Professional Security has created a Female Frontline Forum as the door supervisor and guarding specialist looks to double its intake of women working on the frontline in the next three years.
The Female Frontline Forum, comprising of 10 female staff, will meet on a quarterly basis with Head of Talent Dawn Hotchen and Process & Transformation Director Demelza Staples to help shape the company’s recruitment and retainment strategy.
A recent survey by Professional Security revealed that 88% of people want to see more women working in security, with the positive role they play in diffusing difficult situations and being more representative of their customer base as the two main reasons.
Dawn said: “Women bring a fresh approach to the traditional view of our profession. They are often calming influences and help to prevent problems escalating. It’s important that our workforce is as diverse and representative as the customers that we serve.
“We already have some amazing women working for us in head office and on the frontline and their experience and insight will be invaluable as we look to breakdown stereotypes and showcase the breadth of opportunities for women within the sector.”
Currently more than 50% of Professional Security’s Leeds based head office staff are female, but less than 10% of its frontline personnel are women. The Frontline Female Forum will directly influence the shape of the recruitment strategy, with the company’s objective to double the number of women working on the frontline for them by 2025.
Taking her place on the forum is Glasgow based Lorna McCallum. Lorna, 34, who is the daughter of a former police officer, joined Professional Security a year ago. Not one to sit behind a desk, she sought out a hands-on, problem-solving role where no two days are the same and she could put her skills to use helping people.
She said: “It is a privilege to be invited to join the first Female Frontline Forum and work with colleagues to help find ways of communicating the benefits of working in this sector – of which there are many – so that we can attract more women.
Lorna knows a few females who work the doors and feels attitudes are changing to the role of women in the industry.
“We can bring a different point of view and different skills to the work. We are often more approachable when people are feeling ‘delicate’ and we use our voice more than our physical presence to deal with situations”.
