International Women's Day: Why security operations centres need women
Security Operations Centres (SOCs) are the strategic command hubs where advanced technology, specialist expertise, and timely decision‑making come together to safeguard organisations. After years working within the security industry, I can tell you this: behind every alert and every camera feed, it's human instinct that really makes the difference.
Information comes at you from every direction: alarms, lone-worker alerts, access control events, customer calls, live CCTV. It's nonstop, it's demanding, and it only works because of the people sitting at that desk, making smart decisions in real time.
So why talk about SOCs on International Women's Day? Because the skills that make a SOC thrive mirror the strengths many women bring in abundance, and our sector has a significant opportunity to better recognise and leverage that expertise.
The security industry overall remains heavily male-dominated, with only around 11% of the workforce being female, according to the Security Industry Authority, the UK regulator. But inside our own SOCs at Securitas UK, the picture looks very different. Across my teams, women make up around 40% of our workforce. That's not because we set out to hit a certain percentage, but because we hire for capability, potential and mindset.
What a SOC Actually Entails
From the outside, SOCs may evoke images of walls lined with multiple screens, but the reality is far more dynamic. They are intelligence-driven hubs where advanced technology and skilled professionals work in real time to protect operations and where critical human judgement under pressure remains essential. In any typical shift, a SOC operator might be:
- Triaging multiple alerts from a fire alarm to a temperature spike or an intruder alert.
- Coordinating with on-site teams and emergency services.
- Safeguarding a lone worker who's triggered an alarm.
- Verifying whether an access control anomaly is a system failure or an insider threat.
- Writing incident reports.
- Managing clients' customer calls outside regular business hours.
All of this is delivered with exceptional composure. The people who excel here are those who remain calm under pressure, stay highly observant, and bring a human touch to every decision.
What women bring to the SOC
Technology gives us early insight, but it's people who notice the small, often unspoken cues that guide the right action in critical moments. And it's here that women's strengths truly shine – something we see every day across our SOCs.
- Situational awareness and pattern recognition
In a SOC, operators will see thousands of routine movements. But the tiny stuff – a slight change in timing, someone behaving a bit differently, something that just feels "off" – that's what turns into risk. Research shows women often read nonverbal cues with higher accuracy¹ which is a huge advantage in an environment like this.
- Calm communication
Clear, steady communication makes a massive difference in a SOC, especially when you're calming down a worried lone worker, talking a responder through what's happening, or keeping a client in the loop during an incident. Many women naturally lean into communication styles, like using more detailed language, that help things run smoother: being clear, being supportive, and keeping everyone connected.
- Empathy-led decision-making
A significant number of security incidents involve individuals who are frightened, confused, or unintentionally in the wrong place at the wrong time. When you lead with empathy, you make decisions that are calmer, safer, and more proportionate – the foundation of effective safeguarding. And many women bring exceptional strengths in this space, enriching how teams respond in critical moments. Research supports this, a study by the University of Cambridge3 found women consistently scored higher than men on the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test – a measure of how well someone can read another person's emotions.
- Coaching and collaborative leadership
Great SOCs run on people supporting one another. Many women help foster the kind of environment where teams feel safe to speak up, share mistakes, and learn quickly – the very behaviours that prevent near misses from becoming incidents. Analysis finds female leaders demonstrate more transformational leadership styles. When people feel included and supported, engagement rises, retention improves, and team performance strengthens.
Why now – and why women are central to the future of SOCs
SOCs are expanding rapidly as more businesses adopt advanced technology and security and safety systems that require expert, proactive monitoring to stay secure. That increases the pressure on those making critical decisions. To stay ahead, we must focus on continuing to nurture diversity – empowering women stepping into analyst, supervisor, and leadership positions.
That shift starts with hiring for capability rather than relying on narrow CV buzzwords. In addition, it means writing job adverts and designing shift patterns that more people can realistically step into. Visibility matters too: clear progression routes and pathways into leadership help women see a place for themselves within the SOC.
On International Women's Day, this is the point I hope resonates most; if you're exploring a future in this field, there is a place for you. And if you're already leading, make that place visible, make it viable, and turn it into a pathway to leadership for others.