Dealing with staff theft

I just thought I'd write a quick post on a situation I recently had to deal with regarding the investigation of theft within the workplace of a client.

Theft is a problem that many employers don't really want to talk about. They know it is happening to some degree but, unless it becomes glaringly obvious, many seem to prefer turning a blind eye rather than taking action against someone who they otherwise have a good working relationship with.

Some types of business are more prone to theft than others. The hospitality industry is probably one of the worst-afflicted, if not for the actual theft of money (and the hospitality industry tends to be a cash-rich environment) then the giveaway of product to friends and acquaintances. Retailers also have their 'shrinkage' rates, yet evidence suggests that more stock is lost internally than through shoplifters.

Which brings us to the question of what exactly entails 'theft'? Money, stock, product, time, bandwidth... all can be considered prone to theft depending on how wide you choose to cast your definition.

There is a bit of a rule of thumb that states that out of 10 employees, 3 will not steal, 1 will be definitely stealing, and 6 will only steal if they see others doing so and getting away with it.

The best way to deal with this problem is proactively, by having firm procedures in place and all employees knowing what is acceptable and what is not in terms of giving away items/products or even the personal use of the internet. And a clear policy as to what happens to those caught breaking the trust of their employers. However, because that may seem too difficult, or because sometimes there may be some expense to the employer, this doesn't happen and instead it becomes a much more expensive problem to resolve at a later date.

Now at this stage I have some specific advice I wish to give but, as it directly impinges upon the case I am currently dealing with, I think I had better not. Instead, I will say that you should not be making it easy for your staff to steal from you. Periodically review your CCTV footage if you have it, conduct stocktakes and audits. If you have suspicions, call someone and conduct a discreet investigation.

Once you have identified your thief, even before you consider your options against them, you need to carefully navigate the correct dismissal procedures otherwise you may find yourself at the end of a personal grievance claim or unjust dismissal.

If anyone has some specific questions, feel free to PM me.