A Retailer Reacts to Employee Theft – Atlanta Georgia

What goes through an employer’s mind when he realizes that he is a victim of employee theft?  Anger?  Betrayal?  Revenge?  Helplessness?  Disappointment?

Certainly most of emotions are legitimate.  An employer takes a person into his company, gives him an opportunity to learn, work, and succeed, pays him a salary to do it, puts him in a position with some degree of trust and yet the employee still injures the company and the employer by taking merchandise, property, or money that doesn’t belong to him.

After an employee theft investigation has determined that an employee was indeed guilty of theft the employer may consider if he himself had anything to do with the failure.

In many cases, the answer is yes, because for internal theft to occur, the thief must have opportunity and motive to steal.

An employer should convey to each employee from the day he is hired, that it is not all right to steal.  Not from the company, not from a customer, and not from another employee.  Most people know this already, but it never hurts to lay a groundwork that is clearly understood, and that is that the company culture does not tolerate theft or those that tolerate it.

Adequate supervision is a must.  An employee who knows that his work is subject to review is less likely to commit an internal theft episode.  This goes for every employee from the porter who takes out the trash (Do you ever check the outside trash area for stolen property?) to the bookkeeper (Avoid giving too much responsibility to one individual), and everyone in between.  Supervisors and managers are not immune to committing employee theft; as a matter of fact, they can cause more damage for a longer period of time than a “regular employee” because of their positions of trust and responsibilities.

Assign job responsibilities so that a system of checks and balances exists, lessening the odds that an employee can engage in internal theft undetected.

Don’t exempt any employee from these rules.  In most employee theft investigations, the thief almost always was “one of my most trusted employees”, according to the owner.

Do you need an employee theft investigation or just want to know how to avoid employee theft and not become a victim?  Call 770-426-0547 in Atlanta Georgia or click here for more information.