The two disciplines of physical and cyber security are rapidly converging, says Iain Murphy, Corporate Security Director and Global Security Consultancy Practice Lead for the property management company CBRE. When the firm recruits security experts it’s looking for someone who has qualifications and experience in both, Murphy says.
Workplaces are rapidly changing so that there may no longer be a clear line dividing private and public spaces. It’s usually a physical barrier, for example, a turnstile or doors that unlock when
you swipe your identification. But more companies are opening their facilities to other organisations or even the community. People from outside the business can access the onsite gyms and cafés, for instance; or under-utilised floor space is being sub-let.
Tech can make for ‘data driven decision-making’; a security department can analyse the information received from surveillance cameras and Internet of Things (IoT) devices to check temperatures, work patterns or cleaning schedules and use that to inform decisions about optimising office floor space. The firm is predicting more use of analytics and AI which will help mitigate security risks.
Clients are asking security teams to help them comply with new data law – the EU-wide General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – or show best practice in information management for the international standard ISO 27001, and assurance. Given the pressure to do more with less, more security services are being outsourced. Suppliers are being called on to act as trusted advisors.
Murphy says: “When we’re identifying our security partners we’re increasingly being asked if they share our clients’ values. It’s not enough to ensure teams are licensed, insured and reputable. They’re an extension of an in-house team and their approach needs to reflect the client’s commitment to sustainability and diversity, as examples.”
As for FM in general as a career option – or not considered by young people as a first career – the firm is responding to the shortage of young people pursuing careers in STEM subjects, by broadening its ‘talent pipeline’ and taking on more apprentices. In an echo of private security, more women are joining FM, which has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, according to the 17-page report, by Global Workplace Solutions (GWS), a division of CBRE.
The report also covers the supply chain, tech, sustainability, contract management, and hiring and retaining people.
