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Theft in the WorkplaceIN AUSTRALIA LAST YEAR (2005), IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT WORKPLACE THEFT COST EMPLOYERS AND THE COMMUNITY IN EXCESS OF 4 BILLION DOLLARS.The truth is, however, that no one really has accurate figures on theft as much goes unreported and undetected and in many cases is written off as shrinkage. Shrinkage seems to be a corporate term utilised to justify the unjustifiable. The general consensus is that this figure is underestimated by as much as 50%. . Not only does much of the theft go undetected, even when it is detected, corporations find it difficult to identify the guilty party/ies and largely rely upon the police who are under resourced and really not interested in corporate fraud/theft. The N.S.W. Police Commissioner’s (2001) own vision statement makes it clear that corporations ought to be responsible for their own security measures and as a consequence, their own losses. Our experiences over the past three to five years has made it clear that the police are not all that interested in assisting business people and are now understaffed, under skilled and ill equipped to handle this type of investigation work. Types of Theft There are four major types of theft: product/equipment/intellectual property, and time. Both add on huge costs to the final product and the consumer, and all affect the bottom line and ultimately your competitiveness and position in the market place. Theft of Product/Equipment/Intellectual Property In the majority of cases, theft in the workplace is endemic. It is a rare occurrence that theft is absent in the workplace. Trusted employees perpetrate much of the theft detected. Remember, the most trusted have the most opportunity. Opportunity comes about through a combination of trust and complacency. A lack of security measures/protocols allows for systematic, organised theft, which is seldom detected until after an audit, long after it has already affected your business. Theft of Time This is an area where huge losses are sustained and quite often accepted by employers, as they believe there is little that can be done about abuse of sick leave, parallel employment (working for others or themselves at the same time they are supposed to be working for you) and manipulation of working hours and time clocks. The reason that sick leave and time theft is abused is attributable to a cultural belief that an employee is entitled to a certain amount of sick days per annum and more than what you are paying them and that if the employee doesn’t avail themselves of that allocated sick leave or work a second job during your hours, they will forfeit that sick leave allocation and in any event, won’t get paid for not taking it and you are determined by them to not be paying them enough. “It’s my sick leave and I’m going to take it!” or “I’m worth more and they don’t recognise it so I will rip them off by not fulfilling my work hours”. Workplace Surveillance Act A new piece of legislation was recently introduced into NSW State Parliament that replaces the Workplace Video Surveillance Act and is targeted at all workplace surveillance including information technology, telephones and tracking devices. The fundamentals of the old legislation however remain in tact. The legislation places certain responsibilities upon employers when placing employees under surveillance in the workplace. (The Workplace Surveillance Act.) Many employers wrongly believe that the legislation prevents them from undertaking video surveillance of employees. The truth is, this legislation is one of the most useful tools in the prevention of theft of both product and time and protects employers from unfair dismissal claims. Lyonswood has applied for many of these workplace surveillance authorities which have provided employers with evidence beyond refute to enable them to reduce theft and rid themselves of undesirable elements in the workplace. A happy workplace is usually a productive workplace. How can you reduce/prevent theft lawfully and effectively? Lyonswood Investigations and Forensic Group has a rock solid background in both the investigation and security industries and holds all the appropriate NSW Government licenses to enable it to resolve your security and investigation problems. We are the holders of a Master Security License and also the highest qualifications in the Security Industry, an Advanced Diploma In Security Risk Management and Certificate (iv) In Investigation Services. Through our intelligence gathering and strategy planning we can assist you to implement measures that will prevent theft, facilitate a reduction in undesirable work practices, increase your competitive edge and add to your bottom line. How can I implement these changes and get back on track? Simply contact Lyonswood Investigations and Forensic Group to arrange an obligation-free interview and let Lyonswood manage those areas that are our core business so you can concentrate on yours. Ph: (02) 9819 6833 1300 438 776 E-mail: info@lyonswoodsydney.com Website: www.investigators.net.au |
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