Establishing a security system for your office building is essential in keeping your employees and equipment safe. Installing locks, alarms, security cameras, plus hiring executive protection agents to man the building is part of the safety process.
But you should also look into providing security for yourself as a high net worth individual. Paying attention to your own safety is as important, which is why you should consider hiring agents from a trusted executive protection company for this purpose.
Hiring the right executive protection company can be a daunting task, considering that you’re entrusting your life to these people. Also, the process of finding the right agents to entrust your safety may take some time. The process involves interviewing, vetting, and prepping the agents for the specifics of the job.
More Than Just Bodyguards
First, it’s important to clarify the nature of the people you will need for your protection. The word bodyguard always comes with its own set of misconceptions.
For many people, it conjures the image of the stereotypical bodyguard with a massive built and carrying guns, knives, or any other weapon that will make them look more intimidating. These guys come with martial arts backgrounds or moonlight as stuntmen for Hollywood.
But an executive protection agent is more than or perhaps none of these things. For one, an executive agent doesn’t necessarily have to look like a bodybuilder—although excellent physical fitness is a must.
They don’t go around displaying weapons and will only use them when needed.
Risk Assessment
In order to determine if you really need the services of an executive protection agency, you have to evaluate the risks that you face as a high-net-worth individual. Here are several ways to do that:
- Evaluate Your Public Exposure. Take note of your regular activities in your work and personal life. If you’re constantly conducting business seminars or speaking to civic organizations and outspoken about your political views, especially if your name is always on the news, then your personal safety as well as your family’s are at risk.
- Check Your Physical Accessibility. The closer that people can get to you, the higher the risks you have when it comes to physical harm. Take note of how close people can get to you and the type of individuals that you work with.
Is your organization conducting background checks on all your employees? These can assess your risk levels when it comes to physical accessibility.
- Identify Your Financial Ranking. Perception is all that matters. Maybe you’re not Jeff Bezos level of rich, but the public may think that you are easily on the millionaire status just because you’re an entrepreneur.
Even if in reality, your wealth is all tied up and not so liquid, it’s what the public thinks that matters here. If they think you’re a rich man, then you’re already open to possible attacks.
- Status of Your Corporate Climate. Is your office fraught with tension? Are your employees restless because they have been laid off? Never underestimate the risks presented by a disgruntled worker.
- Evaluate Your Security Plan. This is assuming that you have one because if you don’t, you’re doing yourself and your company a disservice. Check your security measures and identify what are in place to protect yourself, your employees, and your office.
At the very least, you should have your staff trained to handle difficult clients, plus, placing alarms with panic buttons and a CCTV monitoring system all over the place is crucial.
Once you’ve established your need for an executive protection company, here’s how to go about hiring personnel for your security.
- Make discreet inquiries. Have a discreet chat with other executives to find out whose services they are using. This should help you narrow down your choices given that these individuals trust these companies.
- Set up an interview. Using your shortlist as a basis, set up meetings or interviews with the recommended companies. The right one should be able to help you in developing proactive and preventative security strategies.
As a test, ask about the clients they’ve worked with. If a company is too quick to name theirs, you may want to cross this one off the list. A totally legit executive protection company should not be so easy to disclose the names of their clients and your confidentiality may be compromised.
- Consider your company culture. The ideal agent must be able to blend well with the type of culture you have in your company. This should be necessary whether you’re hiring for security for selected events or around-the-clock protection.
- Qualities to look out for. When it comes to hiring the agents themselves, you need to consider several factors to see if they are the perfect fit. You need to see how they present themselves in a suit or business casual attire.
You need someone who is undoubtedly fit and willingness to work long, unpredictable hours is a standard and most importantly, your agents must be emotionally secure and sound.
The Key to Securing Your Company
Fully understanding the risks and threats you’re currently facing or will potentially face as a high-net-worth individual is a key to finding the people to manage and handle your safety.
The right people for the job should be provided by a reputable executive protection agency that has a worldwide network, has been in the business for years, and has experienced agents on their list.
You need security agents who can provide protection while blending in with the crowd and your environment, so you can live your life without making drastic changes to your routine.
Image by Ben Kerckx from Pixabay
