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Hiring Seasonal Security Guards

It's that time of year again when businesses are preparing for the holiday season rush. And while this can be a stressful period for many organizations, it can also present an opportunity to grow your business through seasonal sales opportunities and new hires - particularly if you're looking to hire seasonal workers. When hiring security guards for the first time (or any time), it's important to consider the skills required for each position and whether those individuals will fit into your corporate culture. You'll find that some types of employees work better than others in this type of environment - so let's look at some tips for choosing wisely.

Holiday season is a time of increased business for many organizations. 

This increase in customer and employee traffic can present a significant challenge to security managers, as well as the physical safety of your business or facility. While some businesses hire additional staff to handle these added responsibilities, others rely on temporary help to fill the gap during this busy period. 

A common way that businesses meet their seasonal staffing needs is through employment agencies who specialize in temporary workers. These agencies can provide you with experienced guards who are familiar with your industry and how best to protect it—for an affordable price tag. 

CTA 2That extra business can also mean an increase in the need for security, both internal and external. 

As you can imagine, an increase in business means an increase in the need for security. In addition to protecting against external threats, the retail sector should be taking steps to protect itself from internal ones as well. 

Security guards are a great way to ensure that only authorized personnel are entering and leaving your store or business. If a person is trying to gain access without authorization, even if they have a keycard for the door, it may be worth it for management and/or security staff members to call them out on it before allowing them entry into restricted areas of your building (like back offices). 

Another area where seasonal hiring could come into play is cyber security: making sure that computers aren't infected with malware after being connected with Wi-Fi networks or tracking who's using which computers so that one doesn't get left unattended overnight. 

This can be a great opportunity, particularly for new professionals in the security field. 

Seasonal hiring can be a terrific opportunity, particularly for new professionals in the security field. It's an excellent way to get your foot in the door and build valuable relationships with clients, as well as learn new skills and network with other professionals. 

Here are some key points to think about when considering hiring seasonal workers: 

 

Consider the types of employees who will fit well with the culture of your organization. 

When hiring security guards, it's important to consider the types of employees who will fit well with your organization. You'll want to think about whether you want a person who has a background in security or not. You'll also want to consider whether you're looking for someone who just wants a short-term job or is interested in making this their career. 

You may find that students or retirees work very well in a seasonal position. 

Retirees often have a lot of experience and can share their knowledge with younger workers. Students may be looking for part-time work while in school, and retirees may be looking for something more interesting than sitting at home. 

You may also consider hiring veterans if your company has military contracts or is located near any armed forces bases. Veterans are usually very dedicated to the job and will provide excellent customer service. 

And don't forget to look for qualified women, which can be an important part of diversity training programs, especially since women are often under-represented in corporate security roles. 

If you're looking for ways to diversify your security team, don't forget about women. Women are still underrepresented in physical security roles and hiring more women to work as guards is an important part of diversity training programs. The reason is simple: women bring different perspectives to the job that can help improve your company's approach to protecting assets. 

While it may sound cliché, there's no denying that men and women think differently about things like multitasking and working with people. Men are often great at multitasking but less effective when it comes to communicating with other employees; on the other hand, women tend to be better communicators but less skilled at multi-tasking (though this isn't always true). Hiring qualified female candidates is just one way you can ensure that these unique attributes will be represented on your team. 

When performing security functions, look at the different types of training needed for seasonal hires, as well as any experience they have in the field - even if it's not related to physical security.  

Note whether your potential hire has undergone additional training specific to what they'll be doing on premises. For example, if you're hiring security guards for an event and need them to perform crowd control duties, there should be some form of crowd management training involved. This can also apply if you're hiring security guards who will be patrolling areas with groups of people who are often intoxicated at night, like outside concert venues and sporting events. 

If possible (and affordable), consider conducting background checks for all applicants before moving forward with interviews or other steps in the process. 

We recommend using online training systems like eLearning and virtual reality to get people up to speed on security procedures quickly and effectively before they're needed on the job. 

You'll want to make sure that your employees have the skills necessary for their jobs. For example, if you're hiring security guards, you'll need them to be able to handle a weapon and know how to take down someone who is acting aggressively. If you can't provide those types of training, then it might be better for your company if you hire regular workers instead of seasonal ones. Consider using a tool like Defencify to speed up training and get guards in the field faster with eLearning opportunities. Check out our webinar on how you can implement their training programs quickly and efficiently.  

Just because they are seasonal workers doesn't mean you should skimp on their responsibilities or pay. 

Seasonal workers are just as likely to get injured on the job and should be paid accordingly. If an employee performs their duties well, they should receive a competitive salary that reflects that performance. For example, if an employee receives excellent performance reviews from both management and customers during the season they work at your business, they can expect a raise at the end of that season. 

Whether you're hiring an intern or a full-time employee, it's important to treat each new hire with respect by ensuring they have access to adequate training and tools for success. If you follow these guidelines in interviewing potential employees and determining compensation packages, then chances are good that your seasonal security guards will stick around long enough for them to become year-round employees. 

CTAYour seasonal employees should receive the same benefits as other employees working in similar positions, so make sure you adjust your compensation accordingly. 

Seasonal employees, like the rest of your staff, should receive the same benefits as other employees working in similar positions. This includes health insurance; retirement savings plans and paid vacation time. Make sure you adjust your compensation accordingly for seasonal workers as well. 

For example, because they are only working for part of the year (or a few months), it's not fair if you pay them at a full-time rate. Also make sure to pay seasonal employees according to their experience level and the job they are doing—if someone with five years' experience is doing an entry level position then they're going to expect more compensation than someone with less experience who's doing the same job. 

Are you hiring seasonal workers to fill out your teams? Check out one of our recent webinars on hiring a subcontractor workforce that can help you recruit new members to your team.  

Thinkcurity Articles
Thinkcurity Articles
Thinkcurity is revolutionizing education in the physical security industry through engaging content and thought leadership in every aspect of running a successful security operation.

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