How can you optimize security team staffing levels for your FM budget?

1 Assess your security needs

The first step is to conduct a thorough risk assessment of your facility and identify the security requirements for each area, activity, and time of day. Consider factors such as the size, layout, location, occupancy, access, and vulnerability of your facility, as well as the potential threats, incidents, and emergencies that could occur. Based on your risk assessment, you can determine the optimal number, type, and skill level of security personnel you need to protect your facility and its occupants.

2 Compare your options

The next step is to compare the different options for sourcing your security team, such as hiring in-house staff, outsourcing to a security service provider, or using a combination of both. Each option has its pros and cons in terms of cost, quality, flexibility, and control. For example, hiring in-house staff may give you more control over training, supervision, and performance, but it may also incur higher overheads, liabilities, and turnover. Outsourcing may offer lower costs, scalability, and expertise, but it may also pose challenges in communication, coordination, and accountability. You should weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each option and choose the one that best suits your budget and security needs.

3 Optimize your schedule

The third step is to optimize your security team schedule to match the demand and supply of security services. This means aligning your security staffing levels with the peak and off-peak periods of your facility operations, as well as the seasonal and cyclical variations in security risks. You can use tools such as historical data, forecasting models, and scheduling software to plan your security team schedule in advance and adjust it as needed. By optimizing your schedule, you can avoid overstaffing or understaffing your security team, which can result in wasted resources or compromised security.

4 Monitor your performance

The fourth step is to monitor your security team performance and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of your security staffing levels. You can use metrics such as response time, incident rate, customer satisfaction, and security cost per square foot to measure your security team performance and compare it with your goals and benchmarks. You should also collect feedback from your security staff, facility occupants, and stakeholders to identify any issues, gaps, or opportunities for improvement. By monitoring your performance, you can identify and address any problems or risks that may affect your security staffing levels.