Mobilisation begins before day one

When a security contract is awarded, the first day is often seen as the big moment, but in reality by the time a new team arrives on site most of the important work has already happened. This extended blog is a case study example of how we successfully mobilise new contracts at Unitrust.

A successful mobilisation is about more than getting a contract operational. It is about protecting continuity, understanding the environment, bringing people with you and giving clients and tenants confidence that the change will not affect the service they rely on.

However, at the heart of all of this are the people delivering that service.  How you engage with officers, understand their concerns and bring them with you through the change can make a significant difference to the success of the mobilisation.

One good example of how we do this at Unitrust was the mobilisation of a new security contract across 25 commercial office buildings in London.  The contract involved a 60-day phased mobilisation, including a TUPE transfer, the transition of existing officers, new technology, updated operating procedures and site-specific training. The objective was to ensure continuity and to start a process of continuous improvement by finding some quick wins while minimising disruption for the client and its tenants.

For us, there are specific things that make a real difference to smooth mobilisation and we have outlined these below.

1. Begin early

Good mobilisation begins well before the first day of the new contract.  For this portfolio, the first two weeks were focused on site familiarisation, surveys, risk assessments and reviewing operating procedures. At the same time, we put a robust recruitment strategy in place, including contingency and support officers.

That early preparation creates space to identify potential problems before they become problems. It also means that decisions about staffing, equipment and technology can be made early enough to be implemented properly.

Mobilisation should not be a countdown to day one. It should be a structured process that builds towards it.

2. Take people with you

A change of security provider can create uncertainty for the people directly affected by it.  That is particularly true when existing officers are transferring to a new employer under TUPE. 

The process therefore needs to be about more than completing the necessary paperwork. Communication, consultation and building confidence matter.

As part of this mobilisation, we put significant focus on the TUPE consultation process, taking the time to speak with transferring officers face-to-face and wherever possible on a one-to-one basis.  We see this as an important part of winning hearts and minds.  People need the opportunity to ask questions openly, understand what is happening to them and importantly know they have been listened to..

Our approach also recognises that one conversation is not always enough. We make time to speak to people again where they have additional questions or concerns helping to build confidence as the transition progresses.

Getting the people side right helps us create a strong foundation for everything else that follows.

3. Protect site knowledge

Every building has its own unique environment, routines, people and potential risks.  That knowledge is difficult to capture completely in a handover document.  Where possible, retaining experienced incumbent officers can therefore provide valuable continuity while the new team is established.

Our focus on consultation and engagement helped us retain  key incumbent officers alongside the onboarding of new team members. This helped preserve site knowledge while allowing the wider security operation to develop under the new contract.

It is one of the reasons that good mobilisation should not be about replacing everything at once. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to retain what already works and build from there.

4. Plan for the unexpected

Even the best mobilisation plan cannot predict everything.  That is why resilience needs to be built into the planning from the outset.  For this contract, the recruitment strategy included contingency and support officers, while a portfolio relief team was established ahead of day one. This provided additional resilience during transition and became a valuable resource for the ongoing operation.

Equipment was ordered and installed ahead of go-live, while training and checks were built into the later stages of the mobilisation.

Technology was also part of the transition, with upgraded incident reporting and digital logbook systems introduced to improve the way information was captured and managed.

The lesson is not that every mobilisation will go exactly according to plan.  It is that there should be enough planning behind the scenes to deal with the things that don't.

5. Communicate and be visible

Mobilisation should not happen in the background.  Management visibility and clear client communication was built into each stage of the 60-day process, from the initial site surveys through to the later stages of training, equipment checks and the post-mobilisation review.

With multiple stakeholders responsible for different sites and locations across the portfolio, there were different priorities and concerns to manage.  Planned weekly mobilisation meetings provided a formal structure for reviewing progress against a robust mobilisation plan, with risk continually assessed and mitigated as the transition progressed.  These meetings were supported by additional sessions where specific elements of mobilisation needed a deeper focus. This meant issues could be addressed in detail without losing sight of the overall plan.

That visibility matters because a change in security provider affects more than the security team. Clients need confidence the service is being properly managed, while officers need to know they have support and tenants need to see a professional security presence without feeling that the change of provider has disrupted their day-to-day environment. 

Ultimately, a successful mobilisation is not necessarily the one that attracts the most attention. In many ways, it is the opposite.  The client should experience continuity, officers should feel supported and tenants should see a professional and consistent service.

For this 25-building portfolio, the transition resulted in zero incidents reported during the changeover, 100% staffing compliance with licensing and training requirements, positive tenant feedback on the professionalism and visibility of officers, and improved reporting efficiency through digital systems.

These outcomes did not happen by accident.  They were the result of planning early, communicating with the people involved, protecting valuable site knowledge and building resilience into the mobilisation from the outset. Good mobilisation should make change feel seamless as possible for the client and its tenants.