devteam, Author at ASP Security Services

By Debbie Ciccotelli, VP Strategic Initiatives

Offering outstanding customer service is ASP’s key differentiator and what enables us to not only retain existing clients, but also attract new clients. Our customers are the lifeblood of our business, so it’s crucial that they always feel valued, assisted, listened to, and confident when they interact with us.

Our reputation precedes us. The better our business reputation, the higher our existing customers will think of us and (perhaps just as importantly) the more other clients will want to work with us — both of which are incredibly important for retaining clients and growing our business.

In today’s competition-driven marketplace, our focus must be on our customers and each of you is crucial to achieving this goal.

Front-line employees are the face and brand ambassadors of both ASP and our clients – it is our employees who make sure the job gets done on time and above expectations. They interact with customers every day and each interaction reflect the value, culture and vision of the company.

Employees impact the business environment through the ways in which they interact with each other as well as how they respond to customers.

Sometimes, employees interact with each other in the presence of clients. If they are helping each other to meet customer needs, they are creating a positive image; if, however they are bickering or acting territorial on the floor, they are fostering a negative image of the company.

To deliver exceptional value and service, employees must be committed, motivated, and inspired to serve and support our clients and their customers.

Understanding how to become and maintain a customer- oriented mindset can help us establish a brand as an industry leader for quality and service.

It is important that every employee understands how valuable their role is in relation to customer service and client retention, which is of great importance to both the present and future of the company.

Simply put, motivated, and engaged employees create satisfied customers. When we commit to going above and beyond for our customers, three things will happen:

Here are some tips:

Always maintain a professional, polite, friendly, and helpful demeanor
Project a professional image and adhere to uniform policy and/or dress code
Make every effort to exceed client/customer expectations
Follow Post Orders and Standard Operating Procedures
Build rapport with customers which can help to anticipate their needs and preferences
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes – actively listen, empathize with each customer’s unique situation and needs
Smile, greet/welcome, maintain eye contact and assist
Communicate effectively – transmit clear and concise information – answer questions, address issues, describe services and provide direction or guidance
Pay close attention to your tone, volume, and manner of speaking
Pay attention to your body language – gestures, facial expressions and posture can make an impression e.g., if you stand by the entrance in a hunched position and a wrinkled brow, it may give the impression you are unalert or lazy. But if you are standing straight, with alertness in your eyes, politely smiling upon entrance, it would suggest that you are approachable and aware of your surroundings simultaneously. See the difference?
Be supportive of other team members
Resolve tension or issues and create positive solutions by using effective conflict resolution skills
They will become more loyal because they know that we care about their business
They will become champions for ASP within their organization
Most importantly, they will share their experience with their colleagues and friends

By Sarah Jessop, Human Resources Business Partner

It’s that time of the year when we come together to reflect on our collective journey and take a closer look at how we can make our workplace even better. We’re excited to share the results of our recent Employee Satisfaction Survey, which truly reflects the pulse of our organization. First and foremost, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who took the time to participate in the survey. Your input is invaluable, and your voices matter. This year, we achieved a significant milestone – our response rate increased by an impressive 12% compared to the previous year. This increase in participation demonstrates the strength of our commitment to continuous improvement. Now, let’s delve into the results.

Overall Satisfaction:

While the increased participation rate is a testament to our collective dedication to making ASP the best place to work, it is important to acknowledge that our overall happiness rating experienced a slight decrease of 2% from 2022.

As you can see from the infographic, our rating of 86% still surpassed ASP’s benchmark of 80%. However, we want to assure you that we are taking this decline seriously, and your leadership team is committed to addressing any concerns or issues that may have contributed to this decline. Your feedback is instrumental in guiding us on the path to improvement.

Recognition:

On a positive note, there was a slight increase in the number of employees who reported feeling recognized for their hard work and contributions. This is encouraging news, and it reaffirms our belief in the importance of acknowledging and appreciating the efforts of our dedicated team members. We are committed to building upon this foundation and ensuring that recognition remains a cornerstone of our culture.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI):

One of the highlights of this year’s survey results is the significant increase in employees feeling that ASP fosters an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are thrilled to announce an 8% rise in this category. This demonstrates that our ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive workplace are making a positive impact. However, we understand that there is still work to be done to ensure that every member of our team feels fully supported and included.

Analyzing Team Results

In our commitment to continuous improvement, our leadership team is not only looking at the overall survey results, but also taking a deep dive into the data specific to their individual teams. This personalized approach allows our leaders to gain insights into the unique dynamics and challenges within their respective departments. By carefully analyzing the comments and ratings received, they are identifying key areas of focus that will help address concerns and amplify strengths. This hands-on approach ensures that we are not only making company- wide improvements but also tailoring our efforts to the specific needs and aspirations of each team. Your leaders are actively engaging in this process because they recognize that your feedback is instrumental in shaping the future of our organization. We believe that this targeted approach will lead to more meaningful and impactful changes, ultimately enhancing the work experience for everyone at ASP.

Your feedback serves as our compass, guiding us toward initiatives and improvements that will enhance our workplace experience. We are committed to engaging in open dialogues, implementing necessary changes, and fostering a culture where every voice is heard and valued. Once again, thank you for your active participation in the survey. Together, we will continue to make ASP a place where each and every one of us can thrive.

If you have any questions or would like to share additional feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to asphr@security-asp.com

By Madison Griffin, Human Resources Coordinator

Who We Are?

LifeSpeak is the leading platform for mental health and wellbeing, which offers whenever and wherever users need it specialized information and guidance on problems that affect their daily life.

What We Do?

LifeSpeak helps employees thrive so they can stay focused, healthy, and productive. For you to develop a stable, healthy mindset no matter what life throws at you, LifeSpeak has gathered its top mental health specialists to offer you useful resources, tactics, and tools.

Mobile

Access to all programming while also enabling users to download videos for offline viewing, stream podcasts, participate in live ‘Ask the Expert’ webchats and manage their account, right from their phone.

Computer

This web-based service offers anonymous access to hundreds of short videos. Our full range of formats includes videos, podcasts, tip sheets, quizzes, and more.

Tablet

LifeSpeak empowers people to take action before a life challenge or issue becomes critical. It’s a proactive approach to mental health and wellbeing. Download our app in the Appstore or GooglePlay.

asp.lifespeak.com

lifespeak

We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Michael Ferdinand and the Pickering Casino Resort community. He was tragically killed on Thanksgiving Day while on duty. We mourn his loss and pay tribute to him for protecting the community he served. As this is the worst possible scenario, this is a reminder of the risks we, as security professionals, protect against every day. We remind our security services family to remain vigilant and to report any public safety risks accordingly.

You can support Michael’s family via Go Fund Me:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-michael-mike-ferdinand

By Sean Gallagher, HR Recruitment Manager

This past year, we’ve seen the entire ASP organization worked very hard to onboard new teammates effectively and efficiently. We received over 90 referrals from current employees and 60 of those have qualified for a paid out so far. Remaining referral payouts are just waiting on the new employee, 3-month probation period to finish. In August 2022, the referral bonus was increased from $100 to $300 per referral! It doesn’t matter what position it is for; the referred employee just needs to complete their 90 days probation. We are consistently being asked questions about how to refer candidates and what we are looking for. Below is a break down for the questions:

1. How Do I Refer a Friend for a Position With ASP Incorporated?

There are a few different ways you can do this, the first is to give them the “refer a friend” cards that are with all recruiters and write your name on the back. The second, you can have them forward their resume to our two different recruitment e-mail addresses, Residential/ Commercial at: recruitment@security-asp.com or for Aviation airportrecruitment@security-asp.com just make sure they put your name on the e-mail or you can send their resume to us. The last one is if they visit our website www.security-asp.com they can click on “current opportunities” and apply for any position they feel they are qualified for and they can add your name under “How Did You Hear About This Position?”.

2. I Have Referred Someone, and They WereHired, When and How Do I Receive My Bonus?

Good question! If your referral was hired, they now must attend training and work with us for 90 days consecutively. As soon as they hit their 90 days, Sean Gallagher, the Recruitment Manager gets a notice and informs Accounting as to who is to be paid out. You would then receive the bonus on your next paystub.

3. My Referral Wasn’t Interviewed or Selected; Did I Do Something Wrong in the Process?

We have received hundreds of referrals over the last year or so which is amazing, but there were a good number that didn’t qualify for the positions they were interested in. Don’t get me wrong, we do offer other positions if we feel they are a fit for them but sometimes it doesn’t work out. I would suggest going off this rule of thumb:

Crossing Guard:

Outgoing personality!
Ability to travel throughout North York and/or Etobicoke
Availability for Monday-Friday 7am- 4pm weekly.

Access Control:

Customer service experience
Entry level security experience (valid Security license)
3-4 days of open availability
Ability to work consistently overnights preferred Specialists/Supervisors:

Specialists/Supervisors:

2-5 years of Tactical Security experience
Supervisory background/experience
Ability to work 12-hour shifts

We appreciate all referrals candidates brought forward by our employees, and we try our best to find a fit in our company that matches each level of experience. We encourage even those who aren’t selected to try again in 6 months, and we will definitely re-evaluate at that time. Simply have them re-apply and have them add your name again.

*NOTE: If you are looking for a Supervisor position because it is labeled as a NOC B job, Specialists and Mobile positions do have Supervisory tasks/duties involved so they would be categorized the same way*

By Sarah Jessop, HR Business Partner

At ASP, we value and recognize the diverse religious beliefs of our employees. The world’s rich diversity is reflected in the observances that are celebrated and recognized by our ASP employees. Knowledge of the following holidays and celebrations can enhance our workplace diversity and inclusion efforts. Throughout the months of October, November, and December, a variety of religious holidays, festivals, observances, and spiritual commemorations took place.

These events were celebrated and observed by many of us, so it is important that we recognize and respect each one of them.

We have compiled a list below of the many important religious events that took place throughout the last few months. We encourage you to review this list to learn more about some of the significant celebrations and observances that are meaningful to your colleagues and friends. Let’s celebrate diversity, together.

October 2022

October 4: Yom Kippur
A Jewish day of atonement to reflect on sins and seek forgiveness from God.

October 5: Dussehra
Dussehra means ‘the tenth’ and celebrates the triumph of Lord Ram over the demon Ravan who stole his wife Sita. The great Hindu epic poem, the Ramayana, is read and enacted. A big effigy of Ravan is burnt accompanied by fireworks. In Nepal it is called Dashain, and it is a major holiday.

October 9: Eid-Maulad-un-Nabi
Anniversary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad. Some Muslims mark this occasion by special prayers, whilst other Muslims may mark the occasion by dedicating more time to reading the Koran.

October 9 – 16: Sukkot
A day in the Jewish faith that remembers when the Jews journeyed to the desert on the way to the promised land.

October 13: Karva Chauth
A one-day fast kept by married Hindu women for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. The husbands feed the first bite to their wives only after they see the moon.

October 18: Birthday of the Bab
A day honoring the birthday of God’s messenger in the Baha’i faith.

October 19: Birth of Baha’u’llah
A day honoring the birthday of the prophet-founding of the Baha’i faith.

October 24: Diwali
A 5-day festival of light that combines several different festivals in honor of gods, goddesses, harvests, new year’s, etc. It is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains.

November 2022

November 1: Samhain
A festival in the Pagan and Wiccan religions that marks the end of the harvest season.

November 1: All Saints Day
Also known as Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, this day honors the saints who have attained heaven in the Christian faith.

November 4: Qudrat (13th Month)
The first day of the thirteenth Bahá’í month. The English translation of Quadrat (Arabic) is Power.

November 8: Birthday of Guru Nanak Ji
A day honoring the birth of the founder of Sikhism.

November 8: Lokashah Jayanti
This day commemorates the birth of a famous 15th century reformer, Lonka Saha, who opposed temple worship and use of images.

November 18: Day of Covenant
The eldest son and appointed successor of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, referred to this day as the ‘Centre of the Covenant’ which was established to safeguard the unity of the community.

November 22: Qawl (14th Month)
The first day of the fourteenth Bahá’í month. The English translation of Qawl (Arabic) is Speech.

November 24: Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur
This day commemorates his martyrdom (1621-1675). He was the ninth of the Ten Sikh Gurus and executed in Delhi by the Mughal emperor.

He died for the Sikh faith and also for religious liberty.

November 27: First Sunday of Advent
The Christian church year begins with Advent (from the Latin adventus meaning ‘coming’ or ‘arrival’) which is also a time when Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.

November 30: Feast of St. Andrew
A day honoring the patron saint of Scotland, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Barbados, and Romania in the Roman Catholic Church.

December 2022

December 6: St. Nicholas Day
He is the patron saint of Russia, who came from a town in Turkey. Being known as a protector of children, the tradition of leaving shoes out in the hopes of receiving treats is practiced in the Dutch, German and, Eastern European communities.

December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception
A feast day celebrated by Roman Catholics that celebrate Mary’s conception without original sin.

December 8: Bodhi Day
In Japanese Zen, Bodhi Day is called “Rohatsu” and is the observance of enlightenment of the historical Buddha. Zen monasteries observe this day with a meditation retreat lasting several days.

On the last night of Rohatsu sesshin, monks and students often sit in meditation until dawn, as the Buddha did 25 centuries ago.

December 11: Masá’il (15th Month)
The first day of the fifteenth Bahá’í month. The English translation of Masá’il (Arabic) is Questions.

December 18 – 26: Hanukkah
The 8-day celebration of the “Festival of Lights” that commemorates the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE.

December 21: Yule
A Pagan and Wiccan holiday that begins at sundown at the winter solstice.

December 25: Christmas
This day celebrates Jesus Christ’s birth over 2000 years ago. Customs include lighting candles, exchanging gifts, and using evergreen decorations to celebrate this day, the most widely observed Christian festival of the year. In most communities it is a family day.

December 26: Kwanzaa
A professor who wanted to encourage African Americans to celebrate their heritage started Kwanzaa’s in California in 1966. Kwanzaa means first fruit in Swahili and is a harvest festival.

Families exchange gifts and have African-style feasts. Seven-pronged candleholders are lit on each consecutive night for the seven principles: unity, self-determination, working together, sharing, purpose, creativity and faith. The celebration continues till January 1.

December 26: The Feast of St. Stephen
Also called Boxing Day, this day commemorates the life of a saint known for his service to the poor who became the first Christian martyr.

December 30: Sharaf (16th Month)
The first day of the sixteenth Bahá’í month. The English translation of Sharaf (Arabic) is Honour.

Do you feel we have missed anything? Let us know! Contact our Diversity and Inclusion committee at
inclusive@security-asp.com

By Sarah Jessop, HR Business Partner

On September 30, 2022, Canadian’s recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federal statutory holiday which was established to honour those who were impacted by Canada’s residential school system. The purpose of this day is to ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

The Truth

As National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is all about honouring the truth, it is important to recognize the abhorrent residential school system that operated within Canada from 1831 – 1998. Throughout this time, 140 federally run residential schools were created for the sole purpose of indoctrinating indigenous children into a Euro-Christian way of life. This cultural genocide was put in place because the Canadian government wished to deny itself of its legal and financial obligations to Aboriginal people and gain control over their land and resources.

Under the leadership of Sir John. A. McDonald, Indigenous children were ripped away from their families to eliminate all ties to their culture. Upon arrival at the school, children were separated from their siblings and forced to strip out of their own clothing.

They were then made to wear westernized uniforms that were poor in quality and not at all suited to Canada’s weather conditions.

After joining the schools, extreme neglect and abuse became a part of everyday life for these children. They were prohibited from speaking their own languages, and they were physically punished, isolated and humiliated if they misunderstood staff directions. A lack of Supervision created situations where students became prey to abuse, and laborious chores took precedence over learning. Poorly built and maintained buildings contributed to the spread of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, and many innocent children died because of this blatant disregard for human life.

Reconciliation

By establishing the long overdue National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2021, our government took the first step in recognizing that this is an issue that all Canadians need to recognize and address. Reconciliation is the responsibility of every Canadian, and it is about establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in this country. For us to support this mutually respectful relationship, we must be aware of our past, acknowledge the harm that has been inflicted, and make positive actions to change the future.

Wearing Orange

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is also known as Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led day of commemoration which honours the children who survived residential schools and remembers those who did not. The orange shirt symbolizes the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. The symbol directly relates to the story of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation who was forced to remove her orange shirt on her first day at a residential school.

Many of our ASP employees took part in Orange Shirt Day as part of this commemoration. Below are the photos that you submitted to show your support. Thank you to all those who participated!

By Sarah Jessop, HR Business Partner

The results of the Engagement Matters – 2022 Employee Satisfaction Survey are in!

Thank You to Our Participants

Before we share the engagement survey results, we’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all ASP employees who participated this year. Your candid feedback will be the driving force behind our 2023 engagement initiatives as we continue to work on improving the employee experience at ASP.

The Results

The infographic provides a quick comparison between our 2021 and 2022 results. As you will see, we listened to your feedback from 2021 and executed change accordingly to improve feelings of engagement in areas such as overall happiness, recognition, and relationships with leadership.

What’s Next?

We recognize that we have room for improvement, and our survey respondents made some great suggestions in the comments on how we can create meaningful change in 2023. As we speak, the leadership team is meeting to create a 2023 action plan based on your responses. They are reviewing key findings and making both immediate and long-term plans based on the results. We hope that in 2023, the initiatives we implement continue to improve your experience as an employee at ASP. Once again, we would like to thank all those who took the time to complete the Engagement Matters – 2022 Employee Satisfaction Survey. Without your essential feedback, this endeavour would be meaningless.

Survey Response Winners

Congratulations to our participation incentive winners! To promote our survey, employees that responded were entered into a draw for their work group. The following individuals were randomly selected and won a $20 gift card:

**AUDREY ALLOTEY**
Customer Support Representative at Ottawa Airport

**JUZAN BROWN**
Security Guard, Toronto Pan Am

**NAVEEN CHANDRA JYOTHILINGAM**
Concierge

Not pictured winners:

Readeat Kerie – Respite Supervisor
Tajinder Sunner – Terminal Access Control
Shilpa Shilpa – Security Guard, Commercial Division
Gurmeet Garcha – Terminal Patrol at Calgary Airport

By Sarah Miller, Operations Manager, School Crossing Guard Division

School Crossing Guard Supervisor Mohammed Mounir

On September 27 School Crossing Guard Supervisor Mohammed Mounir (center) was presented with a Canadian Security Lifesavers Association Award for heroically saving a child from being run over by a bus during a crosswalk inspection. Seen here, Mohammed is accepting his award from Operations Manager Sarah Miller (far left), Service Delivery Manager Dave Harris (left of center), City of Toronto Project Manager Jasna Filipovic (right of center), and City of Toronto Assistant Project Manager Majid Khan (far right).

School Crossing Guard George Gymnopoulos

George was recognized in October by Service Delivery Coordinator Amy Strachan with Tim Horton’s gift card to thank him for a compliment that ASP received about him. A member of the public called in to share how much they admired his kindness, patience, and said that he is an asset to the Bayview community.

Great work, George!

ASIS International’s Global Security Exchange (GSX) conference was hosted this year from September 12 to 14 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This annual event gathers security, military, intelligence, and policing leaders from around the world to network and share best practices. School Crossing Guard Operations Manager Sarah Miller attended and represented ASP and brought back many lessons learned and applied that knowledge to improve the company.

School Crossing Guard John Triantafilopoulos

John was recognized by School Crossing Guard Supervisor George Calbery in October with Tim Horton’s gift card and a special thank you for helping a lost child at the Jane and Stong crosswalk. John quickly helped the little girl by keeping her safe, identifying her school, and coordinating her return to her teacher. Thank you for finding and helping the lost child, John!

The School Crossing Guard Division participated in the Toronto Police Service’s 14 Division open house on September 17, collaborating with the police and several other organizations to build relationships with the local community and improve community safety.

School Crossing Guard Supervisor Mohammed Mounir and Operations Manager Sarah Miller volunteered their time to host the pictured crosswalk safety booth and educate children about road safety. ASP also made a donation to the event, which provided free ice cream, popsicles, and drinks to all open house visitors.

On October 21 ASP received a compliment from a member of the public about School Crossing Guard Anastasia Maltezos that cited her positive attitude and eagerness to assist all pedestrians. Anastasia was presented with a Tim Horton’s gift card from Service Delivery Coordinator Amy Strachan to thank her for the great job she does. Keep up the fantastic work, Anastasia!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the first annual ASP School Crossing Guard Halloween Costume Contest in October. We received many fantastic submissions and loved reviewing all of the photos received (pictured here). Based on a vote among the North York office staff, the top three winners of the contest were:

#1. Anna Cappuccitti

Chicken Crossing The Road ($100.00 prize)

#2. Tammy Nugent

Riding A Dinosaur ($50.00 prize)

#3. Michelle Hagerman

Unicorn ($25.00 prize)

We would like to give a special thank you to Tammy for choosing to donate her winnings to the annual company holiday food drive. ASP further matched her donation by doubling the purchase on her behalf.

Congratulations to School Crossing Guard Operations Manager Sarah Miller for recently being added to the Humber College Police Foundations Program alumni recognition wall. Sarah graduated with honours from the program in 2016 and is both an alumni of distinction and past program ambassador.

The Globe & Mail released an article on September 05 titled ‘A New Cohort of Crossing Guards Welcomes Children Back to School’, featuring two ASP School Crossings Guards, Abby O’Dell and Demitrius Marshall. Congratulations for making the news, Abby and Demitrius!

On October 31, wearing his Halloween mask, School Crossing Guard Douglas Titer received a Tim Horton’s gift card from Service Delivery Coordinator Amy Strachan in response to a glowing compliment that ASP received about him from a member of the public. The person shared that they admired how professional, friendly, and safety-oriented Douglas is, and that he makes the local community proud. To quote the compliment, “Douglas is AMAZING!”.

School Crossing Guard Tristan Latocha was recognized by Service Delivery Coordinator Amy Strachan on November 02 with a Tim Horton’s gift card. ASP had received a call from a member of the public who shared how safe Tristan makes her feel when she is crossing the road and how seeing him smile every morning, even when it’s raining, makes her day. Thank you for being such a positive influence in the community, Tristan!

By Mohammed Mounir, School Crossing Guard Supervisor

School Crossing Guard Bibi Bacchus

I would like to recognize School Crossing Guard Bibi Bacchus for her incredible passion and keeping her community safe at her crosswalk. Working at the Jane and Wilson intersection is challenging because it is consistently busy with pedestrians and drivers passing through, although Bibi makes supporting this intersection look easy.

She is punctual and is always ready to adapt to the changing traffic. She crosses every person and is extra thoughtful with seniors. Bibi is always focused, driven to keep her crosswalk safe and the public thanks her for it every day. The School Crossing Guard division would like to extend that same gratitude and thank you for your hard work, Bibi.

Congratulations to Abdul Cholakkilakath (center) who won a 50 inch Amazon TV on June 28th through the School Crossing Guard Referral Raffle!

School Crossing Guard James Pegg

On June 27th, School Crossing Guard James Pegg (left) was recognized by Service Delivery Coordinator Amy Strachan (right) for finding a lost child at the Gentian & Renforth crosswalk.

James had found a young boy distressed, alone, and unable to tell him where his family and home were.

James made sure to report it and kept the boy safe for nearly an hour until he could be reunited with his parents. Thank you, James!

ASP CEO Dean Lovric spent a morning visiting crosswalks and crossing guards all over Toronto. Dean even got to put on a uniform and help some pedestrians cross as seen here at Burbank & Whittacker, supervised by experienced School Crossing Guard Cecilia Tang. It was a lot of fun to kick back for a few minutes and watch the boss take care of some crossings.

School Crossing Guard Michelle Marshall was recently gifted with a customized t-shirt from the community at her crosswalk, Bainbridge & Gorman Park.

Michelle has kindly donated the shirt to ASP so that it can be displayed at the North York office School Crossing Guard picture wall (under construction).

The School Crossing Guard Division has developed a helpful Crosswalk Safety Pamphlet for schools to share with their students. This pamphlet is currently being shared with all schools that ASP’s School Crossing Guard Program supports.

Thank you to Michelle Hagerman, Jessie Llanera, and Mohammed Mounir who modelled for the pictures in the pamphlet.

The ASP School Crossing Guard Division has received some heart-warming fanart from Torontonians who greatly appreciate their local School Crossing Guards. Here are some of the best submissions we received.

School Crossing Guard Michelle Hagerman

By School Crossing Guard Supervisor George Calbery

Michelle Hagerman has been with ASP since September 2019. She is one of our crossing guards that when I visit her location someone will always come up to me and demand that we never move her to another crosswalk away from the community. Michelle has a great sense of caring and fun. She often dresses up in costumes for holidays and children know her by name. Seen here on the last day of the school year, the community brought her balloons and wished her a happy summer break.

Thank you, Michelle, for all that you do from the smiles that you bring and to the strong sense of safety you provide each shift.

School Crossing Guard Deborah Hackshaw

Deborah joined the ASP crossing guard team in March of 2022 as a casual. Over that span of time, she has been reliable and a strong addition to the ASP team. With each assignment, Deborah puts heart and soul into the job with a strong sense of community and caring for the children. When I spoke with Deborah on the last day of school last year, she was so happy with the thank you cards she received. Deborah told me how much she loves working as crossing guard and helping the children.

Deborah, thank you for all your hard work.

Congratulations to School Crossing Guard Teresa DeRosa for being awarded a Certificate of Recognition from Flemington Public School on July 31!

On August 26, the School Crossing Guard Division held its first annual employee barbecue event. Over one hundred staff came out to enjoy free burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, games, and beautiful sunny weather in Boyd Conservation Area (Vaughan, ON).

By Sarah Jessop, HR Business Partner

The following new hires have joined ASP since our last newsletter was published. Please join us in welcoming them to the ASP family!

Don Wall

Don Wall joined ASP on September 26, 2022, as our Operations Manager at Calgary Airport.

Don is an accomplished operations executive with over thirty years of core operations experience in the aviation industry. He started as a Customer Service Manager for Air Canada, which led him to the role of General Operations Manager of Air Canada in Calgary for ten years.

His performance got him appointed to Manager for Operational Excellence in Air Canada. He successfully designed, executed, and managed initiatives for cost savings and performance improvement using Lean and Six Sigma Methodologies.

Don’s recent position was at SkyCafe in Calgary as General Manager for Operations. He led a team of operations and duty managers overseeing the delivery and execution of SOPs while optimizing customer satisfaction.

Reporting directly to Garinder Grewal, Director of Aviation, Don is responsible for the management, supervision, training, and operations of YYC’s security team. He will ensure compliance with our contract requirements and government legislation. Don will be the primary operational point of contact with the client.

Katarzyna Szumacher

Our Residential and Commercial team had the pleasure of welcoming Kat Szumacher as an Operations Manager on October 11, 2022.

Based out of our North York office, Kat is responsible for managing our Respite operations as part of our Commercial division.

Kat is well-versed in the world of security, having previously worked at Logixx as a National Account Manager and at Allied Universal Security Services as a Security Director.

She is experienced in client management, team development, and handling complex operations. Kat is a wonderful addition to our team, and we have no doubt that she will succeed in her role as Operations Manager.

Fatema Pipalyawala

On October 10, 2022, Fatema Pipalyawala joined ASP’s Human Resources department as a Recruiter and is based in our North York office.

In her role, Fatema is responsible for employee sourcing, selection, community outreach, social media, and onboarding assistance for our residential and commercial division.

Prior to joining ASP, Fatema worked for Logixx Security as a Recruiter, where she was responsible for the full-cycle recruitment process. Additionally, Fatema holds a Master of Commerce in Business Administration, Management and Operations from the University of Mumbai.

We are delighted that Fatema chose to join our dynamic recruitment team here at ASP.

By Jason White, Manager of Strategic Initiatives

Before starting any communications project – written, video, presentation, social media, etc. – I think about the audience and how to connect with them. I ask myself questions about who they are, what are they are looking for, what is their motivation and how do I motivative them, because all good communications boils down to knowing your audience and understanding how they will decode (understand) your message. I do this exercise every day, so imagine my surprise when I did not follow my own advice.

In the ASP diversity and inclusion training, we are encouraged to add preferred gender pronouns in our email signatures. Until recently, I resisted this. I did not have any reason or justification for not having my preferred pronoun listed; it just felt strange. However, this is not good communication, and it was time to practice what I preached.

After reading several blogs and articles and listening to a few podcasts on gender pronouns, one podcast really resonated with me. It featured a non-binary person who was asked: “What do you say to someone who is hesitant about using a preferred gender pronoun?”

Their response was, and I am paraphrasing, “accommodating a person’s preferred gender pronoun can make a huge difference to that person, while it really has very little impact on you. You’re just using words to make someone feel included.”

Put that way, I added he/him to my email signature. If I am honest, there are times when I find using preferred genders awkward, but I that is my issue – my feelings have nothing to do with my audience. My job is to connect with people, whether they be a he, she, or them.

Gender identity and gender expression are on a spectrum, so from a communications perspective, we want to acknowledge and accept the differences so we can better understand how our message will be received and decoded.

Simply put, including pronouns in your email signature and social media profiles improves your communications.

For more information on using appropriate gender terminology, check out the Government of Canada’s Inclusionary – a dictionary of gender-inclusive words and phrases. It was designed to provide writers, editors and translators with a starting point for writing inclusively in English, in accordance with the techniques outlined in the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing.

Not everyone will agree with all the solutions provided in the Inclusionary. Some solutions may not apply in certain contexts. For example, the Inclusionary provides alternatives to gendered terms for family members.

Of course, these gendered terms (“mother,” “father,” etc.) are perfectly appropriate in many contexts and don’t need to be consistently avoided.

The gender-inclusive alternatives aren’t meant to be used in every context, but rather in those contexts where the gender of the person referred to is non-binary or is unknown. You must therefore exercise judgment in applying the proposed solutions.

https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/en/writing-tips-plus/inclusionary