5 Common Security Issues in the Hospitality Industry

TLDR

The Harvard Businesss Review suggests that up to 90% of restaurant workers have suffered some form of sexual harassment. However, by managing unauthorized visitors and antisocial guests, addressing safety concerns, theft and data privacy, you can effectively combat security concerns in hospitality.

Many members of the ROAR team have worked within the hospitality sector at some point in their careers. Those experiences give us some insight into the kinds of issues faced by hospitality establishments and venues—particularly when it comes to lone working and vulnerable staff.

We recognize that, while the hospitality industry is incredibly varied, taking in everything from hotels and motels to bars, restaurants, and entertainment spaces, they all share a common concern. Security.

With this in mind, here we explore some of the hospitality industries most common security issues and a range of possible solutions. Read on to learn more.

Download the Independence Visitor Center Case Study Here

Security Issues within the Hospitality Industry

1. Unauthorized Visitors

Thanks to the nature of the industry, keeping unauthorized visitors off the premises is an ongoing challenge. It’s not uncommon for hotel guests to bring friends and acquaintances back to their rooms while bars, restaurants, and other less secure premises can find it even harder to keep unwanted guests out.

Unauthorized visitors pose a threat to hospitality security because they’re hard to track and because their intentions can be unclear. Malicious individuals might steal money or stock, or cause damage to premises.

Not knowing how many people are on-site can also make it difficult to be compliant with safety regulations. Possible solutions suggested by our clients include:

Hiring security professionals to man the entrances
Installing an access control system to restrict entry to the premises and parking lot
Monitoring guests via smart camera systems

2. Antisocial Guest Behavior

Occasionally, even authorized guests can pose a security threat to those working in the hospitality industry.

According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review, up to 90% of women and 70% of men working in the restaurant industry had experienced some form of sexual harassment. Many of these assaults will have been committed by people who are on the premises legally.

As well as sexual harassment against staff, violence between guests, vandalism, and threatening behavior are all common anti-social behavior issues in today’s hotel and hospitality industry.

Our clients suggest reducing or even eliminating guest anti-social behavior by:

Training staff in de-escalation and conflict resolution techniques
Providing employees with panic buttons and adding signage staff is outfitted with them throughout the property. Knowledge of the system has been proven to reduce the frequency of incidents
Installing video surveillance to keep track of problem guests
Training security guards to spot guests that might pose a risk

3. Employee Safety Concerns

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hospitality industry has a turnover rate of 73.8%. One of the factors contributing to this high figure is employee safety.

A lot of people working in the sector simply don’t feel secure, especially when they’re required to work alone or in isolated areas.

Improving bar, restaurant and hotel security should therefore help hospitality business owners to improve staff retention, something that could in turn help to boost profits.

We suggest addressing employee safety concerns in the following ways:

Listen to specific employee safety concerns
Consider employing additional security personnel
Nominate security officers to monitor the premises
Issue staff with wireless panic buttons

4. Data Privacy

Data privacy is an increasingly important issue for businesses in all sectors of industry. Hackers target businesses of all sizes. Small businesses are often at increased risk, and up to 60% go out of business within 6 months of a data breach or cyber attack.

One of the main reasons for this is that a lot of small businesses haven’t yet assessed the internet security risks they face, let alone implemented a comprehensive online security plan to tackle them.

Cybersecurity breaches can have a huge impact on both customer trust and company profits. The average organizational cost to a business in the United States after a data breach in 2020 was estimated to have been $8.64m.

Ways to improve your online security system include:

Installing up-to-date internet security technology
Ensuring wifi networks are secured
Hiring an outside company to provide online security solutions
Staying up to date with current cybersecurity issues

5. Theft

Theft is a major issue for most businesses in the hospitality industry. The large number of cash transactions that take place leaves businesses vulnerable to theft and fraud. Employee theft in the restaurant sector alone is estimated to cost between $3 billion and $6 billion.

On top of this, businesses have to deal with theft by customers and malicious individuals as well as targeted attacks.

There are a number of measures hospitality businesses can take to minimize losses through theft. Our clients suggest:

Promoting credit card sales over cash transactions
Carrying out background checks on prospective staff
Reducing employee turnover
Installing CCTV monitoring systems

Wearable Panic Buttons for Hotel Employees

My own experiences within hospitality lead me to the belief that tackling security issues head-on is the best way to increase safety, reduce staff turnover, and protect your bottom line.

However, in addition to these benefits, taking a proactive approach to security that seeks to protect all stakeholders allows you to begin building safer and more inclusive work spaces for all everyone.

I recognize the need for responsive and flexible solutions that prioritize safety and wellbeing for staff and patrons. Our wearable panic button system allows employees to instantly and silently call for help when they feel threatened, spot unauthorized visitors or witness anti-social behavior.

This allows hotel security personnel to address issues as quickly as possible, minimizing risks and potential losses. Our clients at the Independence Visitor Center in Philadelphia also recognize the effectiveness of this technology, stating:

“We had two safety incidents in August 2023 that prompted me to get security staff on a permanent basis and which gave the staff great comfort. The ROAR panic buttons just gave the staff a crucial layer of protection. That’s the most important thing, that our employees feel safe.”

Panic buttons for hotel workers can be integrated quickly and easily into the existing security infrastructure. Affordable and effective, these systems can help businesses to address their security needs and keep employees and customers safe.

Find out more about the functionality of wireless panic button systems, and learn about the technology we offer, by requesting a demo with a member of our team today.

Get More Hospitality Security Insights with ROAR