Securing business premises must be comprehensive to be effective at all times. It is no use to provide substantial security in one part of the establishment while leaving the other areas with weak monitoring. To secure a business in its entirety, the management must identify the optimal ratio of security patrol guards corresponding to the space requirements.
If you want to know how to do that, here are five tips to consider to come up with the right number of security guards to hire for a business.
#1 – Evaluate the nature of the business
The first factor to consider is evaluating the type of business because every type of business requires a different degree of security. For example, a business in the jewelry industry has a higher need for security patrol guards because of the value of the items beings sold. The higher the cost of the inventory, the higher the demand will be for security guards services. Meanwhile, a business that focuses more on services and not tangible items may not need as much security.
#2 – Evaluate the scale of the area to be covered
The number of security patrol guards must correspond to the scale of the area that will need to be covered. If the area of the business establishment is bigger, there will typically be more entrances, exits, or cash boxes to look after. A bigger building also means more visitors, which could result in a possible theft. It is ideal to have at least one security guard per entrance and exit area, especially during peak hours of the business.
#3 – Evaluate the key areas that need priority
Identify the key areas in the business premises that require higher patrols. This might include the proper monitoring of the cashier area as well as the entryways. For example, pawnshops need constant monitoring of jewelry display cases, while other businesses will require a set of security patrol guards to usher their treasury staff while transporting cash. Meanwhile, many business premises need to monitor the vandal-prone areas in the establishment’s exterior.
#4 – Determine the type of security coverage required
Know that each space in a business establishment serves different functions. The functional requirement of space determines the type of security coverage required for that area. For example, some establishments, such as parks or malls, will require guards to spread their monitoring coverage, or for them to be at specific posts. Other areas are better monitored with security guard software to provide constant supervision.
#5 – Determine the security guard ratio given the space requirements
The general rule in deciding the number of security personnel in an area is to apply the 1:50 ratio, which is a helpful guide in estimating the right number of guards to cover the premises properly. For example, given that a construction site has foot traffic of 200 people, it is ideal to have at least four security areas, which follows the 1:50 rule mentioned.
In applying this ratio, however, other factors need to be considered as well. For instance, the number of guards may need to be increased if there are more entryways, even though there is lesser foot traffic.
Conclusion
At this point, you now know a little more about how to determine the number of security patrol guards to hire for your business.
If you’re looking for security guards for your business property, get in touch with us today! We provide full operational support and communication to reduce the risk of criminal incidents within the business premises significantly.
