Are you happy with the performance of your security guards? Many businesses we talk to aren’t. We hear a lot of the same complaints:
A guard doesn’t do their job because they can’t be bothered to read post orders.
A guard is asleep on shift.
Guards are on their phones instead of walking their rounds.
These things really do happen, but there are also exceptional security guards out there:
When I worked for a pharmaceutical company, a guard noticed that a temperature-controlled storage unit was below the normal temperature. Checking the temperatures of storage units wasn’t part of his job, but because he noticed something was amiss and reported it, the company didn’t lose the assets in that unit.
Other guards I’ve worked with went above and beyond their job description, saving animals from a fire.
Which would you rather have at your company? And, if you’re unhappy with your guard force’s performance, what can be done to improve it?
Poor security guards are a symptom, not the disease
Security officers have a bad reputation in the United States. This isn’t entirely the fault of the officers themselves. Generally, a guard force is an afterthought when it comes to security measures. A company, which may have to employ security guards for insurance reasons, might simply hire any guard force without thinking too much of it.
However, this is the wrong approach to hiring guards.
If you hire security officers just to check the boxes for your insurance, you’re showing that your company doesn’t prioritize security. But when your organization values security and guards are a carefully thought-out part of your security plan, you start organically improving the performance of your guard force.
Find out what your current risk assessment process is missing.
Schedule a free 15-minute walkthrough today.
5 ways to improve your security guards’ performance
Make security a priority. If you want a good security force that employs officers who will be an asset to your organization, you have to plan for it. That means that first and foremost, you need to make security a priority, and you also have to budget for it. Why? Once you have a good budget, your organization can require a security company to do things the way you want them done: by doing specific background checks, hiring officers with specific experience, and training the guards the way you want them trained.
Hire a guard company that takes hiring seriously. The people who apply to become security officers probably didn’t grow up wanting to be guards. Maybe they wanted to be police officers and didn’t make it through the academy. Maybe they’re retirees who want a second job. Maybe this is the only position open to them right now. Rather than simply going along without whomever your guard company hires, take control. (Having a budget will help you do this.) Tell the company you hire that you want them to undertake rigorous background checks on each officer, perhaps verifying as far as 20 years back. Your assets are in these guards’ hands, so you should know who is guarding your organization.
Require training. Once again, if you’ve got a budget, you can require your guard company to provide training — not just when security officers are hired, but on an ongoing basis. This means training for hard skills — like first aid, emergency response, and learning new technologies — but officers should also be trained for soft skills, such as etiquette and courtesy. After all, your officers are often the face of your company. You can also require that officers meet certain benchmarks before they’re promoted to sergeant or captain. Being a security officer is a career; so officers need training in areas like management as well.
Use technology to augment your security force. Security officers are human, and therefore, they make mistakes. Using technology as well as a guard force can help you avoid mistakes, and also hold officers accountable. While many guard companies use their own software, there are a number of devices you can use to bolster your security force, such as Robotic Assisted Devices (RADs), electronic wall boxes and standalone units that can perform the functions of a guard sitting at a security desk, by checking badges and letting in visitors. Scanning systems can also help security officers by scanning for weapons and other threats guards can’t see.
Measure guards’ performance: Most risk assessments are subjective, but without real hard data, how can you know how well your security guards are actually performing? By tracking key metrics, you can get a clear picture of your guard force’s actual performance and where you actually need improvement.
Using data to improve guard performance
A well-trained security team is an asset to any organization, but a high-performing security guard force doesn’t happen by accident. It's the result of thoughtful planning, training, and oversight. If you’re frustrated with guard performance, the answer isn’t just swapping out personnel. It’s taking a closer look at your overall risk strategy.
That’s where Circadian Risk comes in. Our platform helps you go beyond surface-level assessments to uncover the sources of risk at your sites. This includes your guard force; by identifying gaps, measuring effectiveness, and providing actionable insights, we help you build a security program that demands excellence from your guard force.
Want more educational content about your organizational risk?
Sign up for our free email course.
