Chairman Outreach

CHAIRMAN REACHING OUT

A Personal Message to Our Employees

At Amalgamated Security Services, our greatest strength has never been our buildings, vehicles, technology or equipment. It has always been our people.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of watching this organization grow from modest beginnings into a major Caribbean security and public safety organization. That journey has been possible because thousands of men and women have chosen to give ASSL their commitment, loyalty and hard work.

But behind every uniform, every position and every employee number is a person. A person with a family, responsibilities, ambitions and, at times, difficulties that others may not see.

There are occasions when an employee may be experiencing personal stress, family difficulties, financial pressures, workplace concerns or simply a situation in which he or she feels that no one is listening.

I do not want any member of the ASSL family to believe that there is nowhere to turn.

The Chairman’s Outreach exists to provide another avenue through which our employees can reach out when they genuinely need assistance, guidance or simply need someone within the organization to listen.

It is not intended to replace your supervisor, manager, Human Resources Department or the established procedures of the company. Those structures remain important. Rather, this is an additional line of communication for circumstances where you believe that reaching beyond the normal channels may help.

As Chairman and Founder, I have always believed that leadership carries a responsibility that extends beyond the boardroom. We cannot ask our people to protect others, safeguard businesses and communities, and represent ASSL with professionalism every day without also being prepared to listen when they themselves need support.

Wherever you work within the ASSL Group, you remain part of one organization and one family.

If there is a genuine concern and you feel you need to reach out, I want you to know that the door remains open.

We may not be able to solve every problem, but we can listen. We can understand. And where it is within our ability to assist, we will endeavor to do so.

That is what being part of ASSL should mean.

Dr. Michael Aboud (Hon.)
Executive Chairman and Founder
Amalgamated Security Services Limited

Wellness and Stress Related Online Resources

ACCESSING THE CHAT

ABOUT THE SERVICE

Confidential one-to-one chat with the Chairman
Real time chat technology
Short-term support for employees who are overwhelmed and difficulty coping with the current pandemic.

ONLINE RESOURCE FOR MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT

Click links below to undergo a free mental health assessment and guidelines on how to cope with stress and anxiety during COVID-19

Black Dog Institute Online Clinic: link
Camh Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic: link

STANDING WITH JAMAICA

A Message from the Executive Chairman

Jamaica knows perhaps better than most nations the tremendous power of nature and the courage required to recover when that power reaches our shores.

The experiences of Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa again demonstrated both the vulnerability of island nations to severe weather and, more importantly, the extraordinary resilience of the Jamaican people.

Homes and communities were affected. Families faced uncertainty and disruption. Businesses and essential services were challenged. Yet, once again, Jamaicans responded with determination, neighbor helping neighbor and communities coming together to rebuild and recover.

At ASSL, we believe that our responsibility to the countries in which we operate extends beyond the security services we provide.

When Jamaica and our employees were affected, our responsibility was to respond.

ASSL provided assistance including water, essential supplies and direct support to persons affected by the hurricanes. These were practical contributions intended to help our employees and members of the wider community through difficult circumstances.

We did not provide that assistance for recognition.

We did it because it was the right thing to do.

I was particularly proud of our employees who continued to perform their duties under extremely difficult circumstances. Security personnel are often among those who must remain at their posts while others are preparing their homes or caring for their families. That responsibility requires courage, discipline and sacrifice, and it should never be taken for granted.

To those employees and their families, I extend my personal appreciation.

The lessons of Beryl and Melissa must also strengthen our preparedness for the future.

Resilience is not simply about recovering after a hurricane. It is about preparing before one arrives. It means protecting our people, strengthening our emergency plans, maintaining reliable communications, safeguarding critical operations and ensuring that ASSL can continue supporting our customers and communities when normal systems are under pressure.

As our presence in Jamaica continues to grow, so too will our commitment to the country.

We cannot prevent the storms from coming, but we can prepare for them. We can stand together when they arrive. And when they pass, we can help each other rebuild.

That is resilience.

That is community.

And that is the commitment ASSL makes to Jamaica.

Dr. Michael Aboud (Hon.)
Executive Chairman and Founder
Amalgamated Security Services Limited

What is COVID-19?

Covid-19 is an infection caused by a coronavirus related to the common cold virus. Those affected by COVID-19 can exhibit symptoms ranging from mild to severe, similar to the cold and flu, such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing. They can also experience nausea and diarrhea. In some cases, those who have COVID-19 may show no symptoms.

Where can i get reliable and accurate information on COVID-19?

The World Health Organization
ASSL’s Websites [https://www.assl.com/, https://www.asslbarbados.com/, http://asslantigua.com/, https://www.asslguyana.com/, http://www.asslgrenada.com/,
https://asslstlucia.com/, https://asslstvincent.com/]
Your local public health unit.

How to deal with stress during COVID-19

Get support from team members: Develop a buddy system.

Monitor each other. Encourage each other to take care of oneself. Share opportunities for stress relief (rest, routine sleep, exercise and deep breathing).
Practice breathing and relaxation techniques.
Maintain a healthy diet and get adequate sleep and exercise.

All the issues you might need to address during this pandemic situation may feel overwhelming. It can be useful to identify which things are actually problems that need to be solved or addressed, and which are just worries that are not necessarily grounded in reality. Click here for some steps you can take to resolve issues that come up for you.

How do I talk to my children about COVID-19 and its impact?

This time may be very challenging for children and adolescents, some of whom might not understand the reasons for school closures and the cancellation of extracurricular activities. In addition, they are likely to be bombarded with information through social media and from their friends that can cause anxiety and alarm.

Young people may also sense the anxiety of their parents, and worry about their own health and that of other family members. For example, young children may not understand why they can no longer hug a grandparent.

Children need to be reassured in a way that is age appropriate. Click here for some tips on how to talk to your children and family.

Coping with stress - Remember that you are resilient and be careful with the "What ifs"

Our stress and anxiety generally cause us to focus on negatives and trigger “what if” questions, such as “How will I cope if I get sick?” or ” How will I manage if I have to self-isolate?” They can also drive us to think worst case scenarios.

In stressful situations, people often overestimate how bad the situation can get, but underestimate how well they will be able to cope. People are resilient and have coping skills they use everyday.

Think of difficult or challenging situations you have an encountered that you were able to manage. Even if things weren’t perfect, what did you do to cope with the situation?
Remind yourself that you can handle stress and that if you feel you need support, you can reach out to family, friends, colleagues or professionals.
Remember our collective resources
Try to replace catastrophic thoughts with something like, ” This is definitely a difficult time, but we will get through it together.”
Don’t underestimate what you are able to do when faced with challenges.

Quarantine and Isolation

Quarantine (separating well people who have been exposed to the virus, to see if they become ill) and self-isolation (separating people who have symptoms so that they can’t infect others, including clse family members) are sometimes needed to prevent the spread of a virus in a community including close family members. Click here for guide to self isolation which provides advice on how too proceed if you are in the situation.