No security guard manager likes to see their security patrol guards fail on the job. From the moment the new recruits are assigned to them, their goal is to set up each one of them for success. It takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and expense to bring newly hired security patrol guards into the security guard company and ramp them up to their full potential.
Yet we all know there are situations that, for whatever reason, security patrol guards struggle on their job and there isn’t much that can be done to turn it around. In that case, letting go of them might be the only way for the security guard company. So, here are a few alarming signs that you need to look out for!
Bad Behaviour
When you confront security patrol guards about a performance issue, most of them will react by fixing or at least trying to fix the issue to get better.
When the same guards begin to show disinterest, seem disengaged, worsen their behavior, and it becomes difficult to deal with them, this is a good sign ensuring things won’t get better.
Performance Issues
One of the most challenging situations is when security patrol guards seem to be performing well on the outside, but when you look behind the scenes there are gaps in performance.
Other such warning signs include: guards leaving duty post, sleeping or drinking on duty, their work require multiple revisions. If that is the scenario, it may no longer be worth your team’s time and effort to try and improve their performance.
Low Morale
Look for security patrol guards who were once engaged but now feel unmotivated and you hear increasing companies not only about them but about the workload as a whole.
Further, if the team members aren’t able to focus on or complete their tasks because of a problematic guard and feel they are shouldering more burden than necessary, negativity will spread like wildfire.
Customer Complaints
Eventually, it’s our respective clients that we all are answerable to. So, when they are dissatisfied on a regular basis as the result of a security patrol guard’s work or behavior, you must seriously reconsider keeping that person on board.
All clients, irrespective of the industry are vital for the success of the business functions. A security guard company is not different. Hence, it is unacceptable to security patrol guards who actively sour these relationships. If you start hearing complaints from them, take serious action the first time.
Regularly Absent
Speak to your security patrol guards before you make up your mind to fire them in case absence is a perpetual problem. The reason being, there may be personal problems that can simply be addressed by swapping their schedules, knowing their availability for the week, or even offering open shifts using GuardsPro Scheduler to help them maintain work-life balance.
If this does not seem to resolve absence issues, well, in that case, it may be best to consider letting your security patrol guards go before others’ morale and productivity are affected significantly.
Highly Apathy
High empathy in security patrol guards of a reliable security guard company is often seen as a sign that they aren’t feeling challenged enough. Therefore, it can also be seen as a sign that the employees have given up on the company or are considering leaving.
Though before you make such assumptions, have a simple conversation with them to figure out whether they are feeling not challenged enough or overwhelmed and inadequately prepared to handle their tasks. And that will save you a lot of time and money.
Frequent Conflicts
When an employee no longer feels satisfied with their job or has personal problems that start affecting their work attitude, behavioral issues are often observed, that need to be addressed.
However, in such a scenario encourage your security patrol guards to come up with creative solutions to their problems, first of all. Despite that, if no improvement is seen, address it with progressive discipline, up to and including termination.
Plays The Blaming Game
If you have security patrol guards with a track record of blaming others and making excuses for their performance, you need no other warning sign to let them go.
Problematic employees often challenge authority by trying to blame the boss or others they work with. If you have such a guard who always seems to be involved in drama, ask yourself who is the common denominator in those situations?
Conclusion:
Before an employee is terminated, a leader needs to look in the mirror and honestly answer this question: “Have I done everything possible to help this person succeed?” If the answer to that question is “no,” then you owe it to the employee, and yourself, to put more effort into turning things around. However, if the answer is “yes,” then it’s time to make the hard decision and let them go.
