security officer

security guard

patrol officer

project manager

security specialist

Allied Universal

I recently had the misfortune of working at AUS and I can confidently say that it was an experience I would not wish upon my worst enemy. The root cause of my misery? The utterly inept and clueless management seems to have been plucked from the bottom of the barrel.

From the moment I stepped into the office, it was abundantly clear that the management had no idea what they were doing. Communication was a trainwreck, with contradictory instructions being handed down daily. It felt like the left hand had never met the right, and both were more interested in playing a sadistic game of office politics than helping their employees succeed.

The lack of clear direction and leadership was palpable. It was as if the management had never heard of the concept of setting goals or providing any semblance of guidance. When I attempted to seek clarification or express my concerns, I was met with blank stares and shrugged shoulders – a true testament to their lack of understanding and ability to handle even the most basic of managerial tasks.

Micromanagement was another delightful aspect of my time at AUS. Instead of empowering employees to do their best work, the management seemed intent on hovering over our shoulders like vultures waiting for the slightest misstep. This stifled creativity and innovation and created an atmosphere of constant fear and anxiety.

The icing on the cake was their complete disregard for work-life balance. Late-night emails, weekend calls, and unrealistic deadlines were the norm. It was as if the management had no respect for their employees' personal lives, and any attempt to voice concerns about this was met with dismissive comments about "dedication" and "team spirit."

In summary, my experience at AUS was a masterclass in how not to manage a team. The management's incompetence, lack of communication, and disregard for employee well-being created a toxic environment that was impossible to thrive in. If you value your sanity and self-worth, I strongly advise staying far, far away from this organization. Your career and mental health deserve better than what this abysmal management offers.

What is the best part of working at the company?
At Allied Universal, there are numerous advantages to working with the company. Firstly, they offer a wide range of career opportunities in security, technology solutions, consulting, and management, ensuring employees have diverse paths for professional growth. As an industry leader in security and facility services, Allied Universal provides a reputable and respected work environment. The company places a strong emphasis on comprehensive training and development, equipping employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles. Additionally, Allied Universal prioritizes safety, fostering a secure and protected workplace. With a team-oriented atmosphere and a commitment to promoting from within, there are ample opportunities for advancement within the organization.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Based on my perspective, I  have not encountered any stress working with allied universal 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Allied Universal fosters a professional and collaborative work environment. The company prioritizes client satisfaction and emphasizes teamwork. Diversity and inclusion are valued, and safety is a top priority. Allied Universal offers opportunities for career growth and development.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day at Allied Universal involves professionals arriving at their assigned location and receiving a briefing on tasks. They carry out duties such as security patrols, monitoring, access control, and incident response. Communication and collaboration with teammates and supervisors are essential. Employees interact with clients, ensuring a safe environment and providing assistance. Documentation of activities, including incident reports, is maintained. Ongoing training is emphasized for professional development. At the end of the shift, employees wrap up duties and complete necessary procedures. Tasks may vary based on roles, and post orders at locations, and client requirements.

The hiring process looks organized, but it’s misleading. You get a quick phone call, a Zoom interview, and talk about “many openings,” but once you start, it becomes clear that your experience doesn’t matter. You get placed in the positions nobody wants, and they spin it as being the “right fit” for you.

Dispatch is a headache. Shifts get offered, then pulled with no explanation. Pressure to pick up odd shifts is there, even as a casual employee. Communication is inconsistent. You’ll get late calls at odd hours, ignored emails, and shifting expectations that feel chaotic.

The pay setup is the bare minimum they’re legally required to offer. Overtime only kicks in after 88 hours bi-weekly, which is about as weak as it gets when other companies pay overtime weekly after 40 to 44 hours. Casual employees don’t get the wages advertised in the job posting either, which isn’t explained upfront.

The pay structure says everything. They stick to the absolute legal minimum and use the weakest overtime setup they can get away with, which shows they’re focused on cutting costs, not keeping good staff. It reflects a company that doesn’t value experience, expects high turnover, and runs on the idea that employees won’t push back. It’s a bare-bones, compliance only approach that matches the rest of the management issues you see on the job.

Management feels disconnected or indifferent. They don’t seem aware of what dispatch is doing or they simply don’t care to step in. For a unionized environment, the lack of clarity and consistency is surprising. The coworkers on-site are the only positive. The problem is everything above them.

A simple job after the first year. You just need to learn a million little things in which it is your responsibility to learn. I learned quickly that you must not let the angry passengers bother you; most passengers are great to deal with unless you are the catalyst like some co-workers.

The job can be relaxed and then stressful. This job can be fast-paced and then slow-paced. This all depends on the time of day and the year. This job is collaborative and not competitive unless you choose to play those games with co-workers. The workplace culture can be negative at times as there is too much downtime for it to breed. Learn quickly to do your job and ignore the drama. As there are a lot of wonderful co-workers to work with! Everyone who leaves say they loved the people and not the job because it does become quite monotonous. 

Management respects you as long as you show up to work and put in effort; I shouldn't have to mention that as that is expected anywhere. If you are a decent worker with work ethic then you will have no problems with management. They will help you where they can and may even go above and beyond for you!

The hardest part of the job is keeping up with the changing rules. The most enjoyable part of the job is socializing with the co-workers. I would recommend this job to anyone who has their head on straight. 

From personal horrible experience after years of service given to ungrateful, arrogant, rude, selfish and clueless individuals running this particular branch.

Full of politics for personal gain at expense of own hard-working and loyal, reliable employees. 

They lie to you blatantly every possible chance they get to cover up their own mess and workplace issues like harassment from clients/co-workers, etc.

Completely disorganized branch seen since joining this company. Without any determination or desire to advance the business in gaining more actual clients.

Instead, they keep losing clients along the way to the strong competition in terms of rates being offered for services.

Terrible employee turnover rate as well as most people catch on soon enough that this is a dead end company with no viable future in it, so they move on.

Full of abuse and harassment from their horrible clients who will take advantage of security staff assigned to their sites as their is extremely poor connection between management here with the clients and the security staff being why this happens all the time at all their sites.

Would not recommend this company to anyone, as this coming from an already-made victim of this cut-throat operation here.

Don't waste your time with this company. 

You've been warned!!!

Took this job as a casual PT position, as I work full time in another field.

The job was to guard new auto delivery parking yards.  These yards store the cars after they come from the factories or container ships until the can be delivered to the dealerships.

The company had a program where the duty driver would pick people up who didn't own a vehicle and deliver them to the site.  There, they would use a company vehicle.  Or, you could use your own vehicle.

I would use my vehicle.  The duty driver was late every time with my relief.  Sometimes by  as much as an hour.  When I complained, I was told that there wasn't much management could do. (I never did speak to anyone, after multiple tries, had one e-mail returned). When I asked to be paid for my time, I was given a payroll number that goes right to answering machine.  The calls were never returned.  I was never paid for this extra time.

No real way to contact leadership, a cell phone app to sign in and out for your shift that was full of glitches.  No ability to use it to get overtime as it signs you out right at 8 hours.

Minimum wage plus 1 dollar an hour if using your own vehicle.  Uniforms provided are ugly and cheap.

Overall, a very poor turnout by this company.  There are literally dozens of other companies that must be better.  I quit after less than a year. 
 Beware.



I have been working with Allied Universal as a Mobile Security Supervisor, and my experience has been largely positive. The company provides clear expectations and structured protocols for ensuring the safety and security of clients and properties. In my role, I appreciate the emphasis on professionalism, communication, and quick decision-making, which helps me effectively lead my team and respond to incidents promptly.

Allied Universal offers good training and resources to help supervisors manage daily operations and address challenges in the field. I particularly value the support from management — they are approachable and responsive when guidance or assistance is needed. The role allows me to develop leadership skills while maintaining a hands-on presence in security operations.

While the position can be demanding due to varying schedules and emergency situations, the sense of accomplishment in keeping clients and staff safe makes it rewarding. Overall, Allied Universal is a reputable company for security professionals who want structured support, career growth opportunities, and a professional work environment

Palm desert office stinks, Tradition account is Horrible, the supervisors there are uneducated retards but get promoted cause they kiss the director’s A** and bend over without questioning while being belittled and not even smart enough realize it. Tradition Director, is also a complete moron who will not retire because he has nothing better to do but make other people miserable he constantly belittles people and acts as a dictator who does not do anything for the best interest of the guards. It was like working with a bunch of high school gossiping female teenagers but these were mostly grown men who had not accomplished too muchin their life, the younger guys are all more than likely security lifers. Oh and palm desert office has no idea what they are doing, for the most part could care less about any guards everyone is just a number. H.R. lady clueless not very intelligent either. I’m a college student who was constantly asking questions about protocols and officer safety I eventually got my answer. If you are not looking to be a security officer for the rest of your life you won’t fit in at some of their accounts especially TRADITION.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working hours though permanent part time, allows to balance personal life and work continuously with no leave required frequently!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Online training! Link doesn't work effectively and time lapse on trying to get connected. No prior guidance or information through primary email.


What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Appreciate the multi cultural environment and to know about various emotional sensitivities in human interactions & how it has been dealt induce interest in observing and listening with open ears and physical presence.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Visual presence at scheduled hours at worksite to watch all customers and observe all occurrences - keenly watch angry situations and protect initially by talking in a polite manner to diffuse the anger or if uncontrollable, take notes on clues & hints on actual/real happenings to help further investigation. Main focus: Observe, protect & report on unsafe happenings!

I am extremely disappointed with my experience at this security company. The workplace culture appears biased, and I encountered what I consider highly unprofessional behavior from staff members. Communication was poor, concerns were not handled professionally, and employees were not treated with the respect they deserve.

My experience with HR, particularly Kiara, was especially disappointing. I found her attitude to be rude, dismissive, and lacking the professionalism expected from someone in a human resources role. Instead of addressing concerns constructively, the interaction left me feeling unheard and undervalued.

Having worked in the security industry for several years, I have never experienced such a lack of professionalism. It is concerning that a company with Allied’s reputation would allow this type of conduct from staff and management. I hope the company takes employee concerns seriously and works to improve its standards of professionalism, communication, and fairness.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Security officer 13 salaries reported	$24.03 per hour
Security guard 1 salary reported	$19.98 per hour
Patrol officer 10 salaries reported	$18.20 per hour
Project manager 5 salaries reported	$75,000 per year
Security specialist 3 salaries reported	$18.17 per hour

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