In House Vs Contract Security

Many corporate Security Directors have concerns that switching to a contract security provider will mean they are of lesser value to their company and risk losing their position.
However, a transfer to contract security can have the opposite effect. Security Directors who outsource their security program find they no longer have to spend long, arduous hours dealing with the day-to-day challenges of managing security officers. Instead they are able to offer their skills in the more noticeable areas of security consulting and analysis. This, in turn, increases their value to the company while decreasing their security strain as they can delegate security personnel functions to the contract security firm’s management staff.

Another main cause for uncertainty by some companies to switch to contract security is the perception of a lack of quality security companies. While finding a reputable firm amongst the many security companies within the industry may be a challenge, there are some companies which operate on an advanced level. These are companies which conduct thorough background investigations and have a scrupulous process for selection of personnel. Quality companies are capable of offering competitive benefits and wages, superior training and employee development opportunities.

In most cases, the cost of an outsourced security program is comparable to a company’s in-house budget. However, the added protection provided along with the elimination of other costs actually acts to reduce a company’s long-term expense. Other costs associated with in-house security budgets may include overtime wages, recruiting, background check expenses, training, uniforms and personnel for payroll services.

Click here to download a worksheet you can use to analyze the annual costs of your current in-house program.