Should You Lock Away Your Laptop at Work?

Corporate theft is a serious issue, and one that should never be taken lightly. Research has shown that theft costs the Australian retail sector over $7.5 billion a year, while employee theft costs a further $1.5 billion annually.

Whether you’re a retail business, an office or an altogether different type of business, you should take adequate precautions against theft; particularly if you have a laptop. In this post, we’ll look at why you should lock your laptop away at work, some possible solutions for this, and some wider security considerations for your business.

Why You Should Lock Your Laptop Away

Much like they are in home burglaries, laptops and other forms of technology are prime targets for thieves.

If your laptop is stolen, then as well as the financial cost of replacing the laptop, you’ll also need to consider what you’ve lost. It’s likely that your laptop contains a lot of information your business needs, such as forecasts, data and contracts. Without these, your business may struggle to operate.

Additionally, your laptop may also store sensitive information, such as client details and payment methods. If a thief got their hands on all this data, then they could cause some serious reputational and financial damage to your business.

Due to this, as well as locking your laptop when you’re not using it and creating a secure password, you should consider locking your laptop away when you leave the office.

This will help protect any confidential documents, client information, employee data and financial statements. All of these documents should also be backed up to an internet storage system as well, in case your laptop breaks or you require remote access.

Solutions for Locking Your Laptop Away

If you’d still prefer to keep your laptop on your desk because you know you’ll be returning soon, then you can secure it using a lock cable. A strong, keyed cable will keep your laptop safely attached to your desk while you’re away. These are ideal if you’re only going into a meeting or nipping out on lunch.

If you’re going to be away from your desk for a sustained period of time, such as an afternoon out of the office or overnight, then you should make sure your laptop isn’t in sight. If you have a filing cabinet in your office, then you can place your laptop in there. Alternatively, get some locking drawers for under your desk. You could also place your phone, tablet and any sensitive documents in there, too.

Broader Security Considerations

As well as reacting to potential threats such as laptop theft, you should be proactive in keeping potential intruders at bay by employing a secure and smart business security solution.

A security system can not only protect your business from theft, but can also provide you with a number of business insights, such as opening and closing trends, peak periods of activity and unexpected entries after hours. It can also show you a historic timestamp of which of your staff members have disarmed the system and when, should you require it.

Plus, by installing CCTV or security cameras, you’ll be able to watch over your laptop and your company in high definition. You can even control multiple cameras remotely to help prevent theft from customers, as well as staff theft. Our small business security guide can provide you with further information on how you can protect your business. In summary, laptop theft can have both a reputational and financial impact on your business. As a result, you should always lock it away when you’re away from your desk. However, in addition to this, you should be proactive about your business’s security, employing a security system to help with this. If you’re interested in a solution for your business, or would like a quote, please call us on 1300 773 633.