Security or Fake Security Investments in Security; Do They Pay Enough
Director: "During the meeting they have insisted on paying more attention to the security of our company."
Manager: "That's necessary indeed. In the last three months we had four burglaries during which computers were stolen. We indeed have to do something about it."
Director: "The Work's Council has also started yammering about safety and security. Yes, we should really do something about it. Maybe hiring such a security company. That's an idea, isn't it?"
Manager: "I have heard that such a security company arranges everything for you. Fire and closing rounds, alarm reaction and even services of a porter. Then we have arranged all things at one and the same time."
Director: "I completely agree with you. Let the Facility Manager make all the arrangements. But ensure that he requests proposals from three different companies and that he takes the cheapest. Now, I am glad that has been taken care of. Gives a safe feeling."
Reality or Fiction?
More and more often we are confronted with situations in companies in which you may ask yourself whether hiring a security service isn't giving you a feeling of 'fake security'. Giving yourself the idea that security has been taken care of and hide yourself behind this illusion.
Our experience is that in many companies people have not carefully considered security matters beforehand. Have they for example posed themselves the following questions: does hiring a security service provide the security our organization needs? Do we know whom we trust with our keys and the alarm code? Is the security as it is carried out exactly what we had expected from it? And even more important: have we ourselves sufficiently formulated what we expect from the security company and the individual officer? In other words: have we set any requirements?
What we would like you to consider is to have an informal talk with one of our consultants about this issue. He can answer questions you may have such as:
- Which are the risks within our organization and how are they controlled?
- Is hiring a security company the best way to control certain risks?
- For which days/times should the security company be hired?
- Which should be the specific tasks of the security employees within our organization?
- Do the proceeds outweigh the costs?
In addition, our consultant might be of assistance in instructing and monitoring the security employees and in checking their activities.
There are more aspects, which have to be considered carefully before money is spent on 'fake' security instead of real security. More and more clients for example have our Pre-employment Screening department carry out a background check before hiring an employee. This because they want certainty about the integrity of these employees, who after all have a lot of 'options' in the companies in which they work, on account of their position.
Our advice: Do you intend to subcontract security, or have you already subcontracted it but would you like to know whether you are paying for 'fake security', then one phone call to mr B. van de Dijk is sufficient for a free appointment with one of our consultants.
