security officer

field investigator

security guard

siu investigator

receptionist

I've been with G4S since October 2010.  Granted, it's not a great deal of time, but I've witnessed things that the (supposed) world's second largest private employer should find cringe-worthy.  

My first assignment was a graveyard post for a water treatment plant in Orange County, CA.  Patrolled the facilities on foot and by truck, walked through office areas and made sure lights and coffee makers were off and that doors were secure.  Only had a couple instances where equipment was left running, but I'd notify on-site staff (most of them didn't seem to care, but there were a couple good people there).  I enjoyed the autonomy of knowing what I had to do and not have some middle-manager hovering over you.  As long as you did the prescribed patrol and logged the appropriate mileage on the truck (badge scans and truck mileage were our "watchclocks"), you were good.  G4S lost the account to Securitas; city/county entities really only care about price (so they're certainly getting what they paid for).  I'd ask my post commander about advancement (as I have a degree and should have been hired on as a CPO) but he told me I had to "pay my dues".  I was the new guy so I kept my mouth shut.

Second assignment was with a satellite broadcast center; again, physical patrols but entirely on foot.  We had other guards on post, so we rotated assignments every hour or so (so we'd cover each others lunch and switch out).  At this post I had a more personable post commander that told me "you have to call and bug the office weekly" if you wanted to get promoted or a new site.  I had to take a management-level course to qualify for the CPO exam; with the exception of the test format and a handful of questions, the tests were virtually identical and easily passed with a week's worth (5-7 hours) or study.  I also had to use four vacation days (we only get five a year) to be able to go to the office and take the CPO course.  I also got passed over for a promotion for a shift supervisor position; I had an interview scheduled but the client interviewed and hired an "outsider".  I can see if the client wanted someone that didn't know or have any rapport with guards on another shift (they were mainly students and passed time playing on laptops or doing schoolwork), but it would have been nice if the client just said "We want to go with someone outside the site" but they didn't.  I was informed to tell the office about this and the account manager thought it was a load of bovine excrement and scheduled me an interview at the clients corporate location.

Third assignment was the corporate office of the satellite provider, working in their control center.  Sat for the duration of shift, monitoring a wall of security cameras, fielding calls, performing remote unlocks and conducting video surveillance.  The challenge was going from a strictly "beat job" to a "desk job" and the rotating hours (two dayshifts, two swingshifts, and a graveyard) made any kind of social life (or sleep) difficult.  They did have another guard leave, so I ended up working swing shift with a couple midweek days off, so that was much better.  I ended up getting removed from the post as I allegedly used "inappropriate language" over the telephone; one of our "kid" guards used profanity over the radio (FCC reg) and I had him call a landline and told him you can't swear on the radio.  My supervisor couldn't (or wouldn't) tell me, so I found out from office management instead, but they seemed to understand my situation.

Fourth assignment was as a "rover", which is really no fun.  I've been a temp in the past and there's really nothing worse than making $10/hour and you have no clue what your schedule is going to be week to week.  Was generally only working 20-25 hours/week, as there seemed to be some sort of pecking order (rovers with more seniority get more hours) and one of the field supervisors made a scheduling error, so I had to report to a post 50 miles away on a Friday night (about 1hr15 travel time to the site) watching a construction site.  Calling into the client's dispatch line hourly was the only real action and having to work graveyard on Christmas and New Year wasn't fun.

Currently I'm at a warehouse with a 20min commute.  I conduct patrols and assist the client with customers.  At least it's a CPO post and I can finally justify the expense of maintaining my firearm permit (G4S actually issues you a weapon, but most people have to amend their credentials to carry a .38....a bit odd but that's G4S for you).  So it's indoors/outdoors with something different to do every hour, so you're constantly engaged (getting the nods in a dark control room isn't fun and coffee wasn't an option as we could only take restroom breaks during lunch or slow hours).  The former post commander (who wore captain bars, but wasn't a captain) would monopolize hours (if the client was on a short production schedule he'd assign himself 40 hours and I'd get 20-25).  When I suggested that we split hours when it was slow, he looked at me like I was crazy.  I also had one instance were I was ten minutes late for work (I called ahead and left him a voicemail) because I had a close friend pass away suddenly; he pulled me aside and gave me the whole "you need to arrive on time" speech (he obviously didn't review my message) and when I apologized and mentioned that my friend passed away, he didn't care.  As karma would have it, the corporate office of the client had the officer removed, so I'm the current post commander (without captain/lieutenant insignia...that guy was a joke).  The downside with this post is that the hours are inconsistent (client needs and all that) and G4S management has told me "you can't take all your vacation days all at once" (sorry...if I'm entitled to five days and I want to take a trip...I can't?).  They also have a hard time finding guards to stand post if one of us needs to take time off; I've had a couple declined vacation requests and the other guard had to constantly "bug" management to get his leave of absence for the birth of his child.  According to one of the field supervisors (my first post commander, actually), this post is a CPO post, so only CPOs can cover it (but some CPOs don't have the armed certification).  So I have the option of accruing vacation days and burning them on holidays we don't work (client observes nine major holidays, but it closed and no guards are needed) or saving them (and I've gotten the runaround from management to HR on how many hours I have used/accumulated).  

If you made it this far, congratulations.  That's three and a half years of G4S work..now for the good stuff...

Pay?  $10.50/hour to start.  Was under the impression that if you wanted a raise, you work another post that pays more, but the satellite company client's security manager told me it's based on what the client wants to pay (so if they think you deserve a raise, you might get one).  CPOs (at least in CA) are $13-14/hour, depending on the post.  If you have LEO, corrections or military experience (the ever famous "combat arms" that G4S wants), you might get in the $30/hour range.

Benefits?  I had PPO medical with one client (just the way it's negotiated in the contract, welcome to contract security) and didn't have to pay for it, but another post had the pretty bare-bones G4S medical for $100/month (much more if you want to put dependents on it).  Vision/dental are pretty nominal.  Now with Obamacare, almost all line officers have to buy their own...not sure about management, however.  401K is entirely self-directed, so there's no company match (heck when I was working for a bank in 2003 I had a 5% match!)..again management might differ.

Day off, work/life balance?  Really depends on the post; now my two-guard post makes it virtually impossible to get days off (let's wait until I have a medical emergency, jury summons or a death in the family and see how they handle that!).  Posts with multiple guards don't seem to be subjected to this as much, as they can spread the workload.  My thought is if you're entitled to days off with pay, you should take days off, with pay (I've seen guards 'burn' vacation days to get paid more, but I don't see the point).

Management?  I've run across one good post commander, one good field supervisor, a decent trainer a few field supervisors that should really just retire and let me move in that position (although you're responsible for covering posts and if you can't find a guard, you get to work them).  Main issue with management is communication; if you want a new post, refer to the website (which lack functionality and isn't intuitive).  If you have an HR question, don't call on Mondays (that's payroll day) and be prepared to play phone tag with a couple different people as they pass you off.  The phone check in system isn't usually updated correctly and sometimes you can't check in or out; if you're outside the 5-minute window and check out early or late, expect a call from a field supervisor.  Last week my guard checked out five minutes early (under client direction; if they leave early, my guard leaves with them) and the field supervisor told me to make sure he checks in/out properly.  I informed him that when the client is on a flex schedule, early check outs are to be expected (I had a handful of these when I worked second shift).  My guard called the field supervisor and explained that I gave him the passdown and that he left early with the client and secured the facility; I hear the field supervisor just repeat, "Well, you need to check out in the five-minute window"...he wasn't even listening that my guard was following a CLIENT DIRECTIVE.  

It's a job, not a career.  Mediocre pay, poor management and lack or any real upward mobility are the real nails in G4Ss coffin.

It was okay until the client syndrome kicked in. Position in a large state facility was great with pay, health care and all the overtime you could handle. Then the cutbacks started and you and the company became a third party. You no longer "worked" for the primary client which was actually no longer the client' but another one that client hired to take over. The over time stopped, the way-to-go's stopped, the client giving kudos stopped turning into "why did you do that" routines. The ability to actually enjoy the job while doing a good one was gone and you suddenly began to see the true nature of contract driven guard work finally raise its ugly head.

Then the cutbacks started into my 7th year. They let go many full time guards including myself and put us all in "part time on-call" to implement these new hours. What kind of manager allows this to happen? Simple, because its guard work and no one is going to jeopardize a billion dollar contract for the sake of a few guards. The client has say in everything, I mean everything and you do not count.

I was then rehired as full time few months later and once again finding myself working in another government site this time county and not state. However, before I continue; I find it strange that with jobs and clients hard to come by in a competitive market that this company has not pursued any abundance of civilian contracts? Returning to the summery; Thinking I was going to get back into the grove again was anything but that as I started the new job and as the weeks went buy realized it was going to really to suck. 

This site was the true meaning of too many chiefs not enough Indians (though there were many of those). The pay was terrible and significantly less than the last one I had for many years. I signed up for it in hopes that it would progress with raises and incentives. Those things never happened and everything went downhill from there. The drama was so intense you could feel it the moment you came into the place. 

Dissention was always making its way around the different posts in the place and seemed to fluctuate like a never ending dark cloud moving around. Guards were quitting, transferring or being let go almost every few months. The primary client contact was a power monger and took things too personally despite being a county official. Again the contact mattered more than the guards. This was a million dollar account and the rotating door was a given here and the supervision was ready to throw you under the bus and hold the door open for you and let the next one in. 

I held out for over a year trying to except things for what they were. After which I could not do it anymore and allow this place to degrade, belittle and run me into the ground so I asked for a transfer. That is still pending' I may move on while they fiddle about. Mind you that is what they do with employees wanting to leave, are looking to move up or are on the notorious "part time on-call" status. They hope you will give up and quit or they will terminate you under some "wet-ink" policies.

It was incredible to see something that you only hear in folk lore like conversations and read in novels and see on television. Never in my life have I seem such favoritism, bias, and personal vindictive actions in this company and the clients they attain contracts with. Maybe someone was fortunate to find a place with company and a client with a decent reputation but not here in central Florida. This was my first guard job and I will never, never do this again.

In my final closing this is my feelings about this type of job. It is not a profession, it is not a career. 

Why? Because none of the following exist. Incentives, raises, career advancement (outside of being a uniform guard all your life), commensurate pay, off-duty paid training (on-line or class room), seniority in time with the company, actually caring about your needs and trying to find a balance, realizing you have a life outside the job and the biggie.. PENSION. A 401K or IRA account is a redundant subject here. 

When a company tries to tell its clients and possible employees they are a profession with high standards in all areas they should be able to be held accountable for such statements. They call you a professional and you have a career now. That is fine, after I put in 20 years what will you give me when I leave? A gold watch and return of my hard work in a pension? 

No.

Shame on me for taking myself seven years to realize this. 

However, sometimes you have to try to see where things go with a good attitude but when companies like this being nothing more than the American version of cheap out sourcing your desire to do the best you can get washed away after a while. Yes, you move on and try again or do something else. 

So if you are starting out in life looking for a JOB, not a profession guard work is fine. If you are between jobs guard work is perfect. If you are on your way to retire in life or are already retired guard work is perfect.  Unless you got really lucky and were blessed and found a guard job with all the above things I mention that were not then you are that tiny small percentage that got fortunate. 

Because after some research and talking with many people that had worked or are working with many different guard companies I have concluded that most if not all in the major guard job work stream are the same.

It does not matter what kind of fancy title they give you. How sharp your uniform is. How big or little your company or if it's on the fortune 500 list. You are a number that makes money. You are part of that black line on the chart each month and if you start to dip into the red you are history. No matter how many way-to-go's you did one oops will cost you. Because the client does not want it to cost them. They do not care whether or not the issue they have with you is capable of being resolved or corrected they would rather just get rid of you.

The contract driven guard work force will never change. It has not changed since its conception. Therefore, I give you this advice and I give this with sincere heartfelt meaning. Go in doing this job with an open mind to allow you to be able to move on because you will get disappointed at one time or another. Three things to remember when you go in to apply for a job with a contract guard company. Commensurate pay, raises and pension you will not see on that application you will be filling out.

It's a job people. Except that and you will be able to figure things out as you go along. 

Good luck.

This place is a good ole boys club.  A lot of the people at corporate are related. But it only works for corporate.  The offices in the field, oh no, you cant do that. Corporate has  Husbands & Wives (many of these people met their NOW spouse (who works there), when they worked both worked there before they got together. Ya know, Nepotism at its finest.  Seems like everyone is sticking their quills in the company ink around there. Husbands getting wives and daughters jobs there.  Moms getting their daughters jobs there.  

Typical company out to make money. They did a company restructure and this included a mass lay off (who are we kidding, it wasn't a layoff it was a termination, they can never work there again), got rid of a bunch of good people, just so they could save money. made the people not let go take on the other peoples workload as well and they got burned out. So what did they do, they hired new people in those vacated positions cheaper.  This is so the big shots VERY high up, can keep going on unnecessary trips and take a bunch of people out to very expensive dinners. They have this thing called Gold club.  All of the people who make gold club are taken on a trip every year for them and a companion.  We are talking cruises, and trips outside the country - gold club is only available to general manager level and higher job position - so Joe Blow security officer isn't going to be given an all expenses paid trip by G4S. 

The corporate office is located in Florida and they got a lot more perks than field staff.  Company picnics with food, games and prizes (like tv's and laptops), food truck round ups for lunches, even a Christmas party.  Our offices never got any thing corp sponsored, if we had a Christmas party, it was a potluck.  Once year the GM did take people out to a bowling alley. 

You can kind of get a yearly bonus, it depends on how your office does but it is for office staff only, not the officers. It is broken up for the staff to split and each person gets a percentage.  However you are supposed to be working in the office for more than 6 mo the year before to be eligible, however that didn't always matter and some times people got them anyways allowing a bonus to someone who had been there for only 2 months and 5 mo.  The person who was entitled to that bonus got screwed out of it all together and when they asked the Higher ups they were told that it wasn't being changed and to drop it.

In January they usually did a 2% Cost of living increase but you couldn't have had a raise or job title change that effects your wage,  since September the year before.  This was very inconsistent as well, some people who were supposed to get it had to fight to get it, others who weren't supposed to get it got it, and if you know that an employee got it that shouldn't have and you asked about it, well then it was their lucky day, cause they got to keep it and you had to shut up, because you weren't getting it (that happened to me, twice)

The benefits are ok, not super, and kind of pricey. the add on stuff really sucked.  I paid for both the critical care and the wellness add on's as I was told they were kind of like Aflack where if something happens, you get paid, these were really spendy and when I went to use it, I called the benefits plan and they said it wasn't covered. so it was a waste for an entire year. 

The CEO is the absolute worst.  He has friends (or they are people who have dirt on him or has pictures of him doing something) that he will protect, and therefor these people think they can walk on water.  There is a lady who was sent to NM to help out, one day she just up and disappears, no call, nothing.  So after several days the GM called her and said, thanks for the help you DID provide but your services are no longer needed.  10 min later the CEO called up that GM and told him that this lady was NOT fired.  They sent her on to at least 2 other locations since and people lost jobs so she could have one.

I have talked to other people who were effected by this company restructure and they believe that the president doesn't even have a say over things anymore. Its his own fault really, you merge with companies, you don't get to be the top dog and make all the decisions anymore.  I also don't think the president has any idea who his CEO is and what all his CEO gets away with due to his position and title.  Its one thing to have a friend, its another to have a friend who makes you look bad over and over by their poor decisions and you allow him and the people he allows to make bad decisions to stay.

The high ups made a great salary while the field offices couldn't even get enough staff, so they were drowning in work and the pay was very low.  Like they pay, just over minimum wage.  and hen they have the minimum wage bumps per law, the only people that get the bump are people making minimum wage, the people who make above that, never get a bump to keep the wage gap, its just closing in. 

The only give 40 hours per year off for PTO (includes sick and vacation) to a regular security officer, more for office staff, but office staff has to wait a year to use it, and now they say they aren't paying it out anymore when you leave. 

They have all these people with these titles like Senior Regional Vice President and Senior Director of blah blah, and they get stupid pay, the nicest equipment and assistants while out in the regular offices you couldn't get a pen.  I went out and bought myself a $5 pen (microfine print for small areas) for it to be stolen, like so many other things from my office that I never got back. A jacket that was a gift, markers I went out and bought, pens that I provided, little baskets, bowls, etc....  My computer was so old it wasn't supported by IT anymore, I brought in a lot of my own stuff cause we just couldn't get things to include using my own personal laptop.  I brought it from home every day because if I had to get on a meeting that was a video or a webinar for training, my computer wouldn't support it. 

while I was very good at my job and loved what I did, the last 3 months, I was miserable and was looking for an out.

Where to start? I'll try to say this quick and as organized as possible.  Warning:  This review is long.

HOURS:  Vary greatly, you can be hired for full time and barely make 30 hours a week and sometimes less.  Depending on the site you get, you can get 40 hours and sometimes more.  Some sites offer more than 40 hours, but not many.  So if you get interviewed and hired, make it a point to know where you are going to be and how many hours will you be getting.  

OVERTIME:  If you want over time you need training at multiple facilities.  The company will not just send you to high profile accounts without you being trained.  So the more training you have the more opportunities for Overtime.  

BENEFITS:  The company offers a variety of benefits, listed at a website that they will provide to you when you are hired.  You can choose from life insurance, identity theft protection, medical, dental, etc.  Their retirement they provide isn't that good, you link your own bank account to their retirement and invest, you might as well use the IRA your own personal bank can offer you.  The company does not put in any money for your retirement. I give this a 2 star because they do offer things i mention above plus you can get discounts on gym memberships and a few other things.  So it has promise.  

PAY:  Most sites pay varies but the pay range goes from minimum wage to $18/hr for non armed guards.  The armed guards get anywhere from $16/hr +.  again site dictates your rate of pay.  Wages can also vary depending on what state and country you are in.  You do not get annual increases in wages.  You don't get pay raises after evaluations (if you even get one) and after promotions (I got 2 and my pay didn't go up).  
You MUST keep an eye on your hours worked (document it) and make sure your pay check is matching your hours.  Almost every guard i have met has had payroll discrepancies and it shouldn't be hard when the time sheets are picked up or emailed to the office.  Guards also are to clock in at the sites they are working, not just signing a sheet to say they are there.  Clocking in shows exact time you showed up and worked to when you clocked out and left.  So document your time sheets and clock in/out on the electric devices they give you.  Also make sure they are paying you the correct rate, they mess up a lot in this area. 

STRESS:  This job stress levels depends on the site.  If you like more fast pace work, some sites can keep you busy for most or all of your shift.  While others you sit at a desk or walk around a property and time can drag.  There is more that i could put but for legal reasons i will omit it from my review.  

PROMOTIONS:  there are virtually no real promotions that i have seen.  The promotions i have seen have the guards making the same as the site leads and supervisors.  So a promotion is just a title change, not a pay change.  There has not been any supervisor in the field in recent memory who has made it to a manager position.  They hire from the outside or friends of those in the office.  

MANAGEMENT:  The last branch manager I had was not very good.  He had staff doing his job for him and he took the credit for it. So When it came to a visit from higher ups, they eliminated supervisor positions and most of those supervisors have left the company.  The current management in a way tries.  They will give hours to guards they know are competent.  Again call offs have it so they turn to a select group of guards that they know are available.  They do try with getting our pay right, but even then doesn't always get it.  Lately i have not had payroll issues, but i have in the past. Management also does not give staff heads up on upcoming site openings or job openings for advancement.  So even people with degrees and or supervisor experience are getting overlooked. I gave this area a 2 star because they are slowly improving in their management area.   

VACATION:  Flex officers do not get PTO, they need to be contracted to a site and then PTO will accumulate.   Guards are given 40 hours of PTO and 40 hrs of Sick leave.  Do not mistake sick leave as vacation time.  

PLUS SIDE:  Clients can be friendly and will treat the guards good (varies from site)
Over time occurs at some sites more than others.  
Great part time job, but if you are part time, you may not get the hours.
Decent Life Insurance policy. 
Company loves to hire former Military and Law Enforcement.


DOWN SIDE:  Low wages
Almost no advancement in the company.
Constant Payroll discrepancies/corrections.
Inconsistent hours for working (need to be contracted as full time to a site)
Bad benefits: Health, dental, retirement
No real job security, they will let you go if you mess up, or they remove you from a contract.
No real job culture. 
If you have a family, they do not help in working around things like allowing you to pick up your kids during your lunch/breaks.  You are stuck at your site.  
Several sites you are underpaid for what is being asked of you.
Company wants total commitment.

I hope my review has helped shed light on what you can expect.  This isn't the worst company, but they don't treat the employees the way they should.  They are better compared to other companies such as CSC, Staff Pro, Elite, to name a few.  I know people who have worked for those companies.  But its not that great either.  There's a lot more that this company or at least the branch can improve on.  If they added things like Personal time off, allow staff to get more than 40 hours of vacation a year, and have it things like company picnics and such to show employees they are appreciated; then I could see more higher ratings.  But these things do not exists and its surprising for a company this large.  (

Let me begin by saying that I'm very generous with a 1 star rating. I really don't even know where to begin with this review.
  
First and foremost, contrary to their website, G4S is just another security company. Don't get excited about thinking a career can be made through them. Now were to start?........

My background includes a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice, Air Force Veteran, and also a ten year law enforcement background, including state and county levels. When I saw the G4S website and noticed a position available in an area where I would be moving to, I figured that it would be a perfect fit with my background. After applying online I was contacted via email with a date and time to report for an interview.  Interview went very well, even though we never spent a lot of time talking about the job. My interviewer had to stop the interview several times to take phone calls from other employees because their relief was late, or had unexpectedly quit (should have been my first clue).  Interview ended a short time later and roughly four days later I received and "contract" email which explained my job site, my employment status, hours per week, and hourly pay (I'll get to that shortly), I accepted the contract and within a week I received a phone call telling me when to report for training (to this day we have never met the gentleman who contacted us, nor does the office no who he is).  Training was NOT what I expected, basically its two weeks of power-points. After training the company pushed back my start date by three weeks (all without pay). Still through this time I had never received my duty gear, my uniforms, or anything, then finally when I did start I received my gear that day. 

Benefits/Pay = benefits are poor, if you accept the insurance, don't expect to have a good paycheck, it goes toward that. No room for advancement (even though they tell you there is). The pay is decent for my area, but the contract I signed said that I would receive 40+ hours a week, ummm, no...more like 32-37. Be careful, that's how they'll get you. They'll tell you "its based on our needs"

Management = very poor and God awful! You have your onsite supervisor then from there it expands to a countless number of people. You get a contact list (but it changes without notice, had this happen recently), but if you contact the wrong person without knowing....be prepared to be reprimanded. They expect you to carry yourself one way, act a certain way and look a certain way, but none of the upper management managers follow their commands, should lead by example (you would think). If you have questions or concerns and you attempt to make contact with them, be prepared to spend a good amount of time being told to call other people. As anyone with prior LEO experience would know, you make a lot of judgement calls on site........just a word of advice, DO NOT MAKE A JUDGEMENT CALL, no matter what you do.....your wrong. Punishment for making a judgement call, you get a "policy refresher" then you are tested on what you have reviewed. 

Report writing = if you have many years of report writing experience, be prepared to throw all that out the window, cause your wrong, your always wrong and always will be wrong. No matter how you were previously trained to write reports (myself for example came from a state academy and also while in college), go ahead and be prepared to have it sent back and told "do it again".  Everything you do while on post goes in as an incident report. Did you open a door? Yes, write a report and give detailed description as to why you did. Did you close a door? Yes, write a report. Did you turn off a set of lights? Yes, write a report. Normally when your reports are sent back you will be asked to add information that is irrelevant or sometimes information that you are not aware of (this has also happened to me). If at anytime you question what you are being asked or have a disagreement with management, you're put on their "list", and its not good. 

On-site = The onsite job isn't bad. The contract to which I work is decent, the people who are employed at the building are extremely friendly and will engage in conversation. My onsite supervisor is a really good guy, very down to earth. Really have nothing negative to say about the contract location. 

I'm sure when I review this that I'll see topics that I've missed. As far as a paycheck, yes you get one but don't expect to make money. Your schedule is constantly changing and you cant really plan days off. This is just a mini stop till something else lines itself out and opens up. Be sure to weigh all your options before taking a job with this company or even considering this company.

The management plays a very strong role at G4S, yet they are the most disorganized, selfish, backwards bunch ever to be in the Las Vegas area. They constantly lose contracts, employ officers that quit frequently or are not qualified. Constantly changing rules for individuals. Favoritism is present in this company and it's apparent. The General Manager does not care for his employees and will simply avoid any real confrontation. If you have any significant problems, the GM will not help you. If you try to move on to the next step in a complaint and call corporate it is pointless. They are all friends and no one wants to get their friends in trouble, so your complaint is disregarded like it never happened. 

If you try to advance, it will only be temporary and they'll knock you back down to the position you started in or give you unrealistic working conditions and times to force you to quit.

The pay is unreliable. One person will tell you a pay rate and you arrive to a site and it is typically lower than the initial pay that was stated.

Communication is a joke, if they lose a contract (they have lost so many, so it'll likely happen during your employment) you may be sent somewhere with extremely low pay working longer hours. Why I say communication is a joke is because no one will tell you when and where you're supposed to be, if they want you to float all over the valley working parking lot security and next your "guarding" an unfinished warehouse with no electricity at 2AM. Management has poor communication with the client, so then the client is typically upset with the officer and you are the one to blame because the client was not satisfied with your performance. 

Training is also a joke. They employ unqualified people all the time, but the best part is they will not attempt to make them qualified. You get handed a baton and handcuffs with no certification. CPR qualification is spotty, but nevertheless it is a certification that must be up kept and the firearms training is interesting. This company does not compensate for you to get re-qualified. 

The equipment is outdated and falling apart. Getting new equipment is a nightmare because the office is like chickens running around with their head cut off. The uniforms are the most outdated, uncomfortable, and unrealistic piece of garbage they could put on a person. They claim to spend excessive amount of money on them when it is just a waste of both time and money. Clients dislike them, employees despise them, and they are disgusting. Many officers are not fitted correctly, you go to get them tailored and they are ruined within a week's use. Constantly ripping. The bell and whistle are a joke. The custom protection officer uniform makes the security officer look like the local law enforcement. Which is a horrible thing because, security calls them for help, and clients or anyone the security officer is dealing with mistakes them for local law enforcement and makes the situation worse.Simple cargo pants and polo would do. 

The office. The main hub where you're supposed to feel confident in your personal information staying confidential and feel confident in the management. Personal information is CONSTANTLY lost. Personal as in SSN, address, phone numbers. Important documents. Gone to who knows where. That in itself is the worst. Management could care less about you. As long as your the body in a position they needed filled, they do not care.

Benefits are sub-par, but the office could tell you that your insurance needs no further action or it's up to date and everything is O.K, next thing you know you owe $5000. That is not an exaggeration. It happens where an officer completes their insurance form, a few months later they owe an unrealistic amount without even using their insurance. You have your documents and the office loses the documents on their end. It's spotty, some officers have had zero problems with the insurance but plenty have many big problems that's costing them their already low salary.

A lot of what happens to these officers starts in that office and could also end there. No one cares, it's a circus. Do not work for this company.

There is room for advancement. I worked here for years and was promoted just about every 1.5 years. I wanted a pay increase, and the only way to get one was to be promoted, but then the union was established which provided an annual increase for all union personnel but since I was a manager, I didn't receive that benefit or the "better" insurance package that was provided for union personnel. 

After years of being a manager here, I can tell you that I wouldn't work here again, let alone as a manager. The work-life balance if you have a family or have any desire to have a life outside of this job is horrid. And do not expect to be backed by the management at the headquarter office level. Unless there is a major problem with the client or a major increase is costs (NBOT), don't expect them to give you a second thought. To be a manager or have any title or promotion to any leadership position, you will have to sell yourself out and sacrifice anything outside of work outside of your vacation time. 

Being short staffed is a constant issue and has been since 2010 and it has never been resolved. The constant thought that if somebody calls off the shift, and management (you) can't get it filled, (you) must fill the shift even if you just wrapped up a 8, or 10, or sometimes even 16 hour day, is unethical, its wrong and it shows they don't have the manpower to sustain or perform .

My assessment is that headquarters office cares about this: profit, and not dealing with complaints from the field or clients. As a leader or manager you will not be supported, you may get a head nod, but you will not be backed. If you need manpower support, you will not get it. The company secures its business through contracts by declaring they have the manpower and can meet the expectations of the clients but time and again when they take on new clients and projects they continuously fall short because they lack the manpower and strategy and communication and care for the leader or manager they place. People that want to go somewhere in their career don't last too long, because they can't last too long. Either your drive will die and you will become so acclimated to the way this company is run and accept your paycheck and the misery that comes with it or you will realize that your drive is suffering and you are conforming to a machine instead of the machine responding to someone who is innovative, actionable, you will begin to see that its always the same old thing with the same issues. Yes I worked here for years, yes I was a promoted manager (more than a handful of times) and yes I grew beyond the machine and realized it wasn't what I wanted any longer. Work-life balance was horrid and non-existent. Take a vacation, you still get calls, have an emergency, you still get calls, no matter how well you communicate or train, you still get calls. I actually liked working security but after time I became to hate it because as a leader or manager, your job is no longer security, you become the manager of tempers, the manager of people lying to you to save themselves because no one has tried to fix the biggest issue that has a root that runs to every account and affects every person working in the field, be it a union employee or non-union employee: they don't have the manpower.

This company can be very difficult to be employed with depending on your life situation and expectations. If you're single with no kids or family responsibilities and not enrolled in school then this company can work for you. This is not a company you want to work for if you go to school or have a family. I am telling you this as someone who worked for G4S in the Miami area.

There is no typical day of work. You get your work schedule every Sunday evening with a warning that your schedule is subject to change and trust that it will change very often especially at the last minute. A lot of schedules are double-booked leading to you or the other person being sent to another location or home. Most likely another location. Yes, the company is always short-staffed especially if you are assigned to the Publix contract. This company has an extremely high turnover rate which is great if you're looking to pile on hours. I would work anywhere between 32 hours to as much as 90 hours per week. 

Most jobs require you to stand or sit for long hours with one 30 minute or two 15 minute breaks. 

The company offers lots of training. You are required to do the 40 hour training for the security D license upon hire whether you have the license already or not. If you're doing armed security then you will have to take the G license course. The G license course is held at one of two locations, in Miami Dade at Tamiami or at Pembroke Range in Hallandale Beach. You go to whichever range the instructor works out of.

The hardest part of the job is managing your sleep schedule. Your phone will beep all day with e-mails and text messages consisting of schedule changes, requests for open sites, and phone calls from supervisors desperate to get someone to cover a site.

The most enjoyable part of the job for me was the client and meeting new people. You will work all over Miami-Dade if you get assigned to the Publix contract. Don't expect to be sent to any "upscale" neighborhood if you're assigned to Publix, because all the stores with problems are located in Richmond Heights, South Miami Heights, Liberty City, Ghoulds, Homestead, Cutler Ridge, Opa Locka, lil Haiti, and the City of Miami. You'll deal with good people as far as clients, but also a lot of real grimy scumbags. 

Follow your post orders and show up to work and you should be okay most of the time. Most of your supervisors are pretty cool, but there are a few guys that get away with throwing their attitude at others. Don't bother complaining, because they will fall on deaf ears.


I think the title of my review is appropriate. If you like to call off or mess around this company is not for you. All the childish nonsense you engage in at the military should be left there and not brought into the workplace. This is another downside of the company, that due to a high turnover rate G4S can get hastily desperate and hire a lot of people with poor character. I advise those with poor work ethic or poor character to stay away and don't make other people's job harder if you're not going to be a stable and contributing employee.

You'll make pretty good money and have good benefits. Depending on the shift/team you're on, you may have a decent amount of overtime available as well. The only downside is that the pay cap-out time (12 years) is way too slow and other nuke plants are beginning to surpass this one in this field.

All shifts are generally 12 hours, so your workday will be pretty long. 4 days on and 4 days off non-rotating shift schedule is pretty good though. Usually you have good coworkers and supervisors as well. The training program is run by Dominion Energy and is pretty good.

Not a hard job generally, but some posts/rotations can be rough to be in. You can swap with coworkers, but G4S site management and Dominion Energy (the site client) has been slowly cracking down on that in more recent times.

One thing to really watch out for is that Nuclear Protection Services is a near-constant regulatory and corporate whipping-boy. Virtually every time one person messes up on anything (and somebody always will), the whole department gets punished and cracked down on.

There are some opportunities for promotion/advancement, but it's not what it used to be. The opportunities aren't as frequent compared to when Securitas ran things and the whole process is significantly harder now.

Pretty high turnover environment. Most people move on and some even get fired. However, there are some guys who've been there for a long time as well. As long as you don't mess up, you can pretty much stay as long as you want (as long as the place keeps running), but that's ultimately up to you.

The job is union for non-supervisory positions.

The hiring process is a multi-stage affair and can be tough to survive. It doesn't always yield the best candidates either.

All in all, it's a pretty good job, especially if you're retired military, corrections, and/or law enforcement. It's also a great job if you're looking for a springboard to become a cop or corrections (which partially explains a lot of the turnover).

It does have some flaws that you need to be aware of before you decide to try to step in. G4S site management isn't the best and the future of the site itself (Millstone) is constantly in flux. It's an older nuclear power plant in a tough deregulated merchant market, which makes their economic position less secure. They've had economic issues and shutdown scares all throughout the latter half of the 2010's. For now, the situation has stabilized, but that could easily change once again in 5-10 or so years down the road. If you are younger, do enter into this position at this location with a serious long-term Plan B, because you may very well not retire here.

G4S employees will have different workplace experiences based on which site they work(ed) at, as will pay, hours, work schedule, and customer relationships as well. Some sites require long hours meanwhile others are typical 8-hour shifts.

First of all, the management is atrocious. You're just a number they can write off in their books. The main office where regional managers are located is disorganized and lack communication skills with employees in the field. Numerous times I have tried to reach out to regional management with no success. I've left voicemails and messages with the front desk and still get put off. Security Management on site rather depends who exactly is in charge, but you'll more than likely be met with action of just being another number. Hardly even a good morning or a wave from management in passing. These folks also have discretion upon holiday and performance/incentive bonuses too and if you have a poor manager you'll never see the money. Supervisors are excellent, (from my experience) they are the ones who have spent the most time in your shoes, they're incredibly relatable, super laid back and just fun to laugh and joke with for the most part as long as you can still maintain that distinction between work and "play." I cannot speak on account of workplace benefits, for I opted out of mine. There is almost no room for advancement. Unless someone higher quits or essentially dies, and even then they'll more than likely bring someone from outside of your site before promoting within. The job/workplace culture is mostly sad in nature. Most employees don't like their job, and you can see they are physically unhappy. Coworkers are good though, fun to socialize with and joke around but nobody is really terribly excited to be at work. As far as work/life balance goes; it's pretty good for the most part, that's probably one of the perks. If you need a day off, it's pretty easy to get some shifts switched with a coworker or two with proper notice and nobody really has an issue with it. Though the only downfall with that is coworkers are constantly calling off especially last minute so it's not uncommon to get a phone call asking if you can come in on your days off, or even receiving that phone call in the crazy hours of the night such as 3 in the morning. Very rarely, but sometimes if the schedule is really stretched you may be asked to do some ridiculous turn-arounds, such as working an overnight shift one night followed by a swing shift later that same day when your typical schedule consists of days... Or being asked to come in a few hours early to your day shift and coming into work in the late night/early morning; but if you're interested in overtime hours, they'll be a plenty.

Hardest part of the job: getting called in and working irregular shifts occasionally (sleep schedule)
Most enjoyable part of the job: Supervisors and coworkers

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