Ann Wych – Alarm Response Officer

“I have medical problems but I control them. They don’t control me.”

Facing up to challenges has been a key part of Ann Wych’s working life for over a decade. As a door supervisor she was accustomed to dealing with challenging behaviour and in her current job as an alarm response officer, she sometimes needs to use her conflict resolution skills to deal with security issues. However in 2002, Anne’s ability to deal with personal challenges was put to the test when she had a major asthma attack.

But Ann wasn’t ready to give up her career. And she didn’t have to, because her manager didn’t want to lose a good employee. Seven years later Ann is still in her job.

Employer's story

Chief Executive of North West Security Guards and Ann’s manager Jeff Greenwood, can still remember why he decided to recruit Ann as an employee. “She had a wide range of experience, lots of knowledge and came across as very confident” he says. This was exactly what the company was looking for – people who had the confidence to work without supervision and who could deal with challenging situations.

Jeff says that Ann has also adapted well to change. When Ann first started out the security industry it wasn’t regulated and she has since had to train and take exams in order to be qualified to practise. “Ann is a good learner. She adapted well to the regulation of the industry” says Jeff.

Making a success of recruitment

Jeff is an experienced recruiter and knows what it takes to make a success of recruitment. He says: “Appearance is nothing. CVs can look fantastic but it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. What matters is whether a person can actually do the job.”

When Ann was diagnosed with asthma, Jeff took a pragmatic approach and discussed various options with her to ensure that she stayed with the company. Ann however, had her own personal strategy for managing her asthma at work and was happy to remain in her role.

Employee's story

Ann admits that when she lay in hospital after her first asthma attack, she was afraid that her diagnosis could affect the security of her job. Her fears were however not justified because when she returned to work, Ann received all the support and reassurance she needed. “Jeff’s attitude was – take all the time you need to get yourself sorted” she says. “I received total and absolute support from him.”

According to the charity Asthma UK, there are about 5.2 million people in the country who have asthma. But like all health conditions, asthma affects people in different ways. In Ann’s case she uses two inhalers on a daily basis and she is also careful about working in dusty environments.

Look for the positives

Her job as an alarm response officer can be stressful because she travels to different sites to monitor security and to respond to security situations. She also has some supervision responsibilities for other staff. She says: “I take a pragmatic approach to problems, including medical problems. As long as I know what I’m up against. I can deal with it.”

Ann knows from experience that it is possible to live with a health condition and work successfully. Her advice to employers is simple, “Think about what a person can do for your company, your product or your service. Don’t focus on disability. Look for the positives in people.”

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