Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q3 – THE HIDDEN COST OF DISCONNECTED WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT IN SECURITY OPERATIONS

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The Hidden Cost of Disconnected Workforce Management in Security Operations

Gurmit Dhaliwal, Celayix, CALSAGA Associate Member

For many California security companies, workforce management is still viewed primarily as a scheduling function. The objective is straightforward: fill every post, account for employee availability, and respond to call-offs.

That approach may have been sufficient when operations were smaller and staffing challenges less pronounced. Today, however, security firms face a far more complex operating environment. Labor shortages, increasing client expectations, rising wage costs, and California’s regulatory requirements have transformed workforce management into a strategic operational discipline.

The question is no longer whether every shift is covered. It is whether the entire workforce is being managed in a way that supports operational performance, financial stability, and long-term growth.

Operational Complexity Continues to Increase

Contract security has always required balancing competing priorities. Companies must maintain continuous coverage while controlling labor costs, meeting client service expectations, and complying with employment regulations.

Those challenges have become more difficult.

Security firms often manage hundreds of employees working across multiple client locations, each with its own staffing requirements, certifications, schedules, and reporting expectations. Last-minute absences, changing client demands, and fluctuating workloads require constant adjustments throughout the day.

At the same time, supervisors and schedulers must ensure that qualified officers are assigned to the right posts, that overtime is managed appropriately, and that payroll records accurately reflect the work performed.

Each of these responsibilities is manageable on its own. Together, they create a level of operational complexity that is increasingly difficult to coordinate through disconnected processes.

Why Manual Workforce Management Falls Short

Most security companies have established procedures for scheduling, timekeeping, payroll, and employee communication. The challenge is not the absence of processes. It is the lack of integration between them.

Scheduling information may reside in one system, while time records are maintained in another. Supervisors communicate through text messages or phone calls. Payroll teams reconcile discrepancies after shifts have ended. Managers spend valuable time updating spreadsheets or responding to routine administrative questions rather than focusing on operational oversight.

These disconnected workflows introduce unnecessary friction.

An open shift may not be identified until the last minute. A qualified employee may be overlooked because availability is not visible in real time. Overtime charges can accumulate gradually before anyone recognizes the financial impact. Minor scheduling adjustments often require multiple manual updates across different systems.

What appears to be an isolated administrative issue is frequently a symptom of a broader operational challenge.

Workforce Management Is About Connecting Operations

Effective workforce management extends well beyond creating schedules. It connects the activities that influence workforce performance throughout the employee lifecycle.

Scheduling determines who is assigned to each post. Time and attendance confirm when work is performed. Employee communication ensures staff receive timely updates. Compliance processes help organizations meet labor requirements. Payroll and reporting provide the financial records that support billing and compensation.

When these functions operate independently, managers spend significant time reconciling information instead of making informed operational decisions.

When they work together, organizations gain a clearer understanding of workforce activity as it happens.

That visibility allows supervisors to respond more quickly to staffing changes, identify potential coverage gaps before they become service issues, and make decisions based on current information rather than after-the-fact reports.

Better Visibility Supports Better Decisions

Security operations are dynamic by nature. Schedules change throughout the day, employees become unavailable, client requests evolve, and unexpected events require immediate attention.

Managing these situations effectively depends on having accurate, timely information.

Real-time visibility into staffing levels, employee availability, labor costs, and scheduling exceptions enables managers to address issues before they affect service delivery. Rather than reacting after problems occur, organizations can intervene earlier and allocate resources more effectively.

This operational awareness also supports stronger financial management.

Labor represents one of the largest operating expenses for most security companies. Even small improvements in scheduling accuracy, overtime management, and administrative efficiency can meaningfully improve profitability while maintaining client coverage.

The objective is not simply to reduce costs. It is to deploy resources more effectively without compromising service quality.

Compliance Benefits from Connected Workforce Management

California employers operate within one of the nation’s most comprehensive labor regulatory environments. Accurate recordkeeping, reliable time tracking, and consistent workforce processes are essential components of compliance.

These responsibilities become more manageable when workforce information is connected rather than fragmented.

Integrated workforce management helps organizations maintain more consistent documentation, improve payroll accuracy, identify scheduling exceptions earlier, and create stronger operational records. Rather than relying on manual corrections after shifts have ended, managers have greater visibility into workforce activity as it occurs.

The result is not only improved administrative efficiency but also greater confidence in the accuracy of operational records.

Preparing for Sustainable Growth

As security companies expand, operational complexity increases faster than headcount alone would suggest.

New clients introduce additional schedules, site requirements, certifications, supervisors, and reporting obligations. Administrative workloads grow alongside field operations, placing additional pressure on schedulers, operations managers, and payroll teams.

Organizations that continue relying on disconnected systems often find that growth creates proportionally more administrative work.

By contrast, companies that establish integrated workforce management practices are better positioned to scale their operations while maintaining consistency. Standardized workflows, improved visibility, and connected workforce information help reduce manual effort and support more informed decision-making across the organization.

Growth becomes easier to manage because operational processes are designed to scale with the business.

Workforce Management Has Become an Operational Discipline

The security industry has evolved considerably over the past decade, and workforce management has evolved with it.

What was once viewed primarily as an administrative responsibility now plays a central role in operational performance. Scheduling, communication, time tracking, compliance, payroll, and reporting all contribute to an organization’s ability to deliver reliable service while controlling labor costs.

Treating these functions as separate activities creates unnecessary complexity. Managing them as connected components of a broader workforce strategy provides greater visibility, stronger operational control, and better support for both employees and clients.

For California security firms navigating increasing operational demands, workforce management is no longer simply about filling shifts. It has become an essential capability for building more resilient, efficient, and sustainable security operations.

Gurmit Dhaliwal is the CEO of Celayix, which delivers shift management for workforce operations and helps ensure every shift is covered. His 25 years of experience in employee scheduling and time-and-attendance software help improve shift management for the security guard industry. He understands the complex requirements of the industry, such as compliance with California State Laws and integrating best-of-breed tools to simplify workflows and accelerate operations.

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q3 – HIGH-PROFILE EVENTS, HIGHER STAKES: INSURANCE CONSIDERATIONS FOR SECURITY FIRMS

High-Profile Events, Higher Stakes: Insurance Considerations for Security Firms

Tory Brownyard, Brownyard Group, CALSAGA Associate Member

California is a well-known hub for some of the world’s largest, most star-studded events, from sporting events like the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup to award shows like The Oscars and countless celebrity gatherings. Such events are often highly publicized, attracting thousands of attendees and international interest, requiring specialized security to properly protect those involved.

While not California-based, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s recent wedding at Madison Square Garden in New York stands out as a prime example of a high-exposure event. Attended by nearly 1,000 celebrities and topping the headlines of major news outlets, many listed this as the event of the year. Among the coverage of the event was mention of the level of security involved. Photos of the extensive security presence, including the New York City Police Department, circulated online, with security costs reportedly reaching $160,000.

While such prominent events can present new business opportunities for security firms, they come with increased risks that could outweigh the profitability of the work. Large-scale gatherings require significant security, introducing unique insurance exposures, including public safety concerns, vendor coordination and a higher potential for severe, costly claims. With such high stakes, security firm leaders must carefully evaluate the insurance risks involved and ensure they have adequate coverage before accepting a high-profile assignment.

Risk Exposures to Consider

High-profile security jobs come in a variety of forms, from celebrity events and entertainment gatherings to conferences and even legal proceedings, like the well-covered Luigi Mangione trial. One key factor that makes these jobs different from securing a commercial building or residential neighborhood is the number of people involved. High attendance rates naturally increase the likelihood of incidents, whether it’s a slip or fall, or a more complex issue such as a crowd surge or serious medical emergency. At the same time, mass gatherings are often considered attractive targets for malicious acts, like terrorism or other intentional violence. These factors place increased responsibility on security personnel to anticipate and mitigate evolving threats.

Additionally, the more high-profile an event, the more public the consequences of an incident will be. While a security issue at a shopping mall or corporate office may attract local attention, an incident at a nationally televised sporting event or celebrity gathering can become headline news within minutes. Such visibility can create reputational damage for the security firms involved, potentially impacting future business opportunities as a result.

High-profile claims also tend to involve greater legal scrutiny and higher settlement costs, making comprehensive risk management practices even more important. Complex contractual language involving liability and indemnification makes the stakes even higher. In the case of a claim, security firms may be questioned to ensure contractual obligations were met, proper safety measures were implemented, and industry standards were followed. Without a clear understanding of contract terms and their legal implications, firms may face unexpected responsibilities or financial exposure.

Security firms should also consider operational issues when planning for liability risks. Larger events require increased staffing and coordination, from event coordinators and venue managers to law enforcement agencies, emergency responders, production teams and numerous third-party vendors. The need for more staff and organization can create liability issues, and even small breakdowns in communication or unclear lines of responsibility can increase the potential for insurance claims.

Best Practices for Security Success

It is important for security firms to consider the risks related to any contract before accepting the work. While high-visibility assignments may present an exciting growth opportunity, the risks may be outside the scope of the firm’s risk appetite and insurance coverage. Before accepting the job, security firm owners and operators should consider carefully reviewing their insurance policies and potential work contracts. In particular, they should consider:

  • Coverage Gaps: Not all insurance policies include coverage for special events. Some carriers specifically exclude security services conducted at large public gatherings unless coverage has been added or approved in advance. Before committing to event work, firms can speak with their agent or broker and thoroughly review their insurance policies for exclusions related to special events, crowd control or high-profile venues. Assuming policies include event work could result in denied claims and costly losses.
  • Coverage Limits: Firms should also consider carefully reviewing their insurance coverage limits to ensure they are appropriate for the size and risk profile of the event. A policy that is sufficient for day-to-day commercial security operations may not provide adequate protection for an event involving tens of thousands of attendees or substantial property values. The security firms may also be contractually required to provide higher limits of liability.
  • Contractual Liability: Contracts related to event work also require scrutiny to avoid risk exposure, especially when working with third parties. Event organizers and certain venues may require specific endorsements or indemnification agreements that transfer liability to the security firm should something happen. Security firm owners and operators should carefully review all contractual language to ensure clear responsibilities are defined and negotiate against accepting liability where possible in the case of a claim.

Security firm owners and operators who consult their insurance agent or broker before accepting a contract, for a high-profile event particularly if they are outside the scope of the firm’s usual operations, can save them from the potential of significant losses. An insurance agent who is well versed in the security space can identify potential coverage gaps, explain exclusions, recommend additional coverage and help determine if adjustments to the policy are warranted.

High-profile events are a mainstay for the Golden State. Understanding insurance coverage details and limits, as well as the risks ahead related to an assignment, before accepting complex or large-scale event assignments can help security firm owners confidently pursue new business while avoiding costly coverage surprises.

Tory Brownyard, CPCU, is president of Brownyard Group (tbrownyard@brownyard.com), a program administrator that has been a leader in meeting the insurance needs of the security industry for 75 years.

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q3 – SECURITY OFFICERS CAN’T WAIT, ONBOARDING SHOULDN’T EITHER

Security Officers Can’t Wait, Onboarding Shouldn’t Either

Anne Laguzza, The Works Consulting, CALSAGA Network Partner

I was leading a webinar recently. (Were you there?) During the session, I found myself thinking about something that’s unique to the security industry.

Every hour you spend onboarding a new officer is an hour that you can’t bill to a client. The pressure to get officers into the field quickly is real, and I understand why many companies feel like they have to choose between thorough onboarding and getting officers to work.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to throw out onboarding just because your industry operates differently.

Your onboarding process for a field officer may not look like the one you’d build for an administrative employee or manager, and that’s okay. An effective onboarding program for officers doesn’t have to look like keeping them in a classroom for a week. You can still maximize their current schedule with the goal of helping them understand who they’re working for, why it matters, and what success looks like before they represent your company in the field with a few different tactics.

Start with an intentional first day in the office. Cover the essentials, but don’t stop at policies and procedures. Prioritize helping your new officers understand the value your company brings to clients, what your organization wants to be known for, and how every interaction they have contributes to that reputation. Your goal this first day: Connect them to your mission before you connect them to their post.

Then, once they’re in the field, don’t let onboarding end.

A brief weekly voice note or phone call during the first month can go a long way. (Just make sure you’re handling any applicable cellphone reimbursement requirements.) Better yet, have a supervisor stop by the officer’s site with a purpose. Skip “How’s it going?” and ask questions that actually uncover how they’re doing:

  • What have you enjoyed about working here so far?
  • What challenges have you encountered?
  • What can I do to better support you?

Consider scheduling at least one in-person visit every couple of weeks during the first 30 days with the plan to check-in with these same questions. Yes, it requires an investment of time. But those conversations can prevent performance issues, reinforce uniform and service expectations, strengthen client relationships, and, perhaps most importantly, build loyalty to your company.

Research continues to show that onboarding matters. Employees who experience effective onboarding are significantly more likely to stay with their employer long term, and organizations with strong onboarding programs see higher engagement, better performance, and lower turnover. In an industry where recruiting and retention remain ongoing challenges, that’s an investment worth making.

The goal isn’t to slow down deployment. It’s to speed up commitment. Your officers may be assigned to your client’s site, but they should never feel disconnected from your company’s mission.

Your officers are the face of your company. Giving them a meaningful connection to your mission, your standards, and your leadership from day one will pay dividends long after they’re on the schedule.

If you’d like help building an onboarding program that fits the realities of the security industry while creating engaged, loyal officers, The Works Consulting is available to help. Together, we can design a practical onboarding experience that gets officers into the field quickly without sacrificing the connection that helps them succeed.

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.

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q3 – HOW SECURITY FIRMS CAN REDUCE COMMERCIAL AUTO PREMIUMS

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How Security Firms Can Reduce Commercial Auto Premiums

Shaun Kelly, The Liberty Company, CALSAGA Preferred Broker

For many security contractors, commercial auto insurance has become one of the most frustrating line items in the budget. Even companies with solid operations and strong client retention are seeing auto costs climb because the market has become more sensitive to frequency, severity, distracted driving, vehicle theft, repair costs, and nuclear verdict exposure.

The good news is that while you cannot control the broader insurance market, you can control how your company presents risk. Carriers reward disciplined operations. The firms that take driver management seriously, document their controls, and reduce preventable losses are typically in a stronger position at renewal.

Why Auto Premiums Keep Climbing

Commercial auto is no longer priced solely on the number of vehicles you own. Underwriters are looking deeper at driver quality, loss history, radius of travel, vehicle use, after-hours driving, hiring practices, and whether your company has a real fleet safety program or just a handbook sitting on a shelf.

For security firms, the exposure is even more nuanced. Patrol units, alarm response vehicles, supervisor cars, and employees driving between posts all create additional movement and more opportunities for claims. The more miles your business puts on the road, the more important your controls become.

Practical Ways to Improve Your Auto Profile

  • Tighten driver selection. Use MVR reviews, minimum age and experience requirements, and clear hiring standards before anyone gets behind the wheel.
  • Create a written fleet safety program. Document expectations for phone use, seat belts, speed, distracted driving, accident reporting, and post-incident review.
  • Use telematics or dash cameras thoughtfully. Programs that monitor harsh braking, speeding, and unsafe habits can create coaching opportunities and show underwriters that management is engaged.
  • Control who drives what and when. Limit personal use, overnight use, and unauthorized drivers whenever possible.
  • Train and retrain. A one-time orientation is not enough. Ongoing driver coaching and documented corrective action matter.
  • Get ahead of claims. Fast reporting, evidence preservation, and active claims management can reduce severity and improve how your account is viewed at renewal.

What Underwriters Want to See

When an underwriter reviews your account, they want confidence that your company does not treat vehicle exposure as an afterthought. They want to see accountability. That includes driver lists, MVR protocols, written policies, telematics use, disciplinary standards, vehicle maintenance, and leadership involvement.

In other words, reducing premium is not just about shopping harder. It is about becoming a better risk.

The Bottom Line

Security contractors that invest in disciplined driver management are usually better positioned for improved pricing, better carrier interest, and more stable renewals over time. The strongest results come when operational controls, claims management, and broker strategy all work together.

Have questions about your insurance program or contract language? Reach out to Shaun directly.
Shaun Kelly, VP Security Practice
The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, LLC
Shaun.Kelly@libertycompany.com

Shaun Kelly serves as Vice President of the Security Practice at The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, helping security company owners and executives navigate complex coverage decisions, contractual risk, and insurance program strategy.

 

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q2 – THE FOUNDATION GAP IN PRIVATE SECURITY TRAINING

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The Foundation Gap in Private Security Training

J.D. Nannery, Apex Security Training, CALSAGA Member 

Security Training Must Start with a Good Foundation

Across much of the private security industry, training is delivered in reverse. Officers are handed tools first, such as firearms, batons, TASERs, and chemical agents, before they have a working grasp of the legal authority that governs their actions, the professional standards expected of their role, or the liability that follows every use-of-force decision. This sequence may satisfy certification requirements, but it does little to prepare personnel for the real responsibility of making lawful, defensible decisions in dynamic environments.

Security training must begin with a strong foundation. Tools by themselves, do not create capability; capability is built on legal knowledge, sound judgment, and professional discipline. Aligned with the structure set out in Title 16 CCR §643, Training Course for Security Guards, this approach begins where competence actually begins: with legal authority and communication, long before tactical capability is introduced.

Judgment Before Capability

Security professionals work in environments where their decisions may later be examined in administrative review, civil litigation, or criminal proceedings. In those forums, the question is rarely how effectively force was applied — it is whether force was reasonable to apply at all.

A training model that starts with a strong foundation — rather than placing tools in an officer’s hands first — front-loads the disciplines that answer that question: Powers to Arrest, Appropriate Use of Force, Observation and Documentation, Communication and Public Relations, and Officer Safety and Scene Assessment. By building an understanding of authority, proportionality, and articulation early in training, personnel are far better positioned to read evolving situations and act in a manner consistent with policy, law, and professional standards.

Communication as a Tactical Skill

Verbal direction, professional presence, and situational awareness are routinely undervalued in favor of physical skill development — yet most encounters a private security officer faces can be resolved through effective communication and conflict management, without escalation.

Training that prioritizes de-escalation and professional interaction equips officers to gain voluntary compliance, reduce the likelihood of physical confrontation, maintain continuity of operations, and represent client interests with credibility. The result is fewer injuries and significantly less organizational exposure to liability.

Proportional Response and Legal Defensibility

When force does become necessary, personnel must be able to justify their actions through the standard of objective reasonableness — accounting for the totality of the circumstances, the immediacy of the perceived threat, and the subject’s behavior at the moment force was used.

Decisions grounded in training and supported by clear documentation are far more likely to withstand both internal review and outside scrutiny. The ability to articulate pre-force indicators, threat perception, and the decision-making process behind a response is often the deciding factor in whether that response is judged appropriate after the fact.

Training for Continuity, Not Just Compliance

Intermediate weapons and firearms instruction — including batons, TASERs, and similar tools — should not mark the beginning of a security professional’s development. They belong at a later stage, introduced only after foundational competencies have been demonstrated.

This progression supports proportional use-of-force decisions, stronger policy adherence, reduced injury risk, more reliable incident reporting, and meaningful client risk mitigation.

The aim is straightforward: security training must begin with a strong foundation, because tools, by themselves, do not create capability. The result is personnel who understand their authority before they act, communicate before they escalate, and document before they have to defend.

Train With APEX Security Training

At APEX Security Training, we believe a professional security career is built on more than a certificate — it is built on judgment, knowledge, and the discipline to act lawfully under pressure.

Whether you are entering the industry for the first time or advancing toward armed and specialized assignments, APEX gives you the foundation, the skills, and the professional standards employers and clients rely on.

Contact APEX Security Training today and start down the right path to a professional security career. train@APEXstc.com

J.D. Nannery is a security trainer and consultant dedicated to advancing professionalism in the private security industry. His work emphasizes a “foundations first” approach—prioritizing training, decision-making, and legal understanding over tools and equipment. As the founder of APEX Security Training, he prepares security professionals and organizations to operate with greater capability, accountability, and resilience.

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q2 – AI ISN’T YOUR ATTORNEY COURT RULES THAT AI-GENERATED DOCUMENTS & QUERIES ARE NOT PROTECTED BY PRIVILEGE

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AI Isn’t Your Attorney
Court Rules That AI-Generated Documents & Queries Are NOT Protected by Privilege

Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq., Bradley + Wellerstein, CALSAGA Legal Advisor

Across the country, AI is becoming an increasingly popular tool for all kinds of issues.  However, it’s ubiquity does not mean that it’s suitable for all purposes, and new court rulings are making it a much riskier proposition in any legal-adjacent matters.

In US v. Heppner, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that documents generated through any public AI platform were not protected by attorney-client privilege or the work product doctrine.  The Court granted access to documents generated with AI by the defendant.

The Defense argued that the AI-generated documents were created before the case and were shared with his attorneys, and that they were generated based on input from his counsel, in an attempt to shield them from production.

The Court ultimately ruled in favor of discovery on several grounds:

  1. The AI Documents were not communications between a client and their counsel, but rather made between the client and a public AI tool. This was compared to “asking a friend for legal advice” in the ruling.
  2. The AI Documents were not confidential because the client shared his prompts with a 3rd party commercial platform which is publicly accessible and whose terms of service explicitly states that it collects data on both prompts and outputs and may disclose it to 3rd
  3. The AI Documents were not created for the purpose of obtaining legal advice from counsel. The AI Terms of Service expressly disclaim the ability of the AI tool to give legal advice.

What This Means for Security Companies

While this case did not arise in the security industry, the impact is directly applicable.  Businesses and employees are relying more and more on AI for the generation of documents and, in some cases, advice.  Anything generated by public AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok should be treated as though it is discoverable, even if later discussed with counsel.  That includes requests for dealing with sensitive legal issues, documents generated by them, notes, prompts, and all other data related to use of AI.  Those prompts that ask “How do we document this termination to avoid being sued?” are now potentially subject to discovery.

Lessons Learned for Security Employers

Employers should strongly consider Privacy & Use policies for public AI tools with their employees to ensure that AI is not misused or fed potentially sensitive or confidential information.  This includes review of confidential legal documents.

Employers should expressly discourage the use of public AI tools for anything legal or legal-adjacent to avoid a potential waiver of privilege by providing confidential information to a public tool.

Review the existing privacy policies of any AI tools in use, whether public or private, to determine if the information will remain confidential or can be shared with 3rd parties.  Any tools which share with 3rd parties for any reason should be treated as a risk and not provided any confidential or sensitive information.

Conclusion

Ultimately, employers should remain vigilant about the use of AI in the workplace and emphasize the importance of avoiding a waiver of privilege by feeding sensitive or confidential information into a public tool.  While the development of training and policy language is critical, ongoing diligence about the proper use of AI tools remains the only effective safeguard.

Employers should rely on direct discussion with counsel for any sensitive issues, from contract revision to employee concerns, to ensure any discussion and documentation remains protected by privilege or client confidentiality and should avoid feeding any such queries into public AI tools.

Jaimee K. Wellerstein, Esq. is the co-managing Partner. Representing employers in all aspects of employment law, Ms. Wellerstein collaborates with her clients to develop proactive business and legal strategies to try to avoid workplace conflict and employment disputes. She provides legal advice and counsel to numerous businesses, including conducting individualized training programs for both management and employees.

 

Ms. Wellerstein performs internal audits of her clients’ employment practices to ensure compliance with the rapidly-changing world of employment laws, and guides investigations of employee allegations regarding harassment, discrimination, and employee misconduct. When litigation cannot be avoided, Jaimee K. Wellerstein aggressively defends her clients against employment law claims in the state and federal courts, as well as at administrative hearings, arbitrations, and mediations. Having defended numerous representative and individual lawsuits on behalf of her clients, Ms. Wellerstein is a skilled litigator and negotiator with a broad spectrum of experience upon which to draw.

 

A frequent speaker on numerous topics, including employment law and contract law, Ms. Wellerstein regularly conducts training seminars and programs for managers and employees in all areas of employment practices and policies.

 

 

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q2 – CALIFORNIA SECURITY FIRMS CAN’T AFFORD TO TREAT BREAK COMPLIANCE AS A SIDE ISSUE

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California Security Firms Can’t Afford to Treat Break Compliance as a Side Issue

Gurmit Dhaliwal, Celayix, CALSAGA Associate Member

For many California security companies, break compliance does not fail because leaders do not care about it. It fails because field operations move fast, coverage requirements are unforgiving, and the systems supporting the work are often too fragmented to keep up.

A missed meal period is rarely just that. In a security operation, it may also signal that relief did not arrive on time, that a schedule changed without sufficient visibility, that a supervisor lacked real-time insight, or that a time record was left to be corrected after the fact. What appears to be a small exception on paper can actually reflect a larger operational weakness.

That is what makes break compliance such a persistent challenge.

Under California law, employers generally must provide a 30-minute meal period when an employee works more than five hours, a second 30-minute meal period when an employee works more than ten hours (subject to limited waiver rules up to 12 hours), and paid rest periods based on total hours worked.

California law also emphasizes that timing matters, not just whether a break appears somewhere on the timecard.

For security companies managing multiple posts, changing assignments, traveling between sites, and strict client coverage expectations, that level of precision is difficult to achieve through manual oversight alone.

When Break Compliance Breaks Down, Operations Feel It Immediately

Break compliance is not just an HR or payroll issue. It is an operational issue.

Guards need to know when breaks are due. Supervisors need visibility into whether those breaks were taken on time, missed, interrupted, or delayed due to relief being unavailable. Schedulers need to protect coverage without creating avoidable compliance exposure. Payroll and HR teams need records they can trust if questions arise later.

When those pieces do not connect, the effects spread quickly.

A delayed meal period can expose an employer to premium pay. A missing record can create payroll disputes. A pattern of inconsistent enforcement can damage employee trust and make claims harder to defend. In a labor environment as structured as California’s, weak documentation can turn manageable issues into expensive ones. California DIR guidance and related DLSE materials make clear that meal and rest period compliance is tied to both employer obligations and the records needed to support them.

In other words, small breakdowns in break tracking can quickly escalate into larger failures in operational control.

Why Manual Processes Fall Short in Security

The difficulty is not that California security firms lack policies. Most have them.

The difficulty is execution.

Field supervisors are balancing coverage, client expectations, call-outs, and last-minute changes. Schedulers are trying to deploy qualified officers across multiple sites while accounting for availability, post requirements, and timing windows. Payroll and compliance teams are often left to piece together what happened after the shift is over.

That is where manual processes begin to fail.

Paper logs, texts, radio calls, spreadsheet adjustments, and isolated time punches do not create a reliable system of record. They do not consistently show whether a break was provided on time. They do not surface exceptions early enough for someone to intervene. And they do not scale well across a distributed workforce.

The real challenge is not simply recording time. It is maintaining operational continuity while also meeting labor requirements with consistency and defensibility.

Compliance Requires More Than a Timecard

A timecard alone does not tell the whole story.

It may show that a break was recorded, but not whether it was provided within the correct window, whether it was interrupted, or whether the employee had to delay it because site coverage was not available. In practice, that means organizations need more than passive time capture.

They need stronger workflows around exceptions, visibility, and accountability.

This is why more security firms are looking beyond basic timekeeping toward a more integrated approach. Current Celayix guidance on break tracking and break exceptions emphasizes real-time recording, exception reporting, and employee-driven workflows such as mobile break tracking and attestation.

That distinction matters.

Break tracking shows activity. Exception reporting shows where compliance may have broken down. Attestation can help document what actually occurred during the shift. Taken together, those capabilities create a more useful operational record than after-the-fact edits ever can.

A Unified Approach Is Becoming Essential

The answer is not more paperwork or more manual review. It is a better system design.

Break compliance works best when it is connected to the broader flow of operations: scheduling, site coverage, time and attendance, supervisor visibility, payroll, and reporting. When those functions work together, managers can identify issues sooner, respond faster, and reduce the number of exceptions that later become payroll or legal problems.

This is especially important in security because coverage and compliance are constantly at odds. A supervisor may be tempted to delay a guard’s break to keep a post filled. A scheduler may have limited options when a relief officer is late. Those situations are real. But they are also exactly why disconnected systems create so much risk.

A unified operational approach makes those tensions easier to manage.

It allows security firms to:

  • Reduce manual corrections and administrative follow-up
  • Improve visibility into missed, late, or interrupted breaks
  • Strengthen payroll accuracy and documentation
  • Support site coverage decisions without losing compliance control
  • Create a clearer audit trail when exceptions occur

The benefit is not just cleaner records. It is better operational discipline.

Better Break Compliance Starts with Better Operational Visibility

California security firms do not need more complexity. They need better visibility and stronger coordination.

Break compliance is one of the clearest examples of where fragmented operations create avoidable risk. When schedules, coverage decisions, employee workflows, and time records operate in silos, even well-run companies can find themselves reacting to problems too late.

But when break management is treated as part of a unified workforce operation, the outcome changes. Exceptions become more visible. Decisions become more informed. Records become more defensible. And compliance becomes easier to sustain across a growing, distributed workforce.

That is the real opportunity: not simply tracking breaks more carefully, but building an operation better equipped to support both workforce compliance and field performance simultaneously.

Gurmit Dhaliwal is the CEO of Celayix, which delivers shift management for workforce operations and helps ensure every shift is covered. His 25 years of experience in employee scheduling and time-and-attendance software help improve shift management for the security guard industry. He understands the complex requirements of the industry, such as compliance with California State Laws and integrating best-of-breed tools to simplify workflows and accelerate operations.

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q2 – BEYOND SAFETY: DESIGNING FOR EFFICIENCY IN MODERN SECURITY OPERATIONS

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Beyond Safety: Designing for Efficiency in Modern Security Operations

Johann Hauswald, PlixAI, CALSAGA Network Partner

For years, innovation in private security has focused on one priority: frontline safety. That focus isn’t going away, but it’s no longer enough.

The firms pulling ahead today aren’t just asking, “Are our officers safe?”  They’re asking, “Are we operating efficiently at scale?”  Not as a tradeoff, but as a force multiplier.

The Challenge: Capturing What Matters

Officers generate hours of activity every shift, yet much of what happens on-site remains difficult to document consistently. Recording is often manual, reporting is time-consuming, and critical moments can be missed entirely.

This isn’t unique to private security. Research on body-worn cameras in policing shows that while cameras improve transparency and evidence collection, their impact depends heavily on how consistently they are used and how easily footage can be accessed and reviewed.

In practice, many organizations still face:

  • Incomplete or inconsistent incident documentation
  • Time lost reviewing footage or writing reports
  • Limited visibility for clients into what actually happened

A Simple Shift: Automating the Moment of Capture

One of the most practical ways technology is improving both safety and efficiency is by removing the need for manual recording decisions altogether.

For example, body-worn cameras can automatically begin recording when an officer enters a designated site or geofenced area – and stop when they leave.

But the real value isn’t just automation – it’s integration.

  • Scheduling systems (where officers are assigned)
  • Dispatch tools (call-offs, site changes, coverage gaps)
  • Tour and patrol systems (checkpoints, routes, activity logs)

…recording becomes aligned with operations, not just location.

That changes the equation:

  • Coverage becomes consistent across assigned shifts – not just when a button is pressed
  • Every site interaction is tied back to a specific post, time, and officer
  • Supervisors get a complete, auditable record across systems – not fragmented data

Recording Isn’t the Goal – Connected Insight Is

As research has shown, body-worn cameras generate large volumes of unstructured video, creating a new challenge: how to efficiently extract value from it.

The next wave of innovation is about connecting these layers:

  • Footage tied to incident reports automatically
  • Activity linked to specific sites and shifts
  • Searchable history across video, logs, and reports

This shift – from recording to understanding – is where efficiency gains begin to compound.

Efficiency That Supports Safety

Efficiency in this context isn’t about doing more with fewer people at the expense of quality. It’s about enabling teams to:

  • Respond faster
  • Document more accurately
  • Provide clearer, defensible reporting

Studies suggest that body-worn cameras can contribute to incremental improvements in operational efficiency, but the real impact comes from how organizations integrate them into workflows.

And increasingly, that’s what differentiates firms – not just whether something was handled well, but whether it can be proven clearly and quickly.

Looking Ahead

As the industry evolves, the most impactful technologies will be those that quietly remove friction from day-to-day work.

Because in modern security operations, success isn’t just about whether incidents are handled safely – it’s about whether teams can operate consistently, efficiently, and with full visibility into what’s happening on the ground.

Johann Hauswald is the Founder and CEO of Plix AI, a startup developing AI-enabled body cameras and safety analytics software for private security and field-operations industries. Plix is backed by Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and the founders of Samsara and Verkada.

Johann earned his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan, where he specialized in AI at the edge and computer vision. Before founding Plix, he was a postdoc at Stanford working on large-scale video analytics and edge inference systems and previously co-founded a venture back AI company building conversational AI systems. His work sits at the intersection of AI, safety, and real-time video intelligence, advancing how organizations detect and respond to incidents in the physical world.

 

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q2 – 2026 SECURITY INDUSTRY LABOR TRENDS: WHAT LEADERS NEED TO KNOW

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2026 Security Industry Labor Trends: What Leaders Need to Know

Jill Davie, TEAM Software by WorkWave, CALSAGA Network Partner

For security leaders, the labor landscape is always shifting. But understanding these shifts goes beyond merely keeping up; it is essential for staying profitable and operational in a high-stakes industry. As we look toward the remainder of 2026 and beyond, the data tells a compelling story.

A Cooling National Market — But Not for Security

The broader U.S. labor market has stabilized considerably. Quit rates are holding low, signaling reduced worker confidence and less market mobility. Despite this cooling, a labor shortage persists — as of late 2025, there were still 7.1 million open jobs against 7.8 million unemployed workers.

Looking further ahead, structural headwinds make this shortage unlikely to resolve on its own. An aging workforce, slowing immigration and a labor participation rate projected to drop from 62.4% in 2025 to 61.4% by 2035 suggest that competition for reliable personnel will remain fierce across all sectors.

The security industry, however, is operating in a league of its own. Our hire rate is 2.1 times the national average — 7.6% versus 3.6% nationally. While that reflects strong service demand, it also signals a constant need to replenish staff. Voluntary separations tell an equally challenging story, with the industry quit rate averaging 3.5% over the last 12 months compared to a national average of just 2%. We are bringing people in; keeping them is the harder battle.

The First 60 Days Are Everything

The data on early turnover is stark. By day 30, 18% of newly activated employees are already gone. By day 60, that number climbs to 26.4%. The good news is that employees who make it past the 45-day mark are significantly more likely to stay long-term — making the early employment experience one of the highest-leverage investments a security firm can make. A structured onboarding process that actively engages new hires from day one through at least day 90 is no longer optional. It is the single most effective tool for stopping the leak.

Wage Pressure Is Real — and Outpacing Inflation

To compete for talent, security firms have had to move pay rates consistently upward. Average hourly wages have climbed from $18.45 in December 2023 to $19.30 in December 2024 to $20.08 by the end of 2025 — a 4.0% increase in the last year alone. Notably, full-time and part-time wages have converged at that same $20.08 mark, reflecting a growing premium on scheduling flexibility.

These increases are outpacing inflation, which means margin compression is a real and growing concern. Regional variation adds another layer of complexity — average wages range from $26.16 in New Hampshire to $11.19 in Puerto Rico. Understanding your specific market benchmarks is essential to staying competitive without overspending.

Technology as a Retention Tool

One of the more encouraging findings in the 2026 data involves the impact of financial wellness technology on retention. A case study of 3,000 employees found that offering Earned Wage Access — which allows employees to draw pay as it is earned rather than waiting for payday — drove a 60% adoption rate and resulted in 16% higher retention among users. Benefits and technology that address the day-to-day financial realities of hourly workers are proving to be powerful differentiators in reducing turnover.

The Road Ahead

The security labor market in 2026 is resilient but under pressure. Demand is high, costs are rising and the easy hiring environment of previous years is behind us. Firms that integrate back-office management with field operations, reduce non-billable overtime, automate compliance and invest in the worker experience from day one will be best positioned to build a workforce that sticks.

The trends are clear: the future belongs to those who value their people and use data to prove it.

Jill Davie started her career at TEAM Software as a summer marketing intern in 1996. At the time, TEAM was a start-up with 12 employees

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Iowa State University, Jill joined TEAM full time in 1998 as a Sales Associate. Over the next 20 years, she assumed various leadership roles in Sales, Marketing, Communications, Customer Success and Professional Services as the company grew significantly. Jill also served on TEAM’s Board of Directors from 2014 through 2021 when it was acquired by WorkWave. During her board tenure, TEAM transformed from founder-owned, to employee-owned to private equity owned. They also acquired five companies across the globe, expanding their domestic and international market leadership.

Currently, Jill serves as the SVP & GM, Cleaning & Security responsible for Customer Success Management, Professional Services and Customer Engagement. She is passionate about operational excellence, engaging directly with customers and attracting and retaining top talent with a people-centric culture.

 

 

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Aley Moyer

THE CALIFORNIAN 2026 Q2 – THE PHYSICAL SECURITY INDUSTRY IN 2026: THREE SHIFTS EVERY PROVIDER NEEDS TO KNOW

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The Physical Security Industry in 2026: Three Shifts Every Provider Needs to Know

Carissa Gappa, TEAM Software by WorkWave, CALSAGA Network Partners

The physical security industry in 2026 stands at a critical juncture. Compliance mandates, technological advancement and evolving client expectations are converging in ways that will separate the providers who thrive from those who fall behind. Success will no longer hinge on deploying more guards or installing additional cameras. It will hinge on smarter, integrated operations that deliver measurable value in real time.

Tech-Enabled Guarding Is Now the Baseline

The traditional “guard with a clipboard” model is giving way to “guard with a tech stack.” Large providers are bundling AI cameras, remote monitoring and mobile workflows to meet heightened client demands — and to outpace smaller competitors who lack the capital for such investments.

Clients increasingly expect digital proof of service rather than paper logs. They want GPS-verified guard tours, incident reports with photo evidence and real-time alerts when something goes wrong. When a client asks what happened at a specific site at 2 AM last Tuesday, they expect a complete answer in seconds — guard activity, access control events, camera footage and incident response unified into one cohesive record.

Platforms that connect back-office operations to field activity are making this possible, giving providers the operational efficiency their business demands while delivering the transparency clients now expect as standard.

California Is Setting the Compliance Bar — and Others Will Follow

Starting in 2026, California Privacy Protection Agency rules require risk assessments for automated decision-making tools and opt-outs for biometrics. By 2027, cybersecurity audits kick in for firms exceeding $100 million in revenue.

For security providers operating in California, privacy-by-design is no longer optional. Consent tracking, purpose tags and audit-ready reporting need to be built into your systems now — not retrofitted later. If you are using AI for scheduling optimization or facial recognition for guard verification, you need documented consent, clear purpose statements and the ability to produce audit trails on demand.

More importantly, this is not just a California problem. According to the International Association for Privacy Professionals, comprehensive privacy laws are under consideration in more than 20 states. What California implements today, other states adopt tomorrow. The firms building compliance infrastructure now will have a decisive advantage when that happens.

Clients Want Real-Time Proof, Not Monthly Reports

Benchmark data shows nearly 90% of security professionals want to accelerate incident response, but most still rely on traditional written reports and manual summaries. This creates a critical visibility gap: 28% of security leaders feel “behind the curve” against new threats, and 23% of professionals admit they lack the time to focus on the high-impact incidents clients care about most.

That model is losing contracts. Enterprise clients no longer wait for monthly reports; they want to log into a portal and see live data, documented evidence, and response times instantly. This shift transforms you from a service provider into a technology partner providing continuous visibility.

The firms winning contracts today offer live SLA dashboards and automated incident timelines. If producing a report requires three people and two days, you simply cannot scale.

What’s Driving These Changes

Four forces are pushing the industry toward integrated platforms: AI and automation, stricter regulation, labor shortages and private equity pressure. AI is already handling automatic scheduling, real-time resource allocation and predictive dispatch — reducing the burden on operations teams while improving service consistency. Labor challenges are not going away, with 42% of providers citing turnover as their number one problem. And PE-backed firms are raising the bar on operational KPIs and technology infrastructure, forcing everyone in the market to keep pace.

The gap between tech-enabled providers and everyone else will widen. Technology integration, regulatory compliance and client transparency are no longer competitive advantages. In 2026, they are the baseline requirements for survival.

Carissa Gappa, Senior Product Manager at TEAM Software by WorkWave. Carissa has spent the last two decades championing customer needs, analyzing cross-industry data trends, and bringing together people, process and technology to solve real industry problems.

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