How to Create a Security Policy for Your Business
In our line of work, we regularly speak with business owners, property managers and other decision makers about their security. One of the first things we enquire about is their current security policy. Most have taken basic action in this area – but with plenty of room for improvement. Others look at us blankly and ask variations of – what security policy?
Business owners are skilled and resourceful individuals, who put so much care into aspects like their business plan, financial planning and marketing, but security is often a blind spot for them. We may be biased, but we’ve seen the devastating impacts crime can have on businesses of all types, and we believe every business should have a robust set of security policies that act as insurance against threats and crime – both internal and external.
The good news is, you don’t need to be an expert to create security policies. You just need to step back and take an objective look at your business. Below, we’ve put together some key pointers on what to consider when creating your own set of security policies.
Identify Your Risks
Start with a simple activity – establish the risks your business or property faces. Consider the types of crimes that are common in your community/industry, and include environmental factors such as extreme weather conditions. At Blackbird Security, we’ve helped countless businesses with this exercise, conducting a risk assessment before delivering a detailed report. Three of the areas we focus on during this assessment are:
- Threats: what are the greatest threats facing the people and the property
- Oversights: what are some of the gaps or areas you’ve overlooked
- Low Hanging Fruit: what are some priority items you should tackle immediately
Conducting this one simple exercise will immediately elevate your security policies and put your property on a solid footing.
Learn from Others
Security policies range from hyper-detailed documents to one-pagers – it all depends on the industry you operate in. Take this opportunity to chat with other comparable businesses or properties and enquire about what they’re doing. A rising tide lifts all boats, and increasing the security in an industry benefits everyone in that industry. Many business owners will be happy to share their insights and prevent you from falling victim to crime.
Start with Broad Policies
Creating a security policy document can be a daunting task. There are so many aspects to be addressed and you can easily get caught up in small details instead of focusing on big picture, important policies. If this is your first time creating a document like this, consider starting with broad policies you can refine over time. Nail the basics, cover as much of your operations as possible and refine over time.
Get Your Employees Involved
Empowering your employees to take an active role in your security serves a dual purpose. Their efforts will ultimately make the difference in whether your policies succeed or not, and they will be your main point of contact for refining the policies down the road. This involvement should begin with a comprehensive training session in which everyone leaves understanding their roles and responsibilities clearly.
Stay up to Date
Your security policy isn’t a one and done document. Instead, it should be viewed much like a business plan – a living document that is updated frequently to reflect changing situations. It should grow with your business, incorporating any new risks or operational realities, and account for changes in technology.
Professional Security Services – Let Blackbird Security Help
Ready to upgrade your security solutions ahead of a busy winter season? Why not work with Canada’s best security company? If you’re interested in upgrading your security services, we’d love to hear from you. We offer the following range of services to clients across Canada:
Please note that all job inquiries must be made on Indeed and will be blocked if made on the form below.