Workplace security is a vital part of the corporate environment, and needs to be thoroughly addressed in order to maintain the safety of everyone involved. Whether we are talking about access control, surveillance, security lighting, alarm systems, first responders, and other security aspects, addressing and implementing plans for proper functioning is essential for all businesses. In today’s times, there are numerous tools which can assist a company’s security strategy, and although the best security is the security no one is aware of, behind the scenes there needs to be a complex system in place for keeping all threats away and assuring the well-functioning of all security strategies.
Workforce Security Aspects to Have in Mind
Regardless of industry or business size, workforce security is required by a number of regulatory organizations, thus implementing a strategy for it needs to be performed with some key aspects in mind:
Assessing the security needs of your business and properly evaluating them one by one
Creating a policy for all those needs
Keeping track of all rules, guidelines and regulations coming from regulatory organizations
Regularly testing, verifying and providing maintenance for all systems implemented to handle security aspects
The Importance of Security Professionals
In order to develop and set in place a security strategy, all organizations need to have security professionals and security teams for providing physical or virtual security services to keep everyone safe. You cannot conduct a business security strategy with people from other departments, and you definitely cannot rely on outside help just because some security issues might not even arise. Unfortunately, this is the strategy upon which a lot of organizations conduct their businesses, a strategy which puts employees and the business itself in harm’s way. The only way to address security and the implementation of security plans is to hire professionals for all related aspects.
Qualities of a Great Security Professional
When hiring members for your organization’s security team, there are some important qualities to look for, qualities which will help you better integrate all aspects of a security strategies with the overall functioning of your business. Whether we are talking about security guards, people in charge with various security aspects within the building, people developing a security strategy, or management employees in charge with implementing said strategy, having these qualities will guarantee the success and proper functioning of your security team as a whole.
Constant Alertness and Awareness of Their Surroundings
The most important aspect of providing security and physical control but also of making sure that all organizational security strategies are in place and running smoothly is constant awareness of all surroundings. A great security professional needs to be alert, aware, focused, and free of any distractions. Security threats can arise in a matter of seconds, not having this vital quality and overlooking something important will provide difficult in times of need.
Well-Trained and Physically Able to Handle all Challenges
A great security professional will need to handle a wide range of challenges throughout their careers, from minor incidents which can be addressed over a message broadcasting channel to serious threats that will need proper training and physical abilities in order to be overcome. Therefore, when hiring a security professional, no matter what the current job attributes are, you need to look for qualities which show that they have had a good training and have experience in the industry, but also are physically able to withstand all challenges.
Honesty and Good Communication Skills
Handling and communicating security problems requires honesty and a good set of communication skills in order to facilitate a responsive and professional approach, no matter the situation. A great security professional will always handle themselves with professionalism and honesty, regardless of what needs communicating. And for that, they need to be properly trained in terms of security and crisis communication. Communication can be the deciding factor in the midst of a crisis situation, and a lot of security threats can be surpassed with the help of good communication skills. Also, being courteous and having a friendly attitude is mandatory, given that most of the interactions of a security professional will be with other people, whether employees, property managers, or customers.
Psychological Insight and Role Flexibility
Prevention is an important part of a good security strategy. Therefore, a great security professional will need to always have an understanding of human psychology in order to prevent a situation from getting worse or stop a threat from becoming a real problem. Having a psychological insight on all aspects of a security job and the security strategies needed to fulfill that job also means understanding role flexibility and its importance in all security matters. A great security professional needs to always be ready to switch between leading and following plans and directions, but also have the ability to take and give orders with a high flexibility.
Excellent Teamwork Abilities
Teamwork is an important factor in all aspects and departments of an organization, from internal communications to IT structures, but when it comes to security aspects, teamwork is of the essence. Whether we are talking about handling a current crisis or threat, planning a strategy for future situations, or implementing an existent plan, having excellent team work abilities allows a security professional to do their job with effectiveness and alertness. Each member of your security team needs to know one another, and the responsibilities they have for implementing your organization’s security strategy, and they also need to know how to tailor those responsibilities to best handle all situations. There might be times when a member of the team is away, and someone else needs to step in their place to ensure security continuity. All security team members need to be trained for such situations.
Hiring great security professionals is a mandatory part of a functioning security strategy, which is why, when developing your security strategy, make sure to draft a chapter about all aspects and qualities to have in mind when considering a security professional for an available position. Having this in your security plan will ease the hiring process and guarantee you are making your decision upon knowledgeable and up-to-date characteristics.
