From a simple sticky note to a $150,000 in fraud, employee theft is, unfortunately, a common occurrence in businesses around the world. Every year, Australian employees walk away with $1.5 billion in goods that their employers will never see again.

Of course, you always want to trust your employees, but it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on them. Will an access control system help? Absolutely! Here are just a few ways an access control system will help you keep an eye on your employees and prevent employee theft.

Track and Manage Employee Schedules

First in, last out. These are usually the employees you want on your team. They’re the ones who go the extra mile to make sure everything is finished and ready for the next day. Sometimes, an employee coming in early or leaving late could also mean they want to be in the building when no one else is around, which could be a sign they’re up to something a bit more devious.

With an access control system, each employee will have their own swipe card or PIN that you can track. Every time they use their credentials, it’s logged in the system. You can monitor their arrival and departure times to identify trends and see if anyone is in the building when they’re not supposed to be. Since your employees know their times are being tracked, it’ll make them think twice before coming in early to steal from you.

Many access control systems can even be programmed based on time. You can set the system not to let any employees in the building before their shift starts. This is a great way to prevent early birds from sneaking in while you’re not watching.

Maintain Detailed Security Logs

Since the access control system tracks every time someone enters or exits the building, you’ll have a detailed security log with the names of everyone who comes and goes throughout the day. If you happen to notice that a certain item was missing from the stockroom at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, you can go back through the security logs to see who had access at that time.

While it won’t prevent all employee theft, access control can help you catch the guilty party quicker and with more accuracy. These logs will also help in a court case—if it comes to that.

Restrict Access to Certain Areas

There’s a good chance all your employees don’t need access to every area of your business. Some sensitive areas, like your main office or safe, need tighter restrictions to prevent wandering eyes (and hands).

By installing an access control system, you can prevent access to sensitive areas of your business to only those you trust. You can limit access based on title or at the user level for precise management of who can and can’t get around your business. This ensures lower-level employees or new hires that haven’t proven themselves yet won’t be able to get into the areas with the most stealable goodies.

Easily Change Employee Permissions

Former employees are a major source of employee theft. They have all the credentials, they know the business, and they have no loyalty to your business. If an employee quits or if you have to fire them, it’s essential that you take away their employee access right away.

Access control systems make this process easy. Even if the employee doesn’t return their keycard or magically forget their PIN, you can easily change the system to restrict their access. Just log into the system and remove them as an authorised user. Updates will be saved immediately, and the former employee won’t be able to get into the restricted areas of your building by the time they gather their things.

Prevent Employee Theft with Four Walls Security

Access control is a great way to keep track of who has access to what around your building. You can monitor employee arrival and departure times, keep security logs, restrict access to sensitive areas, and change user permissions all from a single system. If you want to prevent employee theft, an access control system might be the solution you’re looking for.

If you’re ready to protect your business from employee theft, the experts at Four Walls Security are here to help. We’ve worked with Brisbane-area businesses for decades, helping them revamp their security and protect their hard-earned assets. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote today and get started towards a more secure future for your business.