Empowering security guards

The people who protect our buildings and homes are the country’s first line of defence

For any visitor to the UAE, the sheer number of security guards in our cities is hard to miss. From residential apartment buildings to shopping centres, thousands of guards are employed to ensure our safety. While safety in numbers might sound like a smart plan in this industry, the fact of the matter is that our security guards are relatively powerless when it comes to critical decisions.

As The National reported, security guards in Dubai will soon receive a pay rise and better training. This is a good first step, but we must rethink our approach to the industry. Until this point, we have adopted a programme that focuses on large numbers of guards. To meet the staffing requirements, we have employed poorly trained individuals who work long hours. In residential buildings, many of these guards even end up filling the role of concierge.

The result is that many security guards are overworked, underpaid and simply not invested in carrying out the critical task of securing the premises they are responsible for. To achieve better value for money, we should consider employing fewer guards, pay them better wages and empower them through proper training to meet the real needs of the profession.

The role of training in the security profession can’t be overstated. The creation of a UAE certification programme, in which local instructors can vet incoming security guards and teach them about the social norms of this country, would help establish clear standards in the industry. Such a programme would also require yearly refresher courses both to ensure that standards are maintained and to allow the guards themselves to raise any challenges they might face on the job. For example, an overworked guard who has been on shift for 12 hours is not going to be able to perform his duties efficiently.

We might take security guards for granted because we are blessed to have a huge number around our cities, but the role they play is critical to the overall security of the nation. If we approach the industry from a value-for-money perspective, we will be able to reform it to meet our changing needs.