| Employee theft is a very common crime that is | | | | searches can detect anyone with potential |
| not even regarded as a crime by most people | | | | problems that either indicate a previous record of |
| who commit it. The taking of the odd pen or few | | | | theft or someone who could be tempted and |
| sheets of paper home is regarded as many as | | | | psychological profiling can achieve the same thing |
| being a right rather than as a crime and it is | | | | at the interview stage. |
| something that even the most senior of | | | | For best results, both of these functions are best |
| managers are guilty of. | | | | carried out by professionals. Either company |
| Although it is said that 95% of companies suffer | | | | employees trained in these functions or a |
| from employee theft, it is probably closer to | | | | professional agency will be able to provide the |
| 100%. Serious theft, however, is a different thing | | | | level of service required to reduce the chances of |
| entirely. There is a world of difference between | | | | you employing someone who will be tempted to |
| the theft of a few pens and the steady depletion | | | | become involved in employee theft. |
| of stock through organized crime within a large | | | | This action does not resolve your existing |
| organization. This sort of employee theft is | | | | problem, but it does help to stop it growing. It |
| estimated as causing over 30% of all company | | | | reduces the chances of new thieves joining the |
| bankruptcies and many companies are in | | | | company. There is another benefit of introducing |
| desperate need of a means of controlling it. | | | | a strong employment screening procedure. If |
| The first action a company must take is to clarify | | | | theft from your company continues and causes |
| to employees the penalty for employee theft. At | | | | harm to shareholders through loss of their capital, |
| the very least, immediate suspension pending | | | | they could sue you for negligent hiring. You have |
| investigation must be stated as the initial step. | | | | to be able to demonstrate that you took all |
| The matter should then put into the hands of | | | | reasonable steps to ensure that you did not |
| your lawyers and the law processes should be | | | | employ people who already had convictions for |
| allowed to proceed. You should not dismiss | | | | theft and have tried to prevent employee theft |
| anyone until the case has been proven legally or | | | | at the hiring stage. |
| you could find that you are the one answering | | | | Part of the problem in normal companies is that it |
| charges. These procedures should be clearly | | | | is neither fully understood, nor clearly stated, |
| stated on company notice boards and should | | | | where the line is drawn between theft and what |
| have union support where relevant. | | | | is allowed to be taken. Many companies allow |
| There are some forms of employee theft that | | | | substandard or rejected products to be taken |
| are almost impossible to control. Intellectual theft | | | | home by employees and others do not. An |
| of company secrets can be controlled theoretically | | | | employee moving from one company to another |
| by the introduction of tight contracts with key | | | | may misunderstand that these policies are specific |
| personnel, such as senior managers and scientists, | | | | to individual companies, rather than general |
| but if they decide to move to another company | | | | throughout industry. Employees should not be |
| such contracts are almost impossible to enforce. | | | | criminalized through ignorance and your failure to |
| Though a contract may state that a senior | | | | clearly state your policy. If you do not allow |
| scientist cannot legally work for another company | | | | employees to use rejects, you should clearly |
| in the same line of business for a set period of | | | | state that fact with prominently placed notices. |
| time after employment is terminated, how do | | | | Do not assume that all employers have the same |
| you stop them working for a competitor from | | | | policy. |
| home or from an overseas facility? | | | | Your policy with regard to what constitutes |
| How do you stop customer theft, another form | | | | employee theft should be clearly stated in the |
| of employee theft that frequently involves an | | | | employees’ handbook if there is one or along |
| employee either providing a new employer with a | | | | with the acceptance of their application for |
| customer list, or taking customers that they | | | | employment. If you have an induction scheme it |
| personally deal with along with them? This is very | | | | can be introduced to them then. |
| difficult if not impossible, since you cannot control | | | | The mistake that many employers make is to try |
| your customers’ allegiances. | | | | to control serious employee theft themselves |
| Proper control starts at the employment stage. | | | | when there are many professional companies |
| Employee theft can be reduced by the use of a | | | | available that could help them to save a lot more |
| rigid employee screening procedure that is | | | | money than it would cost to have the problem |
| designed to detect potential thieves prior to | | | | controlled. |
| employment. Criminal record and credit rating | | | | |