Signs I Have One or More Employees Stealing From Me

It’s an unfortunate experience, but employee theft does happen.

And, when it comes to small businesses, just one employee stealing funds or goods on a regular basis could mean the difference between being in the black or the red.

Taking unfounded assumptions out of the equation, what are some red flag warning signs that your employees are stealing from your small business?

Unauthorized Access

Employees trying to obtain unauthorized access to financial information and records should serve as a warning sign to your business. This is especially true if the employee has no job related reason to know such information.

Although an employee looking to steal from your business probably won’t come directly to you for authorization to finances, tracking their computer activity as well as asking other employees in the financial department whether or not they’ve been approached is a good way to either put suspicions to rest or act on your instincts.

Placing Blame and Suspicion

If you do come to the realization that an employee is stealing funds, be aware of any behavior where someone on staff is placing unfounded blame or suspicion on others.

This might be an attempt on the guilty employee’s part to divert your attention to others.

Problematic Income Totals

When things just don’t seem to add up in the finance department on a regular basis, this is a clear sign that funds are being diverted in some way.

Thoroughly check and track your small business payroll for any signs of hours worked that don’t equal hours paid.

Likewise, if your small business handles cash, your daily cash totals are of the utmost importance in the event of theft. Whether it’s dwindling petty cash amounts or missing cash receipts, dollar signs that don’t mesh is a clear sign of stolen funds.

Also, collect and trace any misused checks and look for any unauthorized electronic transfers or missing bank statements to see if these inaccuracies lead to one employee in particular.

A little research on your part could go a long way, especially in the case of employee embezzlement.

Listen When the Staff Speaks Out

Always listen to other employees as they may have first-hand accounts on the theft that’s going on.

If multiple employees come to you with concerns of another employee’s suspicious activities, take their concerns to heart.

Again, this may be a form of diversion, but if it’s two or more different accounts concerning one employee in particular, chances are there’s a good reason why that employee is being targeted.

Disappearing Items and Merchandise

Stealing doesn’t always come in the form of monetary funds. Such is the case with items and merchandise that go missing from your small business on a regular basis.

So, keep track of inventory, follow your employees’ movements throughout the day including trips to the stockroom, and, if available, watch all security footage.

When merchandise disappears inexplicably, it usually means it’s an inside job.

Employee theft happens more often than you might think, but as long as you pay attention to the warning signs, your small business can put an end to the theft before it becomes a major financial issue.