Proper employee separation procedures are essential to prevent outgoing employees from taking company property. These, alongside regular policy auditing and training, provide a comprehensive defense against such losses.
To reduce the risk of company equipment being taken by a retiring employee such as Ann, the most effective solution would be C. Proper employee separation procedures. This would ensure a formal process is followed when an employee leaves, including a checklist of the company's property that needs to be accounted for before the employee's departure. It would also involve supervision and verification that all items are left as required. Options such as Regular auditing of the clean desk policy, Employee awareness and training policies, and Implementation of an acceptable use policy are beneficial as preventive measures for ongoing employees but are less targeted towards the process of employee offboarding.
In conclusion, having standard operating procedures for employee separation, supported by awareness and training, auditing, and acceptable use policies, will synergistically reduce the risk of company property being removed when employees retire or leave the company.