Allied Universal CEO Steve Jones gives midyear update

IRVINE, Calif. – Security and facility services provider Allied Universal is the world’s seventh largest private employer, and its Global Chairman and CEO Steve Jones has provided an update on the state of the labor market and private security sector.

According to numbers released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate has increased to 3.7 percent and the number of unemployed has risen by 440,000 to a total of 6.1 million. In his update Jones discussed the challenging state of the private security industry labor market worldwide.

“In my 30 years in the industry, private security has never been more important than it is today. One of the most basic human needs is to feel safe. Working in the private security industry, you help people, businesses and communities meet that need every single day,” Jones said.

Jones discussed that in the coming weeks Allied Universal will be releasing a new, World Security Report, that details key insights gathered from 1,175 chief security officers from major global companies in 30 different countries. While Jones declined to preview any of the report’s findings in advance, he did say that it contained important data about data and people in security as well as important industry trends.

Instead, Jones spoke about the evolution of required skills for members of the security industry. “Long gone are the days of the big, burly, often male, security guard,” he said. “A resounding percentage of chief security officers believe people skills are more important than physical attributes of strength. An even higher percentage seek diversity in their security workforce. Security decision makers are looking for security professionals with integrity, emotional intelligence, a higher education degree and the ability to speak multiple languages.”

He added, “The private security industry is growing. The skillset for a valued security professional is expanding and diversifying. The deep-rooted desire to feel safe has never been stronger.”

Jones invited the recently laid-off, new job seekers, those coming out of retirement and veterans returning to civilian life to consider a career in the security industry. Interested individuals can apply for Allied Universal here. The update further lauded the position of the company praising its commitment to diversity, hiring and training practices, and high workplace satisfaction.

Those interested in receiving an announcement for when the World Security Report becomes available are instructed to contact PressNA@aus.com or media@g4s.com.