Security Matters

Read the latest insights, advice and updates on security services, technology and careers.

Ultimate Security Risk Management Guide

Risk Management Guide

Security risks exist for every business, but managing those risks varies based on your business, location, number of employees and other factors.

Creating a risk management guide is vital to knowing what to do when the worst happens. For instance, what would you do in an active shooter situation?

From knowing the risks to practicing what to do, make sure you have a detailed security risk management guide for your business.

Managing Business Risks

The first part of any guide is to actually identify your risks. Creating a list of the risks along with a plan for each is the first step.

It’s important to build a team to help identify your risks. For instance, building a team with every department head helps give you unique insight into risks that are specific to individual departments or areas of your business.

It’s also a good idea to involve your security team to take advantage of their training and expertise. Odds are, they’ve actually worked in businesses like yours in the past and may be able to point out risks you haven’t considered.

Evaluating Scenarios

The next step is to identify and evaluate your scenarios. Scenarios involve a risk in action. It’s also when you start testing out those initial plans you created earlier. Once again, this should be a team effort.

It’s only by evaluating your scenarios that you fully understand your security risks. Be prepared. This step does take time, but it helps prepare your business and employees for whatever may lie ahead. You hope nothing does happen, but if it does, you’ll already have a plan worked out to better manage it.

Create a schedule for reviewing scenarios. Changes in your business could drastically change how you react to a risk. Doing this yearly or after any major change is a good idea.

Accessing Available Resources

While planning, you should consider what resources you have available. For instance, your local police are considered a resource and it’s helpful to build a relationship with them in advance.

Consider what emergency organizations are located in your area to help in the event of a disaster. For instance, if a tornado hit, what type of security is available to prevent looters from stealing confidential data stored in your file cabinets?

Make a list of all resources and how they help with individual risks. Add these to your plans so everyone knows who they need to contact if something does happen.

Utilizing Internal Resources

The last step is to take a close look at any internal resources. You don’t always have to look outside to get the help you need in the event of a risk. For instance, businesses that frequently deal with theft might list security cameras and security guards as internal resources.

Of course, you shouldn’t discount your employees. They can take charge during risk scenarios to help others. For example, if any of your employees have CPR or first aid training, you might put them in charge of taking care of others if they’re injured during a robbery.

Educating Staff

Once you’ve actually put together your security risk management guide, you still have one final step – educating your staff. Every employee should know what to do in the event of a risk.

Train employees as they’re hired. Go through exits, where to hide, which employees to go to in an emergency situation and anything else that’s relevant to that employee’s department.

For instance, your warehouse workers might face the risk of someone trying to come in the dock doors, while your accounting workers might face someone trying to steal client data by looking over their shoulders.

Make your guide readily available so employees can review it at any time. If you make changes, let everyone know.

Contacting BOS Security

Just starting your security risk management guide? Consider our free Security Needs Assessment to help you get started.

Have questions or want to add security guards to better manage your risks? Contact our team today at 404-793-6965 to see how we can help.

Image: Aaron Burden

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