Women in Private Security Industry – A perspective

INTRODUCTION

Having been viewed as a ‘male preserve’ for many years, the security industry now finally realises the value and contribution of women. This is visible not only in the growing numbers of female security professionals, but also with more women taking leadership roles in organisations. Our female forebearers struggled to gain the rightful recognition they deserved, but as society has changed so too have attitudes. Women are now seen as equals, but our industry still has a disproportionate balance in favour of men. For many years now, women have made their impact known throughout the industry, and the numbers of successful women in security seems to increase every year emphasizing the growing importance of women managers in this field. The convergence of physical and cyber security is advancing quickly, which is helping to expand the role of women in physical security. More IT professionals have crossed over to the physical security systems world, and as a result, more women are engaging and operating in this space. During the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of women in leadership roles within in the security profession. More and more women are holding executive-level jobs in organizations across the globe. Women entering security in junior-level positions are quickly and remarkably climbing the organizational ladder of success. Women have been adding credibility to security organizations and have also been observed to be infusing respect in the processes and approaches of such organizations. Women no longer have narrowly defined roles in security. They can now enter any position – be that technical, managerial or right at the coalface of physical security. I am also pleased to see women recognised in security industry awards, reflecting our overall success. Ultimately, we need to reach a stage where gender isn’t even a factor and individuals are judged on their professional skills alone. These are some primary reasons why innovative and forward-thinking security organizations are hiring more women and placing more women in managerial roles. The keen eye for details and the depth of creativity and technical knowledge are key points that have drawn the attention of leadership in security organizations towards women employees who show promising potential. Now, women are moving into sales and business roles with direct P&L responsibility, as well as a wide variety of jobs within the security industry. There are women technicians, security officers, integrators, business heads, and business owners – Managing Directors.

WHAT POSSIBLY COULD HAVE BEEN THE REASONS WOMEN CHOOSE NOT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN SECURITY

I often ponder on it as to why it took us so long to reach this change and most of time I reach to a cluster of numerous likely reasons out of which I have summarized a few very obvious ones below:

1. Security is a male-dominated industry.
2. Sexual exploitation is still prevalent in the sector.
3. Fears that gender will impede career progression.
4. The perception that security work is unsafe for women.
5. Lack of female role models, particularly in higher positions.
6. The belief that typical ‘female’ characteristics will be seen as inferior.
7. The misconception that men are stronger and only fit into security cloak.
8. The idea that the security work is incompatible with family life.
9. Evidence that female security staff face high levels of discrimination, sexual harassment, and bullying.
10. Perceived lack of opportunities for women within the industry

CHALLENGES

Possibly the reasons above may not form the full explanation. Therefore, I find it essential to delve into the challenges which dwarfed the women entry into security domain for so long. The key challenges which come to my mind could have been substantial to navigate:

1. Stereotyped roles offered to women as the Admin/ HR or marketing person.
2. Difficult & inflexible work culture for the working mum.
3. Stereotypical view of the PSI dominated by the law enforcement officers.
4. Lack of formal training in the technical aspects of security domain.
5. Perceptional deficit of the broad nature of the security and PSI.
6. Criteria of the requisite experience to move on to senior roles

OPPORTUNITIES

The uncertain and changing times we all live in have increased the focus on security and risk services, creating a whole new world of opportunities and career paths within the industry that were not available previously. There are increased education options available now in security, criminal justice and terrorism studies than ever before, leading to job titles and career progression that didn’t exist 10 years ago.

Increasing reliance on technology and networking means that women can enter the industry from IT, cyber security or other technology backgrounds, which increases the pool of knowledgeable professionals available. Any person entering the security industry now has more options than ever before, which is an exciting time for the industry. There are tremendous opportunities for women in our industry at all stages of their lives. They can do full time, part time or casual work. Part time and casual positions for team leaders, supervisors and operations managers allow women to reduce their hours while they raise a family and progress their career. Flexible hours with four to 12 hour shifts also allow people to work while studying right through to semi-retirement. There are many security roles where women are valued. Hence, opportunities are vast and endless in the right company. In the technical sector the components are small, light and easily managed. The work is relatively clean and mentally quite challenging. The potential career paths which women could have besides Admin, HR, Sales/ Marketing in PSI:

1. Consultant – Security, safety & Quality Assurance (QA).
2. Company Secretary & Legal.
3. Quality Assurance Manager.
4. Risk Management Professional.
5. Loss Prevention Manager.
6. Cyber Security Manager.
7. Learning and Development Professional.
8. Customer Relations Manager (CRM).
9. Occupational Health Safety & Environment (OHS & E) Manager.
10. Security Manager of an IT/ ITES company.
11. Security Manager of an airport/ An Aviation Screener.
12. Manager VMS/ BMS. m) Key Accounts Manager (KAM).
13. CCTV Control Room Manager.
14. Fire Safety Manager.

CHANGES OVER THE LAST DECADE

The challenging times we live in have seen client security budgets go from being a ‘nice to have’ item to a ‘necessity,’ which in turn has raised the profile of security services overall, and of the profession in general. The other trend I’ve witnessed is rapid changes in technology and the way that electronic systems today can integrate into so many other systems. Advancements in technology are creating new ways of thinking for technical designers, and we have to re-think the old rules about the ‘silo’ approach and stand-alone security networks, to consider VLANs, shared infrastructure and cloud based storage. Immense changes have occurred in the technical sector – often difficult to keep abreast of. The industry is open to women entering at all levels. There are no barriers to women entering or progressing within the industry. In the past there was a perception that a good security officer needed to be tall and strong which usually meant being male. Now it is well accepted that the role of security is broad and the skill set required varies depending on the role being performed. It is a changing industry that is expanding and will always be needed.

THE VALUE WOMEN CAN BRING TO THE SECURITY INDUSTRY

1. Female security officers seen as less intimidating and more approachable to women, particularly when safeguarding vulnerable women and children.
2. Women approach the role differently. Women security officers are often better at diffusing aggressive situations and stopping them from escalating into violence.
3. Varied roles require diverse team. Diversity in security personnel makes a security company considerably more versatile and adaptable for clients, allowing businesses to cater for a greater variety of business needs.
4. The growing demand for ‘invisible’ private security.
5. Women can easily blend in with a client’s entourage, whether as a member of the family or a PA, which is a big plus for some individuals.
6. Women ensure that physical confrontation is the last resort. The key to effective security is a proactive mindset, preventative measures, and most importantly, an empathetic approach to the client’s needs. The best way to keep your client safe is to read the situation, plan ahead and avoid dangerous situations altogether.
7. Women are sometimes able to diffuse a situation of heightened emotions more effectively. In the office, women are able to bring a different, sometimes more customer/ employee focused perspective. Female security guards have the ability to respond quickly to confronting or hostile clients, displaying a level of empathy and understanding that can help de-escalate situations.
8. Impact of the COV ID pandemic. Increasing reliance on the softer skills. The responsibilities and expectations of guards have shifted to be active, visible, communicative, enforcing new safety regulations and a reassuring presence. Security personnel have rapidly adapted to implement social distancing, visitor number restrictions, crowd control and the challenges of enforcing these in the face of conspiracy theories and misinformation. These new roles increasingly rely on softer skills – such as communication, empathy, and a mindful approach – which generally are where women’s strengths lie. Could now be the perfect time to ask what more can be done to nurture diversity, capitalizing this progressive momentum where others are struggling?

CONCLUSION

Women have gone through a series of struggles to prove their capability and become equal in the workplace to their male counterparts. Prior to World War II, women were expected to stay home and provide care for the household, and children and men were expected to ‘bring home the bacon.’ Ideologies began to shift as women who entered the labor pool during the war wanted to remain in the workforce; women’s pursuit of equal pay and equitable working conditions continues today. Over time, there have been many changes in the role of women in the security profession and their contribution to this specific industry which, over the years, has been pre-dominantly dominated by men. There is a new movement on the horizon, and it includes capable women implementing a vision of change. Women are gradually making their way into this highly male-oriented profession. Ten years ago, the percentage of women in the security industry was virtually nonexistent. More recently, women have actively positioned themselves for growth within the security profession in both government and private industry. At this time, the number of women in security is rapidly increasing in the workforce. Women have faced barriers to penetrating the security industry because many posts in law enforcement were traditionally held by men, and these positions transitioned well into the security field. The transformation in the security industry from a commodity-based sale to an IT-centric business was the opening for an influx of new visionaries, which, of course, included women.

As an industry we need to continue to encourage and mentor young women to enter the industry in every type of role. In that same way, we must create a more diverse workforce to leverage the talent in the market and represent our brands as we would want to be seen. In the past, security was reluctantly implemented on a shoe string budget. Today, electronic security has become integral to all operations. This change has opened the industry to a new market of employees capable of changing along with the times and presented a window of opportunity for the entry of something new, a diversified workforce bringing fresh approaches and creative ideas paving the road for the future of the security industry. The security industry has begun to recognize the value of women and their unique creativity contributing to team cohesiveness and better profits. Leadership is diligently working to align the objective of the profession with the global objectives of promoting diversity and equality. Indeed, the industry has evolved beyond brute strength, and qualities such as communication, empathy and industry knowledge which are critical to the modern-day security sectors.