For facility managers, there is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.

In a recent virtual town hall meeting, American businessman and billionaire Mike Bloomberg said offi ces are not going away after the pandemic passes. He indicated that companies will still need central locations for staff ers to gather and collaborate. He also added that business owners who initially thought they could allow their staff ers to work remotely on a permanent basis are now reconsidering their positions. “Everyone, including the employees, is now realizing they are losing touch with each other and the company. Remote, permanent remote working simply will not work.”

What's a lockdown?

The name says it all. A lockdown is when every door, window and other access point in or out of a facility is locked. This could also include turning off elevators, escalators, building mechanicals, etc. While lockdowns can occur due to storms and other acts of nature, they most commonly occur when there is a profoundly serious crime happening, such as a shooting or the possibility of a shooting. The goal is to make sure everyone in the facility stays put until emergency personnel arrive and provide direction.

Recent studies support his conclusion, such as one recently published by Cushman & Wakefield, the world’s largest property management company. They conclude that offices serve “a vital purpose as an inspiring destination that strengthens cultural connections, learning and bonding with customers as well as colleagues.”

However, this upbeat look into the future does not suggest a change is right around the corner. It may be months, possibly a year or more, before the pandemic lifts and staff ers can return to the workplace. Additionally, both Bloomberg and Cushman & Wakefield suggest that the number of staff ers returning to the workspace may never be the same. Some staff ers may continue to work remotely, part-time or full time. Ultimately the number doing so will likely dwindle.

This means there could be partially, if not totally, empty office buildings for months to come, which provides FMs a unique opportunity to assess their current building security and ensure their property is safe while it is unoccupied.

This is also an opportunity to verify that measures are in place to help safeguard buildings and the people that use them once the facility is reoccupied.

Typically, this involves conducting a security assessment. While in-house security personnel working for an organization or a management company can conduct such an assessment, it can be wise to have a new set of eyes brought in to review the facility’s security situation. All too often, security breaches are quickly noticed by outside security consultants that are ignored or simply not seen by those working in or using a property regularly.

Conducting a security assessment

Facilities face endless security risks that threaten people and property. These risks can vary considerably, and some are unique to different types of facilities.

For instance, hospitals have many specific security concerns that would not be shared with, for example, a commercial offi ce building. While most medical facilities are trying to remain open to visitors and family members as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, many regulate the number of visitors to the hospital or ban them entirely; not only because hospitals are crowded with COVID-19 patients, but to also keep vulnerable patients and staff safe from unnecessary stress, tension or harm.

This situation is being repeated in all types of facilities. To evaluate the level of protection of both people and property, a security assessment investigates several aspects in and around the facility.

  • Site information. A facility located in a heavy crime area, for instance, may be more of a target for break-ins, burglaries, vandalism, street unrest and other unsavory activity. But site information review would also reveal such things as emergency response issues. How quickly can emergency personnel arrive at a property should there be a threat? Consider the facility’s distance from major roadways, typical traffic patterns and clearly visible signage.

  • Site appearance. Facilities that are not well-maintained often attract more crime. This is one reason many police departments recommend that FMs remove graffiti as soon as it is discovered. Graffiti on a property tends to attract more graffiti. If the property appears to be neglected, it could also become a target for vandalism and problematic activity.

  • Management policies. Does the organization have steps in place to deal with a security breach? This would include not only violations such as break-ins or robberies, but also shootings or terrorism. Anything that happens globally can happen locally. Because of this, FMs must have a plan in place.

  • Emergency preparedness. Practices and plans must be in place not only to handle crime situations or the threat of crime, but to handle weather emergencies like tornadoes, earthquakes, power failures and lockdown conditions. Are drills established and practiced for such situations? Are evacuation plans posted? Do people understand what is expected should there be a lockdown?

  • Physical security. Physical security typically starts at the front door, and often before anyone even reaches the front door of a property. Is the property gated? Gated properties tend to be safer than those that are not. Must building users and visitors check in with security personnel when entering the property? Do building users have identification badges with them or go through metal detectors when entering the property? With COVID-19, are technologies in place to monitor the temperatures of large numbers of people entering the facility?

  • Outdoor security. Are there hidden areas around the facility that might invite crime? Is the property adequately lit? Are high-definition smart cameras installed as well as zero-light camera systems? Smart cameras are triggered by movement. Zero-light cameras can take crystal-clear images day or night. Access control. How easy is it for staff ers and vendors to enter the building, day or night? What protective measures are in place and how often are these measures updated? Larger commercial facilities in major cities often have several access control measures in place. However, facilities in less populated suburban areas may have very few.

  • Cyber security. The migration to remote work was born of necessity. But it happened so quickly that many IT professionals did not have time to implement data security programs that would allow staffers and their employers to work together safely and securely from home. Cyber security is always an issue. Steps must be taken to ensure remote workers can interface freely and securely with corporate databases and information sources.

  • Crisis communications. Managers need to know who they must call and what steps they must take in case of an emergency. Failing to act promptly and properly in a crisis can put people and property assets at greater risk. Lack of a communication strategy often increases the likelihood of lawsuits, job loss, profit loss, fractured employee morale and loss of trust in an organization and a facility.

Future security

Most of the items discussed here can be implemented while the property is not in use or used marginally. However, once it is in operation, these and many other measures should be in place, most of which relate to what the security assessment has uncovered.

Security assessments are not one-time projects. They must be revised and updated as situations change and response practices evolve. This is especially true when it comes to cyber security issues. Finally, one big shift that should take place once a security assessment has been completed is for FMs to move from a reactive stance toward security to a proactive stance. Times have changed. Years ago, building security meant little more than having a guard stationed at the front door. That will not suffice in today’s world, making the need for a security assessment all the more necessary.