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30% Of Business Failures Are Caused By Employee Theft

August 31, 2023
Bill Kimball

Some employees steal simply because the opportunity is there. Others may feel wronged by their employer in some way and steal as a form of retaliation. Still others may steal because they believe the theft to be harmless because their employer has insurance against theft. Another major factor in employee theft is security measures and punishments for theft.

InCorp prices starting at $99 plus applicable state fees. InCorp is the low-cost cutting edge leader in forming your new Corporation, Limited-Liability Company , or any other type of business entity in all US states and DC. Our dedicated experts are available to help you by phone, email, or live chat during business hours. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. Misappropriation schemes involving noncash assets accounted for 18% of cases in 2020. For the latest trends, we’ve compiled entrepreneur statistics to track how leaders have built startups and small businesses up to now.

  • In 2018, owners and executives accounted for only 20% of cases but resulted in a median loss of $600,000.
  • On the other hand, unless “flexibility” is managed with great care and caution, it is easy to abuse this capability, and regrettably abuse still tends to be a prerogative of some managers.
  • Misappropriation schemes involving noncash assets accounted for 18% of cases in 2020.
  • Her goal is to help businesses understand and reach their target audience in new, creative ways.
  • It’s important to have employee theft consequences and apply those consequences equally.

59.1% of men and 40.9% of women commit employee theft. Financial services firms had the highest total losses across industries. They collectively lost more than $120 million in 2016. Financial services also experienced the highest total loss—more than $120 million in 2017. Employee theft costs businesses $50 billion annually. Employee theft is responsible for 42.7% of total inventory loss in US stores.

Employee Theft Demographics

She writes about issues related to investigations of fraud, employee misconduct, corporate security, Title IX, ethics & compliance and more. In addition, build data security into your day-to-day procedures and processes.

Preventing employee data theft should start with strict policies surrounding data and electronics use, as well as a “clean desk” policy to keep sensitive information away from prying eyes. Protecting your company’s assets starts with awareness. Learn how to identify, detect and prevent employee theft with this quick guide. Since the 9/11 attacks, retail shopping malls have been referred to as “soft targets,” as have many other locations (e.g., schools and houses of worship).

Termination is typically a last resort for behavior that persists even after other progressive disciplinary measures. Theft, however, is generally not one of those infractions. If an employee steals from the company, a warning isn’t going to do anything except show leniency.

We hand-pick the best HRIS software matches for you to review. We are matching your needs with the software in our database. We’re here to match you up with the best possible HR software for your unique business. People analytics gives business leaders the data to make informed decisions about their workforce. It’s hard to notice when items go missing when shelves and counters are cluttered and disorganized. Consider only setting out a certain number of any one item and keeping the rest in the stock room, so you can keep better track your inventory.

If you have insurance that covers internal theft, then a police report might actually be required. The police report will function as the evidence the insurance company needs to cover your claim. If your measures to prevent theft have failed and you discover that employees have been stealing from you, it’s important to handle it correctly. Knowing what to watch for can help you prevent theft in the workplace. Tell employees to look for shoppers with large coats or loose clothing. Other tools of the trade include closed umbrellas where smaller items can easily be slipped in, baby strollers, and shopping bags from other stores. Institute a store policy to leave shopping bags and backpacks in a safe designated area of the store, such as behind the register.

That leniency can encourage others to steal as well because they’ll see theft as being something that carries no real consequences. An employee that is willing to steal from your company is not one you want to keep on the payroll. Others are methods of discouraging theft by making it undesirable. Why employees steal is also important to preventing theft. Prevent payroll theft by establishing checks and balances in your organization, especially in the finance department. One employee should never be tasked with both writing the paychecks and reconciling the payroll account.

Prevent And Detect Data Theft

First, they can falsify their time clock records to make it look like they worked longer than they did. Every employee needs a break throughout the workday and it’s perfectly normal to spend some time socializing with coworkers. This second type of time theft occurs when employees spend excessive amounts of time on non-work tasks. Even more alarming, 75 per cent of employees steal from their employer at least once. Whether that’s a few pens or an entire client list, employee theft puts financial, legal and emotional strain on employers. Employee theft, pilferage, embezzlement, fraud, stealing, peculation, and defalcation.

Employee theft is stealing by employees from their employers. There are two types of bonds that would help protect your business in the case of fraud, embezzlement or theft of a customer’s property. Insider data theft can ruin a company’s image and lead to hefty fines or lawsuits. It can also hamper marketing efforts, resulting in lost revenue. Someone in your team could be selling trade secrets, credit card numbers or contact lists to a third party right now.

If an employee does steal, it’s important to be consistent with following through on established consequences. If employees feel that they will be able to get away with stealing or suffer lesser consequences, they may feel the risk is worth it. The theft of money, typically cash, is more of a risk for retail establishments than other types of business.

Ideas For Retail Control Of Shrink & Loss Prevention

Security cameras and inventory controls such as locking up expensive items help deter potential thieves and make it easier to catch employees who steal. Inventory theft occurs when an employee steals a product from their employer. They may want the item for personal use or steal with the intent to sell . Below we describe five common types of employee theft and how to reduce your risk of each one happening in your workplace. LP positions generally involve undercover shoplifting apprehensions, LP or safety auditing, and other functions.

theft in business

Part-time work as a loss prevention agent is an excellent job while one is in college. Our FAQ has answers to your most common questions whether about InCorporation services, registered agent services, business services. Research in psychology shows that a high percentage of people will engage in petty theft and small-scale cheating when there is little chance of being caught, Markman said. Hence, there’s widespread stealing of workplace supplies, such as pens, pencils, staplers and tape dispensers, which people justify by assuming that the expense to the company is small. And if they often work from home, then they feel they should be able to have some office supplies there, too.

To deliver high-quality software matches, we use your info to ask further questions or to verify your identity. Matchr is proud to offer one $1,000 scholarship to an undergraduate or graduate college student who has shown achievement in college and a commitment to working in human resources. HR technology automates time-consuming processes normally done by hand. Find out more about how HR technology can help your business here. With various federal and state regulations, employment law can be complicated. Because shoplifting laws vary from state to state, be sure you know the specific procedures you must follow and what rights you have as a store owner. For example, in some jurisdictions, you can’t approach a suspected shoplifter until the person has left the store.

Internal Theft Investigations

Traditionally, merchant need for easy access by customers limits access controls at malls and retail stores. At this time, malls in the United States will not be protected like airports unless malls are attacked as they have been in other countries (e.g., Israel).

Mid-level management positions require expertise in multiple security disciplines, an undergraduate degree, and five to eight years of demonstrated success in the field. 1.The executive has been with the company for 25 years and has dedicated a great deal of time and effort to the success of the company .

Violations range from copying personal documents on the office copier to using the mainframe computer to operate a side business. Department of Homeland Security, the ICSC training includes a variety of topics such as terrorism, observational awareness, bombs, and emergencies. Security industry in the United States from a historical perspective. It was once thought that most, if not all, of a company’s problems with theft were external in nature. To avoid conflicts over compliance with written procedures, some firms operate under “guidelines,” which lie somewhere between policies and procedures. Guidelines, by their very name, suggest direction but avoid any hint of absolute compliance. One would have to stray far afield before being guilty of violating any of the guidelines—they are just that loose and flexible.

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Andra Picincu is a digital marketing consultant with over 10 years of experience. She works closely with small businesses and large organizations alike to help them grow and increase brand awareness. She holds a BA in Marketing and International Business and a BA in Psychology. Over the past decade, she has turned her passion for marketing and writing into a successful business with an international audience.

Internal Threats And Countermeasures

The money goes into his pocket instead of the cash register. Since those sales are not recorded, the fraud is hard to detect. Dave Rietsemais the CEO of Matchr and former HR Professional with more than 10 years of experience helping companies to find the best HR software.

“The way people commit fraud is changing,” Parks said. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners states that asset misappropriation accounts for nearly 90 percent of occupational fraud, causing an average financial loss of $114,000. Approximately 85 percent of fraudsters displayed at least one red flag. The signs are subtle, though, considering that most fraud schemes occur over a period of 16 months or so.