4 Pressing Challenges Facing The Security & Safety Sector in The Age of COVID-19

The persistent threat of COVID-19 presents a raft of challenges for companies in the security and ‘man-guarding’ sector.

While many sectors are reliant on monitoring and mitigating potential outbreaks within contained occupational settings, the remote or ‘outsourced’ nature of the security sector commands a whole new raft of safety solutions.

In an industry that employs around half a million security guards in the UK alone, managing the potential for accelerating the spread of the virus matters now more than ever.

As we move towards reopening the economy and restarting “normal” life, the security sector is faced with significant challenges. Here we look at the four most pressing challenges the industry must tackle, immediately.

1. Spreading the infection wider

Working with various clients in multiple premises increases the risk of spreading the infection wider.

From retail to corporate offices, educational settings, financial institutions, and beyond, businesses will need security and man-guarding personnel more than ever. The necessity for a watchful eye and professional security processes will be vital in today’s climate, as we move out of lockdown.

This means that security operatives entering third-party venues that aren’t appropriately tested for the virus and greenlit for work could infect an entire workplace, causing cluster outbreaks in various locations. Alternatively, security operatives themselves could be at risk themselves if the venue does not have strict and clear measures in place. Guidelines and processes that need to be communicated to you to give assurance for your teams that where they are going is safe.

2. Client concerns & a sense of distrust

Businesses that outsource security and man-guarding personnel will naturally be wary of people bringing the virus to their premises.

Without an efficient and transparent means of verifying the COVID status of security or man-guarding personnel, businesses decision-makers are becoming increasingly reluctant to hire third-party firms.

At its core, security is about making people feel safe - and if clients are concerned about the virus entering the workplace through an external source, they are likely to hire and invest internally instead. Naturally, this means a diminishing client-based and a loss of revenue.

3. Personnel safety & engagement

Security firm owners or decision-makers should also be aware that staff morale, engagement, and trust is a burning issue in the age of COVID-19.

If your staff don’t feel safe and secure, wellbeing will suffer and cracks will emerge. Recent figures show that among all key worker occupations right now, security guards are at the highest risk of death.

As such, security and man-guarding firms are under immense pressure to demonstrate complete commitment to staff safety - not just now, but for the foreseeable future.

4. Compliance penalties & reputational damage

With a raft of stringent COVID safety compliance regulations to consider, keeping on top of operations while maintaining staff and client trust is an uphill struggle.

Major employers across industries are at genuine risk of £10,000 penalty fines since the pandemic started - and with pandemic-based red tape in place indefinitely, there’s zero room for complacency.

A direct offshoot of failing to comply with COVID regulations and compromising personnel safety is reputational damage.

As security guards are a core pillar of ‘front line’ workers, they could become scapegoats for viral outbreaks during the pandemic - and one false move could create a level of reputational damage that can seriously stunt commercial progress in a time when it matters most.

Staff rebellion, dips in productivity, and general safety breaches will have a significantly negative impact on brand reputation - to avoid such a devastating situation, developing razor-sharp safety solutions is imperative.

Catenae’s Covid Operating System: empowering businesses to mitigate the pandemic challenges

Efficient, accurate, and transparent personnel management is essential to ensuring safety, maintaining trust, and keeping the wheels turning in the age of COVID-19. Catenae’s Covid Operating System offers that solution.

Our App, Intelligent Dashboards and 100% secure platform boast the digital toolkit you need to operate with consistency, look after your reputation, and ensure your employees, as well as clients, are safe and at all times.

Discover how Catenae's state-of-the-art Operating System can give your managers, operatives, and clients full visibility of COVID impacts, get in touch. We’ll be happy to answer any question.