Hiring Security Guards
Every state has their own set of standards, rules, and practices that must be followed when hiring security guards. You must become familiar with what your state requires in terms of security employment because, otherwise, you can be subject to steep fines. Many who are in need of security hire security guard companies. These firms are approved by the state and generally have a license. Below are some advantages in working with a security guard company:
1. They cover all payroll taxes
2. They cover workers compensation insurance and general liability
3. They have extra officers in case you want to change the officer or add to your staff
4. They are familiar (or at least should be) with all state and federal laws. As such, they make sure there officers are well-trained
5. They are usually experts in security, freeing most clients to focus on their own business
Not all security guard companies are the same. It is worth it to interview several, get quotes, and question their policies and procedures. Here are some good questions to ask security guard companies:
1. How long have you been in busines?
2. What are your training standards? How do you train your guards?
3. What kind of guarantees do you make?
4. How is your security guard company any different than any other?
5. How often do field supervisors visit our location to check on guards?
Of course, there are many more questions you could and should ask when hiring a guard vendor. Some people hiring security guards choose to hire their guard staff themselves. Again, unless your professional, this can be risky because you are assuming a great deal of liability that you may not want to. If you decide to hire in-house officers, make sure you check to make sure their guard license is current and valid, check any and all references, and consider doing a criminal background check. Before you hire your officers, give careful consideration to where they will be working. Obviously, the requirements involved in hiring for a high-end retail store will be different than that of a construction site. The city in which the officer will be working should also be considered. For instance, Los Angeles security guards are sometimes preferred to speak Spanish due to the large Hispanic population. Areas of high crime rate may need an officer who is familiar with dealing with tougher individuals. Certain locations require good customer service skills. With careful consideration of all the necessary requirements, you can hire your own guard staff but managing them becomes another issue altogether.
1. They cover all payroll taxes
2. They cover workers compensation insurance and general liability
3. They have extra officers in case you want to change the officer or add to your staff
4. They are familiar (or at least should be) with all state and federal laws. As such, they make sure there officers are well-trained
5. They are usually experts in security, freeing most clients to focus on their own business
Not all security guard companies are the same. It is worth it to interview several, get quotes, and question their policies and procedures. Here are some good questions to ask security guard companies:
1. How long have you been in busines?
2. What are your training standards? How do you train your guards?
3. What kind of guarantees do you make?
4. How is your security guard company any different than any other?
5. How often do field supervisors visit our location to check on guards?
Of course, there are many more questions you could and should ask when hiring a guard vendor. Some people hiring security guards choose to hire their guard staff themselves. Again, unless your professional, this can be risky because you are assuming a great deal of liability that you may not want to. If you decide to hire in-house officers, make sure you check to make sure their guard license is current and valid, check any and all references, and consider doing a criminal background check. Before you hire your officers, give careful consideration to where they will be working. Obviously, the requirements involved in hiring for a high-end retail store will be different than that of a construction site. The city in which the officer will be working should also be considered. For instance, Los Angeles security guards are sometimes preferred to speak Spanish due to the large Hispanic population. Areas of high crime rate may need an officer who is familiar with dealing with tougher individuals. Certain locations require good customer service skills. With careful consideration of all the necessary requirements, you can hire your own guard staff but managing them becomes another issue altogether.
Source...