Tackling The Recruitment And Retention Crisis In The Uk Security Industry
AXLR8 ran an AI summary of thousands of UK security staffing online forum comments and social media posts. Recruitment and retention came top of the list and we are in the business season for staff deployments for many. Divali, Guy Fawkes, Halloween and any number of big sports fixtures and audience events such as concerts.
The UK security sector is facing a critical challenge: recruiting and retaining skilled staff. From event stewards to door supervisors and licensed guards, agencies across the country are struggling to fill shifts and maintain reliable teams. Rising client expectations, changing workforce dynamics, and post-pandemic pressures have intensified what’s become a long-term industry issue.
The Growing Recruitment Challenge
Security work has always required a special blend of reliability, professionalism, and vigilance. Attracting those individuals has become harder.
- Pay rates have not kept pace with the rising cost of living or with the increased demands placed on guards.
- Younger generations are showing less interest in traditional security roles, often viewing them as short-term jobs rather than viable careers.
- Competition for talent from logistics, hospitality, and other sectors offering flexible hours or remote work adds further pressure.
Many agencies find that the effort spent on constant recruitment drains time and resources that could be better invested in staff development and client service.
Retention — The Other Half of the Problem
Hiring the right people is only half the battle. Retaining them is just as difficult. Burnout from long shifts, inconsistent hours, and limited progression opportunities push many skilled officers to leave the industry.
This is where a more streamlined, data-driven approach can make a real difference. AXLR8 software helps agencies reduce administrative friction and create a more professional, supportive working environment. With automated onboarding, training management, and compliance tracking, agencies can ensure staff feel organised, valued, and properly supported from day one.
When guards can easily access their schedules, update credentials, and communicate with management through a single digital platform, it is proven to enhance trust and reduces frustration — both key factors in retention.
Efficiency Through Technology
Technology alone can’t solve recruitment problems, but it can dramatically improve how agencies respond to them. AXLR8’s workforce management tools help companies plan smarter, automate repetitive tasks and use real-time data to forecast staffing needs more accurately.
For instance:
- Integrated vetting and licensing checks speed up recruitment without compromising compliance.
- Two-way Staff Communications are built into the system with newsletters and push messaging and the App. Staff feel involved and informed. Examples include automated licence renewal alerts and information about shift and pay. Staff communicate back in a variety of ways from pay queries to welfare checks and confirm in shifts and applying for new work and taking online courses
- Your company can change the candidate journeys optimising the whole process. That is because The AXLR8 ATS includes Application Form Builder. Those candidate journeys can start from a recruitment portal, your website, an email or mobile messaging. So, you can spread your net wide and select the right candidates all the way through. Candidates with “right to work” or licence issues can be rejected before you invest time in them.
- Flexible Reporting easily allows Admin staff to manage, analyse and communicate with staff as well as view their performance.
These efficiencies free up managers to focus on what really matters: building relationships, mentoring staff, and strengthening client confidence.
The Path Forward
The recruitment and retention crisis in UK security won’t be solved overnight. However, agencies that invest in efficiency, transparency, and staff engagement will be better positioned for challenges ahead.
AXLR8 supports that transformation. AXLR8 helps agencies streamline operations, retain skilled staff, and deliver a more professional experience for both workers and clients.
With the right technology in place, your business can move from tackling staffing shortages to building sustainable, motivated teams ready for the future of security.