Security Training for Non-Security Staff: Is It Worthwhile?
When it comes to upskilling employees, it is often the case that we only think about the skills required for the immediate tasks at hand. We may sometimes look at what is needed for the next rung up the ladder if we are dealing with a promotion prospect. The truth is, though, that there are a couple of core skills that all staff can benefit from, and as a result, your business will also reap the benefits.
Those skills include the provision of first aid and security training. The benefits of more staff being first aid trained are relatively evident, but for security training, those perks are more obscure.
So – how can ‘regular’ staff benefit from security training? Perhaps more importantly, how can your company take advantage? Let’s find out!
What Skills Does Security Training Develop?
A good security guard has honed a range of complementary skills, typically through a combination of experience and training. While you are not necessarily looking for your employees to become fully-fledged security guards, these skills can still be helpful.
- Security training aims to develop:
- Situational awareness
- Conflict management
- Emergency response
- Threat assessment
Improved Overall Site Security
When your core staff is security trained, the natural result is a more secure environment. No matter what industry you are in, having more security-conscious employees and better prepared to deal with an issue as (or before) it arises is an evident strength.
Let’s take, for example, the hospitality industry. Your average bartender does not necessarily need to know how to restrain an individual safely – indeed, this would be far out of the remit of their job role. However, it would clearly be advantageous if they could effectively de-escalate a conflict or correctly manage a belligerent drunk person.
In the same manner, being able to recognize a possible security issue also protects your business. Maybe you have gaps in your security camera coverage or a relatively unprotected rear entrance to your site. If your employees can learn to see that these areas are potential weak points, they can work to strengthen them.
Increased Efficiency in Security Operations
Let’s go back to our bar example for a moment. If your bartender can assess when a person or group is progressing from boisterous to problematic, they can give advance notice to any security guards you have on-site. The resulting proactive response can limit any fallout from the problem.
Of course, this is just one example. The ability to communicate more effectively with full-time security personnel works both ways – your guards can alert other staff on-site to potential risks as well, and thus provide a safer and more secure overall environment.
You can also benefit from reducing your reliance on dedicated security staff, particularly in less high-risk periods. In that case, you can significantly cut costs without compromising staff, customer, property, or premises safety.
Boosts to Staff Morale
Training employees in security can also provide a significant boost to their morale in four key ways:
- Firstly, they are likely to feel a greater sense of trust and that you consider them to be reliable.
- Secondly, they will be more comfortable on-site as they know they (and their colleagues) have the necessary tools and preparation to deal with an emergency.
- Third, anytime you invest in your team - It shows that you care about and value them.
- Finally, they can add valuable capabilities to their overall skill set – a great way of providing an individual with an increased sense of self-worth and the ability to progress their career in new directions.
Security in the Workplace is a Team Undertaking
For your site to be optimally safeguarded against a broad range of threats, your entire staff should be on board with your security measures. By providing them with professional-level security training, you ensure that every person you employ is aware of the best practices in the security sector, putting them all on the same page when protecting your business.
Look at it like this: if your business can only realistically afford to hire one professional security guard, you can have security in one place at any time. In all likelihood, that guard will be unable to provide 100% coverage for your premises and will need to patrol or choose a vantage point where they can provide the best service for you.
Now, you cannot afford more security, but you already have other staff on-site that you are paying for. Training is relatively inexpensive, so you can multiply the number of security-trained people on-site at any time for a significantly lower cost than hiring another guard.
Alliance Training and Testing
At Alliance Training and Testing, our team has over one hundred years of combined experience in private security and law enforcement. We offer a range of security training, including unarmed security guard license training and armed security guard license training. Our courses are designed to be accessible to anyone of any skill level and can be completed 100% online for less than $80.
If you have a more extensive complement of employees that you would like training, we can offer you training at your location (anywhere in Tennessee). For a flat fee, we will train unlimited candidates in unarmed security.
You can find out more about our courses at securityguardlicensetn.com
Alliance Training and Testing is the Security School of Choice in Tennessee @GuardTrainingTN