Some employers have a hard time knowing what they should consider secret. It's hard to control employees' access to information and equipment until you know what you're trying to protect.

Once you've decided that a particular major purchase or project is right for your business, the issue becomes, what's the best way to implement your decision?

In making a legal assessment of your business idea, you need to determine to what extent the operation of your business might expose you to legal liability. Talk to your lawyer and ask him or her about the risks.

Whether you have an established business or you're just starting out, at some point, you will have to address the various questions that relate to the use of cars, trucks, or other vehicles in your business.

One of the most persuasive reasons for having a set of solid work rules is that they can protect your business. Many employers have rules that protect them from liability — both legal and financial — and give them more freedom in managing and disciplining employees. Having certain work rules and policies in place may be the best way to protect your business from problems such as:

The majority of small businesses probably don't need a policy addressing employees' access to and dissemination of confidential information or trade secrets. However, if your business has spent a lot of time and effort developing its customer lists, highly specialized operating procedures, or some revolutionary technology or product and you want to protect your secrets from possible competitors, you may consider some kind of policy to address the matter.

As is often true, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Devising ways to deter fraud in all its forms will go a long way toward mitigating your risks.

Protect your business from employee theft!

No matter what kind of business facility you have, or where it is located, you will need insurance coverage to protect your business from property damage and liability risks.

It's tempting to feel that, if work rules aren't required by law, there's no reason to bother with them. While you may save yourself some time initially by not worrying about work rules, chances are that not having them will cause you some problems in the future, particularly if you have at least a handful of employees.