Cash floats and preventing staff theft

[kc1]

Hi

A bit of a boring one, but we have recently had a spate of cash going missing from tills at different sites. We have cameras on the shopfloor but not in the kitchen where the drawers are counted. At the moment we allow staff to count their own drawers - is this foolish? We also let the floats change from day to day, but this doesn't seem like a great system. At one of our sites we only have 2 tills, so how can we ensure that only one member of staff is working on each till during a shift? Do we just need to be more disciplined? How do you guys run your till and safe floats and shift changes and prevent cash from going missing? :?

 

[topher]

You need to write people up then terminate or you will be taken to the cleaners...one person per till and if it gets out of hand managers should count down the tills. Good luck! :wink:

 

[Kiwi Coffee]

You need to make your staff believe that the chances of getting caught stealing are high. I would do the following:

1. Get the registers counted in front of a camera. I'd suggest it be done out front where the cameras are; if you are still open for business when people are cashing up, then I'd install a camera out the back and make it policy that the registers must be cleared and counted in front of the camera. Any failures to do so by staff result in written warnings and ultimate dismissal.

2. If possible, get only 1 person using the 1 register. Again, if you do that, failures to comply by staff meet the same reaction from you as in (1).

3. Get yourself, or someone else trustworthy, to conduct surprise register counts. This demonstates to staff an elevated risk of being caught.

4. When doing these surprise counts, look for notes that might have been stuck under or beside the register, waiting to be transfered to a bag or pocket at a later time.

5. Make sure that whenever a shortage is found in the register at cash up, that a big noise is made about it. Telephone calls to management/head office. Full search made around the register area, the floor etc. Ask that staff give permission to have their bags, lockers etc searched etc. You need to demonstrate that it is a big deal and the company will not simply let a thief get away with it. don't just shrug your shoulders and say "it's happened again".

6. It is probably possible to narrow down your suspects by comparing roster times to cash shortages. While it might not highlight who the offender is, it may remove others from suspicion.

Good luck, I hate thieves.

 

[kc1]

We found out who the thief was and I'm using my spare locker key to swipe fivers from his wallet to make up the difference. So far I'm ahead to the tune of £20.

:wink:

 

[cafemakers]

2. If possible, get only 1 person using the 1 register. Again, if you do that, failures to comply by staff meet the same reaction from you as in (1).

The steps above are all good ideas; I will go further to recommend that it is not unreasonable to make your cashiers responsible for any shortages. The personal liability tends to give employees more "ownership" of the accounting accuracy -- not only deterring their own theft, but also keeping them vigilantly aware of others. This works well in banks.

The threat of not entering transactions in the register (to pocket money) can be further deterred by instituting a policy that requires each customer receive a receipt; perhaps in addition to real or false surveillance equipment.