What to Do About Employee Theft

Are you worried that you might have an employee in your business that is currently stealing from you? Rather than going around firing people with no proof, there are questions you need to ask and steps you need to take.

Are You Being Stolen From?

• Count the Money - Open up the books and check to see if all of the numbers add up. Every once in awhile there might be fluctuations, but keep an eye out for unusual discrepancies. Theft can appear as large chunks or a small amount missing each and every day.
• Check the Inventory - Shoplifting can cause your computers to reflect a different in-stock quantity than what you actually have. However, if the CCTV security cameras don’t show proof of shoplifting, consider internal theft as a possible reason.
• Listen to Employees - Have you heard employees say that something of theirs has gone missing? Internal theft isn’t always at the expense of the business, other employees can fall victim to it too.

How to Handle Employee Theft

• Internal Audit - After checking all of your records, put aside any that have any significant or patterned discrepancies. Now that you have narrowed these variances down to a few instances, try to find out why they exist. If you can pinpoint cases of either shoplifting, damaging out items, etc., you’ll see what remains unaccounted for.
• Interview Employees - Round up your employees one by one and give them each an interview so you can see how they act and respond to any questions you may ask them. Rather than asking them if they stole from you, ask if they know who has been stealing and watch how they react — their tone of voice and body language could tell you a lot.
• Compile Evidence - You have your records with the discrepancies circled and maybe a testimony or two from other employees, but what about actual evidence? This is where CCTV security cameras come in handy! Go back and rewatch the tapes so you can monitor the area where the items or money was stolen from. Surveillance footage is the most compelling evidence to have when trying to remove (and convict) an employee who is stealing.

Employee theft is something that is very real and can happen to your small business, so it’s best to be prepared. To prevent employees and customers from stealing, consider installing CCTV security cameras by Reliable Voice & Data Systems. To learn more or to schedule a free estimate, give us a call at (877) 385-6657.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+!