How to Be More Security Conscious In the Workplace (17 Components of Workplace Security)


One of the most critical aspects someone takes into consideration before joining a new organization is security. Every firm is responsible for providing a safe and secure workplace for its workers.

So, how do you become more security conscious in the workplace?  The workplace is fast becoming a riskier environment. Companies can create and implement a security awareness plan as workplace security is said to be a shared responsibility. It should also prioritize investment in a security system to secure its people and assets just like it would profit making.

It is therefore essential to put in place proper security equipment like CCTV and other security systems. This is to monitor who enters and who leaves.  Biometric scans and related devices will ensure only company staff can access or leave the building. In addition to this, frequent security checks can be conducted from time to time to check for loopholes in the security system and structure put in place by the company.

17 Components of Workplace Security

  • 1. Facility Maintenance
  • 2. Server Space Security
  • 3. Emergency Exits
  • 4. Unauthorized Access
  • 5. Work Hour Policy for Employees
  • 6. Workplace Security Tips
  • 7. Workplace Security issues
  • 8. Security breaches at Workplace
  • 9. Security Significance
  • 10. Access Control Policy
  • 11. Information Security
  • 12. Security Awareness at the Workplace
  • 13. IS-906 Workplace Security Awareness
  • 14. Security Audit Checklist
  • 15. Workplace Surveillance
  • 16. Security policy at the Workplace
  • 17. Security Guideline at Work

1. Facility Maintenance: A checklist for maintaining your company facility is vital in progressively ensuring the safety of your building via periodic planning, maintenance activities, and checkups.

2. Server Space Security: Server Room is a space where your computer servers are stored. This is the very heart of your Information Technology.

3.  Emergency Exits: These are very popular in a movie theatre, airplanes, so why not in your workplace. The company should establish emergency exit points to facilitate corporate security.

4. Unauthorized Access: An all-encompassing physical security combines the protection of equipment, corporate facilities, IT infrastructure, people and other assets.

5. Work Hour Policy for Employees: benefits, vacation entitlement, salary, communication, training programs, employee perks, diverse activities, culture, and practices affect worker’s motivation, productivity level, and general corporate atmosphere. Most job seeker will consider working hours for selecting an employer.

6. Workplace Security Tips: Security at the Workplace is a holistic mechanism to protect the people, digital information and physical data from both the internal and external occurrencesOpens in a new tab..

7. Workplace Security issues: Three significant problems related to security in the workplace- employees’ safety, assets security and information, and data protection.  A robust security mechanism is required to address these issues to prevent any unexpected and unwanted events which could be in the form of robbery, theft, physical damages, and system hacking.

8. Security breaches at Workplace: One third of companies that survive breachesOpens in a new tab. to company security lost close to 20% of their clients, income and business opportunities. A single security breach is valued at $3.62 million. It is very crucial to avoid breaches from creating losses to your establishment.

9. Security Significance; A recent study by OSHA indicated that 18% of violent acts happen in the work environment, and these combine assault, robbery, theft and other forms of criminal acts. Loss recovery, compensation payment and different types of losses as a result of interruption are significant to workplace security.

10. Access Control Policy: This is a major if not the most important aspects of overall access control policy of any firm or an organization. This policy is a standard method to manage logical and physical workplace security.

11. Information Security: In this digital age, cyber attacks are more than theft and burglaries. Instances of data leakage are more alarming every passing day, and this should make every business proprietor prioritize information security just like they would prioritize profit making.

12. Security Awareness at the Workplace: Being aware of the hazards to corporate safety is vital, and it could save your company a lot of trouble.

Completing a security orientation program at the workplace is recommended to avoid threats to corporate safety.

13. IS-906 Workplace Security Awareness: This is a workplace security awarenessOpens in a new tab. course created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA). FEMA trains emergency response workers as an integral of its preparedness initiatives.

IS-906 course establishes that keeping the company safe is a shared responsibility.

14. Security Audit Checklist: A work environment usually houses a lot of employees, vital business information, valuable assets, money, financial data, and other valuables. An improved security system to protect those valuables and resources is essential in this modern corporate ecosystems.

The audit should be carried out in alignment with the security audit checklistOpens in a new tab. of the organization.

15. Workplace Surveillance: This is a broad aspect that seeks to monitor the data transfer, physical movement, and operations, business secret theft or various malicious activities.

The components include telephone tapping, video surveillance, and transportation of data through software tools.

16. Security policy at the Workplace: Implementing defined policies and procedures will create a structure and framework for your company.

Well documented procedures permit workers to learn behaviors in different situations( not excluding emergencies), identify their responsibilities and limits. Policies create awareness of the values and rules of the company, and also serves as a guideline on corporate strategies. It tells what is accepted and what is not.

17. Security Guidelines at Work: Security guidelines at work are very pivotal to corporate growth. They are the backbone of organizational security policies, and it is a bank where wisdom is cashed out from when it is time to implement some decisions relating to security.

What then is Workplace Security?

It is only the process to ensure employee protection from work-related hazards and to prevent intruders from accessing the workplace.  Every organization is expected to have a safety plan for the workplace which could also be referred to as Safety, Health, and Environmental Policy Statement.

Why is Security Plan Important for organizations?

Aside from employees’ safety, it is also crucial to protect data, network, software, assets, and equipment. Research has shown that 2.8billion of client information records have been hacked into as of 2017.

Security plan guarantees the following:

  • 1. A productive workplace has a secured plan
  • 2. Lower employee turnout rate if the workplace is not secure
  • 3. Increased in Workplace Standards
  • 4. Employee happiness is enhanced
  • 5. Reduction in Insurance Claims
  • 6. Protection of the Most Valuable Corporate Asset
  • 7. Better opportunity for client retention

1. A productive workplace has a secured plan.

As emphasized earlier on, it is crucial for every company to have a security plan in place. Everyone has a feeling of security that the building he/she is working in will not collapse all of a sudden. It is also vital to possess a secure network that cannot be hacked into easily. The system should strictly be used for office purpose and not shared with visitors.

2. Lower employee turnout rate if the workplace is not secure.

Workers will be insecure if the location of the office is prone to risk. If the building also lacks a security system, they will slowly resign from the company. Absentees will double. To prevent dropouts and absenteeism, implementing security in the work environment is not debatable.

3. Increased in Workplace Standards.

Company premises will possess a higher standard when an adequate security plan is implemented. A neat and clean work environment will also be maintained.

4. Employee happiness is enhanced.

A healthy work environment is built on the security of corporate and employees’ critical data. Communications are boosted, and everyone will contribute inputs in creating a happier work environment.

5. Reduction in Insurance Claims

Insurances are also crucial just like workplace security. Companies should implement precautionary steps to secure their essential data and workers. Frequent security appraisals should be carried out to know if the procedure is foolproof or not. Changes must be incorporated time after time as hackers can find their way into an old system easily. Doing this will reduce insurance claims by the workers.

6. Protection of the Most Valuable Corporate Asset- Employees.

The workers are the backbone of an organization. Ensuring the protection of their details and the work environment means keeping everyone secure.

7. Better opportunity for client retention

Securing essential company data and that of the employees will facilitate a healthier work environment. Communications will also be enhanced among personnel, and everyone will contribute to building a happier work environment.

Business disruption and costs will be reduced when there is a safety plan. A healthy security plan will ensure an organization does not lose its revenue due to a cyber attack or burglary. Relevant projects and productive employees will be retained too. This goes a long way to reduce business costs.

Workplace Security Tips

One way to implement a robust security framework in the work environment is to possess an access control facility. This control system operates on software is vital for monitoring and managing who access the entryways, printers, etc.

Entryway: The security check begins at the gate if it is included in the access control system. It should be combined with a surveillance device such as CCTV that can be verified by staff when a visitor wants to enter. Specialized locks can be adapted to open and close the gates.

Outside entryways: After the first passage (entryways) comes the security of the outdoor entryways. The representatives can utilize their ID cards to open the entryways or use biometric checks while the guests are coordinated to a specific passageway. A guest’s card ought to be given to them for the time they are in the place of business.

Bookkeeping regions: There ought to be constrained access to the HR and bookkeeping regions. The worker or the guest ought to need to take authorization to get the freedom to these two offices.

Information storerooms and warehouse regions: Network security ought to be another need of the organization. Access to server rooms or information stronghold should, therefore, be constrained. The equivalent goes for warehouse regions.

Electrified lock: The three kinds of an electrified lock (electric strike, electromagnetic lock, and jolted equipment) can be used.

Biometrics: The biometrics has turned into a typical piece of the security framework utilized in the places of business. Unique finger impression, retina and hand geometry are a portion of the regular varieties of the biometrics.

An organization should in this way utilize a robust security framework and the representatives ought to likewise co-work to guarantee their wellbeing and the wellbeing of primary data.

Related QuestionsOpens in a new tab.

1. How can you be safe in the workplace?

IS-906 course establishes that keeping the company safe is a shared responsibility. The company should create security awareness programs for employees.

2. How do you maintain a high level of security for staff and customers?

Proper security equipment like CCTV and other security systemsOpens in a new tab. can be used to monitor who enters and who leaves the vicinity of the work environment

Read Also: 50 Workplace Security Questions and Answers (Everyone is Asking)Opens in a new tab.

Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

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