There are also pandemic-related costs associated with hiring an in-person security guard. For example, there’s hazard pay, which is extra pay for dangerous or physically taxing work. It’s meant to incentivize staff to take on jobs that may or will cause extreme physical discomfort, distress, and hardship that isn’t adequately alleviated by protective devices, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. While hazard pay is not required by law, it can be included as part of employment contracts.
You may also need to provide childcare benefits to hired guards to help minimize productivity losses. Before the pandemic, companies were losing 43% of female employees when they had their first child, and parents who returned missed an average of 24 full and partial work days due to childcare issues. These numbers will only grow during and after COVID-19 because of the financial burden of paying for childcare, along with less availability of the service due to social distancing and shuttered businesses.
Additional security guard cost considerations include overtime pay, especially if your business is operating with reduced hours, as well as outfitting security guards with personal protective equipment (PPE).
What are the risks of hiring a security guard?
The biggest risk to hiring a security guard is that he or she could contract and spread COVID-19. Hiring multiple security guards exponentially increases that risk, and also threatens the health of your current staff, customers, suppliers, and anyone who comes into contact with your property.
Another risk to hiring an in-person security guard is that if they become ill with the virus, or need to take care of a family member who has contracted COVID-19, they will need to take leave.
This puts you back at square one: Who will protect your property and your livelihood?