¶ … employment law is as important as knowledge of criminal law to the security manager. Discuss Over the last several years, the issues of employment and criminal law have become increasingly connected. This is because of shifts in attitudes about changes in the responsibilities of security managers. What is happening; is they are expected to serve as a stop gap measure to prevent potential abuses from taking place. The challenge is that these adjustments mean they must have a greater understanding of these concepts in order to provide effective advice about how to deal with them. (Cole 2007) For instance, one of the issues impacting firms is the numerous lawsuits they will face from their activities and the effects they are having on everyone. In some cases, this can lead to litigation from employment related disputes with some instances bordering on criminal law. To provide the best assistance requires that security managers utilize these strategies to understand what is happening and effectively implement them inside the organization. This will ensure that they are incompliance with different aspects of the law. To fully understand how to achieve these objectives requires focusing on how knowledge of employment and criminal law are an important part of their duties. It is at this point when specific insights can be provided about the way these challenges are affecting a large number of stakeholders. (Cole 2007)

The Significance of Employment and Criminal Law for all Security Managers

A common problem impacting most securities managers is having a lack of understanding of criminal and employment law. This is because many will often believe that these issues are not as important, from executives who are encouraging them to focus on other alternatives. The problem is that these challenges have become increasingly difficult for them. As, a number of situations can arise that will increase the risks facing firms. (Cole 2007)

For instance, at BP many security managers were often encouraged to overlook practices that were in direct contradiction with employment law. This is because the company was focused on increasing their bottom line results at any costs. The problem is that this lack of understanding in these areas led to actions that increased the dangers facing the company (with more people willing to push the envelope). When this happened, it was only a matter of time until a major incident occurred. That would highlight the long-term effects of these challenges and how security managers did not have an understanding of these challenges. (Kunzelman 2013) (Cole 2007)

In 2010, these kinds of problems led directly them not following different safety practices on the Deep Water Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. This caused it to explode and sink to the bottom of the ocean. Subsequent investigations revealed that the lack of following different safety standards were a part of knowingly overlooking various aspects of employment related issues. Anyone who spoke out was either demoted or forced out of the company on their own accord. (Kunzelman 2013) (Cole 2007)

Over the course of time, these issues would create a situation where security managers would ignore different aspects of employment law to help the company achieve these larger objectives. The problem was that this created a culture where criminal activities were allowed to take place. Once this happened, is the point many people began to push the envelope and engage in practices that were criminal in nature. This led to the explosion and deaths of a number of 11 employees in the process. (Kunzelman 2013) (Cole 2007)

The long-term implications of these activities, is that these changes created a situation where no one understood what was legal and how the different aspects of the law that were relevant. The security manager had an obligation to comprehend these challenges and create a change inside the organization itself. In the aftermath of these events, over 2,200 law suits have been filed against the firm by the federal government, Gulf Coast states and individuals who are impacted by these events. (Kunzelman 2013) (Cole 2007)

This is illustrating how a security manager's knowledge of employment and criminal law could have helped to prevent a disaster from occurring. The way that this would have taken place, is they had the option of creating a change at the facility itself or through utilizing the whistleblower statutes to implement some kind of shift in behavior. If there had been an understanding of these principles, these practices could have been uncovered and managers may have been able to adjust their attitudes. (Kunzelman 2013) (Cole 2007)

These insights are...

This will occur by having security managers who understand their role inside the organization and utilize these ideas to create a fundamental shift in what they see is happening. Over the long-term, those who are embracing these attributes will adjust what is taking place and the long-term impact it is having on stakeholders. (Kunzelman 2013) (Cole 2007)
As a result, the security manager plays an integral part in setting the tone and serving as a stop gap measure to prevent abuses from occurring. Those who are most effective will comprehend employment and criminal law in the process. This is when there is shift in their attitudes and beliefs about what is occurring. It is at this point when they can become a trusted adviser who will help to protect the interests of various stakeholders and their employer in the process. (Cole 2007)

Moreover, security managers also play an important role in several different areas that are vital to an organization. The most notable include:

Monitoring risks in real time.

Developing effective practices for reducing threats to a firm.

Working within the financial limitations which are provided.

These different elements are a part of their responsibilities to the company and the employees. This is because they must serve as a liaison, who understands what is happening and quickly addresses these issues to reduce any kind of risks. (Sennwald 2011)

In the areas of employment and criminal law, they determine if there are any kinds of issues which are a threat to the organization itself. This is based upon their understanding of the situation and the challenges they are facing in the process. For example, inside many organizations on the biggest issues they will deal with is theft and disgruntled individuals who are out to hurt an employer. The security manager plays an important part in the process of understanding these issues through conducting and evaluating various surveys. This helps them to identify weaknesses in their procedures and understand the challenges impacting others inside the organization. (Sennwald 2011)

These insights are essential as they can create strategies that will effectively deal with these challenges and prevent any kind of abuses from occurring. What helps to ensure that any kind of policy changes are legal, is having a thorough having an understanding of employment and criminal law. These areas will provide them with a background as to what procedures should be followed and if the mechanisms they are using are in compliance with these guidelines. (Sennwald 2011)

At the same time, their background in the areas of employment and criminal law will determine if the practices of the firm are encouraging illegal activities. This helps the security manager to more effectively analyze risks and evaluate if a larger threat is a danger to the entire organization. For example, Enron was known for having employee evaluation procedures that were the strictest inside Corporate America. Every year, it was utilized as a tool to help the company to determine who was following the various policies, procedures and directives of management. On the surface, this was supposed to be a way of evaluating talent and determining who is utilizing these practices most effectively. (Watson 2011)

However, underneath it all, this was nothing more than a way of analyzing; who is willing to do what is necessary for the benefit of the company to include breaking the law. What happened in these instances; is Jeff Skilling (the CEO) had this help him to evaluate if someone was possible whistle blower and then weed them out of the firm. Those who remained were carefully monitored to ensure that they are following the directives of upper management. These practices allowed the company to engage in a number of activities that were illegal and hide them from regulators. The performance management review was an essential tool that helped them to find people who could protect the firm at any cost. (Watson 2011) (Fox 2004)

In this particular case, if the security manager had a background in employment and criminal law. They could have concluded that these practices were illegal. This would have resulted in them advising the management to change its focus and attitudes in the process. If there were no transformations, they could have protected stakeholders by letting them know about what was taking place. It is at this point when possible issues that helped contribute to the fraud and other illegal activities would have been avoided. (Watson 2011) (Fox 2004)

Furthermore, security managers…