Keep an Eye Out for Employee Theft – Atlanta Georgia

What are some of the first indicators of employee theft?

It all starts when an employee with a need realizes that there is an opportunity to get merchandise, supplies, or money, from the place where he works, and there is little chance that the theft will be uncovered.

Frequently, the employee starts out by “borrowing”, and may even intend to pay back the company for his thefts, but times goes by without his being detected and the amount stolen gets out of hand.  And the amounts taken seem to increase by incident as the thief becomes bolder.

The business owner should look for certain signs in the employee or groups of behaviors that might indicate dishonesty in an employee.

Does the employee live beyond his means?  He may have come into a large inheritance, or he may have bought his new BMW with an unauthorized salary increase?

Has the employee’s behavior changed?  Does the employee seem to be suspicious or defensive?

Is the employee very protective of her duties and reluctant to let anyone else relieve her?  An employee only takes one or two days off at a time, or even delays or forfeits vacation may not be so much dedicated as they are defensive, and wants to avoid another set of eyes scrutinizing her work.

Are there indications that an employee has a problem with alcohol, drugs, or gambling?  These are often expensive habits to feed, sometimes fed by employee theft.

Does the employee get more than her share of personal telephone calls?  Could they be calls from collectors?  Does the employee appear secretive when talking on the phone?  There may be financial issues that are causing excessive pressure for the employee.

Are there customers or vendors who only want to deal with a particular employee?  The employee may be offering excellent service, or they could be giving “friend” discounts or working in collusion with a vendor to steal merchandise.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of employee theft indicators nor do these actions definitely point to theft, but may indicate the need to manage that employee more closely so that there are no surprises to the company.

If you have a suspicion of employee theft, or want more information on the prevention of internal theft, call 770-426-0547 or click here in Atlanta Georgia or anywhere in the U.S.