Long Term Security Solutions for Temporary Employees

​As the holiday season approaches, many retailers are preparing for the increase in customers (and risk!) that comes with the season. In preparation for busy stores, many retailers are hiring temporary employees or seasonal workers to help accommodate the additional customers, keep shelves stocked, and expedite purchases.

While increasing the number of temporary employees on-site is an excellent way to prevent shoplifting, the business is still at risk of internal theft. This risk is increased when temporary employees or seasonal workers are on-site who may not be as committed to the company as typical employees. In response to utilizing temporary staff and the associated risks, retailer management should review and update the facility’s security plan and refresh existing employees on signs of internal theft and how to respond.

Hiring and Screening

Though temporary employees or seasonal workers will not stay with the company long term, they should still be vetted like traditional employees. Especially in high-risk businesses where the risk is greatest, these potential employees should have background checks conducted prior to employment. Additionally, interviews should be conducted to ensure that the temporary or seasonal employee understands the requirements of the position.

Background checks help to find any glaring red flags that management may not have known about otherwise. Also, it can let management know how honest the potential employee really is. If, during the interview process, someone fails to mention something from their past that comes up in a screening, management knows they have a lower chance of developing loyalty and accountability with this employee. Once management find someone loyal, it is important to make all expectations clear.

In highly regulated industries such as cannabis, additional regulations may dictate the hiring and background check process and the use of temporary or seasonal staff.

Building Accountability

Clear expectations can help seasonal or temporary employees stay on target. When employees know their jobs and know what is expected of them, they are less likely to stray from those expectations. Policies should be established on Day One and help maintain status quo when upheld consistently. Whether responsible for something like a minor violation or something as serious as theft, employees must know there will be consequences to actions. Another way to keep everyone accountable is to have employees work together on accomplishing tasks.

When working together, partners are more likely to hold each other accountable. They will work together to accomplish their goal as both would like to receive credit, rather than letting each other down. Also, with the consequences lined out from your expectations, they are more likely to keep each other in check. This helps reduce any possibilities of theft when they know there are another pair of eyes on them. One important factor to consider when placing co-workers together is the friendship level of the two. If the pair is close, they will be more likely to cover up for each other or take chances that unfamiliar duos would not be comfortable doing.

One of the most successful ways for management to reduce the risk of internal theft is to allow for anonymous reporting. When employees can report suspicious activity anonymously, they are more likely to report it. Many employees are afraid to report internal theft out of fear of retaliation from another employee. Additionally, if employees know that anyone can report them, they may be more inclined to not perform illegal activity. The more eyes on each other, the better.

Conclusion

Though there are increased risks when utilizing temporary or seasonal employees, there are solutions. Management that properly screen employees, set clear expectations, implement policies to boost accountability, and respond effectively to cases of internal theft are able to successfully mitigate these risks.