What does security mean to you?

We all have a right to come home from work safe and secure.

We all have a right to feel safe and protected in our workplace.

We all have a responsibility to speak up if something isn’t right.

Security is one of the most vital aspects that a person will look for in a workplace before joining a company.

It is the responsibility of the company to provide a secure working environment for all its employees. But in this day and age, “security” takes many forms.

For any organisation, proper security systems like CCTV and other security equipment should be in place to monitor the in-comings and outgoings of their premises.

More advanced electronic security options are available such as using bio-metric scans, number plate recognition, or other such devices ensure that only employees can enter or leave the office building or attached car parks.

It is also extremely important to conduct security checks from time to time; we are currently living in an environment where the current threat level sits at “probable”. This, unfortunately, means a case of not “if” we have a breach but “when”. Such a threat can be managed with regular security assessments or training drills, which will help your business identify loop holes, which you can then act upon and resolve before it costs more than just your asset.

It is also time that we, as individuals, took some responsibility for our own safety and security. If you see something or you suspect something isn't right -  speak up, say something.  We have ONE life, one opportunity to be the best version of ourselves and to strive for whatever it is that motivates us.

So why not demand that we are protected when in the workplace?

During my time in the security industry I have met and discussed a plethora of topics which are all security related, only to realise that we forget the most important aspect of the whole reason we provide security. The people in the asset! The asset will always remain; it can always be rebuilt - it can even be relocated - however a life is a completely different aspect.

This is where I started to ask the question…how can we, as employees, improve all aspects of our personal security.

The first point to highlight is the fact that “personal security” doesn’t have a simple definition. It’s a tremendously multi-faceted term, one I have started to pull apart and consider.

There is the feeling of personal security in a workplace…we spend 1/3 of our life at work, protecting and growing an asset for someone else in most cases, which is an amazing feeling if you take pride your workplace and your role. But now think about if you felt safe and secure? Would you want to work that bit harder? A bit longer? I'd say yes. This is something many companies forget.

There is security in knowledge and learning: for me, I up-skilled to expand my knowledge and in-turn protected and secured my future employment opportunities.

There is security in setting yourself up to be the best you can be and following your heart. 

As you are aware, we all come from different back grounds and cultures, which is an awesome environment to be in - diversity in Australia is so important for the growth of our country.

I was a single child raised in a single parent home. Life was a struggle for my mum but she did her best with what she had. I remember growing up from a young age and thinking I never wanted to be in her position. I wanted to be well-educated and work hard to achieve my goals. I completed my senior education (VCE) and I straight away enrolled into university. My plan? I was going to be a doctor and – in my mind - go somewhere. I then fell pregnant. I was 19. As you would imagine, it turned my plans upside down. At this time I felt no security in my world and I felt scared and alone.

So what did I do?

I bought a house!

At 19, I had been working while studying since I was 14 and had saved a lot of money. This was not only to provide myself with security, but also my unborn child (my daughter). It was a proud moment for me but a huge commitment; now I was studying full time, pregnant and committed to a mortgage (which at that time felt like it would take forever to pay off).

I deferred my studies and continued to work odd jobs to pay the bills and support my newborn daughter. Life was hard and I thought to myself “I’m just like my mother” – something I never wanted to be.

The only difference was that I worked and I worked hard and I still had my dreams and hadn't didn't give up on them.  I wanted security and I wanted to follow my dreams.

A few years later, after having my second child, I realised that I was never going to be a doctor - saving people’s lives was my dream but not my destiny. I reassessed my goals and ambitions and I decided to study nursing. My children were still young, yet I went back into the world of education to again up-skill myself, not only for me, but to show my children it's never too late to follow your dreams and control your destiny.

Working night-shift while studying during the day - and being a mum on the side - was hard, but now every day I’m proud of how this changed my life.

I have worked as a nurse for over ten years and I love it. I get to watch people who see no future walk out of hospital with a changed mentality and the world at their feet.  Again, a renewed sense of that word “security”.

I'm privileged to engage with a range of diverse people and learn so much from them; even in their hour of need, they teach me.

Typically, I now work 6-7 days a week. Not because I have to, because I want to. With my children now much older, I have the time to work in a corporate capacity during the weekdays and nurse on weekends. I believe I have the best of both worlds.

I get to assist businesses to implement security solutions during the week and - come the weekend - I am proud to assist with securing the health and wellness of the community. Both these workplaces provide me with the opportunity to not only feel a sense of security myself, but to also help others understand, improve and (most importantly) feel an improved sense of security.

Despite the fact I’m in a senior management role at Excell Security – one of Melbourne’s most respected security companies providing security solutions to numerous well-known brands – I am proud to say that security to me is not only the hardware or manpower that we see in our workplaces. It's the feeling and sense of value that a person feels when they are safe in their environment. It is educating employees in strategies for them to feel secure in their workplace and their life. 

If we all started looking at security solutions in the workplace to assist in the promotion of healthy and safe environments for employees, I have no doubt organisations would be surprised how much impact their decision will make on their bottom-line, not to mention an investment in the well being of their staff and the future of their business. 

Because we all want to feel safe and secure.