The Risk and Liability of Poor Security Guard Performance – Can it be Reduced?

by J B Holeman, President Oversight Inc.

Recently on a Physical Security Managers’ discussion group there were over 200 individual comments concerning how to prevent security guards from sleeping on duty. The risks associated with this type of poor performance are a universal concern. Unfortunately, this is just one of the more visible signs that could lead to a Security failure.

Are companies forced to live with the uncertainty, risk, and liability associated with this type of poor performance? Or can each concern be significantly reduced?

This failure potential can be reduced, but only if companies are willing to make a few changes to the way they have historically selected and managed their Security Guards.

These changes begin with the Security Director working closely with the General Manager to define what constitutes a Security failure. Additionally, they should work with Operations’ Managers to determine what level of Guard performance they consider needed and acceptable.

Here are some typical questions that need to be resolved.

• What are the areas of greatest security exposure?
• What security tasks are business essential, rather than merely
  “the way we have always done it”?
• Are there other beneficial tasks that Guards can perform?
• Bottom Line – Where are Guards really needed? How many? How many hours?

While the Security Director normally focuses on day-to-day security activities, they can also make a valuable contribution during the “Provider selection process”. The Director’s contribution can be enhanced by thinking a little more like an owner, not just a security manager with a budget.

This approach will help the Security Director make a stronger business case for the Guard requirements.  Remember:

• Security costs reduce the company’s bottom line.
• Security failures have a very negative impact on the company’s business.
• The reason the company hires security guards is to reduce risk, loss, and potential liabilities to customers, employees, and their assets.
• Holding existing Guards accountable will do more to improve security than buying more equipment or guards.

Once the desired level of performance has been agreed upon, the next step is to determine what specific actions are needed to prevent failure and fulfill needed security requirements.  At this point the Security Director needs to define specific performance expectations for Guards. Realizing that these expectations need to become part of the Agreement with the chosen Security Provider, the next step is to put these actions into contractual language. An effective way to do that is to translate the required actions into Key Performance Indicators (KPI). See GuardChecker White Paper on KPIs for more information.

Once the Director has created the key performance indicators, the next step is to work with his Procurement colleagues to incorporate them into the selection process. Eventually they will become an important section of the formal Agreement with their chosen Provider. Use the GuardChecker White Paper on the Security Provider selection process to help with this process.

Once the KPIs are incorporated in the Agreement, the next needed change is to establish a method to monitor and verify the Guards’ performance. To do this you will need to have a Security Guard monitoring and verification system, preferably one that is independent from the Provider. Click here to get the GuardChecker paper on verification system characteristics.

Finally, it is strongly recommended that Security Directors routinely review the management reports, comparing them to the key performance indicators and historical performance. When there are discrepancies, they need to be documented and quickly reviewed with the Security Provider. For the review to have maximum positive impact there should be a record of the specific performance shortcoming, the specific guard involved, the date and time of the shortcoming, the guard Provider, etc. A good Security Guard monitoring service will accomplish all those needs.

Achieving improved Security Guard performance, requires many companies and their Security Directors to make a few changes. While we are all reluctant to change, it will take only one major Security failure (loss, injury, customer dissatisfaction, law suit, etc.) caused by lax Security Guards to prove the exception cost effectiveness of this approach.