Holiday business security planning starts with the changes your building will actually experience. An office closing for several days has different needs from a retail store adding evening hours or a warehouse receiving more deliveries.
For New Jersey business owners and facility managers, a useful holiday security checklist connects those operational changes with the installed systems. Review door schedules, authorized access, recorded video and after-hours contacts before the new schedule begins. Then test the approved changes and explain them to the staff who will use them.
Put holiday hours into one approved schedule
List planned closures, extended hours, staff visits and vendor access. Include different departments or tenants if they use the same entrance. Decide who approves exceptions and who updates the system.
Compare that plan with the automatic unlock schedules in your access control platform. A normal weekday schedule can be wrong during a holiday closure. A special opening may also need arrangements beyond unlocking the front door.
Check the actual dates and hours in the installed platform, including its time settings. Ask an authorized administrator or your installer to verify the configuration. Keep a record of the approved schedule and when the normal schedule should resume.
Review temporary and existing access
Identify who needs entry during the holiday period and which areas each person needs to reach. Review temporary credentials for seasonal employees, contractors and cleaning teams, and confirm their intended end dates.
Use individual credentials where supported so access can be managed for each person. Review departed employees and old vendor accounts through the organization’s approved process. Avoid granting broad access simply because issuing a shared code seems faster.
SEH Security installs commercial access control systems. Ask how your platform supports schedules, credential changes and administrator permissions before assuming a feature is available.
Confirm doors work with the approved entry process
Have the responsible team review door operation, readers and any intercom used for visitor entry. A working credential reader does not by itself establish that the door closes and latches correctly. Record a door that sticks, remains open or requires unusual effort, then assign the issue for service.
Coordinate hardware and system changes with the appropriate professionals. Keep required exit routes available and do not alter emergency egress or fire-system connections as part of an informal holiday adjustment.
Agree on how staff should handle deliveries or visitors when the reception desk is unattended. Make the procedure clear enough that an employee does not have to improvise who can enter.
Check recorded video for the holiday operating hours
Review cameras covering the entrances, delivery areas and other locations included in your security plan. Check representative recordings during the hours the building will operate, including after dark.
Confirm that authorized staff can retrieve a recent clip and recognize the relevant activity. A live image on a phone does not prove the recorder is retaining footage. Review the recording schedule, system time and the retention available under the current settings.
If displays, stored inventory or seasonal decorations change a view, flag the obstruction for review. SEH’s commercial security camera services can help assess coverage and recording requirements against the building’s layout.
Clarify alarm notifications and after-hours contacts
Confirm the current monitoring arrangement, the people listed for notifications and the escalation process. An app notification, remote video access and professional alarm monitoring are different functions; ask which are included in your agreement.
Update the authorized contact list when staff will be away. Name a backup who knows the site’s response procedure and can reach the appropriate provider. Share the process with the people opening and closing the building.
Coordinate alarm tests with the provider using the approved test procedure. Do not trigger a live dispatch or change sensor settings simply to try a holiday checklist. Any changes should fit the installed equipment and the site’s approved operating requirements.
Plan deliveries and temporary changes to the building
Decide where deliveries should go during reduced staffing and how a driver or contractor requests entry. Confirm who accepts the delivery and what happens when nobody is available.
Review changes to reception furniture, stock storage and temporary displays against the existing camera views and access routes. A clear procedure can prevent routine work from undermining the planned entry process.
For a shared property, communicate the schedule to tenants and vendors before it takes effect. The goal is for the system settings and the instructions people receive to agree.
Finish with a documented review
Record each issue, the person responsible and the agreed next step. Have the authorized administrator verify approved schedule changes and have the responsible staff confirm they understand the closing and reopening process.
For a larger review, CISA’s Security Assessment at First Entry resource describes a physical security assessment service for facility owners and operators. A seasonal checklist is a practical starting point, not a substitute for a site-specific assessment.
SEH Security provides commercial security installation across New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Request a commercial site walkthrough or call 732-506-2260 to review the systems and changes your property needs before the holiday schedule begins.
Frequently asked questions
Should access control schedules be changed for holiday closures?
Review the approved closure and opening schedule against the platform’s settings. Have an authorized administrator configure and verify any needed exceptions, including when the normal schedule resumes.
Does remote camera viewing mean someone is monitoring the building?
No. Remote viewing provides access to video. Professional monitoring and the response process depend on the specific services and agreement in place.
How early should a business review holiday security?
Begin before changes to staffing, hours or deliveries take effect. Allow time to resolve service issues, verify approved settings and brief the people responsible for the building.
