Your business is important to you, and you want to see it grow more and more. Well-functioning office operations are crucial to business success. While you may not be able to monitor every area of your office facility, you can harness the power of modern technology to track everything that happens in your business. For this reason, this article will explain the best office security camera placement.
Why do we need a security camera for the office?
Many businesses in the UK are installing CCTV cameras (closed-circuit television) on their grounds. This allows business owners to stay on top of what’s going on, especially when they’re not in the office. With office fraud and employee theft on the rise, it may be a good idea to make security cameras part of your corporate security systems. You may want to know about home security benefits as well.
Here are the various reasons why more and more business owners in Manchester are opting for these systems:
- Increase security in the office
- Prevention of employee theft, internal crimes, and violence
- Improved performance and productivity of employees
- Employee dispute resolution
- Monitor visitors
- Safeguard business interests in a technological way
If you want to know how to find the best CCTV for your office, you can check the article below.
How to Choose the Best CCTV Surveillance Cameras for Your Small Business
Where is the best office security camera placement?
To get the maximum results from your camera, you should have them installed in certain strategic locations and find the best office security camera placement:
- Entrances or exits
It is said that trouble never comes knocking on your door; it just walks in without permission. Well, you could also apply this to your company. Installing a security camera for the office right at the entrance or exit door will allow you to keep track of who enters and leaves your premises and whether their entry is authorised or if they have entered illegally.
Other than that, this is also your best option for capturing and viewing images of people’s faces, which works very effectively to identify them in case they cause trouble. However, you will need to keep certain things in mind when installing the cameras.
During the day, there may be a change in light each time the door is opened, and this could result in dim images of the person in front of the camera. In such cases, it makes sense to install your camera so that it faces in and away from outside light rather than pointing at the door.
Another idea for finding the best office security camera placement that works as an excellent preventive element is to have monitors installed near the entrance. This will make your visitor aware of the fact that he is under observation from the moment he sets foot in your office.
The reception is a location where many people pass by, and therefore it is important to cover it with a security camera for the office. It’s the first area your employees and strangers enter when they enter the office, and if you don’t want to be too brash about having a camera in that area, you could consider a covert camera that can blend in with the office decor.
Some examples of such locations include hidden cameras in clocks, picture frames, doorknobs, figurines, smoke detectors, sprinkler heads, and more.
2. Workspace
This refers to the actual office area, where all the action takes place. If you want to find the best office security camera placement to keep an eye on your employees and their work habits, it makes sense to place security cameras in these areas to make it easier for you to monitor employee activities and behaviours.
Whether it’s cases of people not working, workplace bullying, or some form of harassment and misbehaviour, you can get all the material you need to investigate such matters and bring closure to them. Also, you may wonder whether CCTV audio recording can enhance the security of the workplace even more. The answer is yes, as there are some brands of security cameras to meet this purpose.
3. Delicate documents and office use
Every office has secrets. You may want to think about putting cameras in the areas where you keep your confidential documents in physical or digital form. This will be of great help in monitoring restricted areas and seeing who is accessing sensitive files and records without authorisation.
In addition, to find the best office security camera placement, you may want to consider having cameras installed around stationery, office supplies, and equipment rooms. This will allow you to keep an eye on employees who may be stealing or using office supplies for personal use.
4. Customer interaction points
These are very sensitive points where a security camera for the office is a must, especially if you are in a business that involves multiple monetary transactions with your customers (such as a bank). This includes areas where you have your cash registers, tellers, and other transaction points.
However, don’t install the cameras too high. You want to capture people’s faces and not the tops of their heads.
5. Warehouses
Your warehouse is where you keep inventory that amounts to a lot of money and can therefore become a prime target for theft and other similar crimes; it’s up to you to protect it. That is why warehouses can be another best office security camera placement. You can do this by installing security cameras in multiple locations inside and outside your warehouse.
You should also make sure your warehouse is well-lit at all times for clear recordings and images. The presence of such cameras will act as a deterrent, and even if a theft or fraud occurs, it would be easy to identify the culprits.
6. Loading and unloading locations
This is also an obvious target for break-ins in the UK. Therefore, you must have security cameras installed near this location to monitor deliveries and inventory leaving your business. Not only will this prevent theft, but it will also protect your business from incurring losses resulting from bogus workers’ compensation claims.
It is also crucial that you keep these places well-lit with reflectors to capture clear images and consider this as the best office security camera placement.
7. Secluded areas
Parking lots, alleys, and dumpsters are considered another best office security camera placement. These areas are known for instances of violence and vandalism in the UK.
Don’t underestimate the potential of the dumpster to aid a robbery; employees have been found to steal by throwing various items in the trash and retrieving them later in the day.
It is advisable to install projectors and security cameras for offices in these places, as criminals may be forced to think twice before committing a criminal act, and even if they do, catching them with legal authorities would not be too difficult.
To ensure the safety of your workplace, you may need to investigate the best outdoor wireless CCTV camera system as well.
Where not to put security cameras?
After mentioning the best office security camera placement, there are some private and personal places in the office or any workplace that are meant to be private and not to be observed for any surveillance security reasons, as putting security cameras in some of these places can be illegal, leading to severe legal consequences.
1. Personal spaces of workers
Monitoring the places that are designed for the welfare of workers to rest and recharge their batteries is acting against their human rights when they want to have peace of mind and not be monitored or spied. Thus, employers should pay attention to the fact that the privacy of their employees should be respected and not violated for any kind of security surveillance purposes. Moreover, installing security cameras in these personal places may not only affect worker’s well-being, making them feel uncomfortable, but it is also an unethical action to have an eye on their private spot. So, never consider these private areas of personnel’s break-time for observation and opt for other areas as the best office security camera placement.
2. Office bathrooms
Bathrooms are among the most private and intimate places that should never be under observation for any security reasons. Installation of security cameras in bathrooms is not only unethical but also illegal and will lead to severe legal repercussions. Even though the intention behind installing security cameras in such places is safety and security, there are still more appropriate ways to ensure security and not compromise privacy. Alternatively, you can opt for alternative security measures to install sensors or alarms for motion detection outside the bathroom door to increase the safety of the office. Thus, it is needed to consider sensitive places like bathrooms off-limits to protect trust and uphold ethical standards.
3. Locker rooms
A locker room is a place where individuals expect privacy to change their clothes with peace of mind, so installing security cameras in locker rooms is an obvious invasion of privacy and personal boundaries and never is considered as the best office security camera placement. It is crucial to respect workers’ human right to privacy and not compromise their comfort for any security reasons. Avoiding the installation of CCTV cameras in intimate places like locker rooms is essential, as otherwise it will lead to severe legal consequences and violate ethical standards.
Furthermore, this installation may pose a threat to the exposure of individuals’ private live feeds, as hackers may find unauthorised access to the security cameras in these intimate settings and compromise the privacy of unsuspected individuals. Therefore, companies should perform other security measures to maintain private boundaries and not put individuals at risk of losing their dignity by security breaches and hacking.
4. Law offices
Law offices are among the sensitive places for security camera placement, as the official consultation needs to remain private and not be recorded by security cameras. Surveillance in law offices has the potential to violate the client’s secret information and consultation. Placing security cameras in law offices where legal consultations are taking place can lead to legal and unethical consequences. Thus, law organisations must safeguard the privacy and legal rights of their clients to maintain their trust and adhere to their personal and legal boundaries.
Conclusion
Knowing that your business is well-protected and secure by searching for the best office security camera placement should give you immense peace of mind. Many business owners dismiss the usefulness of installing security cameras only to be woken up by a huge crash. Don’t become a victim; be a deterrent. Moreover, it is vital to adhere to your workers’ and clients’ privacy rights by not installing security places in sensitive and intimate areas, such as the personal spaces of workers, bathrooms, locker rooms, and law offices. By acknowledging these personal boundaries employers can maintain trust in their offices.
