Ensuring physical and mental wellbeing is central to care for staff in high-risk regions

 

Delivering world-class, professional service in the security industry is complex work. Security professionals receive intense training, and often work in unstable, dangerous environments. They are specifically tasked with putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the assets, information, and most importantly people in their care.

The impact of these sustained high-stress situations on the mental wellbeing of security professionals cannot be taken for granted. Their roles involve shouldering the responsibility for the safety of others, providing mobile security, preparing security plans for worst-case scenarios, and staying continually ready to respond to any eventuality, and often in locations with limited freedom of movement.

Security professionals who are healthy, happy and prosperous are essential to delivering world-class service, and so supporting and safeguarding their mental health is essential to employers and employees alike.

Let’s examine the effects of high-pressure conditions on individuals’ mental health in the security industry. Is it possible to ‘switch off’ and break the cycle of stress in an always-on environment?

A glance at mental health in the security industry

Considering long hours, above-average exposure to traumatic events and having to manage high-pressure situations, it is unsurprising that a University of Portsmouth report showed that close to 40% of the 750 security personnel interviewed presented with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Professor Mark Button, who led the research, summed up the industry’s response perfectly by saying “There is an emerging picture of a failure by the security industry to address these issues.”

Movement in the right direction

Our Human Resource Management team recognise there is still some stigma surrounding this area and works tirelessly to minimise this. Furthermore, they actively promote awareness campaigns, training, and modern managerial practices on a regular basis throughout the business.

The 2024 theme for UK Mental Health Awareness Week was ‘movement’, and the importance of play and exercise in supporting mental health cannot be underestimated. According to Harvard Health Publishing, exercise reduces stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, and facilitates the production of endorphins, leading to improved mental health.

Hart encourages our staff to make use of onsite gym facilities and participate in games to facilitate movement and exercise. In high-risk regions where personnel are often stationed, freedom of movement can be highly restricted, so making time to incorporate exercise into a daily routine becomes essential. We note that where the terrain and environment allow it, teams can enjoy extensive after-hour activities, aided by “recently built facilities such as tennis and volleyball courts, a cycle route, and an area where people can jog.”

The opportunity to rest, unwind and reconnect is offered in the form of onsite amenities and planned communal activities. Anyone seeking more ways to support mental health in the security industry could also follow Hart’s lead in implementing measures such as “comprehensive leave rotations and medical treatment programmes. Over and above this, we offer structured services and interventions that we outsource from professionals.”

Awareness works: identifying and addressing poor mental health in the security industry

As stigma around mental health lessens in society, individuals can better support their relatives, loved ones and acquaintances by identifying and addressing the early warning signs of mental health concerns. In the workplace, colleagues can provide valuable assistance to one another when properly trained to do so.

For employers, leaders and coworkers across industries, the Mental Health Foundation offers a valuable and highly practical list of tips for supporting mental health in the workplace on an ongoing basis, including:

• Checking in with colleagues informally and authentically to see how they are.
• Listening actively so that others feel heard and acknowledged when sharing their feelings.
• Seeking to understand the warning signs of mental health concerns, such as a subtle drop in performance or change in mood.
• Making evidence-based tools like mindfulness and exercise available to all staff.

Because a particular concern for mental health in the security industry is PTSD, Hart team members are also equipped with training and awareness of Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) techniques, which enables non-healthcare workers to monitor colleagues and detect signs of PTSD.

Making it official: keeping mental health in the security industry’s policies

Organisations across industries have a responsibility to their staff to support their wellbeing – but when it comes to enabling good mental health in the security industry, where the safety of others is being safeguarded daily, that responsibility is compounded. For this reason, it is essential that organisations in the security industry instil official measures to formalise the way that mental health is understood and managed.

Today, technological advances make it possible for professional mental health services to be offered remotely, which is particularly helpful to our industry – in which teams are stationed in locations across the globe. For many in need of day-to-day support following a traumatic or otherwise stressful event, online therapy has become a lifeline, and one that can be usefully employed by organisations in need of an outsourced solution to meet a need for high-quality mental health care.

Hart’s Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) institutionalises the various strategies and interventions on offer to employees, as well as the responsibilities of managers. Some of the services and interventions offered through the EAP include the Mental Health First Aid and BetterHelp Online Therapy – accessible via telephone conversation or text, enabling team members to get the help they need, wherever they are stationed. This has led to a significant increase in the use of counselling services amongst staff.

Healthy employees, safe clients

Employees are owed a duty of care and support in the work that they do. It is this belief that drives initiatives such as Mental Health First Aid, BetterHelp Online Therapy, TRiM, and more. This support is the responsibility of organisations in the security industry, and it is as essential for the clients who need healthy security professionals as it is for the individuals who protect them.