In a world of escalating security risks, risk professionals are frequently focused on challenges with physical security, advanced security technologies, cybersecurity and executive loss prevention strategies. However, many overlook one of the most critical layers of defense: the public-facing staff that serve as the first point of contact to people who come onto the premises.
These public-facing workers include receptionists, greeters, maintenance staff and facilities personnel. In day-to-day operations of a building, they are typically in the best position to first notice unusual behavior, security gaps and potential threats. Despite this, they are frequently excluded from formal risk mitigation strategies, overlooked during scheduled security training, and not consulted during risk and vulnerability assessments.
Public-facing employees can serve as additional security sensors, allowing organizations to identify, respond to and mitigate unusual behavior, anomalous conditions, security gaps and other potential threats long before they can occur or escalate.
For example, a receptionist at a large office building identified a contractor who suspiciously arrived a day earlier than planned to do work in an area being remodeled. She noted that he was entering through the main lobby instead of the loading dock where a security guard was stationed to sign-in and vet all contractors. She also noted that he was asking a lot of questions and appeared to be overly eager to access back-office spaces. The receptionist was suspicious, so she called the security manager, who then investigated the individual. The investigation revealed that the contractor was not authorized to be working at this facility, and he was caught trying to steal tools and supplies from an area undergoing remodeling. The receptionist’s intuition averted a breach of security and prevented theft.
During a vulnerability assessment at another organization, the assessors learned of a janitor who noticed recurring malfunctions of the electrified locking hardware on an unmanned, access-controlled staff entry door. He observed that several non-employee visitors were exploiting the faulty hardware and entering the building through that door. This allowed those individuals to bypass logging in through the visitor management system at the main entry station and avoid the entry screening process. Based on his observations, he notified the security manager, who notified the facilities department so a work order could be issued to replace the faulty electrified locking system and to mitigate further security breaches at that door.
Even with the most elaborate physical security systems, humans still play a critical role in identifying behavior and irregularities to eliminate vulnerabilities. Security operations and efficiency can be strengthened when building workers are encouraged to act on their instincts and notify security personnel of potential vulnerabilities they observe.
Key Risk Management Responsibilities for Public-Facing Workers
A successful risk management plan for first line-of-defense employees should focus on proactive identification and mitigation of operational risks, enhanced communication channels and a culture of continuous improvement. This plan should empower workers to report potential issues and encourage a collaborative approach to risk management.
Employees should be equipped with the tools and procedures necessary to mitigate risk, including:
- Risk Identification and Analysis: Teach public-facing employees how to perform regular assessments to identify security and operational vulnerabilities, and encourage them to report observed risks, no matter how minor they may seem.
- Training and Awareness: Offer training and briefings on emergency protocols, de-escalation, and security awareness, including basic threat detection, recognizing suspicious behavior, responding to threats and using security systems. Additionally, conduct regular scenario-based drills to ensure workers are prepared for emergencies.
- Technology: Equip employees with visitor management systems (VMS), panic buttons or discreet alert systems to request assistance without escalating a situation and provide secure communication channels.
- Collaboration and Ongoing Engagement: Maintain a direct line of communication between public-facing workers, security teams and building management. In some cases, consider positioning security personnel near reception areas for additional rapid response and support. Conduct meetings between risk managers, security staff, facilities staff and the public-facing workers and department heads being sure to include facilities and reception teams. Offer feedback and recognize workers who report incidents.
- Emergency Response and Security Procedures: Provide clear workflows for suspicious activity, incident escalation and facility checks. First-line-of-defense workers may need to initiate lockdown procedures, trigger silent alarms or guide occupants to safety using pre-established emergency protocols. Also make sure workers in these roles are specifically trained on emergency response procedures as they often act as the first point of contact with security teams or emergency responders who arrive on site.
For true resilience, employees should be supported by technology, training and an integrated security strategy. A comprehensive, layered approach should include access control systems, video surveillance, intrusion detection and security communication systems; visitor management systems; strong coordination between physical security and cybersecurity teams; and dedicated on-site security personnel for high-risk locations. While no single group of employees can bear the entire burden of organization security, public-facing workers are a critical layer of defense that is essential to maintaining safe and secure building operations.