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.

MICHELLE HAGERMAN
ANNA CAPPUCCITTI

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!

JENNIFER CARR
KIMBERLEY-ANN BENOIT
ORLANDO BLACK

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
CHRISTOPHER BROWN
K9 Specialist
JUZAN BROWN
Security Guard, Toronto Pan Am
NAVEEN CHANDRA JYOTHILINGAM
Concierge
AMINA OMAR
Crossing Guard
JASHANDEEP SINGH
Resource Planner

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 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.

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.

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 Humberto Pimentel, VP, Operations

My name is Humberto Pimentel and I’m the Vice President of Operations for ASP Security. As the Vice President, I plan to build relationships with our stakeholders and delegate operational efficiencies based on your strengths. I look forward to working closely with Dean and the entire ASP team on finding creative ways to deliver outstanding customer services, grow our business and reduce our spending so we can use our budget effectively. With the creative abilities and dedication of all whom I have met thus far, I can see us doing great work. One of the reasons I accepted this position is the welcoming company culture, which made me eager to join the team. I hope I get to meet all our employees in person over the next few weeks when I visit our clients. Prior to working with ASP Security, I held senior general management roles in the security and financial industries. My personal interests include listening to all genres of music and catching a live show when a great band is in town. I’m happy to share more about my role here at ASP Security, and want to learn how I can best support you.


Sarah Jessop, Human Resources Business Partner

The following new hires joined our head office in Q2 and Q3 of 2022. Please join us in welcoming them to the ASP family!

Sarah McCutcheon – Real-Time Resource Agent

Sarah McCutcheon joined ASP’s Resource Planning team as a Real-Time Resource Agent on April 5, 2022. Sarah is experienced in workforce management and analytics, having previously worked with several well-known organizations in both Ontario, Canada and Edinburgh, Scotland. ASP is thrilled that Sarah chose to bring her customer service and analytical skills to our organization.

Antoniette Freeman – HR Business Partner

We are happy to announce that Antoniette Freeman joined our Residential/ Commercial division in the role of HR Business Partner on May 9, 2022.

Antoniette leads the Residential/Commercial division HR team and provides professional and administrative support to the Human Resource Department, along with HR advisory services to department managers and all employees.

Antoniette is a HR Management Diploma holder from Sheridan College and is currently pursuing a course on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from George Brown College. She has over five years of rich, progressive Human Resources experience in the unionized retail and industrial products and services industry.

Lucy Nguyen – Front Office Coordinator

Having joined ASP as our Front Office Coordinator on May 30, 2022, Lucy is the friendly face that will greet you when you enter our North York Office. She plays a key role in ensuring that our operations run efficiently, and she supports our team with administrative expertise.

Lucy holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Global Management Studies, with a Minor in HR Management from Ryerson University.

Balqisa Mohamed – HR Administrator

If you currently work for ASP at Pearson Airport, you may have seen Balqisa in the office or walking the floor. Balqisa joined our HR Department as our HR Administrator at Pearson on June 6, 2022, and she is the first HR point of contact for our frontline employees at this location. Her friendly and approachable demeanor is well-suited to her position. Balqisa holds a Bachelor of Human Resources Management from York University and has previous experience in Security, Recruitment, and HR.

Humberto Pimentel – VP of Operations

We are pleased to announce that Humberto Pimentel joined us as VP of Operations on July 11, 2022. Humberto has over 25 years of management and operations experience in multiple sectors of the security industry. He is proficient at managing client SLAs and KPIs as well as leading and coaching the teams responsible for the management of service contracts. Humberto is responsible for executing on strategic plans and improving the fiscal performance of teams across ASP. We look forward to his support in recruitment, labour management, client retention, increasing share of wallet, and developing new business opportunities.

Most recently, Humberto was VP of Operations at Logixx Security where he focused on mentoring Operations Managers, improving recruitment, and managing the resolution of escalated issues. He has experience in implementing overtime accountability to reduce labour costs and developing LEAN SOPs to reduce operational costs.

Humberto has Operations Management & Business Foundations Certifications from the Project Management Institute. He is a Certified Process Manager (York University Schulich School of Business) and has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management.

Michael Smith

Our Human Resources team is happy to announce that Michael Smith joined ASP on July 4, 2022, as an Onboarding Specialist. In his role, Michael is responsible for ensuring that our aviation new hires are seamlessly welcomed into our organization.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Human Resources Management from York University and has previous experience in recruitment and administration. His knowledge and skills, along with his positive attitude, are very well suited to the Onboarding Specialist position.

Jashandeep Singh

ASP had the pleasure of welcoming Jashandeep Singh to our Resource Planning team as a Real-Time Resource Agent on July 17, 2022. Jashandeep is both an experienced security professional and scheduler, having worked for another well-known security company previously. Impressively, Jashandeep can speak three languages – English, Punjabi, and Hindi. This is just one of the many skills Jashandeep brings to his position as Real-Time Resource Agent.

Shanti Froud

On July 20, 2022, Shanti Froud joined ASP’s Resource Planning team as a Real-Time Resource Agent. Shanti is incredibly knowledgeable about our industry, as she has a Diploma from Humber College in Protection, Security, and Investigation.

Shanti has dynamic experience in customer service, having worked in media, retail, and technology. We are
pleased she chose to join our fantastic team here at ASP.

Meredith Dougherty

Meredith Dougherty joined our Resource Planning team on August 17, 2022, as a Real-Time Resource Agent. She has an outgoing and pleasant demeanor and brings great energy and enthusiasm to her role.

Meredith is experienced in dispatch, scheduling, customer service, and administration. She is no stranger to taking on a challenge, having previously been responsible for scheduling Personal Support Workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have every confidence that Meredith will make a great addition to our team.

Rob Alidina


We would like to share with you all the appointment of Rob Alidina to the ASP/ ICTS family. As of August 29, 2022, Rob joined us in the capacity of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and holds all accompanying responsibilities with a specific focus on immediate, short- and long-term fiscal guidance and planning, acquisitions, monetization of proprietary technologies, and finance.

Rob Alidina is an accomplished strategic finance executive with extensive financial and operational experience in a multitude of industries including telecommunications, industrial and consumer goods, retail, and pharmaceuticals. In addition, he has been exposed to ownership structures that include large and small-cap publicly traded organizations (including multinationals domiciled in the United States), along with privately-owned firms. His diverse skills transverse across the finance and accounting realm that span financial reporting, planning and analysis, audit, treasury and risk management, supply chain and operational finance, capital budgeting, as well as tax planning. His passion and business acumen has translated in sustainable profitable growth in various organizations including manufacturing, serviced based industries, as well as the wholesale and distribution segments of the markets. Rob’s leadership skills have allowed for the opportunity to facilitate strategy and business transformation, change management, and ensured finance is a valued business partner to the business’s he’s operated.

Rob has held senior finance roles and his advancement led to being a Chief Financial Officer at two division at United Technologies including Carrier as well as Chubb Fire and Security. His most recent role was the CFO for Olon Industries. Rob graduated from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in accounting and a minor in finance. He subsequently completed his Master of Business Administration from McGill University in finance and international business with honors. In addition, Rob holds his professional license from the order of the Certified Professional Accountant of Canada.


By Petra Nash, Executive Assistant

On Monday June 6th, ASP Security Services and Airfield Access had the privilege of hosting their annual client appreciation golf tournament at Piper’s Heath Golf Course. With our clients and managers together, we were able to raise $810.00 for the Not in Our City Charity.

Congratulations to Geoff Hebert, Sean Gallagher, and Aimee Spink on their auction item wins!

The day was filled with great weather, fantastic food, and most importantly, our amazing clients.

We thank you for the work you do, and we sincerely appreciate each one of our clients. Thank you for your continued support of ASP and AAI. We are already looking forward to next year’s event!


By Jason White, Manager, Strategic Initiatives

For many people, public speaking instills a dreaded, irrational fear. Just the thought of it makes their blood pressure rise. But public speaking is no different than playing an instrument at a concert. If we didn’t know how play it and hadn’t practiced the music, it would be a disaster. So, when people tell me they have a fear of public speaking, I always ask – have you practiced?

My first time in front of an audience, I was on panel discussion. It was a blistering hot day in July, and it felt like it was 50 degrees Celsius backstage. I peeked out, and the room was packed. I felt very, very unprepared, and I was a trembling, nervous mess. To make matters worse, I had sweat stains under my arms – super embarrassing, right? I survived the experience but vowed to never be unprepared again.

After thinking about the event, my main take away was the need to practice. I started telling personal stories in front of my friends as if I was speaking in public and asked for their feedback, which I took in stride. I also embraced my nervousness and accepted my speaking cadence. While I’m never going to be a professional speaker, I can get up in front of a room and that is ok. I’m also never going to play in an orchestra. So set realistic expectations.

In terms of what to say while speaking in the public, I am a big believer in positive body language and being polite, even if am disagreeing with someone when on a panel. A lot of public speaking is about understanding your audience, reacting to the audience, and being confident.

Avoid looking at your notes and make eye contact with as many people in the audience as possible. Looking at the folks in the back of the room helps to project your voice. Most importantly, being friendly and positive helps create a connection with the audience and gives an air of confidence.

I also like to include personal anecdotes because I know the stories inside out. Before going on stage, I always write a couple of words in my notes to remind me of different stories I could tell, depending on the how the audience is reacting. An amusing story or two can be extremely helpful when you see the audience starting to get restless and a little pizzaz is needed to reaffirm the connection.

Finally, expect the unexpected. For my second public speaking event, the room was super air conditioned, and I was freezing. It felt like I walked out on to the stage as stiff as a board because I was so cold. But I did way better than the first time.


By Debbie Ciccotelli, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives

We have all heard the old saying “change is the only constant in life” and we know that to be resilient, both personally and professionally, we have to face change head on and get to the other side.

The world rarely stands still. Change blows through our lives, sometimes like a breeze, sometimes like wind and most recently like a storm.

Covid-19, and its “variants” turned our lives upside down and as we begin recovery, we are now facing organizational change as we experience role adjustments and leadership and contract change. Many of us have also experienced significant change in our personal lives, such as loss of a loved one, marriage, divorce, promotion, childbirth, health, or financial issues, etc.

We are often uncertain as to whether the changes in our work or personal life will be for the better. The harsh reality that we all must face is that change will never end until we experience that final life-ending change, and even then, life will go on without us.

Change can be challenging for everyone to one degree or another, but just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean it’s bad. Here are some tips to help you better navigate change and adapt with ease.

Accept the Change

Understand that change is a natural part of life, both in and outside of the workplace. By learning to accept that change is a natural occurrence, we can more quickly adapt when it happens. Remind yourself that many of the best opportunities in life show up when we are open to change.

Stay Positive

A positive attitude is essential. Maintaining the ability to view a potential change with a positive attitude is integral to your ability to adjust rapidly. Focus on what could be made possible because of this change.

Get a Fresh Perspective

Getting an outside perspective from friends or family members outside of your home or workplace can have a powerful effect on how quickly you adapt. These conversations can help you realize how rapidly other workplaces change as well. They may be able to be offer advice on how to better cope with the changing environment.

Focus on What You Can Control

When you’re in the midst of a change, the feeling of having no control can often emerge. This sense of powerlessness can set the mind reeling on an emotional downward spiral. But in reality, even in the direst situations, we have some degree of control. The important thing is to try to focus on the things that you can control. This shift in mindset, away from what you can’t control, can leave you feeling happier and more fulfilled.

Practice Good Self-Care

The anxiety and stressors that often surround change can have a direct impact on our bodies and emotional state. Our mental well-being can suffer. That’s why it’s essential to get adequate sleep, exercise regularly, and eat a healthy diet. Attending to your physical well-being is more important than ever. A well-rested and balanced body can better handle the roller coaster of ups and downs that come with change and subsequent transitions.

Set New Goals

Setting a new goal can help to renew your purpose and give you the clarity of focus. It can bring a new mindset shift that directs your energy and propels you forward. Instead of worrying about the change, you can focus on the actions that will move you towards your goal. As you advance toward a new beginning, take stock of what you need to accomplish those goals and identify opportunities that will help you move forward. This can have a powerful impact on your energy and state of mind.

Stay Connected to Coworkers

To maintain your productivity and workplace success, it’s important to stay connected to coworkers as your work environment is evolving. Speaking with coworkers regularly can help you stay plugged in to what’s happening around you.

Become good at asking questions, because the more you know about what is going on in your current workplace, the more confident you will feel. Talking to others can help you maintain your positivity, boost your spirits and increase your energy.

Support Others

Sometimes the best antidote to change-related worry is to stop focusing on yourself and start helping others. Ask yourself: How can I best support a family member, friend or co-worker who is feeling anxious about a change in their life or work?

Answering this question and taking action can help soften the edge of your own change issues while providing greater purpose and meaning to your life.

Learn to Love to Learn

Technology is always changing! It seems you just become accustomed to one procedure, and you must suddenly adapt to a new one. New policies are also being established every day. And let’s not forget the new government regulations that often make our jobs harder. Adapting to change is critical to success.

Achievement-oriented people know that to be able to excel in all they do, and live their lives to full potential, continuous learning must be a lifelong process.

Learning new skills should be constant, no matter how much experience you may have and no matter how old you may be. Focus on the sense of accomplishment you feel when you have learned any new skills or gained knowledge on any topic.

See the Opportunity

With every change comes great opportunity. It may not feel that way at first, but people who can maintain their composure during times of transformation can often find new avenues for growth and advancement. Look for areas where you can gain skills while at the same time strive to understand the new playing field that’s emerging.

Be Patient

Finally, be patient with yourself and others. Adapting to change does not occur overnight. Keep a positive attitude and focus on the benefits and new opportunities change can bring. If it’s a change in your personal life, view adapting to it as a challenge. Just be sure to expect a few bumps in the road along the way. When you experience stages of resistance and uncertainty but are then able to assimilate change and finally conquer it, you will experience an enormous sense of accomplishment, and your self-esteem will be increased.

“The only way to make sense out
of change is to plunge into it, move
with it, and join the dance.”
ALAN WILSON WATTS

Adapting to change can take time and patience. We must accept that change is happening; hone strategies for dealing with the unknown; and then shift our behavior to accommodate new situations and challenges.

It helps to have cornerstone beliefs and cornerstone friends and family members to ground us during periods of especially drastic change, but one of the major strategies for adapting to change personally is simply realizing that you can’t avoid it and understanding that you will get through it. You may even find that new and exciting opportunities show up for you when you learn to accept and embrace change.


By Laurel Woodhouse, Health and Safety Manager

What is Considered Workplace Harassment?

Workplace Harassment includes:

  • Verbally abusive behaviour
  • Yelling, insults, ridicule, name calling, and/or jokes/ remarks that demean, intimidate, or offend
  • Workplace pranks, vandalism, bullying and/or hazing
  • Gossiping or spreading malicious rumours
  • Bullying
  • Displaying or circulating offensive pictures or materials in print or electronic form
  • Repeating offensive or intimidating phone calls or inappropriate advances, suggestions or requests
  • Providing only demeaning or trivial tasks in place of normal job duties
  • Undermining a worker’s efforts by setting impossible goals, with short deadlines and deliberately withholding information that would enable a person to do their job
  • Sabotaging someone else’s work

What is NOT Considered Workplace Harassment?

Reasonable action or conduct by an employer, manager or supervisor that is part of his or her normal work function would not normally be considered workplace harassment.

Examples include:

  • Changes in work assignment or schedule
  • Measures to correct performance deficiencies
  • Imposing discipline for workplace infractions
  • Requesting medical documents in support of an absence from work
  • Enforcement of dress code
  • Difference of opinion or minor disagreements between co-workers would also not generally be considered workplace harassment

How to Report?

Reporting How to Bring Forward Concerns/Complaints under this Policy

  • Employees can contact a Manager, Supervisor, Lead, Site Supervisor, Patrol Supervisor, or Human Resources representative
  • If the employee’s complaint is against their own supervisor or manager, then they may escalate their complaint directly to Human Resources
  • This procedure applies even where employees believe that someone not employed by ASP is in violation of this policy

Reporting Concerns and/or Complaints

A claim of a breach of this Policy may be made by an employee in writing or verbally.

Management to Notify Human Resources through ASP’s incident reporting system (i-sight) If a manager receives a complaint or becomes aware that a person in the workplace may have acted contrary to this Policy, the manager must promptly report the complaint or incident to Human Resources.

Note: If the allegations are against Human Resources, the manager can escalate the complaint as appropriate (i.e., report to the department head).

Investigation

  1. Any reported allegations of harassment, violence, discrimination, or reprisal will be investigated fairly, promptly, thoroughly, and impartially by the Human Resources department or another appropriate party.
  2. The investigator will interview the complainant, the respondent, all potential witnesses (where possible) and any other individual who the investigator deems to be relevant to the complaint.
  3. Upon completion of the investigation, the complainant and respondent will be informed of the results of the investigation.
  4. If the complaint is substantiated, persons found to have engaged in a violation of this Policy will be issued appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment for cause.
  5. If the investigation reveals that an individual has brought a concern forward in bad faith, the individual may be subject to discipline, up to and including dismissal for cause.

Confidentiality
All records of the investigation will be kept confidential. The investigation documents, including this report should not be disclosed unless necessary to investigate an incident or complaint of workplace harassment or violence, take corrective action or otherwise as required by law.