to reduce installation costs, and offer a more modern, integrated security solution.
Whatever level of technology your business uses, there’s no question that use of video surveillance can be a major deterrent to crime and an important part of any plan to mitigate threats to your corporate security. Let’s take a look at how a surveillance program can fight four of the biggest threats to security in the workplace.
Workplace Violence:
The effects of violence at the workplace can be devastating on several levels. Not only is there the physical trauma and the emotional impact on the people involved and those who witness it, but there is the potentially damaging effect of interruption regular business operations.
How video surveillance helps: Knowing that there are “eyes in the sky” can potentially reduce the risk of physical confrontation in workplace environments, as well as provide vital evidence in the event of an incident.
Fraud and White Collar Crime
While generally not of a physical nature, these types of security threats should not be taken lightly. You don’t have to look too far into the past to remember some of the biggest and most damaging fraud incidents in the history of Canadian business. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, fraud can have long-lasting effects on a company’s bottom line… and consequently affect employees in all sorts of roles within the company.
How video surveillance helps: A few years back, one of Canada’s richest media moguls was convicted on obstruction of justice charges after video cameras captured him removing documents from his office. Although a lot of white collar crime these days takes place on the Internet and through computers, that serves as one example of how the presence of cameras can be an important part of a plan to mitigate fraud in your organization.
Employee Theft:
From retail stores to white-collar office buildings, theft from employees is a huge threat to businesses in virtually any industry. Without video surveillance to rely on, the finger of blame could be pointed towards anyone when something goes missing.
How video surveillance helps: Cameras are a crucial part of any loss-prevention strategy, in conjunction with a layered security plan, with features like alarms and access control.
Property Crime & Vandalism:
Some property crimes or small acts of vandalism may have minimal effects on your employees, but they can be financially costly to a business, damaging to a company’s image, and could affect your organization’s trustworthiness in the eyes of clients or consumers.
How video surveillance helps: There are a number of approaches that can be combined to combat property crimes. Proper video surveillance plays an essential role in any strategy to reduce, and hopefully eliminate crimes against the property.
Are you looking at video surveillance options for your business? Contact the team of security experts at FCi or call us at 613 244 6770 for a free, no obligation appointment, or for more information on the products and services we offer.
Thanks for reading,
The FCi Team
