Engaging Your Guard Force: Five Considerations For A Retention Program

Feb 1, 2004 12:00 PM

           

Officers are the backbone of a security program. Managers should take action to ensure that there is a professional and responsive team on hand to provide the level of service required in today's business environment. With concerns of terrorism, potential risks and threats, apprehension over litigation from inadequate and ill-trained officers, and enhanced customer expectations, only a reckless organization would ignore the officers who form the vital service of protecting people, assets and information.

Here are five factors to consider when implementing an officer retention program:

1. Fair and Consistent Salaries

   Are the officers being compensated fairly? Providing security impacts every aspect of an organization, and it is important that officers and supervisors are paid a fair and equitable salary. It's easy to find someone to work for minimum wage, but is it wise to turn the protection of an organization — and all of its assets — over to officers who work for next to nothing?

2. Job Enhancement

   Are officers being used to their utmost potential? Security personnel, at a minimum, should have a job that engages them and challenges them to remain alert. Although there are posts that do not provide adequate physical or mental stimulation, a thorough review of all positions can help to eliminate unnecessary posts, thus opening up new opportunities for officers to conduct other tasks. For example, a remote post with little activity could be re-arranged so that an officer also conducts some administrative duties. Part of the position review should include assigning the officer to a particular post that matches his or her interest. Job enhancement may also encompass additional duties of a more technical nature such as maintaining various databases involving the access control system, drawings or reports.

3. Educational Initiatives

   As time goes by, more and more educational and training opportunities become available in the industry. The standard program for all entry-level officers is the certified protection officer (CPO) program. The CPO program sponsored by the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) has been around for almost 15 years. Each new edition, currently at Edition 6 with a new release slated for this summer, is a must for officers. All the basics, including report writing, legal issues, patrol techniques, field notes, observation skills, safety, traffic control, crime scene protection, physical security planning and computer security, are covered. The Certified Security Supervisory program follows the CPO designation, and is designed for current and potential supervisors — augmenting the officer's knowledge in a number of key areas.

   Security personnel should also take advantage of education opportunities at local colleges and universities, or distance education programs. Progressive organizations should offer to pay for staff to attend these programs and should strongly encourage their staff to upgrade academically on a regular basis.

4. Rotation of Positions

   Rotating staff through different posts accomplishes several goals. First, it keeps the officers interested. Second, it allows for cross-training between officers and positions. Having fixed positions for specific officers loses the opportunity to ensure a reserve of officers is ready and able to cover other shifts in the event of sickness, holidays or other situations. A 12-hour shift goes by quickly if the officer rotates through a series of posts in a workday. Moving from the loading dock to the control room to patrol gives the officer an overview of the site he or she is assigned to, instead of the officers staying at one fixed site struggling to remain alert.

5. Mentoring

   It is the security leader's job to pass on his or her skills to the staff. Mentoring is an important part of strategic leadership. Passing on knowledge, seeing a staff develop leadership skills and responding to issues that previously seemed overwhelming or confusing can be very rewarding. It also allows the workload to be shared while giving staff an opportunity at job enhancement.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The information on this page is provided by the Professional Security Training Network, Carrollton, Texas, which offers a video training service designed to help security management meet growing challenges facing the industry. Programs include basic security training, in-service training, management and supervisory training, safety programs, and a monthly security news program. For information, visit www.pwpl.com/security.

SHARE YOUR STORY…

Every month, we are offering information about managing guard services and leading in-house staff. Among other things, this page will offer an opportunity for readers to share the management lessons they have learned and to provide other helpful information to their peers in the industry.To offer suggestions, or to contribute to this page, contact Jennifer Peroat (770) 618-0135 or e-mail jpero@primediabusiness.com

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