I WAS recently at Bugis MRT station and noticed that women security guards were on duty there.

There were two of them. One was in her late 20s and the other was in her 60s.

I talked to them and found out that they like their jobs because they have the flexibility of working part-time, which gives them more time for their families.

Nowadays, it is not unusual for security guards working at condominiums, office buildings, shopping centres and factories to put in long hours. Twelvehour shifts are common.

As older people are encouraged to work to keep body and soul together, many have taken up jobs offered by security companies.

It is time the authorities did more to improve the working conditions in the security industry to enhance its image. Here are some areas that need improvement:

Welfare

Shorter hours of shift work will ensure that guards are not robbed of their alertness at work.

There should also be good work-life balance so that they have time for their families or personal improvement.

Education and training

Security staff should attend compulsory courses conducted by government-approved trainers.

Training should be an ongoing process to keep them updated on security issues and the measures being taken to deal with them.

To counter terrorism, they should be taught to identify potential terrorists and their modus operandi.

Positive values should also be inculcated in them to give them a sense of pride and joy in their work.

Remuneration

A decent starting pay with fair annual increments and bonuses should be put in place to attract good and reliable people to the security industry.

It should not be a job of last resort for those who cannot find suitable employment.

Licensing

It would be good to license those who have proven themselves to be competent and who possess superior technical knowledge and good attitude.

A good, responsible and well-trained security workforce is a boon to society.

It can be expected to answer the call of duty during times of need, as did the former Vigilante Corps.

Mr Nelson Quah

For more my paper stories click here.