topic 5 : security personnel management

Topic 5 : SecurityPersonnel

Management

Since September 11, 2001, many organizations have been reevaluating personnel security programmes based on each individual’s responsibilities.

5.1 HIRING SECURITY PERSONNEL• Hiring new security employees is one of the most

significant functions and responsibilities of security management.

• An applicant for security guard should meet the following minimum standards, which apply to the lowest entry-level position, typically a uniformed security officer:

(a) The security applicant must be free from any physical or emotional disorder or handicap that would preclude meeting predetermined performance standards.

(b) The security applicant must demonstrate responsibility, maturity, and honesty through a verifiable history of prior employment and/or pursuit of education.(c) The security applicant must not have a conviction of any crime involving moral corrupt.

• However, it should be noted that in August 2007, Malaysia banned hiring of foreign security guards following a rape and murder of a student by a Pakistani security guard. Security guard companies need to apply to the Ministry of Internal Security.

• The security industry has a serious accountability to those it serves. It must set higher standards than the licensing bodies of the states. After all, it is the employer who at the end is accountable for its service and the employees who provide that service-not the state!

5.2 PROCESS OF HIRING Hiring is a step-by-step process that eventually leads to the applicant’s acceptance of a job offer. These steps are as follows (Figure 5.2):

5.2.1 Recruiting (a)Entry or First-Level Positions

• A direct approach in advertising an existing vacancy is generally desirable.

• This openness can comprise information such as company name, the fact that it is an equal opportunity employer, location of job, uniform benefits, initial salary, minimum requirements, and the fact that the position is an entry-level job.

• As a rule, the Human Resources Department of the company administers the recruiting activity; nevertheless, they look to the individual managers for direction. Policy restrictions such as “No salary quotations in newspaper Advertising’ would obviously have an effect, although not an adverse one,

on the degree of openness in advertising..

(b) Non-entry-Level Recruiting • The recruiting approach for skilled, technical, and

managerial personnel is quite different from personnel for entry-level positions.

• Rather than the direct, open approach, the ‘blind ad” technique is recommended. Such advertisements are designed to attract career or professional people.

• The blind ad is simply one in which the identity of the company is not revealed. Instead, interested candidates are asked to submit their resumes to a post office box number or to some other third party.

• The unidentified advertisement permits the company to prescreen candidates and interview on a highly selective basis. It also allows some time for at least a preliminary background investigation into the candidate’s qualifications before the initial interview.

5.2.2 Physical Checking/Marching

• This step (Figure 5.3) is to check specific height, build and weight of the candidate and to ensure that there is no physical deformity. It also ensures his/her eye sight are in line with the company requirements.

• The candidate shall be able to perform marching satisfactorily. During physical examination, the

candidate should be asked whether or not he/she was member of any uniform organisation such as cadet Police, Fire & Rescue cadet, St. John Ambulance, etc.

5.2.3 Initial Interviewing

• The first contact of an applicant with the company should be with the Human Resources (Personnel) Department. Every applicant’s first interview should be with a professional human resource interviewer who will review the data on the

application, making any corrections and clarifications as appropriate. • This initial personnel interview is not for the

purpose of selection or making an employmentdecision.

• Following the interview, the security representative will make notes on the reverse

side of the application form concerning the impressions he or she has made.

• The security interviewer must, however, be properly trained in those laws specifically

pertaining to hiring practices, both at the federal and state level, that prohibit discrimination against applicants based on sex, age, race, or creed.

(a) The Interview

• The purpose of the interview is for the interviewer to determine if there is a

match between the interests and qualifications of the applicant and the

needs of the department. • This can only be achieved on a

personal, one-on-one basis. Before the commencement of the interview, the interviewer should study the written application in private..

(b) The Seven Interviewing Rules

(i) Ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a yes or no.(ii) Probe the answers.(iii) Do not signal the answers you are looking for in your question.(iv) Ask motivator-type questions that tend to give the applicant a chance to provide revealing answers.

(v) Ask the applicant what he or she likes to do most on the job. (vi) Do not waste precious time ‘selling’ your company or department. By the time the applicant gets there, he or she is convinced of thedesirability of the job, although the applicant may have a few questions he or she would like answered.(vii) At the conclusion of the interview, give the applicant a date that he or she can go by.

5.2.4 Selection of Best Candidate• If the interviewer understands the job function for

which he or she is recruiting and knows precisely what job qualifications are necessary (in terms of acquired

skills, experience, education, and temperament and personality) and if the interview is conducted in an objective manner, then one candidate should standabove the rest.

• Figure 5.4: Selection process for security guards in Malaysia

Background Investigation of Applicant

• The purpose here is to emphasise how critical the screening effort is in selecting security applicants.

• We should, if at all possible, satisfy ourselves with the answers to the following questions:

5.2.6 Job OfferOnce the applicant has been chosen and screening is completed, we have come full circle-back to the Human Resources Department. The selected candidate’ s application and the interviewer’s comments are reviewed by the Human Resources representative and interviewer.

The salary and starting date are agreed on and the matter is then left in Human Resources’ hands. They will make the job offer.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• Those job descriptions must accurately and completely describe the duties, provide for the matching of the candidate to the job, be understood by the employee, be the source of training for each job, be a key source in measuring performance, and reflect the current activities and responsibilities of each job.

• There exists a significant relationship between an organisation's performance and the various job descriptions that cover the assignments of that organisation.

COMPOSITION OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION

Examination of most job descriptions reveals that they are composed of three basic elements: (1) functions, (2) responsibility and authority, and (3) relationships. This seems to be too restricting; it fails to depict the greatest possible dimension of the position. Probably the best job description would include the following:

(a) Objective of the position(b) Dimension of the position(c) Nature and scope of the position(d) Position in the organisation(e) Mission and environment(f) Specific functions of the position(g) SubordinatesÊ functions(h) Primary challenge of the position(i) Authority vested in the position(j) Relationships(k) Requisites(l) Principal responsibilities

SAMPLE JD

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