Security is becoming an important commodity in the current world. Today, more entities are willing to spend more money to keep their business premises and homes more secure. However, if you are not careful about how you go about it, you may end up spending a lot more than you should on security. This becomes even more regrettable when it turns out that most of the measures you end up investing in do not offers the amount of security you hoped they would. The only way to avoid this is by having a systematic approach towards the implementation of security measures. An important consideration would be investment in a risk assessment before deciding on which measures to implement.
When most individuals are investing in security systems, they often pick systems that they are either familiar with or have seen being used in other areas. However, this is not the best way to solve this problem, particularly if you are going to spend big money on it. The logic behind doing an assessment first is that it helps you to:
• Identify the unique risks that affect your premises
• Pick security measures that will address these specific risks
• Make it easier for you to spend money on things that will actually matter
The major elements of a risk assessment include:
The party doing the assessment
If you are to conduct a proper risk assessment, you need to consult a party that has enough experience in this field. This is one of the most vital variables, and it affects the rest of the process. By far, the best way for you to get this done would be to consult a company that has been providing such services in the past.
Not only will the report be more comprehensive when you do this, but it will also be ready in a shorter amount of time. The most common factor preventing people from considering this is the cost. However, you should keep in mind that you really do get value for your money. Besides, there are some professional security firms that can carry out such an assessment for you without charging you as much as you would think.
The nature of the business
Part of the risk assessment is keeping in mind the type of business you run. There are some businesses that have a worse risk profile than others. Examples of these include firms that can influence politics, as well as those that affect foreigners. In addition to that, firms that deal in business that is emotive in the population also tend to be targets of crimes and attacks. In such cases, the fact that you are running such a business means that you should invest more in security.
Your employees
If you are running a business where security is a major issue, you need to keep it in the back of your mind that some of your employees can be the source of risk. For this reason, you need to also cater for them when doing the risk assessment. For instance you can design a periodic background check program for each of the employees, particularly those who have a sensitive job description.
Current local and global political climates
The current political climate will also affect your security profile, and can be used to determine what security measures you should take in a business. For instance, there are times when the risk of a terrorist attack is particularly high, especially if the country comes up with policies that might instigate this. During such times, taking measures such as putting more restrictions on entry into the facility and hiring more guards might be prudent.
A geographical assessment
Where the business is located will also influence how safe the business is. For instance, in a city, there are some parts that are more prone to crime than others. In a particular state or country, there are some cities that record higher crime rates than others. All this data should be considered when you are designing a security system. For instance, if live in a city that has a very low risk of crime, and are in an address that records very little crime in that city, investing in a very elaborate security system might not be wise.
The types of crime you are likely to be exposed to
When all the above are combined, one can come up with a picture of the types of crime that a particular business premises is likely to be subjected to. This will then inform the decision on how to come up with a security system that is aimed at such risks.
In summary, coming up with security protocols is not a process that should be done in an arbitrary manner. There is a lot to be considered before you end up with a plan that will turn out to be good value for money.
