How do I choose a business surveillance system?

Workplace crime is one of the prime reasons efficiency at a workplace ceases to reach its peak. If a business decides to reduce unnecessary losses to increase profits, trying to curb workplace crime is the best way. Businesses lose $50 billion all across the globe annually to workplace crimes. Out of this, 68% of the companies are small or mid-range in size. A business suffers because of crime due to many reasons other than direct financial ones. Workplace trust drops, and it can become fearful for employees to work under such conditions. 

A good solution for eradicating crime in the workplace is to have a robust surveillance system that covers the premises thoroughly. This would allow you to keep a vital observation of any suspicious person or activity in the workplace. Having the confidence that the building is thoroughly monitored will give the employees a sense of confidence, which would in turn reflect in the business’s health.

What are Your Surveillance needs?

The surveillance system a business needs can vary significantly based on the type of business and the building in which it operates. So for your business, you need to identify the high priority areas and the areas that can be a threat. Surveillance of the entry and exit points can be very crucial in terms of workplace crime. You need some goals that your surveillance system needs to achieve and then decide which area needs the most surveillance to achieve them. 

Having cameras installed in each room or pathway of a building won’t just be redundant but can have adverse effects. Employees may feel like it’s a breach of their privacy, and workplace morale may drop on excessive monitoring. 

An efficient surveillance system depends significantly on how well you understand the surveillance area of your building. Sometimes even a single camera in a hallway may be enough to monitor every movement inside the building to curb workplace crime. At the same time, in other cases, you may need around 30-40 cameras to monitor both internal and external areas. In any case, you do need the help of a trained professional to assess your surveillance needs, so you decide on the best camera system for your business.

Hidden and In-View Cameras

In-view security cameras are very often, and there are many reasons for them to be. Visible security cameras can be installed in a way that gives you a much better angle to view a place compared to a hidden one. Another psychological effect that a visible security camera can have on crime in the business premises is to deter it. Criminals usually commit their offense when they are sure that there will be no proof of them doing the act. Having a security camera that is clearly visible to them would protect you from both burglaries and internal theft in the workplace.

Hidden cameras, on the other hand, are beneficial if a criminal is confident that they sabotaged the surveillance system by breaking a visible camera. In that case, a hidden camera can provide a lot of insight into the culprit. It may provide information that is crucial to get justice. They can be used to address legitimate concerns in the workplace as well.

Both types of cameras have their merits. But using one kind of camera instead of the other is not really a choice you can make. The best way for a business to make use of these cameras is to use them together. A combination of both types of cameras will ensure a much greater level of security for your business.

Effects of Lighting 

Video surveillance has become extremely common in the modern-day. One of the greatest limitations these systems face is lighting. Lighting is a critical aspect of the quality of video surveillance. It can be the reason for the gain or loss of vital information. Over the years, even though the camera systems have advanced greatly, the need for lighting has remained almost the same for an effective surveillance system. 

The light fixture cannot be installed in the direct view of the camera either. A light that shines directly in the camera can cause the camera to lose focus or flood a critical area with excessive light, making the surveillance indecipherable. Just as it is done for pedestrians and visitors, lighting should be out of the view of a camera. Also, you need to ensure that the lights are in the perfect position for maintenance but out of range for someone with malicious intent.

Indoor Surveillance vs Outdoor Surveillance

While the function and features of indoor and outdoor surveillance systems are identical. There are a few distinctions that one needs to understand when looking to invest in such a system. 

The most significant difference between them is the conditions that both of them will face. Outdoor cameras need to be built considering that they will be dealing with extreme weather and harsher conditions than indoor security cameras. Also, outdoor surveillance systems are more likely to be tampered with than indoor ones. Therefore, the outdoor surveillance cameras are made to be more durable, using rigid materials for their housing that is not easy to compromise and can face harsh weather. Outdoor surveillance has to face many lighting conditions; therefore, it is common to find features like heat and night vision in outdoor cameras. The rugged build makes outdoor cameras more noticeable and more deterrent to crime.

Indoor Surveillance cameras can be smaller and less durable than outdoor cameras as they are usually safe inside the business premises. Sudden transitions in light and low light conditions can be better controlled indoors than outdoor surveillance. Therefore indoor cameras can be more high quality in their feed but don’t need heat or night vision in their features.

There are various cameras in the market, and dome-shaped cameras with a 360 degree feed are becoming increasingly popular for indoor and outdoor uses, as they have fewer blind spots. In the end, you always need a professional to help you decide the best surveillance system to protect your business.