Security management is an ever-evolving responsibility that is more expansive than ever. Duties of the modern security manager can include security policy and procedure development, physical security design, security construction management, executive protection, travel risk management, emergency management, security training and cybersecurity. The list goes on and is unique to every industry.
The criticality of the Security Manager role cannot be emphasized enough. Unfortunately for businesses, it is typically not a commonly shared skill set among staff. Outsourcing your Security Manager can be just the solution your company needs.
Why Use Outsourced Security Management?
Whether you are a new start-up, growing business or established company, outsourcing security management can provide great benefits to your company. It can be a useful resource for companies of all sizes, scales, and industries to build, expand, and improve their security programs.
An overall assessment conducted by an outside party is often a great place to start to review your organization’s needs and identify areas within a program that need improvement. From there, as the company decision-maker, you can prioritize the areas of improvement and determine the way forward.
Another great thing about outsourcing security management is it can take on any form that suits your organization’s needs. It can be a short-term solution to get you through a temporary vacancy, a long-term solution to managing your security program or a hybrid of the two.
How Outsourced Security Management Can Benefit Your Security Program
Building a Security Program. How do you begin building a security program? Outsourcing your security management could be just the place to start. Like any pillar of your organization, your security program will only be as strong as the foundation. Establishing sound policies and procedures are imperative to your success. Having an outsourced security manager onboard with your team as you build your business will allow you to leverage their experience and integrate your organization’s culture into their approach.
A security manager can save you valuable time and provide considerable cost savings as the above-mentioned security scopes arise. For example, clients requiring physical security systems may not know how to locate credible vendors, the correct questions to ask vendors, typical trouble areas in a project’s life cycle or lead times of specialty equipment. Having an experienced security manager to guide you through just this one project can cut costs and save time for system procurement and installation.
Once your program is established and your business is operational, you may want to onboard a security professional to take over. Your outsourced security manager can assist in developing the job description, recruiting candidates, supporting you through the interview process and making recommendations for the position.
Expanding a Security Program. Imagine you run a small start-up that recently experienced significant growth and finds itself needing to answer questions that were not relevant previously. Your newfound success and publicity could bring unwanted attention to members of your executive team. This is a great time to conduct an independent security study to discover your online exposure.
If you discover substantial risk from an independent security study, then establishing an executive protection program may be your logical next step. Perhaps this is not an area of expertise for your current security manager. Outsourcing the development of specific programs lends the necessary expert support to the existing security manager, allowing them to collaborate to ensure the program is built to the highest standard and aligns with your company’s vision.
Improving an Existing Security Program. Let’s say you have a well-established security program that seems to be running smoothly. What benefits might be offered by outsourced security management? The role of a security manager requires intense focus on daily activities and a strategic outlook for the future. However, it is not uncommon for security managers to lose track of emerging strategies in the security industry. There can be considerable value in bringing in an outside perspective to analyze your program and make recommendations learned from their recent and diverse experiences.
When it comes to training emergency action plans, for example, the security manager is usually responsible for planning or otherwise has an administrative role in the training. Like other employees, security managers need to be active participants in training to practice their roles in emergencies. An outsourced security manager can analyze procedures, develop scenarios, coordinate training, evaluate the training, lead the company through the after-action review process and make recommendations for areas of improvement.
When is the Right Time to Outsource Security Management? Anytime.
The security of your company, people and offices is too important to not get the attention it deserves. Having a secure work environment fosters a feeling of safety and comfort that spreads throughout the organization leading to improved employee morale, higher performance, better concentration and increased productivity.
Our team of security professionals at Jensen Hughes brings decades of individual experience and a collaborative methodology that services clients across a broad range of industries. We provide assessments, recommendations, and support to help your existing security manager identify and mitigate areas of concern. Learn more about our security risk management services.