Internal audit is here to help

It is a big responsibility to handle money and products of huge value every day. That is why it is important, that all JYSK colleagues know, where they can ask, if they are in doubt.

Every day JYSK employees are responsible for large amounts of money.

Therefore, it is very important that it is easy to get advice when an employee is in doubt about how to handle a specific situation.

That is the main task of Internal Audit (IA), explains Loss Prevention Manager Jonas Meyer.

“We are here to protect JYSK. Our stores, our products, our money and most importantly our colleagues. That is why we spend 80 percent of our time advising colleagues on how to handle product flow, adjusting stock, how to handle cash and much more,” says Jonas.

Zero tolerance of fraud

However, IA is also responsible for following up on irregularities and investigate if fraud has taken place.

Unfortunately, that happens sometimes, and as Jonas points out, it is always discovered.

“We do unfortunately experience fraud, and it is something we are very open about. If we discover cases of fraud committed by an employee, the consequence is clear: The employee in question is immediately expelled, and in most cases reported to the police,” says Jonas.

Worst part of the job

Jonas describes investigating fraud as the worst part of his job.

“It is not something that I or any of my colleagues like doing. It is never fun to have to fire people, and that is why it is so important for us that all of our colleagues know that they can always ask if in doubt about anything when it comes to handling JYSK property and money,” says Jonas.

Especially because asking makes it possible to avoid some of the most common mistakes.

“One of the mistakes we often see is that colleagues borrow identification cards or pin codes from each other when using the cash register or when they need a colleague to complete a money refund. This is something you should never do. Because even though it is done to be a good colleague, it is not allowed, and a kind gesture can become a big problem for the employee, who lets a colleague use his or her identification card or pin code, if something illegal takes place,” says Jonas.

Better to ask for help

During 2020 JYSK has seen a slight increase in the number of fraud cases investigated by the 40 internal audit employees in JYSK Nordic Region.

“This is the result of increased focus and new systems. It is something we take very seriously, as committing fraud with even small amounts of money have really big consequences, so it is never worth it. That is why I want to use this opportunity to let my colleagues across JYSK know that, if they are ever in doubt about anything connected to handling money, they should always look it up on MYJYSK or ask Internal Audit to ensure that everything is done in the right way,” says Jonas.