Security help for HR becomes urgent when an employee threat, workplace violence, stalking concern, difficult termination, or other security and safety issue is not their core competency and exceeds the team’s experience.
At 10:06 a.m., an employee tells HR that a coworker said a manager was “going to regret this.” The same person has been asking about the manager’s schedule.
HR knows the employee history. Legal can review the language. Facilities can check badges and cameras.
Someone still needs to evaluate the security threat and help leadership decide what to do next.
HR may receive the report. That does not make HR a security director.
Why HR Ends Up Handling Security Problems
Many companies do not have a dedicated security director.
The position may be outside the budget. Leadership may see too little daily demand for a full time role. The company may divide security responsibilities among HR, Legal, Facilities, and Operations.
Some organizations have grown faster than their security structure. Others rely on cameras, guards, access control, policies, and local law enforcement.
Those are understandable business decisions.
However, these resources do not give HR teams the experience in threat assessment, protective security planning, physical security, or law enforcement coordination necessary to properly handle these potentially violent and risky situations.
Whatever the reason, the concern is now sitting in HR’s inbox as an ad hoc responsibility with an urgent need to respond.
The Security Situations HR Gets Stuck Managing
HR touches everyone in an organization and become the go-to contacts when issues develop, including security concerns which can enter HR through employee complaints, workplace policies, disciplinary action, or concerning personal safety situations .
Common situations include:
- Direct or implied employee threats
- Aggressive or escalating workplace behavior
- High risk employee terminations
- Stalking or harassment
- Domestic violence affecting the workplace
- Former employees who keep engaging in unwanted contact with staff or unauthorized return to company property
- Restraining orders involving employees
- Threats directed at managers or executives
- Questions about involving law enforcement
- General workplace violence, cyber and/or physical security issues
Each situation creates pressure – and potential liability if not handled properly.
Employees expect HR to protect them. Leadership wants a recommendation. Legal wants the response documented. Operations wants to avoid unnecessary disruption.
HR may understand the people involved better than anyone else. Security decisions still require a different type of skillset and experience.
Where HR Expertise Reaches Its Limit
HR brings essential knowledge to a workplace threat.
The team understands:
- Employee history
- Workplace relationships
- Policies and procedures
- Previous discipline
- Performance concerns
- Documentation requirements
- Termination processes
A security professional adds experience in:
- Threat assessments
- Behavioral warning signs
- Physical exposure
- Access and capability
- Protective options
- High risk termination planning
- Law enforcement communication
- Incident coordination
HR should not have to learn security principles and strategy during an active incident.
How TAL Global Supports HR Through Security Director as a Service
TAL Global’s Security Director as a Service gives HR access to experienced security judgment without requiring the company to fund and maintain a full time security director.
When HR brings TAL Global a concern, our assigned security professionals can help:
- Review what is known and identify information that is still missing
- Evaluate threat and security considerations
- Plan protective steps
- Help to safely and securely handle a high risk employee termination
- Coordinate with Legal, Facilities, Operations, leadership, and law enforcement, as needed and when appropriate
- Organize incident information and support documentation of the response
- Identify when investigators, protection professionals, behavioral health and physical security experts, or other specialists may be needed
TAL Global can also support assessments of policies, procedures, training, and conducting security and risk assessments when the client requests them.
Depending on the organization, the relationship may include:
- Monthly meetings and issue support
- Periodic check ins as needed
- Ongoing confidential consultation
- Access to an experienced security professional when something feels wrong
The company determines the cadence and when TAL Global becomes involved. Some clients reach out during an active concern. Others maintain an established relationship so HR already knows who to call when something happens.
Every engagement is shaped around the organization’s structure, needs, and pace.
Learn more about TAL Global’s Security Director as a Service program.
Security Help for HR: Why Teams Call TAL Global
TAL Global brings decades of experience in investigations, physical security, workplace violence, threat assessment, risk management, emergency preparedness, and executive protection.
That experience matters when HR is trying to make a high stakes decision with incomplete information in an uncertain situation.
TAL Global can also help identify when a situation requires additional support from investigators, protection professionals, behavioral specialists, or other subject matter experts.
Speaking about workplace violence threat assessments, TAL Global President and COO Oscar Villanueva explained the importance of coordination:
“The important thing is communicating throughout the process and sharing information relevant to protecting people and the organization. TAL Global’s world-class behavioral health and physical security approach to threat assessments is an effective way to resolve issues at the lowest possible level and with the least disruption possible”
HR may hold one part of the picture. Legal, Facilities, Operations, managers, and employees may hold other parts.
Experienced security guidance helps bring those pieces together.
Frequently Asked Questions About Security Help for HR
Can TAL Global help HR assess an employee threat?
Yes. TAL Global can help HR review the known facts, identify missing information, evaluate threat and security considerations, and determine what additional steps or expertise may be appropriate.
Can TAL Global help with a workplace violence threat assessment?
Yes. TAL Global can conduct workplace violence threat assessments by helping evaluate concerning behavior, gather relevant information, coordinate the appropriate internal stakeholders, and identify when additional behavioral, investigative, legal, or law enforcement expertise may be needed.
TAL Global’s world-class behavioral health and physical security approach to threat assessments is an effective way to resolve issues at the lowest possible level and with the least disruption possible.
Can TAL Global help HR decide what security steps to take after a threat?
Yes. TAL Global can help HR consider protective measures based on the circumstances, including protection agents and access restrictions, assessment of employee safety concerns, facility security, internal coordination, and communication with law enforcement, when appropriate.
Can TAL Global help HR manage a threatening or high risk employee termination?
Yes. TAL Global can help evaluate the circumstances, identify warning signs, review the timing and location, consider protective resources, and help the organization set up and prepare for possible hostile reactions before, during, and after the termination.
Can TAL Global help HR coordinate a security response across departments?
Yes. TAL Global can help bring together information from HR, Legal, Facilities, Operations, and executive leadership in order to develop a strategy so the organization can make security decisions with a more complete picture of the situation.
Is Security Director as a Service the Same as a Fractional Security Director?
Organizations use several terms for outside security leadership, including fractional security director, virtual security director, interim security director, and outsourced security director.
TAL Global uses Security Director as a Service to describe its flexible model for giving organizations access to experienced security leadership without requiring a full time internal security director. The structure and level of support are shaped around each client’s needs.
Know Who HR Will Call Before Something Happens
The middle of a workplace threat or security concern is a difficult time to begin searching for security expertise.
TAL Global offers a complimentary consultation for organizations considering Security Director as a Service. Bring us your current process, a concern that keeps resurfacing, or a situation your team is already managing.
We are happy to compare notes.
1. Tell Us What Is Happening
Share the concern, the people involved, what the organization knows, and the decisions HR is facing.
2. Compare Notes With an Expert
TAL Global will discuss the situation, identify potential gaps, and explain how experienced security support could help.
3. Build Support Around Your Needs
When the service is a good fit, TAL Global customizes the engagement around the organization, urgency, locations, and level of support requested.
Follow us here for insights, strategy, and real-world analysis. And when you’re ready to talk security, you can always Talk To Us.
About TAL Global
TAL Global is an international security consulting and risk management firm with over 28 years of proven experience. We protect people, places, assets, and logistics in an increasingly complex and connected world.
Operating across the full landscape of security risk, our work includes workplace violence prevention, executive protection, investigations, travel security, emergency preparedness, and more.
Our team includes former federal agents, military veterans, executive level leaders, and crisis response experts recognized for delivering results under pressure. We are trusted by Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and mission driven organizations worldwide.
Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube for expert tips and strategies. Or reach out directly to Talk To Us about custom and actionable risk management strategies for your organization.
