You will likely face two risks when you have been falsely implicated in stealing at work: you will either lose your job or be arrested and face a jail sentence. The majority of employees know that their employer will not dismiss them unfairly in such circumstances. Most people don’t know the action the employer can use to justify a reason to dismiss when they are falsely accused. This will be a stressful time for you because such news usually goes round like bush fire. There are ways you can handle such accusations so that they may not impact you seriously. And by doing so, you will impact the entire office will benefit from your knowledge. Here is what to do if accused of stealing at work.

Accusation spread like wildfire, and you need to control them before they spread too much and get out of control. Moreover, when they spread so much, you will lose control of where to start from to stop them entirely.

Stay centered

You may be angry after hearing a theft accusation been leveled against you by a person. That will not mean you need to start attacking them. It will only make things worse. What you need to do is calm down and reason.

Breathe

You need to stop and breathe for a few minutes when you hear an accusation. This will help you clear your head. It will put you back in control of your emotions and your body.

Do not jump to a conclusion

You might think that you are aware of everything when an accusation is leveled against you. It is essential to wait until all the facts are presented to believe anything you have been hearing.

Walk away from the situation

The best thing you can do is walk away during such a situation. This will avoid a confrontation between you and your accuser. It will also show that you are a composed person who does not react to mere accusations unnecessarily.

Avoid talking about it until you have calmed down

A reaction is usual under such circumstances. It is essential to state that you need a few minutes to gather yourself and that when you will be done that when you will talk about it. The more you stay collected, the more rationally you will approach the matter and deal with it.

Deal with the lies

Make sure that you question the accusation until you know it from the source. You can develop a model concept of questioning everything until you arrive at the truth.

Gather evidence

With a sober mind, confront the accuser to find their response. Look for any evidence that will contradict what that person was accusing you of. For example, you can ask the accuser why they believe the accusation is true. Their response may give you a sense of why they are telling that lie, and you can then do something with that information you gather from them. In the likely event that the person who was accusing you denies it after a confrontation, you will not be able to do anything about it then. If you have any evidence of a conversation or any proof that disputes the lie, keep it safe at your disposal for submission.

Talk to your boss

If you feel the lie might affect your workplace position, it would be best if you go to your boss and talk to them about the situation. Make sure you talk to them after you have already spoken to the person accusing you. Together with your boss, you might be able to make the accusation disappear.

You can seek advice from people who understand, and you will be surprised and relieved to learn that other people have been accused of similar untrue things. It genuinely helps to know you are not the only one it’s happening to.