Building relationships with your security guards should be a top priority. After all, you’ll be working alongside them daily.

While security guards are trained to be professional whether there is a relationship or not, it’s less awkward for everyone involved if people feel comfortable interacting with the guards.

It’s actually easy to build a professional relationship with your security guards and it could help improve overall security.

Relationships Improve Security

Security guards on their own provide excellent security. However, when employees, customers or gated community residents take the time to get to know the security guards, they’re more comfortable reporting issues.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a security guard is intimidating to many people. When the guards and the people they’re helping protect take the time to build relationships, you create a far more effective security team.

People report suspicious activity. The guards learn more about everyone’s demeanor and daily activities. As the relationship develops, security gets better. This is why security resource officers usually try to build relationships with students at schools. They make the students feel safer and they’re far more likely to come to the officer when there is trouble.

Introduce Yourself

The simplest way to start building relationships with your security guards is to introduce yourself. Security guards want to know more about everyone they’re working with. This helps them to do their job better.

Plus, you get to learn more about your guards. Knowing at least their name is a sign of respect. While you don’t have to be best friends with them, you should at least know their name.

Speak Daily

This next step helps you to gradually build professional relationships. Security guards are there to protect you, not become your buddy. While friendships can and do develop, the object is to build a working relationship of trust and respect.

Security guards appreciate it when you acknowledge them with a “good morning” or “how are you today.” It’s a professional courtesy and a simple way to start a relationship. You don’t have to have long conversations, but friendly small talk goes a long way.

Help Them Learn Your Routines

As you take the time to talk with your security guards, they’re learning more about your daily routines. For instance, they might learn that you always take your lunch 30 minutes later than everyone else or that you prefer to step outside during breaks.

When security guards know your routines, they’re able to keep you safer. For example, if you often work late, but always have to park at the end of the lot, a security guard might quickly learn this and offer to escort you to your car to keep you safer.

Include Them In Staff Events

If you’re having a birthday party, special lunch or any other fun staff event, invite your security staff. While they may not be able to always attend (for security reasons), they’ll appreciate the gesture. Plus, if they can attend, it gives them a chance to interact with staff in a more casual environment.

The object is to make them feel like a valued part of your team. It also helps everyone to build better relationships with each other.

Show Respect

The most important way to build relationships with your security guards is to show respect. While their job might seem uneventful most of the time, they’re actually working much harder than you think. They’re constantly looking for potential problems, preventing crime and watching over you to ensure you stay safe.

If the worst ever does happen, they’ll do everything possible to ensure the people they’re protecting are safe and secure. It can be a dangerous job.

Don’t be afraid to tell your security guards “thank you.” Knowing you respect and appreciate them instantly creates a professional relationship.

Contact BOS Security

Great relationships with your security guards start with hiring the most professional guards possible. Contact us today at 404-793-6965 to learn about how we can help.

Not sure how security guards might be able to help your business? Uncover potential vulnerabilities with our free Security Needs Assessment.

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