|
Security Management Services International, Inc. (SMSI) has conducted numerous security assessments
and consultations over the last 20+ years. Whether the assessment involves a manufacturing operation, a
shopping center or a hospital, there is a period of time, during the initial phase of the consultation that is
spent getting the lay of the land. This means trying to understanding the security history of each client,
the primary mission of the organization and the ambient crime environment. The consultant also needs to
understand the organizational milieu.
The early phases of the assessment process requires the consultant to gain an understanding of the risks
and threats that separate this client form any other client. It is important to hear from management and
supervisory personnel. It is also equally important to hear from rank and file employees. During the initial
phases of the assessment, respondent responses are often guarded and sometime agenda driven.
However based on these initial inquiries the consultant moves forward in a process to either validate or
invalidate the responses to these early inquiries. This process sometimes takes three or four days before
the consultant has enough information to make a more in depth investigation in an attempt to uncover
unvarnished factual information.
About 2 ˝ years ago SMSI embarked on a new strategy aimed at reducing this initial this initial
acclimation period. SMSI developed a web based Likert style questionnaire. This questionnaire was
developed by SMSI with the help of a computer programmer form Madison, Wisconsin, Michelle Curtis. A
Likert style questionnaire allows the respondent to react to a series of statements by rating each the
response to each statement by agreeing or disagreeing on a scale of one to five. Each respondent is also
invited to make any comments they feel are relevant. The questions are hosted on the Security
Management Services International Inc. Website (http://www.smsisitesecurityquestionnaire.com). Ms.
Curtis designed a report format the rolls up the accumulative responses to each statement separately.
Each client is given a unique username and a unique password. The responding parties are assured
anonymity. This anonymity seems to reduce respondent inhibition. Typically the client makes an
announcement of the impending assessment, usually through thier intranet network. Employee
participation is encouraged. The questionnaire announcement usually goes up about one to three weeks
of SMSI’s first visit. It is not unusual, in the wake of the initial announcement, that we get more that 100 in
the first few hours.
After 2 ˝ years of using this instrument, the results have been very gratifying. We have found the rate of
employee participation to be very high. Depending on the client, we find that from 40% to 60% of those
participating in the process choose to make commentary. Often times the commentary offers more areas
of inquiry that fall beyond the original scope of the questionnaire.
What are the benefits of this value added service?
The benefits are many and they differ slightly with each client. Without question, this questionnaire saves
time by facilitating the ability of the consultant to hit the ground running once on-site. The questionnaire
affords the opportunity for every employee to participate in the process. Employees know their voice will
be heard. We find that employees who have input on the front end are more likely to buy-in on the
ensuing solutions and remedies on the backend. Because the respondents are given anonymity, they
don’t hold back. Having said that, to be sure some of the responses reflect hyperbole and distortion.
However, the consultant is able to verify the veracity of those comments. Moreover, exaggerations may
very well be symptomatic of a deeper problem. More importantly, most of our clients love this value
added service.
A brief explanation of other diagnostic instruments, by way of analogy, may be helpful here. There is
and/or used to be a psychological diagnostic tool called the Thematic Apperception Test. This test along
with other such tests such as the Rorschach and Holtzman Inkblot Tests are generally referred to as
projective tests. In both cases the subject is shown a number of panels and he or she is asked to
describe what their perceptions are and sometimes they are encouraged to tell a story about their
perceptions. The psychologist is then able to draw inferences from these tests by interpreting the
recurring themes that seem to reoccur from one panel to another. The noting of recurring themes within
individuals can be applied to a group of individuals. The themes that reoccur within the accumulative
responses from one client, as they participate in the questionnaire process must be duly noted as a
dominant perception. The use of this questionnaire efficiently facilitates this longitudinal perspective.
The data derived from this questionnaire allows us develop solutions that respond to the unique set of
needs of each client. It also helps develop solutions that fit within each client’s collective frame of
reference. Within the healthcare environment the Joint Commission expects the hospital security program
to be a participatory exercise involving all employees. If we expect employees to fully engage in a
comprehensive security and loss prevention program, it seems reasonable that their views and
perceptions during the assessment process are worthy of consideration.
Submitted by:
William H. Nesbitt, CPP
President
Security Management Services International, Inc.
805-499-3800
|
