Employers warned against hiring out of desperation

Companies and individual employers in the country have been advised to be extra vigilant on whom they employ as the year begins. Botswana Police Service spokesperson Dipheko Motube told this publication that there are some unscrupulous employees who sell valuable information they get from their workplaces to criminals.

He warned that employers are usually faced with a mammoth task of finding new recruitments and replacements out of desperation when the year begins. “Employing someone should not only involve production of school certificates, medical reports and references. Employers should learn to make a thorough background check of those they have employed for security reasons,” he said.

He urged employers desperately looking for maids to be extra careful and find out where the maids come from to avoid situations where maids disappear with household goods.

“If you are not sure of their place of origin at least find a friend who knows them better,” he said, adding that in the event of a company where security checks are not carried out, “find out from previous employers as to why he or she left that company or job to be on the safe side.’’

Employers must also develop a habit of closely monitoring their workers he said and advised that cash safes should be kept out of bounds. He revealed that Police always receive reports of robberies and burglaries carried by either a company inside worker or a maid in the event of a home robbery or burglary.

“Companies should also make it a point that they deposit their cash after business to avoid unnecessary losses. Those who store huge sums of money at home should also be watchful as their employees including gardeners can sell such information outside the compound hence endangering the lives of the whole family.”

In retail shops and clothing shops, an inside job between a security guard and a company employee can ensue leading to losses in stock, he said. Matters get complicated when it’s a combination of guards and people from outside as the damage becomes unbearable, said Motube.

The police spokesperson admitted that some crime syndicates have also devised plans to infiltrate security companies with the intention of stealing at their posts.