The holidays often bring changes to a business’s normal routine. Employees take time off, operating hours shift, deliveries may arrive outside regular business hours, and some facilities close entirely for several days.
For business owners and facility managers, these changes are worth considering from a security standpoint. Even if your building is only closed for a long weekend, it’s important to know that your security systems and procedures are ready for the change.
Before your team heads out for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, use this holiday business security checklist to make sure your property is prepared.
1. Review Who Has Access to Your Building
If your business uses an access control system, take a few minutes to review who currently has permission to enter the building.
Consider whether any employees, cleaning crews, contractors, or vendors will need access while your business is closed. You may also have temporary employees or former staff members whose access permissions haven’t been updated recently.
Before closing, we recommend:
- Confirming which employees and vendors need access during the holiday period.
- Removing or disabling credentials that are no longer needed.
- Adjusting access schedules if your business will operate on reduced hours.
- Making sure authorized personnel know which entrances they should use.
For businesses that still rely on traditional keys, it’s worth confirming who has copies and whether any keys need to be returned.
Why it matters: A building can be locked while still having more people with access than necessary. Reviewing permissions helps you maintain control over who can enter your property, particularly when fewer employees are around.
2. Check Your Security Alarm Schedules and Monitoring Procedures
Your alarm system may be programmed around your regular operating hours, but those schedules won’t necessarily account for holiday closures.
For example, if your alarm automatically disarms at 7 a.m. every weekday, it could follow that same schedule on a holiday when no one is expected to arrive.
Before closing, confirm that your system is programmed for your holiday schedule and that anyone responsible for arming or disarming it understands the procedures.
It’s also a good time to verify:
- Your alarm system is functioning properly, with no unresolved trouble notifications.
- Your monitoring provider has current emergency contact information.
- Authorized employees know how to respond if an alarm is triggered.
- Any scheduled changes to your operating hours are reflected in your security procedures.
If your business uses a professionally monitored alarm system, confirm what happens when an alert occurs and who will be contacted first.
Don’t wait until the last employee leaves to check your alarm system. Identifying an issue a few days before closing gives you time to address it without scrambling at the last minute.
3. Make Sure Your Security Cameras and Exterior Lighting Are Ready
With shorter days and fewer people on-site, visibility becomes especially important during the fall and winter months.
Before the holidays, walk around your property and look at the areas your security cameras cover. Pay particular attention to employee entrances, loading docks, parking lots, and any doors that aren’t regularly used.
Check that your cameras are recording properly and that the footage is clear enough to be useful. A camera that’s been bumped out of position, has a dirty lens, or is obstructed by landscaping may not capture the activity you expect it to.
Exterior lighting deserves attention, too.
In Central Pennsylvania, it can be dark well before the end of a typical workday during the winter. Make sure your exterior lighting is functioning and that timers or photocells are operating as intended.
Consider checking:
- Whether cameras capture clear footage during nighttime conditions.
- Whether exterior doors, walkways, and parking areas have adequate lighting.
- Whether any cameras have obstructed views.
- Whether your recording system has sufficient storage and is functioning properly.
If your business uses remote video access, verify that authorized personnel can view the cameras before the building closes.
You don’t want to discover a camera or recording issue after an incident has already occurred.
4. Plan for Deliveries, Contractors, and Unexpected Visitors
Just because your business is closed doesn’t mean activity around your building stops.
Packages may still arrive, cleaning crews may be scheduled, and maintenance contractors might need access while employees are away.
If these situations aren’t planned for, they can create unnecessary security concerns.
Before the holidays, communicate your closure schedule to regular vendors and delivery partners when possible. If someone needs to enter the building, establish who will authorize their access and how they’ll get inside.
For deliveries, consider whether packages can be rescheduled or directed to a secure receiving area rather than left outside an unattended entrance.
Businesses with multiple entrances or shared facilities should also make sure any holiday access instructions are communicated clearly.
The goal is to avoid confusion about who should be on-site and what activity is expected while the business is closed.
5. Confirm Your Emergency Contacts and Reopening Procedures
One of the most important questions to answer before a holiday closure is simple: If something happens at your business while you’re away, who is responsible for responding?
That person may be the owner, a facility manager, or another designated employee. What’s important is that the responsibility is clear.
Make sure your emergency contact list is current and that the people listed know they’re responsible for responding during the closure.
It’s also worth establishing a backup contact in case the primary person is unavailable.
Before closing, confirm:
- Who will receive security alerts or calls from your monitoring provider.
- Who can physically access the property if necessary.
- Whether emergency contacts have the appropriate keys, credentials, or alarm codes.
- Who will check the building when normal operations resume.
When employees return, have someone inspect the property for anything unusual, review unresolved security notifications, and confirm that systems are back on their regular operating schedules.
A little planning before the holidays can make reopening much easier.
Should You Leave Your Business Security System On During a Holiday Closure?
Yes. In most cases, businesses should keep their security systems active during holiday closures, even when the building will be unoccupied for several days.
However, the specific settings may need to change depending on your facility and who is expected to enter.
For example, an intrusion alarm should generally remain armed when the building is unoccupied, but you may need to account for authorized cleaning crews or maintenance personnel. Your access control system may also need temporary schedule adjustments.
Security cameras should continue recording according to your normal security policies, and monitored systems should have current emergency contact information.
If you’re unsure how to configure your system for an extended closure, contact your security provider before making changes. They can help you understand how your equipment and monitoring procedures should operate while your business is closed.
Prepare Your Central PA Business Before the Holiday Rush
Holiday closures shouldn’t create unnecessary security headaches. Taking time to review your building access, alarm schedules, surveillance equipment, and emergency procedures can help you identify issues before your team leaves for a well-deserved break.
At Advantage Security, we work with businesses throughout York and Central Pennsylvania to help protect their people and properties with commercial security solutions, including intrusion alarms, access control, and video surveillance.
Whether you have questions about your existing security setup or are considering improvements for the year ahead, our team is here to help.
Contact Advantage Security to discuss your business security needs.