How Corporate Security Guards Prevent Unauthorized Office Access

Unauthorized access poses a safety and security risk for businesses, their assets and data, as well as their employees. Especially in downtown neighbourhoods of major cities like Vancouver and Toronto, having a corporate security guard on site to address and prevent unauthorized access is a significant benefit to businesses and organizations of all kinds, though particularly those that deal with sensitive information or valuable equipment. Our corporate security services provide peace of mind and a safe environment for business leaders and their teams across Canada. 

What is Corporate Security?

Corporate security refers to the methods and strategies a business uses to protect its people, property, and workplace. The goal of corporate security is to create a safe environment for employees and visitors while preventing theft, vandalism, and other security issues. 

While corporate security is everyone’s responsibility and best practices should be followed by every employee, professional security guards serve on the front line at corporate offices, where they defend against security threats. 

The Core Functions of a Corporate Security Guard 

Corporate security guards are trained security professionals who serve a multi-faceted role in office security. Here’s an overview of their core roles and responsibilities:

• Act as a visual deterrent against potential trespassers. A corporate security guard in uniform stationed at an office’s front entrance communicates that the property is well-protected.

• Monitor CCTV cameras. While stationed at an office’s front desk, security guards will monitor the security camera feed to ensure a complete view of the entire workplace.

• Emergency response. Guards respond to fire alarms and assist in evacuation procedures.

• Record office visitors. Register and maintain a log of all visitors, maintenance workers, and delivery people, giving them directions and assistance when needed.

• Provide peace of mind to employees and visitors.

A well-trained office security guard provides the best service in a corporate environment. At Blackbird Security, our guards undergo advanced training through our industry-leading in-house training program, Blackbird Academy. Our courses include fire safety training, first aid training, crisis prevention, peaceful de-escalation, customer service training, and so much more, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver premium corporate security services. 

The Guard’s Toolkit: Key Methods to Prevent Unauthorized Access

Next, we’ll discuss how corporate security guards prevent unauthorized office access.

Access Control and Visitor Management

Corporate security guards are your key to controlling who enters your workplace. At entry points like the front desk, alley doors, and receiving bays, guards verify each person’s identity and reason for visiting. They maintain up-to-date visitor logs, including names and arrival times and may also issue visitor passes or provide an escort, depending on the individual needs of a given office.

These access control measures are especially important for offices that see regular deliveries, contractors, or client visits. Strong access control is one of the best ways to prevent security issues before they start. 

An office security team well-versed in customer service provides an additional layer of professionalism. At Blackbird Security, we take a customer-service-first approach to security. Our guards go above and beyond to uphold our clients’ brands through high-quality service, functioning as integrated team members and reflecting our clients in the best possible light. 

Foot Patrols and Surveillance Monitoring

Regular foot patrols are another effective way to keep corporate offices secure. Security guards patrol hallways, parking lots, storage areas, and shared spaces, monitoring for maintenance issues, signs of suspicious activity, and unfamiliar faces. Patrols also help to catch tailgating, where unauthorized people try to follow employees through secure entrances. When combined with CCTV monitoring, security guards can quickly spot and respond to suspicious activity. 

Emergency and Incident Response

When a workplace security incident or emergency happens, security guards are typically the first to respond. They’re trained to follow protocols that help them quickly assess the situation, calm and reassure bystanders, de-escalate aggression if necessary, and call for help from other security personnel, police, or paramedics as needed.

Responding to Unauthorized Access

When responding to an incident of suspected unauthorized access, a security guard will firmly and professionally address the individual, ask their reason for being there, and request ID. It’s important for security guards to strike a balance between being courteous and authoritative to avoid escalating the situation while providing reasonable benefit of the doubt, in case the individual is actually authorized. 

If the individual refuses to comply with requests, appears under the influence, or seems agitated, the security guard will calmly ask them to leave the premises, escorting them out of the building. The security guard will employ verbal de-escalation tactics to maintain peace and safety for any bystanders. 

After any incident, the guard will write a security report documenting what happened, when the incident took place, actions taken, and any other relevant details. This helps office leadership understand the situation and provides a record of events that can be presented to authorities in case the individual becomes a repeat offender.

In the next section, we’ll explore how security guards and security technology work together to provide optimal office security.

Human Element vs Technology: Why Guards Are Irreplaceable

On its own, technology is not enough to keep an office secure. While access control and surveillance systems, such as key fob systems and keypad doors, CCTV cameras, and alarms, are important security measures that every office should utilize, they can’t provide the level of comprehensive coverage offered by on-site security personnel. Here are the advantages of human security oversight: 

• Real-time decision-making and response. CCTV cameras and alarms are reactive measures that only provide an alert after an incident is underway or has already taken place. Security guards, on the other hand, are able to proactively prevent and immediately respond to incidents. 

• Reading behaviour and body language. Security guards are experts at accurately assessing body language, tone, and behaviour. This helps them stay ahead of potential incidents and confrontations, allowing them to prevent conflict far more effectively than untrained personnel.

• Professional response. If an incident occurs at your office, having a professionally trained security guard present on site to respond is safer, faster, and more effective than having an employee manage the situation or waiting for police to arrive. 

• Professional reporting. Security guards are trained in comprehensive report writing. Since guards are often eyewitnesses to incidents, their first-hand accounts are invaluable. Where CCTV cameras may not capture the right angle or experience technical difficulties, patrol guards have an on-the-ground view and can be relied upon to accurately record incidents.

At Blackbird Security, our guards use TrackTik, the industry-standard security reporting software. Through TrackTik, our guards write and record reports, collect photo and video evidence, and submit reports to the cloud, where our leadership and clients can access them instantly. Along with GPS tracking, this gives our clients a comprehensive, real-time overview of their office or property and their security team’s activities.

A combined approach that uses security technology combined with a physical office security presence will deliver the best results. Curious about how to determine if a security company is right for you? Check out our blog post on choosing the best corporate security company.

Partner with Canada’s Corporate Security Experts 

Corporate security guards are a necessary and valuable component of any office security strategy. Their training allows them to provide an advanced level of protection that can’t be matched by technology alone. If your office is located in high-crime areas, stores expensive assets, or handles sensitive information, you should factor corporate security guards into your strategy.

Get in touch with us today to learn how our services can benefit your workplace and request a professional security assessment. Learn about our full range of corporate security services here.