A more positive approach may be to institute a profit-sharing plan which fosters loyalty, encourages personnel to monitor one another, and brings each employeeOs interests closer in line with those of the company. The most troubling cases of employee theft occur when workers are in desperate financial straits. Common problems, such as heavy medical expenses, can temporarily put people into situations where stealing seems necessary for survival. Let employees know in advance that they can come to management for assistance rather than resorting to theft. Although no company is a charitable organization, consider helping distressed staff members find financial counseling.
Some businesses even go so far as to provide short-term loans for reliable personnel.
Intimately linked with financial problems and theft is employee substance abuse. If your firm does not already have a procedure for screening workers for drugs or alcohol, it may benefit from one. Even if the company doesnOt actually test, the mere threat has an effect and may weed out some people who might otherwise steal to support their drug or alcohol habit. A program that assists with counseling for personnel who admit to problems could help ameliorate the stranglehold these substances put on employeesO lives, including their finances. When formulating policies for theft and graft, some difficult decisions are involved.