Jeffrey Redding, Chicago Resident Discusses How the Coronavirus Pandemic Has Reshaped the Security Industry

Jeffrey Redding, Chicago Resident Discusses How the Coronavirus Pandemic Has Reshaped the Security Industry

The pandemic has changed everything, and that includes how security firms practice their profession. 

veteran and security expert in Chicago, and he discusses his thoughts on how the pandemic is changing the security industry.

Discusses the Digital Movement Within Security

The pandemic quickly forced every single industry to move further online and incorporate more remote resources. For some industries, this was already inevitable. For security, it’s a challenging change. Physical security still requires in-person attention, and for the most part, security services have been deemed “essential” throughout. But, there are many aspects of running a security business that can be done remotely, and that has caused this industry to join the flow towards online work.

Training and HR services are an easy example. While some physical training for security still has to be done face to face, many other forms of training have no such requirement. Training for public health orders and compliance moved online for many security providers. The same thing happened for health and safety best practices. 

Similarly, hiring and HR management don’t require physical meetings. Video chat has proven sufficient for hiring managers to vet candidates and maintain their hiring process. The nuts and bolts of the security industry are much more digital than it was even a year ago, and that change is likely permanent.

All of this pales in comparison to the primary digital migration for security, and that is digital security. This has always been an entry point for physical security providers to get into digital spaces. During a pandemic, the goal is to keep people separated, and that makes cameras invaluable.

More than that, the applications of digital security expanded quickly and are continuing down that track. There are health safety implications for security firms. The ethics and politics are still being hotly debated, but there is a clear demand for digital monitoring that can track disease vectors. Whether or not that will become a major component of security will depend on the politics, but it’s a serious consideration for the first time, and it highlights how the very concept of security changed rapidly in the face of the pandemic.

Highlights Changing Goals in Security in Chicago and Across the Country

There is a concept that is prevalent today that was not even on minds two years ago. Security resources are being deployed to slow the spread of disease. Many businesses have hired security personnel not just to protect from theft and danger, but to also enforce compliance and health safety practices. Public health orders have been varied and changed rapidly throughout the pandemic, and every time a new order came down, businesses relied on security to enforce the changes. Having professional security ensure that people wear a mask or wash their hands is a very new idea, especially in the United States.

This shows that security has value beyond guarding buildings or people. There are functions security can serve that are more valuable than preventing or discouraging theft. Security resources have become essential to public health, and that realization is going to forever change the industry.

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC