Strengthening physical security is essential for the success of your business. Security is one primary concern for most small businesses, and you can’t afford to compromise.

Even though you may have chosen a secure location, there’s always a risk of break-ins, vandalism, shoplifting, and similar crimes. Should you be a victim of such, the cost of repairing broken glasses and replacing stolen property will be painful. You’ll incur financial losses, and you may risk leaking your business information to unauthorized parties.

It’d help if you have a concrete physical security plan for your business to avoid all these. That said, here are six essentials of a solid physical security plan:

• Find The Right People To Implement Your Plan

It’s in your best interest to work with experts in the security field. It’s the only way you’re guaranteed to carry out an effective plan. First, identify who the key players are for your plan. First and foremost, mobilize a team comprising your executive employees to be part of your security operations team. These are the ones involved in making critical decisions regarding security on your business premises.

Second, work with a security company. It’s more effective and less stressful to outsource the services of a security company. They’re critical in implementing the guidelines outlined in your security plan.

On the other hand, if you’re handling heavy merchandise or large cash transactions, it’d be best to beef up your security measures. The most appropriate way is to have security guards at your door. They help reduce crime rates. On that note, secure your business by looking for a reliable security guard company in Vancouver or your area.

• Establish The Scope Of Your Plan

Defining what your security plan covers is essential. So, start by assessing the typical security threats your business can face. Specify whether the plan will cover the interior spaces only or you’ll also have to cater to the security needs at the parking lot if your landlord doesn’t provide such. It’d help if you also evaluated how many employees the plan extends. This way, you’ll be able to address the safety concerns comprehensively.

• Incorporate Technological Features

Security technological features have immensely changed the game. For instance, with a basic security system in place, you can monitor what’s happening at your business premises from the comfort of your home. Basic systems, such as surveillance cameras in your business, come in handy. Pair them with other high-tech surveillance equipment, monitors, and software, and you’ll significantly be in the know of the situation around the workplace around the clock. 

Some valuable contributions of high-resolution surveillance cameras are as follows:

• They record visual evidence that you can later use in case of burglary. 
• They increase the effectiveness of security guards.
• Their presence scares away opportunistic robbers and burglars.

These benefits make surveillance cameras excellent options when you need to monitor the physical security of your area, especially if you have many entrance and exit points. They’re also helpful in high-traffic areas.

• Identify Physical Security Controls You Need

The physical security control measures involve deterring and preventing security breaches. For instance, if your company operates with personal data, you can control access to such information. Take the initiative to identify sensitive areas in your business. This way, you can control access by reducing the number of employees who can get into the rooms. You can use lockable cabinets and safes and share the keys only with a few authorized personnel. Some of the sensitive areas include:

• Supply cabinets
• File rooms
• Server rooms

On the other hand, if you deal with online transactions, you must have a robust cyber security policy. Again, ensure you regulate the number of people accessing data. This would help make it hard for hackers to manipulate networks and gain illegal access to your information.

• Outline Physical Security Policies

Physical security policies outline the responsibilities of every team member in safeguarding the business property and the typical courses of action to follow in case of a security scare. Some of these policies include:

• Program Policies: These are high-level strategic blueprints outlining the purpose and scope of your security plan. 
• Issue-specific Policies: These policies address specific issues, for instance, bring your own device policy, remote work policy, and social media policy. 
• System-specific Policies: These focus on specific systems, such as firewalls and web servers.

Note that these policies work with different systems. Therefore, for the policies to work effectively, ensure they’re tailored to your business. 

• Ensure Coordinated Response 

Your security plan should detail how you expect the relevant stakeholders to respond in case of a security breach. All the physical installations would be futile without a perfectly coordinated reaction. So, explain in-depth what is expected of each team member in the event of a risk. You can go ahead and arrange drills to prepare them adequately.

Conclusion

You should have a physical security plan to protect your business. Regardless of how small your business is, having one is essential. It provides a long-time solution and can hinder petty theft cases. Take your time, devise a foolproof strategy, and ensure you follow it to the letter. Most importantly, train your staff on its contents, and you’ll significantly improve security around your workplace.