5 Tactics for Creating a Culture of Security at Your Company
Your security team and commercial perimeter security plan can do a lot to protect your business, but why not create an enthusiastic backup team to keep even more watchful eyes and ears on your business, too? By creating a corporate culture of security at your business you can. With a security-centric company culture, every employee in your organization can keep an eye out for threats, follow security protocols, report vulnerabilities, and more to keep your business safe.
What Does It Mean to Have a Corporate Culture of Security?
Your company culture is the heartbeat of everything your business does. From the way you do business to the people you hire to the way you service clients; company culture guides the way. That’s how deeply important culture is to your organization. When you create a corporate culture of security, the concept is placed at the heart of your organization. Of course, this goes along with other aspects of company culture like supportiveness, communication, values, teamwork, etc. Here, security bleeds into everything you and your employees do, creating a collective responsibility among employees your business safe.
How to create a corporate culture of safety
With these steps, you can create a culture of safety at your organization. You and your employees can reap the benefits of having a safer workplace, fewer losses, less downtime, and greater profitability.
1. Train your employees
Education is key to creating a culture of security. Knowledgeable employees are a powerful first line of defense against theft. Educate your employees on the benefits of a secure workplace and equip them with best practices to keep your property protected. Focus on how a secure workplace benefits employees specifically. They’ll be more likely to put the work into finding and reporting security vulnerabilities if they see the benefits directly. Conduct regular security workshops and refresher classes to keep the subject matter top of mind and keep up with changes to security protocols.
2. Create an anonymous reporting system
If an employee suspects a coworker or superior is stealing, they may hesitate to report it out of fear of retaliation. Create a way for employees to report issues anonymously. This can be done with a simple paper drop box or an anonymous electronic communication platform. Repeatedly communicate to your staff that all reports are anonymous and guarantee that any episodes of retaliation will be swiftly and dealt with harshly.
3. Ask for staff input
Your team is a valuable asset when it comes to identifying potential vulnerabilities throughout your organization. While you may have a handle on the overall security strategy, your employees will have intimate knowledge of threats, vulnerabilities and optimizations in their own work areas. Ask your employees for their ideas on how to make their departments safer and more secure. You’ll be surprised by just how insightful their feedback is, and they’ll feel that their knowledge and contributions are valued. Your team is your greatest asset, keep this in mind when developing your security plan.
4. Incentivize your team
When an employee takes time out of their day to report a security threat or suggest an improvement, their effort should be rewarded. Recognize employees who help your company avoid security threats with public recognition, gift cards, lunch, etc. Recognition of their good behavior reinforces the importance of a security-centric culture and actions to all your employees. Plus, it’s well worth the cost to keep your business safer.
5. Emphasize community responsibility
When you send the message that security belongs to everyone in your organization, your team becomes more motivated. Foster a collaborative environment where teams actively share information, discuss potential threats, and collectively brainstorm solutions. By fostering a culture of teamwork, employees become more attuned to security risks and are better equipped to address them effectively. When people feel their efforts are important, they are more likely to pitch in to help.
Keep building the culture
Company culture is a living organism. It grows, changes and if you do it right, it improves over time. Building a corporate culture of security requires ongoing effort to nurture your staff and reinforce the messaging that keeps employees enthusiastic about securing their workplace. Use the steps above to start building your own culture of security to set your company up for long-term safety success.
Want to learn more about how a comprehensive security plan can benefit your employees, productivity, and morale? Download your FREE copy of the Proactive Vs. Reactive guide to perimeter security here.
