Workplace security is a critical concern for employers nationwide. Crimes against businesses are increasing. Companies like yours must be concerned about theft of equipment, inventory, trade secrets, computer information, and money. You also must take steps to prevent other security risks such as arson, vandalism, and workplace violence.
Workplace crime not only affects the company management but also affects employees. They want to feel safe at work. In fact, feeling safe at work was ranked third among the top five priorities of job satisfaction by employees polled by the Society for Human Resource Management.
Training Objectives
Here are some commonsense training objectives for a session on workplace security. When the training is complete, employees will be able to:
- Understand the company’s security policy and procedures.
- Take personal security measures on the job and commuting to work.
- Identify requirements for protecting computer networks and sensitive business information.
- Help prevent workplace theft.
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Legal Overview
Although there are no specific regulations that address workplace security, Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (the General Duty clause) states clearly that companies are required to provide employees with a safe workplace. This responsibility includes security measures. You have a duty to provide a secure workplace in which employees can work without fear for their safety.
Training Requirements
Employers should make sure that all employees understand workplace security-related policies and procedures, as well as the steps they need to take to protect themselves personally on the job and while commuting to and from work.
The training program should contain, at a minimum, the following elements:
- Security policy and procedures
- Personal security procedures
- Computer security
- How to protect sensitive business information
- And how to help prevent workplace theft
Materials to Have on Hand
As you prepare to conduct training, gather the following documents and information to hand out to trainees as the session unfolds:
- Copies of the company’s security policy
- Copies of the company’s computer security policy
- Copies of posted notices around the company regarding security issues
- Research on any security breaches that have happened in your company
- Research on any security breaches in other companies that have been in the news
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The material in today’s Advisor is adapted from “Workplace Security for Employees,” which is one of dozens of courses in the HR Employment Library of BLR’s TrainingToday.
In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll give you a training exercise on workplace security, and we’ll explore a dynamic, interactive online resource of ready-to-use training content on key HR topics.