Awareness is the proactive practice of protection and is arguably the tip of the spear in any safety plan. Here are five ways to effectively promote and maintain safety awareness in your business.
It’s a sign
This may sound obvious, but displaying appropriate signs and posters around your business is a step that is often overlooked or dismissed. Strategically placed signage can help raise awareness among employees and customers. Placing signs in common areas such as break rooms and offices is an easy way to remind and reinforce your commitment to safety.
Observe and report
We’ve all heard the phrase “if you see something, say something”. It may sound a bit cliché now, but it still holds true. It’s important to create an atmosphere that encourages the reporting and sharing of suspicious activity. That way, everyone stays in the loop and can respond appropriately if they see the same activity. You can achieve this by holding regular team standups, or by providing an anonymous reporting method for anyone who does not feel comfortable speaking publicly.
Ctrl, Alt, Delete: Cybersecurity is serious
Too often, when organisations think of cybersecurity, they think of firewalls and VPNs. The truth is that the biggest point of cyber vulnerability in any organisation is people. That’s why it’s important that everyone is aware of cyber threats and understands how to use company equipment and systems properly.
Welcome to the company
Welcoming a new employee to the organisation is an exciting time. There’s a lot to cover to ensure they’re ready for their role, and it can often feel overwhelming. But this is a critical time for security. Make sure new employees have the time and support they need to familiarise themselves with all security procedures and practices.
Never stop learning
Here’s perhaps the most important point of all. Implement a training programme from a reputable provider and establish a consistent training schedule to keep everyone up to date with security best practices. There are a number of training programmes available, many of which charge a fee or even require a monthly subscription. However, it’s also possible to find programmes such as the Safety and Security Academy that offer a comprehensive set of courses at no cost.
The Safety and Security Academy is a free training programme developed by Jewelers Mutual’s Risk Services to help jewellers and their staff gain the knowledge and skills to maintain safety and security preparedness. This interactive online training programme is designed to help retailers train their teams on topics such as reducing the risk of being targeted by criminals, how to respond to and stay safe during a robbery, how to travel safely with merchandise, and more.
Awareness is strength
As unfair as it may sound, criminals only need to exploit a vulnerability once to succeed, while business owners and their staff must remain vigilant to mitigate threats. Creating a security plan with an emphasis on awareness is critical to keeping a business, its employees and customers safe.
