A recent congressional study found that employee theft increased retail prices by 15 percent. Another study indicated that employee theft was a driving force in 30 percent of business failures. This is serious stuff. Whether you believe this data is fully accurate or not is irrelevant. The point is that employee theft exists, and it is definitely impacting businesses.
Employees steal for many reasons.
They may have an expensive habit to support, such as drugs or gambling. Stealing may be their way of holding a grudge against the company for some real or perceived slight. Regardless of the thought process, employee theft can usually be attributed to need, greed, temptation, or opportunity. Whatever the reason for employee theft, it must be controlled in order for a business to maximize its profitability. The best way to stop it is to stop the thievery before it starts.