Seeing a security guard on their toes for the duration of their shift is not too uncommon a sight. It is for some, an expectation, unfortunately. One wonders about the impact of such needless physical exertion (standing straight for more than 08 hours) on the guard’s ability to respond to actual threats. In addition, the critical connection between a person’s mental and emotional well-being and their physical ability is something we are all aware of. So then, what can the “secured” actually expect from such a “guard” at the occurrence of an undesirable incident? And, with whom does the responsibility rest — is it the “guard” who is responsible to perform irrespective of conditions? Or perhaps is it with the “secured” to provide without expectations? Let’s dive into the realm of security and attempt to understand things from both perspectives.
To begin with, functions of a security role demand elevated levels of alertness and physical endurance to prevent any undesired occurrences. On average, with an eight-hour shift, working for 40 hours a week, any guard can expect to make close to £2000. Not too bad. However, there are two primary issues that give rise to circumstances that jeopardize the well-being of the guards thereby limiting their ability to adequately perform their duties:
- Cascade-subcontracting
- Late/no wages paid
A cascade subcontract occurs when a security provider or recruiter contracts another security provider and recruiter to fulfil committed requirements. This brings with it an inherent risk to the quality of deliverables and quality assurance. Furthermore, it also makes a site prone to ‘blow-outs’, which is when a site is left unguarded because the security guard did not show up after saying they would. Funnelling further, this creates an environment of mistrust between the employer and security guards (and the contractors). Employers tend to ensure their requirements are delivered entirely before releasing payments. In addition, to ensure their sites are well-protected (as they need to be, certainly) most employers would expect the security guard to be on their toes, patrolling and making observations for the duration of their shifts.
Flip-side of this picture reveals the second half of what may be termed as a self-sustaining vicious cycle. Since cascade-contracting means each sub-contract gets a piece of the pie, the security guards who do the actual work only get crumbs. Further due to the employer’s rigorous post-performance evaluation processes payments to contractors get delayed which intern means the security guard is often not able to honour their personal financial commitments. This brings us to the foundation on which the entire high-rise of the security industry is built — the security guard and their ability to perform.
Experiencing such challenging work environments, amidst an atmosphere of mistrust, with below-average pay, which often arrive late — is certainly a recipe for disaster for the employer, the recruiters/contractors, and the security guards. EarnFlex.com founded by an Information Tech Guru, a Savvy Tech Entrepreneur and a Passionate Humanitarian, over the last couple of years, explored direct, implementable solutions to address these concerns. They developed an IT suite that primarily links the employer with the security guard through a bridge.
The employer, through EarnFlex.com, can access close to 1000 SIA verified security guards at any time and can also see complete documentation of the security guards they work with since EarnFlex.com is a BS7858 compliant organization. In addition, the security guards need not justify their performance during shifts since the employer can see geo-tagged movement patterns and heat-mapped locations of the guard’s shift on their mobile phones at any time during the shift. This assists in strengthening the rapport between security personnel and the employers. With this stronger rapport and confidence, both employers and security personnel can benefit.
