The most important professionals after your Doctor, Lawyer and Accountants are your security personnel. This is because they are responsible for the safety of life and properties. If you can’t afford to employ one, you must work or live in an environment where their skills are employed.
So regardless, you need to really know the person might, in the long run, have access to your daily routines. Which means a security guard will eventually have vital information about you. In the same manner, it is very important you also acquaint yourself with some information about your security guard.
Although it is practically impossible to know ALL about your security personnel because really, you don’t spend as much time relating with them as you spend with your family. That’s why you should get a licensed security company to provide you with the security guards you need. This is because the security company would have done all the background checks for you!
4 Essential Things You Should Know About Your Security Guard
Whether you are sourcing for this information yourself or you will contact the security company, here are 4 essential things you should know about your security guards.
Health Status
Well, asking if a person is suffering from a terminal disease can be insulting, but really it’s important you know. Your security company should have access to the health status of your security guard; they must have conducted a thorough medical check-up before enrolment.
Some health conditions are transmissible; others can be managed and prevented, so you might want to avoid too many surprises. Perhaps, requesting to see a copy of your security guards medical clearance certificate before signing the contract of employment wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Marital Status
This information can also be accessed either by asking them yourself or your security company. Even though it seems unnecessary, but this is very important. These revelations will tell you if your security guard is married? The number of the dependents? Does he live with his/her family?
This information is personal and can be discriminative but it’s important to help build a good working relationship. A recent poll shows 8 out of 10 persons said the most important persons in their lives are relatives, so you can imagine what psychological boost they would have when you care to know about their family.
Naturally, the emotional attractions we have towards our relatives are greater except in rare cases. So whether single or married, they want you to know. It only makes them want to do better at protecting your life and property.
Are You Licenced?
Security companies are licensed by the government to provide security personnel. So in essence, a correct answer to this question can be provided by your security company. The license of the security company to operate is what covers the security guards you hire. Which brings to mind the question of how to know a good security company?
The following are some checklists to consider;
- Check online to see what is available in your community.
- Check to see how long the company has been in existence.
- What are their core values?
- How effective is their policing?
- Check for their social media handles to see what others are saying about them.
With these checklists, you will definitely get most of the information you need there. Then, other options would be to ask for referrals and, yes, ask Google!
Also the security personnel should have a name tag or identification number. Ensure the name tags and identification number tally with contract document you are getting from the security company. Remember you are paying them to protect your life and property. So feel free to double check.
Are You Insured?
Like every other job, the job of a security guard involves a number of risks, one of which is being killed on active duty. Do they have a life insurance policy? What plans does the security company have for them in terms of insurance? Are some of the questions you should ask the security company and the security guard in question. Even the protector needs to be protected!
When your security guards know they are insured, it gives them peace of mind. This is one thing you can be sure of, and they no longer have to question whether they will be taken care of when they are gone or retired. Having a life insurance policy can also help to avoid unnecessary court hearings on settlements and compensations.
Conclusion
You can’t know all about your security guards, but you should endeavour to know the following things mentioned above as they pertain to how well they perform on the job.