Does Your Business Have A Security Plan?
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the need for businesses to be prepared. The nationwide lockdown highlighted that operational continuity should be a concern for all companies and not just big corporates.
Your organisation may well have a business continuity plan and a health and safety plan, but do you have a security plan?
When it comes to security, often there’s a significant overlap between all these different plans. After all, security is an essential component of business continuity and health and safety. However, without a dedicated security plan, security does not always receive the attention it should do.
This could mean your business is left vulnerable and exposed.
Crime continues to be an issue in New Zealand. The latest Police statistics confirm this with an overall 6.6% increase in recorded crimes compared with last year:
- theft and related offences are up by 5.6%
- burglary offences have increased by 4.6%.
Why security is vital for every business owner
As well as reducing the potential for crime, having robust security systems in place is essential for every business. Keeping staff, customers, and visitors safe while on your premises should be a priority. Furthermore, physical security will help you:
- prevent unauthorised people from accessing your premises, equipment and assets
- maintain the trust and confidence of your staff, customers, and those you work with.
The government has outlined its expectations for managing personnel, physical and information security. Binding on government departments, the Protective Security Requirements (PSR) provides a best practice framework for the private sector.
Packed full of useful information and resources, it’s worth checking out the PSR website at www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz. The site includes checklists and self-assessment tools so you can measure your security performance against the framework.
If, however, your business is only starting to think about a security plan, then here are some critical areas to consider.
- Do we have an alarm system?
- Is it monitored?
- When was the last time it was serviced?
- Is the system still working correctly?
- If the alarm activates, who responds?
- If something happens to the business overnight, do we have recovery systems in place so we can still be operational the next day?
Although these may seem like simple questions, they can easily be overlooked during the day-to-day running of your business. Working through the answers will help kick-start the security planning process in your organisation to ensure your business is protected.
Expert help and advice
For independent help and advice on any aspect of security, get in touch with us here at General Security. Based in Henderson, we are your local security specialists. Give us a call on 0800 436 732 for an informal discussion.