Did you know that every year, 1.5 million assaults happen at work? If this number surprises you, you’re not alone. Thankfully, enlisting the help of highly skilled security guard services can deter crime in the workplace, proving to be a valuable asset to your employees and your business.
Additionally, one in seven employees has said they feel unsafe at work. This is why you need to hire security guards. Not only do they aid in reducing workplace crime, but they handle security threats swiftly and efficiently.
If you want to hire security guards for your business, you need the best. Continue reading for a full guide to selecting the best security guard services.
Step 1: Understand Your Needs
The first step in any process to hire security guards is to understand your own needs. Conduct a self-evaluation of your company and your needs. Ask yourself what your “must-have requirements” are.
For example, does the size of the security guard services company matter to you? Is a diverse team from different backgrounds and cultures important to you? How important is security personnel turnover to your particular business?
Consider your budget and how strictly you would like to adhere to it. Also, conduct a security review and understand your past security concerns.
Ask yourself what security features are important to you such as armed security guards or undercover security services. Your security needs are unique to you, and only you will be able to answer these questions accurately.
Step 2: Do Your Research
Once you know your needs, you can take the next step of doing your research. This is an important step to help you evaluate security services.
When you look at a security guard services company, consider their reputation. Check out their online reviews and see what others have to say about it. Reach out to your contacts in the industry and find out if they have worked with that particular company.
Another aspect you want to consider is whether you want a global or multi-jurisdictional company. If you are looking for private security or escort services, you may need someone with a global reach who understands your general needs.
Step 3: Ask Questions About the Company and Their Team
A high caliber of security guards is crucial when choosing security guard services. So, spend some time asking questions about the team. Some topics you want to ask about are:
- Experience in security
- Prior experience, including law enforcement, or military
- Employee satisfaction ratings
- Other benefits to attract top-quality security personnel
You want to make sure that the company has a rigorous screening process, so they only hire the best. You also want to make sure that the company treats its security personnel right. Happy security personnel make for loyal security personnel.
The salary of the security guards also plays an important role in ensuring low turnover. Security services have some of the highest turnover rates of 100% to 300%. As you may be aware, high turnover rates can impact the quality of service.
Step 4: Look for a Diverse Team
Diversity and inclusivity encourage productivity. Even a 1% increase in racial diversity can increase firm productivity by $720 to $1,590 per employee per year. Basically, you want to look for a diverse team with people from all backgrounds and cultures.
When you work with a diverse security guard services company, you will be working with a team that encourages creative solutions. The different skills, experiences, and viewpoints will be beneficial for your company.
Step 5: Find Out More About Their Commitment to Training
Next, you want to find out more about their commitment to training. Security is a constantly changing and evolving industry. You want to ensure that you are working with well-trained security guards who are constantly upgrading their skills.
You want a company that offers certification training for their security agents from basic first aid to advanced survival training. If they don’t have an in-house training program, ask how much they allocate to training their security personnel. This shows their commitment to training and hiring the best security guards.
Step 6: Ask for References
Don’t be afraid to ask for references. Each business has its own unique needs, and each industry has specific challenges. You want to understand whether the company has worked with businesses similar to yours.
If the reference you contact mentions something you are not comfortable with, follow up with the security guard services company. You want an honest and trustworthy company that is upfront about everything from employee salary to employee turnover and negative reviews. In most cases, it could be a simple misunderstanding, so ask the right questions.
Step 7: Gauge Your Comfort Level
After all this, you need to take a step back and gauge your comfort level. Take a good and hard look at their customer service. Were they available and ready to answer all your questions?
You want a security guard services company with top-quality customer service that are available at all times. Security issues do not come on a 9 to 5 schedule, so you want to make sure that your security services are reliable and available. If they are too busy to answer your calls, then you want to reconsider whether this is the right security company for you.
Contact Your Security Guard Services Expert Today
You now know what you need in your security guard services. You need skilled security guards with exceptional training. You also want a company that has an organized system in place, providing you with ongoing support to meet your unique requirements in a personalized way.
Finding the right security guard services can make a huge difference in your experience and safety. Contact us today to find out what we can do for you. We are a global company that values diversity, bringing together highly experienced professionals from prior law enforcement, military combat veterans, and private security personnel to meet your unique needs.