Theft in the workplace can be a real problem for small businesses and can seriously affect your profitability. As an employer you need to protect yourself against this unpleasant fact of life.

Below is a list of precautions you can take:

• Make sure all monies coming in and going out are dealt with by different employees
• Randomly check deliveries, both to your business and to your customers
• Monitor the petty cash fund
• Question excessive amounts of voids, credits, or damage claims
• Never accept photocopies of invoices, delivery notes, etc.
• Investigate unusual occurrences such as missing documents or unexplained absences during the working day
• Tell your staff to pay only for goods received, and remind them not to pay for goods that have not been ordered, even if an invoice is provided
• Change locks and computer passwords periodically
• As a last resort, if you do discover theft in your business, consider prosecution - experts believe it works as a strong deterrent to others

Failure to implement controls indicates the potential for a serious problem. Overly rigid controls, on the other hand, can create an oppressive atmosphere and hinder both productivity and creativity.

Be sensitive with your employees, and try to nurture a climate of co-operation against crime - your profitability could depend on it!