Guard Force: Training and Assessment

Guard Force: Training and Assessment

Hardly can any modern establishment function properly without the services of security personnel. This security personnel functions and structure varies across different settings. They do not just secure the environment, but also bring a certain degree of order and coordination to the activities going on in the establishment. In a building This security officers are found in strategic locations of the establishment. They are found in access control points like main entrance doors, the lobby or reception as some would call it and in areas where the major business of the establishment is being conducted. Security guards in an establishment stands as a representative of an organization. They are the first reflection of the company, even before the other employees come into the picture. If anyone wishes to conduct business with a company and visits their office the first person the person is going to meet is the security guard. It is for the purpose that the conduct of this guards are properly reviewed. It is also because of this that they are always in smart uniforms while performing their activities. In an attempt to completely handle the activities and functions of this section of an establishment Guard Force was created. It almost a normal thing to see poorly trained and managed guards in establishments. This situation is quite appalling, but it presents itself as an undeniable reality.

WHAT IS GUARD FORCE?

A Guard force could be defined as department in an organization that provides risk-based security services. Their job description is to protect the personnel in the establishment. Personnel represents any human being within the premises of that establishment, both employees and business associates including guests. They also secure the assets of the business. Assets here represents the building, the equipment and other items belonging to the establishment which they were contracted to protect. They also take proactive measures to ensure the security of both the personnel and assets of the organization. These proactive measures include security evaluations to discover the weak security measures that intruders could take advantage of. They run simulations, detect these faults, and fix them. They also detect and neutralize security threats before it escalates and causes harm. They also delay and removed intruders or individuals that are unwanted from the premises. The important nature of this part of the establishment is that it provides reassurance to the workforce of the organization. With their efficiency on display both the employees and visitors to the establishment will feel safe knowing that a certain degree of security is in place. In a place where there is security people will be free to carry on their daily tasks knowing that they are in safe hands. They are also burdened with the responsibility of deescalating life-threatening situations should they come. They are well trained in emergency response situations. Most organizations make sure that they have a direct link to the nearest police station and there are quite less conspicuous ways to contact the police for backup if the situation demands such.  

IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYING A GUARD FORCE

One could wonder why employing a guard force is important. Many of the reasons have been mentioned, however there is one more importance for having a guard force. In business there is something called outlook. If not the security measures or for the other good things the presence of a guard force brings, the presence of a well-organized guard force In an organization says so much about the establishment. It presents a certain aura of seriousness and a high degree of professionalism. These qualities should be reflected by any establishment that wishes to be successful.

ASSESSMENT OF GUARD FORCE

Let’s investigate the management and assessment of the guard force. Like every other segment of an establishment the guard force needs supervision. Anyone undertaking the supervisory role for the guard force, needs to be aware of some certain points. Efficient guard forces are professional, high motivated and engaging which is the new way of encompassing the old model of detect, deter and report. They ought to be adequately trained, engaged and promptly responsive. These things should be the features of an effective guard force. Without these features, they may be viewed as a waste of resources and will be treated with completely disregard. Having these qualities will make the guard force respected and they will be indeed the reflection of the company. The first thing to do is take into consideration the cost of maintaining the guard force. Minimizing cost even whilst making available the standard guard force should be the aim of anyone undertaking the management of a guard force. The first thing the supervisor can do is to ensure that the guard force is performing their duties and meeting client KPI objectives. Are they doing what they ought to do? Are they really making the mark? Are they effective? Are they a good representation or extension of the client? This has to do with ensuring that everything they thoroughly understand their role in emergency response as it relates to workplace incidents, protests, civil unrest, and disasters. After ensuring that the basic things they ought to do is being done, the next step is to ensure that incidental functions are included to the already existing functions of the guard force. There can take up functions like mail delivery in the office. They can also be on standby to provide certain first-aid services in case of office accidents. They can also hold security briefing and train the staffs on certain security measures to take within or even outside the workplace. The reasons for these efforts is to show the employer of the guard force that they are indeed effective and indispensable in the workplace. When they establish this, they gain more respect and prestige in the workplace. From this we can see that cost effectiveness represents not cutting down the pay but building utility. A byproduct of these action is increasing satisfaction of the employer and establishing the importance of a guard force also through actions justifying the money spent on employing and managing the guard force.

There are two ways of building a guard force. Some companies employ people that come together to be the guard force, while others utilize contract security agencies to take charge of the security of the company. The first type is prevalent in small companies and businesses. The second is typical to very large companies that don’t want to deal with the vacation, health benefits and management or may not have the time to go through the process of employing the guards one at a time. For companies that will want to employ their own in-house guard force at a time, it is important to understand something. Not everyone is fit to be a security guard. Health and criminal records should be examined. Then proper structure or job description should be given. What technology is on hand to support the guards on the ground. The problem within house guard forces is that staffing is a full time job and companies may not have the time to source out people who are competent. The second type is where the companies are endeavoring to develop an in-house guard force, contract guard companies are already well established in the business of carrying out security services. This process is more convenient and can prove to be extremely cost effective. As convenient as it may be, the company in need of security services still have a part to play. They still have certain things to do in other to ensure that they are on a safe side to avoid issues and complications that could have been otherwise avoided. When constructing the contract, they should ensure to outline the scope of work (SOW) in clear terms and when temporary additional services are applicable. The SOW is vital as it will be the baseline for operations and contract compliance. There are many guard force companies, with many different grades and technical strength. The company in need of security services should be able to clearly state why they need services and go with the security company with the needed technical strength to meet up with their corporate culture and needs. Although price is an important factor it shouldn’t be the only factor. A proposal weight of 75% technical and 25% price is a good evaluation standard. Due diligence should be conducted by the company in need of security services. The companies should be looked into. What is their reach, can the company scale up quickly from unarmed to armed if need arise, what other value added services and capabilities do they possess? A company should know how the security company recruits it staffs, how they keep them motivated and there should be on ground evaluation. The company should be able to visit places where the security company works or has worked in order to get reviews directly from the previous employers of the security company. The security company after being employed will then have conduct a comprehensive risk assessment in the establishment. The reason for this is to discover how they are expected to operate in order to properly secure the environment.

The security personnel should know what is expected of them. It is true that most times these expectations are almost similar, but they ought to be a form of orientation. The purpose of this orientation is the align the security personnel to the norms and specific ideologies of the company. Mistakes will be avoided this way. Giving them this training or orientation will better help them get equipped not to deviate from these expectations.

It is also important to understand that if these security personnel are to reach their maximum potential, they should be made a part of the company. It is true that they are security company, but the plan here is to create a sense of belonging with will go a long way to boost performance.

By Doug Ruhl, VP of Business Development

Strategic Security Corp.