Security Cameras: Much More than Just Theft Prevention

by Missy Ward

Disclosure: If I'm not making money through affiliate links on the post you're currently reading, it's an oversight on my part and will be corrected soon.

For years, security cameras have been associated with the prevention of burglaries and little else. Especially in a business setting, cameras have been traditionally used to deter criminals or to help identify the perpetrator if a crime has been committed.

But although these are very valuable uses of security cameras, it turns out that businesses can use these devices in numerous additional ways. Here are some of the most beneficial:

Create a Safe Workplace Environment

When people come to work every day, it’s imperative that they feel safe. If an employee is walking to her car in the dark when she stayed to work late, or the person in charge of handling cash in the office has concerns about being targeted, all employees must know that you, the employer, is watching out for them.

This is one of the best reasons to invest in high-quality security cameras. There are numerous options available, some of which are wireless and some of which don’t require technical installation. Whichever option is best for your company, it’s important your employees know that they have security cameras there to protect them and ensure their safety.

Insulate Yourself from Legal Woes

It seems that every other day there is a news story about a workplace lawsuit. In 2016 alone, there were nearly 100,000 cases of workplace discrimination reported to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. And discrimination is just one of the types of lawsuits that an employer can face.

It’s in your best interest as a business owner to protect yourself from unfounded lawsuits by using surveillance systems in your workplace. Although you can’t catch everything on camera, security cameras can record the vast majority of goings-on in your office. If you ever need to substantiate your side of the story in a court of law, you’ll be glad you have the video footage backed up on a cloud service.

Increase Productivity

There’s an ongoing debate about the ethics of monitoring employees at work, but most people would agree that a reasonable amount of monitoring can be extremely useful. In fact, 82 percent of managers surveyed revealed they use some type of electronic monitoring in the workplace. As a business owner, it’s your duty to remind employees that their email usage, work output and general conduct while working are all subject to supervision by you.

When you decide to install security cameras, be upfront with your team and let them know these cameras are being used for their own protection — and yours. Let them know you’ll be periodically reviewing footage to ensure that productivity is at its peak, and that they can expect to be monitored in some way. Keep morale high by also mentioning the cameras will be used for other purposes and that you trust they will continue to perform as well as they always have.

The decision to purchase and install a security system at your office is not one to be taken lightly. But it is a worthwhile investment that can keep your staff safe, spare you legal troubles and help incite employees to be even more productive when on the job. Just knowing that a figurative pair of eyes is always around can really cause a positive shift.

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Missy Ward

Co-Founder & President at Affiliate Summit, Inc.

Missy Ward has been in affiliate marketing since 1999. She is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Affiliate Summit, FeedFront Magazine, GeekCast.fm, Founder of AffiliateMarketersGiveBack.com and manages many of her own affiliate sites.