The Changing Role of the Security Guard during the COVID-19 Pandemic in India

During the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, all over the world, security guards are seeing their roles change as they have been enlisted to assist the community and the government in combating the COVID-19 in what may once have been seen as non-traditional security roles.

During this unprecedented time, security firms in India are asking their teams to pivot. From planning the logistics and security for the world's largest critical care units for treating patients with coronavirus, the i3s security, to performing free local patrols to client premises during the lockdown to volunteering to assist the elderly, vulnerable or ˜at risk' individuals who are unable to leave their homes, security companies of all sizes are stepping up to the challenge.

 

In a few short weeks, the sight of a security guard outside stores has become commonplace to ensure the safety of shoppers, limit the number of people who can enter a shop at any one time, and ensure social, or physical, distancing is maintained in stores. Prior to COVID-19, the retail guarding focus was traditionally aimed towards loss prevention and employee safety, although still an issue, it is no longer its sole focus.

 

In most supermarkets, markings have been installed to indicate a two-meter spacing distance which customers are asked to observe. Markings have also been installed outside stores so customers queuing to enter maintain safe distances of two meters. Store managers have been given discretion to implement crowd control systems at store entrances to limit the number of customers allowed in stores at any time by positioning security guards at store entrances to help support this new policy.

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