Lead, Listen To, and Love Your People: Why Valuing Employees Matters in Security
Anne Laguzza, The Works Consulting, CALSAGA Network Partner
When I first started working in the security industry, the idea of valuing your people was almost unheard of. With high turnover rates, it can be easy to slip into the mindset that security officers can be treated as interchangeable: fill the post, cover the shift, move on.
But, what would happen if you challenged that mindset? How would your company culture change look like? How would your employee retention rates change?
What would happen if you instead led with: Lead, Listen to, and Love Your People?
Love? Did that just make you cringe?
Stay with me.
I’m not talking about vague feel-good leadership or blind recognition. Loving your people means being intentional about how you value the individuals who show up every day to protect others, often under challenging circumstances. It means recognizing effort, consistency, and reliability – not just dramatic acts of heroism.
Sometimes, all an employee did that day was show up.
Let’s address the industry’s notoriously high turnover rate again. That showing up matters more than many leaders realize. One officer showing up for their shift is one less urgent call to fill a post, one less operational headache, and one less vacancy to replace. Showing up is not a small thing; it is the foundation of your business.
The companies that are beginning to understand this are already seeing the difference.
I’ve spoken with several security firms that are actively working to improve how they value their teams. For one client, that means taking a hard look at the benefits package they offer and making meaningful improvements. Competitive pay matters, but benefits, flexibility, and support communicate something deeper: you matter here for the long term.
Often, when I talk about people-first leadership, I hear, “I’ve tried that before – it doesn’t work.”
My response is always the same: it takes consistency.
This is not a one-time recognition lunch, a single thank-you email, or one employee appreciation week. The payoff is long-term, and it only comes when the effort is sustained. People need to see that respect, communication, and support are part of the company culture, not a temporary initiative.
When turnover is one of the industry’s biggest challenges, consistency can directly impact retention. One satisfied client and one officer who chooses to stay is a measurable business win.
Every time I see a security officer while I am out and about – I often stop long enough to ask a simple question: What do you like about the company you work for?
Recently, one officer answered without hesitation:
“I love working for my company. Best company I’ve ever worked for. They take really great care of me.”
What a powerful endorsement.
That kind of response doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from leadership that listens, responds, and invests in its people.
The security industry is built on trust and reliability. If we expect officers to take exceptional care of our clients, we must first take exceptional care of them.
Lead, Listen to, and Love your people.
The results may just transform your workforce.
Anne Laguzza is the CEO of The Works Consulting, a CALSAGA Network Partner. As a seasoned business executive with human resources management, leadership development, and performance coaching experience, Anne works with clients from a variety of industries to develop better systems, maximize employee productivity, and enable management to focus on business growth. For more information, check out theworksconsulting.com or email anne@theworksconsulting.com. You can also find Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn.