Creating a safe and secure office environment is a must. Not only do you need to protect your equipment, such as computers, you also need to make sure employee and client records are safe against identity thieves. If your offices are set inside of a larger office park, you won't have total control over access to the grounds or buildings. The following tips can help you better secure your office.

Tip #1: Skip Janitorial Services

Some office parks offer janitorial services as a perk to tenants, but it usually isn't required to give them full access to your offices. Instead, opt to clean and maintain private offices or file rooms on your own and only accept janitorial services in common areas, such as break rooms or lounges.

Tip #2: Change the Locks

One of the first things you should do is have all the locks that allow access to your offices changed. Keep in mind, you may need to give a new key to the property managers, but by changing the locks previous tenants won't be able to gain access. Opt for heavy duty commercial locks that can't be easily broken. Contact a business, such as the Southern California Security Centers, for more information. 

Tip #3: Consider Coded Locks

One issue you will eventually run into is when an employee leaves the company. For security's sake, you should rekey any locks they had keys for, but this can be time consuming and expensive. Instead, consider using coded locks throughout your offices. Each employee is assigned a unique code, so all you have to do is erase their code from the system when they quit. As an added benefit, you can also set up the codes to restrict access to certain offices on an employee by employee basis. Code systems are better than card systems, since a lost card can give an unauthorized person access.

Tip #4: Add Security Features

Cameras are a must if you are concerned about theft or data loss. Position cameras near possible entrances, including windows, or near sensitive areas, such as where the expensive equipment is kept. It is also a good idea to equip your office with an alarm system. Just make sure it is monitored in some way, since an alarm going off in an empty office park at night may not be noticed for several hours. You can go through a monitoring service or have the system tied into a smart phone app so you can monitor it yourself.

For more security ideas or to begin installing a new lock system, contact a commercial locksmith in your area.