Yes, the term “Big Brother” gets thrown around a lot, but what we’re referring to here are charges and bad feelings coming from employees because someone in charge has foisted a new entrance regime on everyone—and, at least initially, no one is happy about the changes.
New turnstiles and/or security doors may have the initial negative effect of slowing people down, however, done right administrators can change the organization’s culture to one of acceptance and even advocacy. From corporations to university campuses, here are some field-tested strategies and tactics to help minimize complaints and misunderstandings and even create a few champions for your new entrance plan. Let’s start with training. The very first step in changing your culture to one of acceptance is to train everyone on what’s new and how best to negotiate the new entrance environment.
Why Train Employees?
Reason 1: Safety!
Unlike a standard swinging, sliding, or revolving door, security doors, and turnstiles are designed to stop tailgating and for this reason, they use a variety of mechanical moving parts that work in conjunction with access control systems.
Untrained or confused users contribute to impaired traffic flow, and possibly even cause injuries as they encounter moving parts or cause others to inadvertently do so. Without exception, all users should be familiarized with the working principles of security entrance equipment and understand the rules for safe and efficient passage.
Reason 2: Facilitate Culture Shift
Most of us know from experience that people do not always face change easily nor does everyone react to change the same way. Using a variety of communication approaches can alleviate this. Proactive communication and training (through emails and meetings) provide an opportunity to educate staff on the importance of personally contributing to one’s own safety as well as the collective safety of others.
Before the new security doors/turnstiles are installed is a great time to discuss the benefits of the new, increased security: peace of mind, a decrease in theft, prevention of workplace interruption, and domestic problems entering the workplace. In addition, you can train staff on how to deal with potential threats proactively. If you can help them take control of their own safety in a responsible way, you have achieved much more than just a compliant workforce.
Your business culture is unique so consider this when preparing for the implementation and the weeks following as users ramp up. Attitude is everything when change is required!
We have found that this type of overall security training greatly enhances the experience and makes for a smoother transition.
Communication and Orientation Strategies
The following are tried and true techniques to help employees learn how to safely use new security doors/turnstiles:
Proactively use emails to communicate the new security policy and upcoming changes to the security entrance(s). Typically, you would communicate a general message 2-3 months in advance and then provide more specific information (for example, impacts to fire egress, using certain entrances during construction) closer to the installation date.
Meetings
Schedule group meetings to announce the rationale for increased security, statistics on crime, the new security changes that are coming, show any drawings/photos of the new door/turnstiles and show the orientation videos available from the manufacturer. These meetings are an excellent way to directly field questions and address user concerns.
Security “Fair”
If you are implementing a lot of new changes, such as a new access control system, new guard service and security entrances, you might consider hosting a “security fair” on a given day and have the different vendors come for a day with tabletop displays to meet employees and answer questions during their lunch. This could be a great way to break the ice in a large organization.
Orientation Videos
Make user orientation videos (provided by the manufacturer) available in several ways, for example:
- Intranet Site
- Monitors in public areas—lounges, cafeteria, hallways, etc.
- Send to all staff as email attachments
Ambassadors
Immediately after installation, once the doors or turnstiles are operational, train “ambassadors” on how to use the door/turnstile. Have these people monitor and assist employees during peak traffic times. If you have thousands of employees, consider dividing them into groups and introduce the new entrance to one group at a time (Group A on Monday, Group B on Tuesday, etc.).
Ambassadors should be positive and courteous when introducing the new security entrance. Users might be uncomfortable with the application until they have adjusted to the new procedure, and any negative comments from the ambassador will have lasting effects on the user. We recommend managers or leaders, as this demonstrates “buy-in” from management.
Reminder Posters
Place user education “quick steps” posters next to the door/turnstiles for a few weeks to help employees remember the basic steps and guidelines, e.g., “stand in front of the turnstile, swipe badge, wait for green light, proceed.” Ask your manufacturer to provide these or artwork.
Example Schedule
Here is a sample orientation schedule taken from a company that installed several new security entrances at its headquarters with 650+ employees:
- 2+ months before installation: Initial email announcement of new security policy.
- 1+ months before installation: Mandatory employee meeting(s) to discuss new security equipment and practices.
- 2 weeks before installation: Make employee training videos available, communicate availability by email.
- 1 week before installation: Send email concerning construction, temporary entrances, etc.
- Installation completed: Email announcement that entrances are open and staffed by ambassadors to help during peak hours.
What Information Should be Communicated?
Review the following items and consider how and when you will inform your employees:
- Explain how new security policy will benefit employees and the company as a whole.
- Enhanced personal safety of employees from weapons, domestic violence, crime, and theft.
- Accurate account of who is in the building during a fire or other emergency.
- Protection of commercial information, records, and property.
- Improved continuity of operations after emergency events.
- Where will the new doors/turnstiles be installed?
- Using existing access control or installing a new system? How do employees get their new credentials?
- Will employees be required to present credentials for exiting the building/secure area as well as entering?
- How will visitors, family members, and children be handled?
- What temporary entrances can be used during the installation of the new doors/turnstiles? How do the temporary entrances affect the emergency exit plan?
- Who can employees contact if they have questions or issues before, during, and after the installation?
- How are orientation videos made available to employees – intranet, monitor in a cafeteria, hallway monitor, link sent by email?
- When will the new entrances be ready and who gets trained when? Who will be available to perform as an “ambassador” to assist employees during the first few days the new security entrance is active? We recommend managers, team leaders or other leaders…this clearly demonstrates that all managers/leaders “endorse” the new security policy.
Transparent, early, and frequent communication is just as key to successful implementation as actual training. Be realistic, there will be issues and naysayers and unhappy campers, but this is a natural result of change. Open and consistent communication will help reduce charges of bad old Big Brother forcing unneeded change on the organization.
Finally, rest assured the tactics and methods laid out here work. We’ve seen hundreds, thousands of installations, big and small, and every single organization got through the process and successfully implemented their new, enhanced security entrances. We have one company with several buildings located across the US. During a period when only about half of the company’s buildings had been converted to new entrances, an amazing thing transpired—employees in less-secure buildings, those without new entrances, began asking HR and their managers when their new entrances were going to be installed. That is positive buy in!
About the Author: Tracie Thomas is the Marketing Manager for Boon Edam Inc.
