Running a small business demands your attention in many different areas simultaneously. While you're focused on churning out better products, improving profitability, making tough choices, and keeping your customers happy, it's easy to neglect more fundamental responsibilities, like preserving the physical security of your business.
Why is physical security so important and how should you address it?
The Value of Physical Security
Instinctively, most people equate physical security with preventing crimes like armed robbery, breaking and entering, and trespassing. These are obviously important, but physical security has other benefits as well, in part stemming from its ability to mitigate criminal threats.
For example, improved physical security helps to keep your staff members and customers safer. It also diminishes the threat of theft or sabotage of your technological devices, thereby supplementing your cybersecurity strategy. On top of that, better physical security may help you negotiate for better insurance rates or help you save money in other areas.
In other words, your investment in physical security is likely to pay off.
How to Improve Physical Security in Your Small Business
How do you improve the physical security in your small business?
Perimeter security: You can start with commercial gates for perimeter security. Gates are simple structures that establish your perimeter, prevent unwanted entry, and grant access control to your organization. With proper fencing and gates, you can have near total control over who enters the property "“ and a significant deterrent to proactively thwart would-be criminals from compromising your business.
Visibility: You should also maximize visibility within your small business, and in several ways. Thieves and other criminals like to operate where they aren't seen, so if you make your organization more open and transparent, it will be harder for them to strike. Put staff members and cameras in positions that leave no blind spots, and make sure people entering the premises know they're being watched.
Locks: Locks are a common physical security strategy for a reason: they're simple and they work. Make sure you have locks on all your most important points of entry, and consider upgrading those locks so they provide even more robust security.
Monitoring: Ideally, you'll have people and technologies in place to monitor your physical business 24/7. Depending on your budget and the needs of your business, that could include a small security force, cameras with remote video monitoring, and proximity-based motion detectors that alert you when unwanted activity is detected.
Access controls: Access controls allow you to selectively restrict access to specific locations and resources for the sake of protecting those locations and resources. It's an easy way to minimize the vulnerabilities of specific locations and assets. Only grant access to people who truly need it, and to monitor who goes in and out of your most important locations.
Inventory management: Smarter inventory management can also improve your physical security. If you keep smaller amounts of stock on hand, you'll suffer fewer losses in the event of a break-in. If you have secure, repeatable processes in place for transportation and deliveries, your business will suffer fewer losses if and when those movements are interrupted.
Guards: Some small businesses benefit from hiring security guards. If you have the budget, consider hiring a small team that you can keep in-house. Otherwise, you can hire individual part-time security guards to fulfill your needs. No matter what, be sure to provide those guards with education and training so they know what they're securing and what your expectations are.
Training: In fact, your entire staff can benefit from further education and training when it comes to physical security. Your staff members should be aware of the rules for secure conduct on the premises, as well as some of the most pressing physical security threats they may face. As a simple example, you should make sure all your staff members know to respect access controls and not badge someone into an area where they aren't allowed.
Documentation: Any security strategy is going to be stronger and more consistent when appropriately documented. Do a thorough review of all your internal security features, and compile them into a singular, comprehensive document. Also include details about your security philosophy "“ and be ready to periodically audit it so you can keep improving it.
Enforcement: Finally, make sure you enforce your physical security policies. If someone violates your policies knowingly or repeatedly, issue disciplinary action to discourage further violations in the future.
You don't need to deploy every strategy on this list to improve physical security in your small business. In fact, every step you take to make your business more secure is valuable. Start with the inexpensive, low hanging fruit, and gradually build out your physical security strategy from there.