Estimates reveal that between 40 to 50 percent of all business losses can be attributed to employee theft. Employers cannot afford to ignore this large-scale problem and should do everything in their power to create a workplace atmosphere that promotes honesty and encourages and rewards good behavior. This is the conclusion of a new Connecting Research in Security to Practice (CRISP) Report commissioned by the ASIS Foundation.  

The report, “Strategies to Detect and Prevent Workplace Dishonesty” by Read Hayes PhD, provides research-informed, practical strategies to reduce counterproductive workplace behaviors, including thefts and frauds of all types. It describes factors that can lead to these behaviors, describes common employee theft and fraud methods, and analyzes selected prevention techniques, policies and technologies.

“Regardless of their motivation, many employees are more likely to stray from acceptable behavior when the opportunity presents itself,” Read writes. “If an employee perceives little chance of being caught, he or she may be more inclined to steal.”

The report provides employers in all types of businesses with ways to discover counterproductive and criminal employee behaviors and to prevent employees from even thinking of swaying from acceptable workplace norms. When implemented, the numerous strategies documented through research can prevent problems from occurring—and reoccurring.

To download the CRISP Report “Strategies to Detect and Prevent Workplace Dishonesty,” go to http://www.asisonline.org/foundation/dishonesty.pdf. 

About the Author   Read Hayes PhD is director of the Loss Prevention Research Council and co-director of the Loss Prevention Research Team at the University of Florida. The Loss Prevention Research Council is a coalition of more than 45 leading companies that develop and measure asset protection innovation and effects. Hayes began his career as a store detective in retail loss prevention in 1977. His more than 30 years of hands-on crime and loss control experience includes working with organizations such as Target, Home Depot, AutoZone, Macy’s, Coles Meyer, Disney, P&G, Novartis, Office Depot, CVS and Wal-Mart. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a doctorate from the University of Leicester.

About the CRISP Reports   The CRISP—Connecting Research in Security to Practice—Reports are a series of white papers on subjects that impact the security industry. Each of the white papers explores issues of topical and practical concerns to security professionals. Additional CRISP Reports released in 2008 include “Preventing Gun Violence in the Workplace” and “Lost Laptops = Lost Data: Measuring Costs, Managing Threats.”