12 risks of Xmas | no. 1

The festive season is upon us, and it's everything we've been waiting for: it feels like it’s time to relax and de-stress a notch. And though it's perfectly natural to unwind, businesses should be more vigilant than ever. After all, this is not just the happiest season of all - it is also the riskiest, particularly, for a small business.

We have identified and analysed the 12 most likely festive failures businesses should try and avoid every Christmas season. Make sure to come back daily to read about every risk and the quick tips on how to stay on the safe side.

“Far from putting a damper on festive celebrations, we’ve created this list to put business owners’ minds at ease. Breakages, injuries and theft are unfortunately par for the course as businesses let their hair down for Christmas. So, to avoid being caught off guard, this time of year is an ideal point to check if a business is adequately covered, so that everyone can enjoy themselves without worry.” - says Ben Rose, Chief Underwriting Officer at Superscript.

On the 1st day of Christmas... your office was burgled

This season is dismally marked by the rise of office burglaries. Security is often understaffed during office festivities, and the safety of office contents is the last thing on employees' minds. Regretfully, thieves are well aware of that and take every opportunity they get to use it to their advantage. During the holiday period, external office visitors multiply in numbers, which considerably increases the probability of something going missing.

What's at risk?

A wide range of property falls at risk, including everything from petty cash and equipment to laptops, PCs, and, consequently, confidential data. As a result, not only may a business suffer a substantial loss due to stolen equipment, but everything stored on those devices becomes easily attainable, too. Cyber crime targeting sensitive company information is growing in numbers, creating a possible damage far larger than one from stolen equipment.

How to avoid it?

This time should not differ from any other time of the year. The majority of theft cases could be avoided if all the valuable things were safely stored away. The truth is, with your team letting it go a little, caution goes out of the window as well, and that's where the criminal activity comes in. Ensuring everyone in the team locks away their valuables, company equipment and confidential documents is the first step, as well as staying observant of strangers visiting your workplace. And if all else fails - make sure the right contents insurance is in place for your business.

Read about the 2nd risk of Christmas.