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Rotate staff and contractors

Type of countermeasure

This is a prevention countermeasure. Prevention countermeasures are the most common and cost effective way to stop fraud. They prevent or limit the size of the fraud risk by reducing the likelihood and consequences of fraud.

decorative  prevention countermeasures

Summary

Rotate staff and contractors in and out of roles to avoid familiarity. Staff and contractors can become too familiar with processes, customers or vendors, which can lead to insider threats.

Why this countermeasure matters

Leaving staff and contractors in positions for too long can lead to:

  • less visibility of fraud and corruption risks
  • staff or contractors taking advantage of positions of trust to act corruptly, commit fraud and avoid exposure
  • staff and contractors getting familiar with processes and learning how to exploit weaknesses
  • fraud or corruption going undetected for a long period of time
  • staff being targeted and coerced to process fraudulent claims or invoices for another person or entity such as pressured to pay a fraudulent invoice.

How to put this countermeasure in place

Some ways to implement this countermeasure include:

  • regularly rotating staff in high risk positions
  • rotating contract managers so they do not develop a conflict of interest with vendors.

How to measure this countermeasure's effectiveness

Measure the effectiveness of this countermeasure by using the following methods:

  • Confirm the existence of a rotation or mobility policy or best practice guidelines.
  • Confirm that the occupation of high-risk roles is reviewed regularly.
  • Review procedures or guidance to make sure it clearly specifies requirements for rotation and contractor engagement.
  • Review statistics or reports on staff and contractor positions and durations.

Related countermeasures

Establish governance, accountability and oversight of processes by using delegations and requiring committees and project boards to oversee critical decisions and risk. Good governance, accountability and oversight increases transparency and reduces the opportunity for fraud.

Develop clear instructions and guidance for activities and processes, such as instructions for collecting the right information to verify eligibility or entitlements, procedures to help staff apply consistent and correct processes and guidance to help staff make correct and ethical decisions.

Provide help and support to customers, staff and third parties to help them follow correct processes and encourage them to comply with rules and processes and meet expectations.

Related Fraudster Personas

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