Hiring professional security guards is a crucial step in protecting people, property, and assets whether it’s for a residential building, commercial site, or a large public event. Trained and reliable guards help deter crime, manage emergencies, and provide peace of mind for everyone involved. However, many individuals and businesses make the mistake of hiring underqualified or unprofessional personnel, which can lead to serious safety risks, legal issues, and financial losses. From poor response times to lack of proper training, the consequences of bad hiring decisions can be severe. This blog aims to shed light on the top 7 mistakes people make when hiring security guards and offers practical tips to help you avoid them. By understanding these common pitfalls, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and ensure your security team is both competent and dependable.
1. Not Checking Licensing and Certification
Among the greatest errors that one can encounter when employing security guards is neglecting to authenticate their grants and permits. Certified guards have been trained adequately, checked thoroughly and match the legal compliance of the local or national security regulation agencies. Employment of an unlicensed guard is considered a risk since it not only jeopardizes your safety on the one hand, but can also place you on the edge of legal responsibility, in case an accident does take place as a result of the guard operating without a license. In most areas the use of unlicensed security guard services is a punishable act and it may lead to some fines or even lawsuits. In order not to be exposed to this, make sure to always ask to see some official licenses and evidence of acquired training courses. You may also check the killing of credentials by contacting local licensing authorities or agencies they run security. It is important to consider licensed and certified guards because they are more qualified than the unlicensed ones. This is because they will be professionals that are accountable and legally empowered to offer protection.
2. Ignoring Background Checks
Asking security agencies to ignore the background checks when hiring security guards is a grave error that will directly influence the security and reliability of the security squad. Failure to screen will leave you employed people whose records are littered by charges, aggressive tendencies or bad ethical spirit, qualities that will only undermine the same security they are supposed to uphold. In the actual scenario, uncured guards must have engaged in stealing, power misuse or even laxity resulting in loss of property, reputation and even legal headaches by the employer. Careful background checks cannot be spared in order to eliminate these risks. This involves checking identity, employment record, criminal record and references. The vetting can be simplified by collaboration with a well-established security firm or a certificate screening service. When a security guard is vetted well he or she is bound to be responsible, react appropriately when emergencies come in and preserve the image of your business or facility.
3. Choosing Based on Lowest Price Only
Being economical is a good idea, but as far as security guards are concerned, it is critically wrong to hire them only on the basis of low cost only with disastrous effects. When you end up getting cheap security services, you have to pay hidden costs in poor training of employees, poor supervision, or response procedures. Such guards can not be competent enough to cope with actual danger, which causes higher levels of vulnerability, damages to property or legal consequences. Saving money in the short term can do much more damage financially and to the reputation in the long term. Effective security demands time investment on training, equipment and professional supervision, which help in improved performance and dependability. You should compare several providers not only in relation to price, but their experience, reviews by their clients and values of services that they render. To have the actual peace of mind, affordability and effectiveness are two of the main factors to consider when choosing the guard service.
4. Not Defining Security Needs Clearly
One of the mistakes you can make is not to define your security needs in a clear way and this can make you recruit guards who are unready or unqualified to do their job. Each property or event is different and has its own risks, activities that are effective in one neighborhood may not do well in a commercial complex, or large-scale public event. In case of an improper assessment, you might land up with services that are mismatched and which provide weak or non-effective protection. An instance of this would be whereby employing an unarmed security officer to a high threat industrial premise or a security guard to deal with people in a laid back office would result in poor performance and vulnerability. To prevent it, first you need to define the types of your particular security problems, which may be access control, surveillance, emergency response or crowd management. Write these expectations down and communicate them to the security provider accordingly to ensure he/she deploys guards with the appropriate training and experience. Customizing makes it safer and more cost-effective with regard to utilizing your resources.
5. Hiring Without a Written Contract
Recruitment of security guards without the signed contract is a dangerous maneuver that may cause misunderstanding, conflicts and lawsuits. Verbal contracts can be convenient, but do not provide much security in case of problems arising i.e. in case of a dispute of duties that are to be performed, terms of payment or who should be held liable in the event of an incident. A written contract should be detailed out and this does not only make the agreement formal but it also helps to have expectations on both sides. Advantages to incorporate include the special duties of the guard, the hours of work, remunerations, the reporting line and action to be taken during emergencies or when security is breached. Other clauses such as termination conditions, insurance cover and abidance by local laws are also prudent to incorporate. Watch out for vague expressions or lack of details, these are red flags that might signify unprofessionalism. A good contract is accountable, less prone to misunderstanding and provides compliance to the law. Always everything should be in writing, prior to the onset of the security services.
6. Failing to Check Experience and Specialization
The other widely made mistake when selecting security guards is neglecting the particular experience and areas of expertise. Guards are not trained to deal with all circumstances perfectly- a person who has been trained in front-desk unarmed services will not be fit to work in a high risk zone controlled through armed response and crowd control. Every environment, be it a retail shop, construction site, corporate building or special event would all demand individual talents and readiness. Inability to align the experience of a guard with your security requirements may present a low performance, safety violation or overdependence on the emergency services. Specific inquiries must be made during the hiring process which can include the following questions: Has he or she worked in the same environments before? What are your experiences in handling emergency situations? Does he or she receive any training in de-escalating conflicts or surveillance technology? Knowing what a guard has to offer and how they got there assists in determining whether they are the correct choice to work on your property or attend an event. Better protection and decision-making are the results of the right experience.
7. Overlooking Communication and Professionalism
These are two important qualities of any security guard but most employers may ignore them when doing the hiring exercise. When guards are incapable of communicating effectively or behaving professionally, they are likely to cause severe problems in the operation because they may not report properly, adhere to procedures, and cause chaos in case of an emergency. Lack of professionalism can also reflect negatively through lateness, improper conduct, less focus on details, and disrespect to both staff and the visitors, which can destroy the reputation and credibility of your organization. The guards should be selected properly to be able to guarantee their smooth operations and that requires that they have good interpersonal skills, timely reports and are respectful. Creating a routine of check-ins, performance management, and oversight can keep you on your toes and guarantees that a problem is solved in a timely manner. Stability in values through laying emphasis on communication and professionalism means that one can establish the security presence which can only be trusted to not merely save but to promote the business with a sense of integrity.
Conclusion
In summary, the mistakes people make when hiring security guards—such as overlooking licensing, skipping background checks, focusing only on price, and ignoring clear communication—can seriously compromise safety and effectiveness. Avoiding these common pitfalls requires careful due diligence and clearly defined expectations. By partnering with a reputable and transparent security company, you ensure that your guards are properly trained, experienced, and professional. This approach not only protects your property but also gives you lasting peace of mind, knowing your security needs are fully covered.
Editorial staff’s are at AB Securitas Bangladesh are experts in security guard services in Bangladesh.