After all the hard work you’ve put into your small business over the years, the last thing you want is for all of it to come crumbling down in one fell swoop. Properly securing your company is more important than changing your password every six months; if you want to prevent accidents and/or security breaches, then getting security in place for all aspects is not something to drag your feet on.
Cybersecurity
Since the world has been overtaken by technology, then understanding the very real risks of cyber threats and doing your part to reduce or eliminate them is something you should familiarize yourself with. Cyber threats come in all shapes and sizes, from hackers getting into your website’s code to flat-out stealing customer data.
Data breaches can happen to even the largest corporations, which is why having security in place to avoid them is so important. There are many ways to help safeguard your online activities, but software like IPS and other intruder-prevention apps can help to keep the bad guys out of your data.
Accident Avoidance
Through proper training, all on-the-job accidents have the capacity to be avoided. When hiring new employees and giving them the rundown of what a day in the life looks like, be sure that safety procedures are part of the training. Safety begins with you, which means that passing on good habits is your duty as the owner of the company. Some of these procedures might include:
- The best ways to clean up dangerous or hazardous spills, such as chemicals or human bodily fluids
- Personal protection equipment during specific tasks (gloves when using the meat slicer, etc)
- Certifications of completion when it comes to operating machinery or tools
When safety is part of your company culture, your employees are more likely to incorporate these practices into their workday. Teach them the right way from day one to ensure that accident avoidance is high on employees’ priority lists.
Feeling Safe on the Job
Nobody likes the feeling of being constantly on edge in an unsafe environment, so make sure that your employees feel comfortable and content in their workplace. It’s not hard to add a few extra touches to help make the place feel and actually be a lot safer. Some ideas might include:
- Installing a super-bright LED light outside of the building and in the parking lots. You might also encourage a buddy system to your workers when they leave their workplace at night and walk to the parking lot together.
- Hanging a bell on the front entrance to alert employees that customers have arrived, which is especially helpful when it’s dark outside.
- If your facility is in a notoriously bad area, consider hiring security services. This might seem like overkill, but if it helps to keep crime at bay and makes your employees and customers feel better then it’s worth every penny.
Deciding to take on employees is a huge responsibility, especially when you consider that they are your responsibility should anything happen to them. Protect your employees and ask them for feedback on ways to help them feel better while at work.
Employee Interactions
Even though it’s a nice thought that everyone gets along just swell and there is never a tiff between your workers, you know that that’s not a reality. The fact is that humans sometimes butt heads, and for better or worse, some people are more difficult to work with than others. When considering how you would like your employees to interact with one another, think of creative ways that you can encourage this behavior.
- Develop a zero-tolerance bullying policy. If you receive complaints that an employee is making racist, sexual or homophobic remarks, let them go immediately. Show your employees that you are on their side by rejecting that kind of negative behavior.
- Avoid gossip and make it clear that you don’t want to hear it from your employees either. Gossip is unnecessary and mean-spirited with no positive benefits, so avoid it altogether. All it does is create bad blood.
- Be open and transparent with your employees. Respect breeds respect, so lead by example and treat your workers the way you would expect to be treated. Always tell them the truth and be willing to listen to any problems or concerns that they might have.
Deciding to run a business is more than clever product placement and advertising tactics. When you hire employees, you’re taking on other people as your responsibility and are in charge of their wellbeing at work. Decide on strategies to best do that to help your company run as smoothly as possible.
