Behind the Scenes: Why Security Professionals are Essential to Our Cultural Spaces

Security staff at two of London’s most iconic museums—the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum—are considering strike action due to ongoing issues around pay, job security, and working conditions. You can read more about the strike action and the concerns raised by security workers in this news article.

This pivotal moment shines a spotlight on a critical but often underappreciated workforce: security professionals. As the backbone of safety in public spaces, their roles go far beyond the stereotype of ‘standing guard’. In reality, they play an integral part in protecting both people and priceless artefacts.

The Critical Role of Security in Cultural Spaces

When you visit a museum, you admire the ancient artworks or explore historical wonders. But behind the smooth operations of these museums is a dedicated team of museum security professionals ensuring that both you and the artefacts are safe. Their role goes beyond simple crowd management—they are responsible for safeguarding valuable objects from theft, damage, and even vandalism.

In large cultural institutions like the Science Museum, security is more than just checking bags at the door. These professionals are constantly vigilant, protecting fragile exhibits that are irreplaceable pieces of human history. Without proper museum security, the rich heritage displayed in these institutions could be vulnerable. Imagine the chaos if a stolen painting or destroyed exhibit was lost forever—it would not just be a loss to the museum but to humanity’s shared history.

Moreover, these professionals are responsible for maintaining public safety. With thousands of visitors, including families, school groups, and international tourists, the job of museum security involves crowd control, emergency response, and overall order. In high-traffic areas such as London’s museums, managing potential threats while ensuring a safe, enjoyable visitor experience is no small task.

Why Museum Security Professionals Are Striking

The strike action among security staff at the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum is driven by issues that are not unique to those institutions. Fair pay, job security, and better working conditions are common concerns that security professionals across the industry are grappling with. Despite the immense responsibility these roles carry, many security professionals feel underpaid and undervalued.

The challenges faced by security staff in museums often include long hours, unpredictable shifts, and pay that doesn’t reflect the critical importance of their work. Whether working in museums, shopping centres, or public venues, security professionals are responsible for maintaining order, protecting valuable assets, and ensuring visitor safety. Yet, their contributions are frequently underappreciated, leading to low morale and a feeling of instability in their jobs.

What makes this situation particularly relevant is that it reflects a broader issue within the security industry: the growing need for improved working conditions. According to industry data, many security professionals across the UK face similar challenges. Workers in this field are often underpaid despite the critical nature of their job, and that feeling of being undervalued leads to low morale and a lack of job security.

For instance, in public venues like museums, security guards don’t just manage the crowd; they play a crucial role in emergency preparedness, responding to potential threats, and maintaining peace and order. Yet their wages rarely reflect the significant responsibility they carry on their shoulders. In a job where security officers are often the first responders to emergencies or potential threats, it’s crucial that they feel supported and fairly compensated.

The Impact of Fair Pay and Better Working Conditions

Strikes like the one being discussed are often a last resort, signalling that the concerns of security professionals have gone unheard for too long. In this case, museum security staff are calling for not only fair wages but also greater job security and improved working conditions. Given the high turnover rates in the security industry, these demands are understandable.

In fact, many workers in the security sector have to navigate the challenges of casual contracts, unstable hours, and inadequate support from management. This situation can make it difficult to plan for the future, and when compounded by relatively low wages, it’s no wonder that morale can suffer.

When security professionals feel unsupported, it can lead to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and reduced effectiveness in the security services they provide. Museum security staff, like many others, are seeking recognition for the vital work they do in keeping both the public and cultural heritage safe.

This current strike news also opens up a broader conversation about how security workers across different industries can receive the fair compensation and recognition they deserve. Whether in museums, retail spaces, or entertainment venues, these professionals are the first line of defence, and they deserve working conditions that reflect the importance of their contributions.

If you’re a security professional looking to improve your situation, exploring ways to increase your pay rate within the industry can be an important first step, whether that’s through gaining new certifications, negotiating better terms, or finding more specialised roles that offer higher pay.

A Path Forward: Empowering Security Professionals

Although the recent strike talks highlight serious concerns, there is hope for the future of the security industry. Strikes and labour disputes serve as wake-up calls to industries and employers, signalling that changes need to be made. One way forward is by investing in security professionals by offering better training, certifications, and career development opportunities. When security workers have the proper qualifications and skills, they are better equipped to handle their jobs, and employers benefit from having highly trained staff who are more capable of managing complex security situations.

The Power of Training and Certification

At Get Licensed, we firmly believe that empowering security professionals through quality training and certification is key to addressing many of the challenges facing the industry. When security workers have access to the right training, they can unlock better career opportunities, earn higher wages, and find more stable, fulfilling roles. This not only benefits the individual workers but also improves the quality of security services overall.

By offering access to security training courses, security professionals can gain essential skills in areas such as conflict management, crowd control, and emergency response. These skills not only improve their ability to perform their job but also increase their value across various sectors, from event security to retail and corporate security. By obtaining the right qualifications, security workers are more likely to find stable, fulfilling roles that offer opportunities for progression in their careers, moving into more specialised or senior roles.

Building a Stronger Security Industry

Investing in training isn’t just about career growth for the individual—it’s about creating a more robust and professional security industry. Employers who support their staff in gaining these certifications benefit from having a more skilled workforce that can handle a wider range of responsibilities. A highly trained security team can respond quickly to emergencies, manage large crowds more effectively, and ensure a higher level of safety for both visitors and staff. This benefits everyone involved and helps build a more professional and capable security industry.

If you’re interested in starting a career in security or looking to upskill, explore our range of SIA-approved security training courses. With the right training, you can make a significant difference in the security industry, ensuring a safer environment for everyone.

Conclusion: Time to Recognise and Support Security Professionals

The news about the potential strikes at the Science and Natural History Museums should remind us all of the essential, yet often unseen, work that security professionals do to keep our public spaces safe. Whether protecting priceless artefacts or ensuring the safety of visitors, these individuals play a critical role in keeping our cultural spaces safe. Yet, they are often underpaid and underappreciated for the responsibility they carry.

At Get Licensed, we’re committed to supporting the security industry by offering high-quality training courses and career development opportunities. Whether you’re considering door supervisor training or looking to specialise in other areas of security, the right qualifications can unlock better career opportunities, lead to higher wages, and offer more stable, fulfilling roles. This not only benefits the individual workers but also improves the quality of security services overall.

By helping professionals gain the skills they need, we can contribute to a security industry that values its workforce and provides a safer future for everyone.