How to manage security for your office or facility

Physical security for a growing company is not just about preventing theft — it's about protecting your people, your data, and your equipment from a range of risks that scale with your size and visibility.

Access control is the foundation. Know who is in your building at all times. For offices above 20 people, an electronic access control system — biometric or card-based entry — is worthwhile. It costs ₹50,000–2,00,000 to install (depending on coverage and quality) and eliminates the principal weakness of manual security: the ability to tailgate or present unofficial credentials.

Visitor management should be systematic. Every visitor should be logged — name, who they're visiting, time in, time out. Digital visitor management systems (starting at ₹5,000–10,000 per month) also allow you to pre-register visitors and notify the host when they arrive. At minimum, a manual register with ID verification at the reception is a baseline.

CCTV coverage of entry and exit points, parking areas, server rooms, and finance areas is standard practice for any office above 15–20 people. Ensure your CCTV footage is retained for at least 30 days and that the system is monitored, not just recording.

Manage access rights carefully. Not every employee needs access to every part of your office. Your server room, finance area, and HR records should have restricted access. When an employee leaves, revoke their physical and digital access on their last day.

Guard services, if you use them: verify that your security agency is properly licensed under the Private Security Agencies Regulation Act (PSARA), is EPF and ESIC compliant, and has trained its staff appropriately. You're vicariously responsible for the compliance of your contracted security staff in some legal scenarios.