Reception & front of house
Welcome visitors, contact hosts and issue passes under the agreed procedure. Set clear priorities when reception becomes busy.
For workplace and property managers
Office Security Services
A professional welcome.
Controlled access to your workplace.
USSG provides office security guards for reception, visitor access and agreed building patrols. Plan the people, duties and cover hours around how your workplace operates.
SIA-licensed officers · BS 7858 screening · 24/7 support
The front door is only the beginning
Security that fits a working office.
Your reception needs to welcome expected visitors while keeping access to staff areas controlled. An officer’s brief should make both responsibilities clear.
Office security can cover visitor checks, contractor access, agreed patrols and reporting. For a shared building, define the boundary between the landlord’s areas and each tenant’s premises before cover begins.
Office guarding is part of USSG’s security and facilities support. For the wider on-site officer service, see manned guarding services.
Visitor & contractor checks
Check the expected visit, access permission and any escort requirements. Escalate unconfirmed arrivals to the nominated contact.
Patrols & restricted areas
Check agreed routes and report unsecured doors or unusual activity. Limit access to authorised areas within the officer’s role.
Incident reports & handovers
Record relevant facts, actions and unresolved concerns. Give the next shift or building contact a useful handover.
From arrival to departure
A visitor process your team can follow.
Agree the process with the building manager and tenants, including what happens when the usual host is unavailable.
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Confirm the visit
Check the expected visitor or contractor and contact the authorised host. An appointment does not automatically grant access to every area.
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Set the access
Record the agreed details, issue the appropriate pass and explain any escort or restricted-area requirements.
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Manage exceptions
For an unconfirmed arrival, forgotten pass or attempted tailgating, follow the escalation procedure and request assistance where needed.
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Close the visit
Follow the sign-out and pass-return process. Record outstanding matters for the next shift or the building contact.
Office security shaped around your organisation
Industries We Support
From a corporate reception to a shared workplace, the brief needs to reflect who uses the building and what they can access. Discuss your sector, premises and procedures so we can assess the right office security arrangement.
Corporate headquarters
Plan a welcoming reception with controlled staff and visitor access. Define arrangements for executive floors, meeting rooms, deliveries and late-working teams.
Professional services
For legal, accountancy and consultancy offices, agree how clients are welcomed, hosts are contacted and access to private working areas is authorised.
Financial services
Define visitor permissions, contractor access and reporting for your office environment. Any additional organisational screening or procurement requirements are reviewed before deployment.
Technology companies
Set access permissions for equipment areas and server rooms, including visiting engineers. Physical guarding supports your building procedures; it does not replace cybersecurity controls.
Shared & serviced offices
Agree tenant-specific visitor permissions and a consistent approach at shared reception. Identify who authorises entry when a tenant contact is unavailable.
Public-sector offices
Plan public-facing reception, appointment checks and access to staff-only areas. Review the organisation’s procurement, induction and escalation requirements before confirming cover.
For a mixed-use property, keep the office brief distinct from the needs of public shops or an active building project.
Retail security for shops and shopping areas → Security for construction and refurbishment sites →People, preparation and accountability
Know who is looking after your workplace.
USSG’s direct office guarding assignments are delivered by directly employed, SIA-licensed officers screened to BS 7858 before deployment.
Before the first shift, agree the site induction, communication arrangements, supervision and cover for breaks or absence. Include confidentiality expectations and the information officers need to perform their duties.
USSG holds SIA Approved Contractor status for Security Guarding and Key Holding. Company approval and an individual officer’s licence are different checks.
Review USSG’s memberships and accreditations and verify USSG on the SIA Approved Contractor register.
Meet the company behind USSG or review published security case studies to learn more about our work.
When the working day changes
Plan for late workers, contractors and closing time.
An office can remain active after reception closes. Cleaning teams, maintenance contractors and staff working late may all need access.
Agree who can approve an out-of-hours arrival, which routes remain open and how the officer confirms that closing checks are complete. Define who receives reports when the usual building contact is off duty.
Key holding and alarm response can be discussed separately from continuous on-site guarding. For an unoccupied office between tenants, consider vacant property inspections.
One officer cannot be in two places.
If reception must stay staffed, patrols and breaks need cover or an agreed alternative. Make this part of the staffing discussion.
Services that work around your building
Coordinate access with the rest of your site support.
Agree the scope and responsibility for each service, including how contractors gain access and how issues reach the building manager.
For CCTV installation or specialist monitoring, USSG arranges specialist suppliers. Provider responsibilities, permissions and response arrangements are agreed separately. Browse the full USSG services hub for other requirements.
A scope you can review
What affects the cost of office security?
Start with the work the officer needs to do. A proposal should identify staffing, hours, duties and how changes are agreed.
- Cover hours
- Reception hours, late working, weekends and any overnight presence.
- Staffing
- Fixed posts, patrols, break cover and tasks that happen at the same time.
- Building layout
- Entrances, floors, shared areas and restricted-access spaces.
- Role and duration
- Reception tasks, onboarding requirements and the length of the assignment.
Tell us where your premises are
Office security enquiries across the UK.
Based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, USSG considers office security enquiries across the UK. Share each postcode for a multi-site requirement so staffing and site arrangements can be assessed individually.
Before you appoint a provider
Office security questions, answered.
Practical answers about reception duties, staffing and arranging cover.
What do office security services include?
Office security can include a staffed reception presence, visitor and contractor checks, agreed patrols, restricted-area access checks and incident reporting. The assignment brief sets the duties, cover hours and escalation contacts for your building.
Are USSG office security officers SIA licensed?
USSG’s direct office guarding assignments are delivered by directly employed, SIA-licensed officers screened to BS 7858 before deployment. Site induction and any additional role requirements are agreed before the assignment starts.
Can an officer provide reception and concierge security?
Yes, the brief can combine security duties with welcoming visitors, contacting hosts and issuing passes under your procedures. Agree the administrative tasks and priorities in advance so reception duties do not leave security responsibilities uncovered.
Can one officer manage reception and patrol the building?
Not at the same time. If reception must remain staffed, patrols, breaks and other duties need separate cover or an agreed alternative arrangement. Staffing should reflect the number of entrances, building layout and simultaneous tasks.
Do you cover shared offices and multi-tenant buildings?
USSG considers enquiries for shared offices, managed buildings and corporate premises. The brief should identify which areas are shared, who can authorise access for each tenant and how landlord and occupier responsibilities are divided.
Can you provide evening, weekend or overnight office security?
Tell USSG the hours, building activity and duties required. Out-of-hours guarding can be discussed subject to assessment and staffing availability. Key holding and alarm response is a separate service and does not mean an officer remains on site throughout the night.
Can office guarding include CCTV monitoring?
Any use of an existing CCTV system must be defined in the assignment, with appropriate permissions, competence and licensing requirements checked for the actual duties. Specialist CCTV installation or remote monitoring is arranged through specialist suppliers and is not automatically included in office guarding.
How should visitor records and confidential information be handled?
Agree what officers need to record, who can access those records and how information is handed over under your organisation’s procedures. Give officers only the access needed for their role and identify who handles requests or concerns about personal information.
How much does office security cost?
The proposal depends on staffing, cover hours, entrances, reception tasks, patrol requirements and assignment duration. Share your building details so the written scope can distinguish routine duties from additional services and explain the charges.
How do I arrange office security with USSG?
Send the office postcode, building type, operating hours, required cover and proposed start date. Include reception arrangements, main concerns and landlord or tenant requirements. USSG will review the information and agree the next assessment step before confirming staffing and scope.