In order to protect their client list and trade secrets, many businesses formalize confidentiality and non-compete agreements with employees. Client data protection is also an element of the privacy organization strive to maintain.
But sometimes employees or contractors see those agreements only as valuable as the sheet of paper they are written on and ignore the legally binding agreement. And it’s not only the people you hire, but family who work in the business, too.
has had numerous investigations that revealed family members were involved in clandestine operations – sometimes.
For instance, a small family business owner contacted about suspicions he had at work. He thought he had an employee stealing customers – and that employee was his nephew. Not only was he concerned about the employee stealing clients, he felt materials, tools and supplies were also being stolen by the nephew to do work on the side. He figured the nephew was starting his own business and using his business to get established. He was angry thinking he was grooming his future competition.
He balked at calling it corporate espionage – he felt stabbed in the back. investigators set up a plan for physical covert surveillance and video surveillance. Timetables were synced and a network of investigators tracked the work vehicles using the vehicle GPS system.
Because the workers were supplied with company-issued cell phones, we were also able to use cell phone monitoring and cell tower triangulation to collect cellular location evidence.
In the end, with the forensic cellular evidence, the physical and electronic surveillance and face-to-face interviews, our investigators were able to place the nephew in jobs working after hours. He was guilty of that – but there was a reason.
The nephew had told his uncle that he had completed some jobs when he hadn’t. He had fallen behind in his work schedule. And rather than admit that, he went to the workplace, gathered the tools and supplies he needed and did the work on his own time in the evenings.
It was not a case of an employee stealing customers, but rather trying to make right on his word. The uncle was relieved, but now felt guilty for doubting the nephew.
can’t help him feel less guilty, but now he has the facts and the truth, which was exactly what was needed.
-Brenda McGinley, CEO, All in Investigations, All in Investigations
