1. Written by STIENBERG TAN GEOK YONG | Assignment 1 | March 9, 2016
Organizational Psychology
ASSIGNMENT PART 1

2. PAGE 1
The benefits of employing effective communication strategies within organizations
for Pico Guards Pte Ltd.
An Introduction to Pico Guards
PICO Guards Pte Ltd was incorporated in 1995 and quickly gained success by providing
reliable quality security services to a variety of industries through custom-designed
security strategies, expertly trained Protection Officers and excellent customer service.
We serve the commercial, higher education, retail and residential security markets.
PICO Guards is ISO 9001 (DNV, UAKS) certified and graded “A” by the Police
Licensing and Regulatory Department (PLRD) of the Singapore Police Force. Our list of
clientele includes Marina Bay Financial Centre, VivoCity, Harbourfront Centre, Pfizer
Asia Pacific, Chinatown Point and Nanyang Polytechnic.
Our team of 500 Protection Officers and Supervisors, deployed at over 60 different sites,
are poised to help our clients island-wide.
We will continue to grow and expand our business by maintaining our niche as a leader
in bringing value to clients as their preferred total security solutions partner.
Five core values resonate strongly at PICO Guards:
S Safety: We are dedicated to the development and maintenance of all your security
requirements by providing a full range of security services across many market segments.
E Expertise: We develop and demonstrate our expertise through our leading-edge
approach to creating and delivering the right solution for each client.
C Customer Focus: We take the time to understand each and every client so that we can
tailor a security solution that can meet his or her ongoing needs and expectations.
U Uncompromising. In the security business, standards are non-negotiable and we deliver
the highest level of service to our customers.
R Response: Our officers have the backup of our 24-hour command center where no
concern will go unattended. Everyone, even our management team, is accessible 24/7.
E Exemplary officers: We only employ Protection Officers who have passed rigorous
pre-employment a screening process as we believe in providing the best personnel
available. Our well-trained, experienced and loyal officers are dedicated to providing the
best service for your property or asset.

3. PAGE 2
Problems Facing Pico Guards is how can we improve communications structure and
policy without any compromise to clients and stakeholder’s loss of time and employee
morale?
To resolve this, we need to carefully study and observe the diversity at the workplace in
the entire corporate culture, what is the demographic of the employees are coming from?
What is the common language and countries of the combined ratio against domestic
Singapore citizen? Are there barriers that they are trying to understand from each other
including the top management downwards? Can they understand published materials both
visually and in print and the ability to carry out instructions and perform efficiently? Do
they understand the compensation program that the company has established and are they
satisfied with? What more can be done to increase productivity and still feel rewarded?
Why is there a need to understand the issues the employees facing at workplace and what
are the benefits that Pico Guards would generate?
Firstly, the root of the problem is to understand Diversity at Workplace, and why the
need to managed Diversity?
Secondly, How do Pico Guards able to managed Diversity?
What are the benefits if it is managed properly in Diversity Management?
Characteristics of having an inclusive environment happens when there is differences
along all cultural dimensions are recognized and valued, multiplicities of ways in which
people learn, know and communicate are respected. Progress and change are also seen in
a positive light along with having open and honest discussion between co-workers are
strongly encouraged. Unwritten rules of the community are clearly understood and
flexibility is demonstrated to accommodate differing needs and preferences.
The present situation of communication between Pico Guards Pte Ltd Management and
Pico Employees has been systematically very poor and unstructured. Employees do not
know the policies well because it was not explain clearly and Pico Guards failed to make
visits to communicate and understand the employee’s needs.
How can an organization expect to attract results when there is low morale and high
turnover?

4. PAGE 3
To resolve this ever changing needs effective communication, we now examine policies
and procedures of Pico Guards Pte Ltd and how to enhance communication within
organizations. And within Singapore context, outline legislation relevant to
communication within organizations.
Benefits of an Inclusive environment in communication at Pico Guards –
Effective and Inclusive workplace practices and polices relate directly to key metrics
important to overall organizational success. The benefits that follows will be increased
growth in the employee and profits. It will see improved workforce quality when this
happens employees can rely on each other to provide expertise and guidance when they
encounter a difficult problem. All employees on a team benefit when the group easily
meets goals and objectives because each member of the team is skilled and experienced.
Decreased turnover will be expected when there is a strong diversity program in place.
This limiting turnover is a good sign and helps the company by reducing training and
other costs, it also have a direct impact on employees. High turnover means that
employee are constantly training or assisting new hires, reducing time available to spend
on their own tasks. Increase staff retention ensures that employees have adequate time to
focus on their own duties.
Increase Flexibility for Employees who make up the diverse workforce practice a variety
of religions. Although company probably can’t schedule a company holiday for every
religious holiday, it might offer flexible work schedules or an increased number of
personal days to accommodate the needs of all employees, regardless of their ethnicities
or religion’s. The company also might be more open to permitting other types of flexible
work arrangements, such as working from home or work sharing, particularly if the staff
includes working parents.

5. PAGE 4
Methods to promote an Inclusive work environment
In Order Pico Guards to established Inclusive work environment, it needs methods and
steps of know how.
And here’s how I wish to present the following –
Establishing a sense if group identity that respects, recognizes and learns from each other
which consists of an inclusive environment that is characterized by all employee’s
feelings as if they belong, are valued, and their ideas and efforts are appreciated. A
published material with a distributed list of ethnic and or religious holidays and meanings
of associated customs. Ask you staff what would make the environment more conductive
to diversity. Set a vision, and explain the reasons why inclusion is important. Speck out if
necessary and hold the organization accountable; it is also on a learning curve and needs
constructive feedback.
Conducting sharing sessions to build awareness of diversity among team members, by
these various means of Meet on a monthly or quarterly basis with other leaders from the
same or a different department or project sites to discuss ideas for promoting and
addressing diversity issues. In meetings, tie discussions about productivity, reducing cost
and waste with ways that relationships can help to improve these items. Provide
information about training opportunities for your staff to learn about different cultures
and help organize affinity groups within your departments. An Affinity group is made up
of people who come together because of similar backgrounds or concerns to discuss their
issues openly.
Role-Modeling and embracing diversity, this give an opportunity for an inclusive
environment that is created not only by what we say, but also by what we do. Keep your
door open to your staff concept is good, hold your direct reports accountable, Be a
learning partner for them as well as all leaders. Champion the change effort, Be an active
advocate for change person or even Demonstrate that “None of Us is as smart as all of
us.”
Incorporating team building opportunities into work schedule for example bento Japanese
or Singaporean lunch for discussing or presenting diversity issues. Provide each staff
person with a task that creates an environment conductive to diversity for example
establish a buddy system between new employees and diverse employees. Organized a
diversity barbecue or buffet events to allow people to socialize and reflect on each other’s
cultural heritage. Providing opportunities for stuff to attend cultural events also will
enhance their understanding and morale that others too share the same vision. Pico
Guards Pte. Ltd should also consider sponsoring community events that support the
health of the community. (Martin I Kurke, pg 33, July 1st 1995)

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Learning about team members backgrounds and sharing different experiences with them
also re-established a close connection and bonding, Pico Guards Pte Ltd Senior and
Middle management can do so by having lunch with different people, trying eating lunch
with people that are not your “regulars.” Learning about your team members and
employees backgrounds and share your own. Be a learner, be willing to challenge
yourself and grow, be inquisitive and seek a range of perspectives.
The benefits of team working to individuals and organizations with Pico Guards Pte Ltd.
What is the definition of a team? A team is a group of people with full set of
complementary skills required to complete the tasks, job or project. Team members
operate with a high degree of interdependence, share authority and responsibilities for
self-management, are accountable for the collective performance and works toward a
common goal and shared rewards(s). A team becomes more than just a collection of
people when a strong sense of mutual commitment creates synergy which generates
greater than the sum of performance of it individual members.
It is once quote “Group or team cohesion is the total field of forces causing members to
remain in the group” (Festinger,Schacher & Back , 1950 p.164)
Team cohesion is the ability of a team to stick together during a project or an exercise.
When you have a high level of team cohesion outstanding events can take place. This
team cohesion or team work which is define is generalized includes groups like sports
teams, work groups and police to name a few. In addition to task commitment and
interpersonal attraction, group pride can be included like the ideologies that the group
supports and share the feelings that being a member of the group is important.
Team cohesion goes marry hand in hand with team bonding, team cohesion is what keeps
any group or team together after the team bonding exercise is completed. Team cohesion
is about maintaining the team bonding effect and preventing group fragmentation. Any
good team bonding activities should include common goals and purpose to ensure team
cohesion is in place in the future, when there is a common goal, there will be team
cohesion. This is evident in extreme cases such as war, with a common enemy people
team together and the cohesion is strengthened by the common goal.

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The Results of High Cohesiveness leads to Higher Productivity – Pico Guards Pte Ltd
Senior and Middle Management must realize what definition of Festinger, Schachter and
Back , 1950, page 164 meant is cohesiveness is the attraction of the group as ‘We’ll
always stick together,” “We feel comfortable together”, and “We are a perfect match”.
These phrases are characteristic of regular cohesiveness.
The Advantages of diversified teams are created based on a need to carry out the project,
meet deadline or provide a service which in this case customer service for Pico Guards
Employees in real time at different sites that require different requirements. It is a need
which will help to brainstorm as a group effectively.
There are many advantages to creating diversified teams that focus on a common goal a
and works towards universal solution. Different backgrounds and cultures provides a
diversity of greater variety of perspectives and ideas which can lead to more creative
solutions. “Workplace diversity now focuses on inclusion and the impact on the bottom
line. Leveraging workplace diversity is a vital strategic resource for competitive
advantage.
This is why Managers in my recommendation play an essential role in developing and
leading teams.
Understanding the root of the team formation, as seen through the progression of stages is
an important element in maintaining cohesive relationships within the work place is often
the key and important to company’s success. So the secret to great cohesion and increase
productivity is the group as a whole, as team members must find a common ground.
(Hans Toch, pg 47, Sept 28, 2004)

8. PAGE 7
How is the Group is form to become a cohesion force and productive?
The first stage is called forming which the members learn about each other and the task at
hand, Indicators at this stage might include unclear objectives, limited involvement,
uncommitted members, confusion, low morale, hidden feelings, poor listening, etc and
then followed by Storming which is the second stage when team members continue work
and they engage each other in arguments about structure of the group, these arguments is
significantly emotional and it illustrate a struggle for statues in the group. Activities that
mark the storming phase are lack cohesion, subjectivity, hidden agendas, conflicts,
confrontation, volatility, resentment, anger, inconsistency and failure. After which the
third phase is called norming which team members establish implicit or explicit rules
about how they will achieve their goal. They address the types of communication that
will or will not help with the task. Indicators will include: questioning performance,
reviewing/clarify objective, changing/confirming roles, opening risky issues,
assertiveness, listening, testing new ground, and identifying strengths and weaknesses.
Regular calibration or trouble shooting is importance to the synergy of the team cohesion.
And finally in this final stage – Performing, teams reach a conclusion and implement the
solution to their issue. Group/Team cohesiveness is developed, these indicators will
include creativity, initiative, flexibility, open relationships, pride, concern for people,
learning confidence, high morale, success to name a few.
However, the most important factor in constructing team cohesion within a workplace in
the security line especially for Pico Guards Pte Ltd is TRUST. This is because every
employee possess their own values and beliefs, it takes time to develop relationships with
other workers, and once trust is established, an employee is better able to focus on their
individual tasks and trust that other employees abide by similar standards. Trusts permits
employees to share advice within their cohort when finding themselves in an unfamiliar
situation. Trust enhances connectedness among co-workers and serves to promote group
cohesion. (Robert F. Hurley pg 29, October 25th 2011)

9. PAGE 8
Implementation
How do Pico Guards Pte Ltd Managers can establish rapport to develop trust and respect
between team members.
Here are the questions: Do people trust you, the Operations Manager?, Do you trust the
people working with you on the team?
Here are the recommendations you can use and build and maintain trust, respect and
rapport with the team.
Support mutual concern and camaraderie, this a leader / manager can do to make the
work environment a positive one and to facilitate a feeling of cooperation, teamwork and
joy among the team, This unity will help your team members feel valued and that they
belong. As the result they will want to be at work, tardiness and absenteeism will be
minimal, your team will function smoothly and your unit will be better able to carry out
missions and goals of your organization and your client. True leaders have an uncanny
snese about how and when to express their inner selves. They will even reveal their own
vulnerabilities at the right time to gain the respect to those around them. They are not so
concern about projecting a perfect image: they know that high impact leaders get results
by laughing at their own flaws. They don’t play make believe, knowing its more
important to be than to seem to be.
This same behaviour can also be encouraged with the team members.
Affirm respect for individual behaviours and differences, facilitate team building
activities to develop a strong team identity, arrange for job rotation for team members to
better appreciate others work process, encourage mutual acceptance among team
members and finally foster a culture of transparency in the organisation to encourage
openness to share among team members.

10. PAGE 9
All Security Personal are govern by the local laws in Singapore in regards how work is
conducted and communication within the employment as well as with the external parties
(client) Which is attached below found at the following reference :
Private Security Act Chapter 250A – Date 3rd January 2016, under part 2 Private
Investigators and Private Investigation Actvities. http://statutes.agc.gov.sg
Approvals required for security assignments
11.
—(1) A person (whether or not a licensed private investigation agency) shall not —
(a)
accept any engagement to supply the services of a private investigator, or a licensed private
investigator employed by the person; or
(b)
deploy any licensed private investigator employed by the person,
to carry out any security assignment referred to in subsection (2) except with the prior
written approval of the licensing officer.
(2) In this section, “security assignment” means —
(a)
any engagement by a government of any country other than Singapore, or of an agency of
such government, for the services of a private investigator;
(b)
any activity which involves the gathering of information on or surveillance of any
individual who is —
(i)
a political figure;
(ii)
the representative in Singapore of the government of another country or territory other than
an honorary representative;
(iii)
a consul or trade commissioner of another country or territory other than an honorary
consul or trade commissioner;
(iv)
a member of the official staff of a foreign diplomatic mission or foreign consulate in
Singapore; or
(v)
a member of the family of a person covered by sub-paragraph (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), where
the family member is part of the person’s household;
(c)

11. PAGE 10
any activity which involves the gathering of information on or surveillance of any of the
following premises in Singapore or part thereof or any person residing or working therein:
(i)
any protected area or protected place within the meaning of the Protected Areas and
Protected Places Act (Cap. 256);
(ii)
any foreign diplomatic mission or foreign consulate in Singapore;
(iii)
any building or part of a building that is owned or occupied by or on behalf of the
Government;
(iv)
any authorised point of entry or authorised point of departure within the meaning of the
Immigration Act (Cap. 133);
(v)
any private school which does not receive a grant from the Government and provides full-
time primary, secondary or pre-tertiary education or all to pupils most of whom are neither
citizens nor permanent residents of Singapore, and includes any hostel, dormitory or other
rooms or premises provided for the housing or lodging of some or all of the pupils of that
school out of school hours, whether or not the hostels, dormitories or other rooms or
premises are in or part of the same building or group of buildings as the classrooms; or
(vi)
any other premises which are declared by the Minister, by order published in the Gazette,
to be premises for the purposes of this section; or
(d)
any other activity which the Minister may prescribe being an activity which is not in the
public interest or may pose a threat to national security if carried out by any licensed private
investigator or licensed private investigation agency.
(3) A licensed private investigator shall not perform any security assignment where he
knows or ought reasonably to know that no prior approval as required by subsection (1)
has been obtained from the licensing officer to do so.
(4) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence and
shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term
not exceeding 2 years or to both.
(5) It shall be a defence if a person charged with an offence of contravening
subsection (1) in relation to a security assignment concerning any individual referred to in
subsection (2)(b), proves that the person did not know, and could not reasonably be
expected to have known, that the individual is an individual referred to in subsection (2)(b).
(6) An application for approval under subsection (1) shall —
(a)

12. PAGE 11
be made to the licensing officer in such form or manner as the licensing officer may require;
and
(b)
be accompanied by —
(i)
such particulars, information and documents as the licensing officer may require; and
(ii)
the prescribed fee, if any.
(7) At the request of the licensing officer, the applicant shall provide any further
information or evidence as the licensing officer may require to decide the application.
(8) Upon receipt of an application for approval under subsection (1), the licensing
officer may —
(a)
grant the approval, with or without conditions; or
(b)
refuse approval.
(9) A person who has obtained an approval from the licensing officer shall immediately
inform the licensing officer of any change in any information supplied to the licensing
officer for the purpose of obtaining the approval.
(10) The licensing officer may extend any validity period specified in an approval upon
an application by the person to whom the approval is granted.
(11) The licensing officer may, at any time, revoke any approval that has been granted
under subsection (1) in respect of a security assignment that is specified in the approval, if
the licensing officer —
(a)
is of the view that due to any change in the circumstances after granting the approval, the
continued provision of the services of a private investigator in connection with that security
assignment is not in the public interest or may pose a threat to national security; or
(b)
is satisfied that any condition imposed by him in granting that approval has not been
complied with.
(12) If the licensing officer revokes any approval that has been granted in respect of a
security assignment, and the person to whom the approval had been granted continues —
(a)
to supply the services of a private investigator, or a licensed private investigator employed
by the person; or
(b)
to deploy any licensed private investigator employed by the person,

13. PAGE 12
to carry out that security assignment, that person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be
liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding 2 years or to both.
Duty to keeprecords
12.
—(1) A licensed private investigation agency shall —
(a)
in relation to each occasion on which the licensed private investigation agency is engaged
to provide the services of licensed private investigators the licensed private investigation
agency employs, keep a record of the following information:
(i)
the name and address of the person engaging those services;
(ii)
the date on which the services are provided;
(iii)
details of the services provided; and
(iv)
such other particulars as may be prescribed; and
(b)
retain every such record for a period of not less than 5 years from the date of the occasion
to which the record relates.
(2) Every employer of a licensed private investigator who is not a licensed private
investigation agency shall —
(a)
retain a record of every assignment handled by the private investigator while in his
employment, which shall include —
(i)
the name and particulars of any person investigated;
(ii)
all actions taken by the private investigator on each assignment; and
(iii)
such other particulars as may be prescribed; and
(b)
keep such records for a period of not less than 5 years from the date of commencement of
the assignment to which the record relates.
(3) Every person required under this section to keep records shall furnish to the
licensing officer such records at such time and in such format and through such medium
(whether electronic or otherwise) as the licensing officer may require.

14. PAGE 13
(4) Any person who contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence
and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a
term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
(5) If a person who is required under this section to keep or submit records —
(a)
makes a record that —
(i)
is false or misleading; or
(ii)
omits any matter or thing without which the record is misleading;
(b)
knows that the record is as described in paragraph (a); and
(c)
furnishes the record to the licensing officer following a requirement made under
subsection (3),
the person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
(6) Subsection (5) shall not apply —
(a)
if the record is not false or misleading in a material particular; or
(b)
if the record did not omit any matter or thing without which the record is misleading in a
material particular.
My final conclusion, is that all security personal will be given regular updates by the
Chief Security on the latest new laws and courses that employee need to be trained and
upgraded to keep in relevant to the current situation. A published SOP, standard
operation procedures will be made available through the mobile app as well as website
for all members to access and update currently.
All records can be taken down and process by mobile devices. Failure to comply with
these recommendations to Pico Guards Pte Ltd will result further exposure to low morale,
high turnover and undesired behavior such as fights among the employees. The
Management needs to change their outlook for the present so that it can save the future of
the company and the employees who are the asset for profitability.

15. PAGE 14
References
Stress in Policing by Han Toch, 1st November 2002 – ISBN 978-1591-470076
Policing Critical Incidents by Laurence Alison and Jonathan Crego, Feb 3rd, 2008 – ISBN
978-184-3922-797
Enhancing Human Performance in Security Opersations: International and Law
Enforcement Perspective by Paul T. Bartone, Bjon Helge Jonsen, Jarle Eid, John M
Violanti and Jon Christian Laberg, October 26th 2010. ISBN – 973-039-857-9529
Bullish on Uncertainty: How Organizational Cultures transform participants by
Alexandra Michel and Stanton Wortham, November 10, 2008 – ISBN 978-0521-690195
Police as Problem Solvers: How Frontline Workers can promote Organizational and
Community Change by Hans Toch and J Douglas Grant, September 28th 2004 , ISBN
978-1591-471509
The Decision to Trust: How Leaders Create High Trust Organizations by Robert F.
Hurley, October 25th 2011, ISBN 978-111807-2646
Working with Traumatized Police Officer Patients: A Clinician Guide to Complex Ptsd
Syndromes in Public Safety Professionals by Daniel C. Rudofossi, June 20th 2007, ISBN
978-0895-003659
Women and Men Police Officers: Status, Gender, and Personality by Gwendolyn L.
Gerber, June 30 2001, ISBN 978-0275-9674-99
Organizational Behavior 3: Historical Origins, Theoretical Foundations and the Future by
John B. Miner, March 2nd 2006, ASIN B00ZG955S2
Work and Quality of Life: Ethical Practices in Organizations by Nora P. Reilly and
Joseph Sirgy, May 31 2012, ISBN 978-94007-40587
Group Dynamics in Recreation and Leisure: Creating Conscious Groups through an
Experiential Approach by Timothy O Connell and Brent Cuthbertson, August 29th 2008,
ISBN 978-0736-062879
Contemporary Police Organization and Management: Issues and Trends by William G.
Doerner and M.L Dantzker, August 27th 1999, ISBN 978-0750-6713-78
The Will to Survive: A Mental and Emotional Manual for Law Enforcement
Professionals by Dr. Bobby Smith, February 28th 2005, ISBN 978-1588-720917
Police Psychology into the 21st Century by Martin I Kurke and Ellen M. Scrivner, July 1st
1995, ISBN 978-080-581-3449

16. PAGE 15
Counselling Cops, What Clinicans need to Know by Ellen Kirschman, Mark Kamena and
Joel Tay, October 18th 2013, ISBN 978-146-251-2652