Glossary of Threats

Employee Morale: Anyone who has ever worked for an organization knows there is more to job satisfaction than a paycheck. One employee may want more recognition or interaction with people. Another may be bored with his or her day-to-day tasks. Still another might feel unable to trust management or an immediate supervisor. Even office décor can play a role in employee morale. Unhappy workers lead to staff turnover, which can prove costly and disruptive. Recognizing low morale in the workplace and taking steps to remedy this subtle but costly drain on company productivity is important.

Environmental Hazards: Environmental hazards can creep into your facility without a trace. Indoor air quality, water pollution, chemicals, and asbestos are some of the hazardous conditions and materials that can disrupt business. Common causes of indoor air pollution include smoke, paint, new carpeting, mold/mildew buildup in ventilation systems, and chemical emissions from copy machines. Many environmental hazards result in employee illness, which, in turn, can lead to a decline in productivity or a temporary or permanent facility shutdown.

Espionage: Employees and industry competitors are among those most likely to commit espionage. Eavesdropping and "planted" spies are some of the methods used to gather privileged information. Employees may also spy on employees to extract personal revenge or as a means to try to advance within the organization or industry. Spying can result in proprietary information being "leaked" to outsiders, financial loss, and negative publicity. When espionage is coupled with sabotage, data is often corrupted and equipment damaged.