15 Career (Proprietary) versus Noncareer (and Contract) Personnel
This chapter discusses the advantages and disadvantages to employing full time career security personnel or noncareer employees drawn from part time workers or contract security services. No one type of employee is right for all situations; many companies can best be served by an appropriate blend of full and part time and in house and contract security personnel. Stability, loyalty, improved "local knowledge," superior pride and motivation, and the opportunity for better communications and training are advantages of career personnel. Disadvantages are increased costs, limited numbers, the attendant inflexibility of deployment, and potential problems of discipline and limited skill levels. Part timers are less costly, provide desirable flexibility in assignment, and allow management to draw from high caliber sources such as students and women available only on a part time basis, but part timers tend to lack the career employee's commitment to job and company. Contract services offer the benefits of cost savings, freedom to terminate services at any time, great flexibility both in manpower resources and in coverage of widely dispersed operations, and specialized skills; disadvantages include low paid personnel, high turnover rates, and a lower level of pride and motivation.