Friday at GSX+ Focuses on Achieving Personal Success
As GSX+ 2020 wraps up, education will shift from broad industry and organizational views to individual achievements and improvement. With the theme of “Your Personal Success,” education sessions on Friday, 25 September, will highlight areas where security leaders and professionals can flex their abilities in the spirit of continuing education.
While this week approaches an end, many of us still have a long road ahead when we return to our offices, especially for those of us returning to traditional workspaces. Everyone deals with stress or anxiety, but the emotional impacts that many younger employees and charges are experiencing has been noticed.
Roughly one in six people under the age of 24 stopped working during the COVID-19 pandemic, while more than 70 percent of students faced closed schools, universities, and training centers, according to Security Management. Thirteen percent of young adults have seen their education and training come to a complete stop since the pandemic began. An International Labour Organization (ILO) poll, which queried roughly 12,000 young adults in 112 countries, found that the fallout triggered by a lack of education or employment could “haunt young adults throughout their working lives,” wrote Security Management Managing Editor Claire Meyer.
In fact, those experiencing a dearth of employment opportunities early in their careers are more likely to deal with enduring personal and professional effects.
“Young adults polled for the ILO research have bleak outlooks for their future career prospects; 40 percent say they are facing the future with uncertainty, and 14 percent with fear,” Meyer explained.
In the 9:00 a.m. education session “Conversations for Mental Health Back to Work Anxieties,” Benjamin Davila, HSE and security manager at Mace; Deni Stott, chief people and culture officer at Vroom; Heather Beach, founder and managing director at The Healthy Working Company; and Peter Tayar-Watson, QHSEW performance director at Mace, will discuss how returning to the office can affect an employee’s mental health and well-being.
This panel offers best practices for establishing an environment that supports and fosters mental well-being for people of all ages as more companies shift away from working from home.
Women in the security industry also face obstacles in advancing in a traditionally male-dominated career path. According to a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, between the 2004 and 2018 fiscal years, women serving in the U.S. military were 28 percent more likely to leave than men.
“This low retention rate hinders the U.S. Department of Defense’s strategic plan for building the ‘force of the future,’” Mark Tarallo wrote in the Security Management September 2020 issue.
The “Women in Security: Overcoming Barriers to Success” session offers both men and women a discussion on what a female perspective can offer, how to utilize it, and skills for creating a competitive edge.
Jennifer Hesterman, vice president of education services at Watermark Risk Management International, will lead the session at 9:00 a.m. and focus on three learning objectives, including identifying obstacles women experience while working towards balance and success in male-oriented career fields; learning how to effectively create personal and professional goals while better managing time and resources; and understanding the pros and cons of cross-gender mentoring relationships.
Another session offering a chance to hone personal and communications skills is at 11:20 a.m., “Speaking to the Media on Security Issues.” This discussion will offer insights on becoming a media spokesperson for security matters, establishing a reputation as an expert, and understanding the foundation for communicating with news media.
Regardless of the situation, a security expert with a careful hand and practiced mind can help nonsecurity persons understand any security situation highlighted by the news. Leading this session is Glenn Schoen, CEO at Boardroom@Crisis BV, who has more than 1,000 television, radio, and newspaper interviews under his belt.
