How people will power business security in 2022 and beyond

Matthieu Le Taillandier, General Manager of France, UK, Ireland, and Benelux for STANLEY Security, provides a view on why people will be just as important as technology in shaping the future of the physical security industry moving forwards.

Matthieu Le Taillandier, General Manager of France, UK, Ireland, and Benelux for STANLEY Security

The pandemic has brought about new workplace challenges that demand innovative solutions – and business’ security functions are rising to the challenge.

But impeccable security doesn’t just come down to installing the latest technologies – it’s about having the right people with the right skills to implement them.

Smart technology – integrated with AI and machine learning – can produce valuable insights, but organisations need accountable experts to act on these insights and leverage security solutions as a competitive advantage.

The expanded role of security

STANLEY Security’s 2022 Industry Trends Report reveals that more than three in four business leaders (78%) say their organisation has rapidly adopted new technology due to the pandemic, and that 65% expect to hire a senior leader within the next 18 months to oversee these new technologies. Additionally, over the next five years, more than one-third (38%) expect to hire a senior leader to oversee security, data, and privacy.

But the expanding role and scope of security means that it is no longer just the responsibility of the security function. A diverse network of stakeholders, and engagement from across the organisation, is essential to unlocking the full value of security solutions:

Operations

Traditionally, security solutions were installed for the purpose of defence and prevention. Now, organisations are increasingly looking to security systems to drive efficiencies requiring company-wide cooperation. Security teams must work with operations professionals to put strategies in place that enable intelligence sharing across departments, and explore how these insights can be leveraged to reach wider company goals.

Information technology

Modern security ecosystems rely on integrated devices connected to a network. More often than not, this means collaborating with the IT team to ensure that the network can support the amount of bandwidth needed, that the hardware and software meet data security specifications, and more. Engaging with IT is essential to ensuring the right infrastructure is in place to get the most out of a security ecosystem.

Site management & human resources

The 2022 Industry Trends Report found that 59% of organisations are planning to bring their employees back on-site full time in the next 18 months, while 30% have adopted a hybrid work model. The future of the workplace is very much a work-in-progress, and security solutions will play a key role in informing and shaping this. For instance, security systems can help site management and HR leaders protect their employees (regardless of their desired working destination), automate on-site employee and visitor check-in processes, optimise space management, control the flow of people, track assets, and more.

Internal users

Security solutions are often implemented to protect and empower an organisation’s most important asset: its people. So, it’s essential that key employees – in other words, the internal users who will be implementing and managing the systems – are engaged with the purpose, strategy, and implementation of security measures from the outset.

Accessing around-the-clock cover

As organisations explore how facilities will be used moving forward, leaders are looking for greater visibility into security operations. This means taking an “always-on” approach – which requires resources that may be limited in some organisations. Even with the introduction of smart technologies, it ultimately comes down to a skilled professional making a judgement call when a threat is detected.

Many organisations are looking for partners in this effort. The 2022 Industry Trends Report reveals that 42% of organisations have adopted professional and managed services, such as consulting and risk assessments, security operations training, and advanced analytics services to support their in-house security function. Many have also enlisted the assistance of a professional remote security monitoring provider.

Partnering with a trustworthy monitoring provider doesn’t mean replacing on-site security personnel; these remote teams can be seen as an extension of existing teams, offering 24/7 support while helping to reduce risks. Not only can they evaluate potential threats and help ensure the quickest response possible in the event of an emergency, but they can also help to screen the nuisance false alarms that impact the efficiency and resources of on-site teams and law enforcement.

With monitored security, organisations can scale their security solutions to meet evolving requirements, helping them to protect their people and assets – whatever the future holds.

With the right people – paired with smart security solutions that produce a wealth of valuable insights – organisations can unlock the true value of their security ecosystem. When leveraged in the right way, a security ecosystem can help organisations to better protect their people and assets, increase efficiencies, optimise their operations, and ultimately power progress.

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