Every guard force has been through it. A roster that seems to favour some people, a promotion that went to the wrong person, an allowance that never arrived, a supervisor who plays favourites. The grumbling starts at the guardhouse, moves into the WhatsApp group, and by Monday the shift is split into camps.
Dissent itself is not the problem. A team where nobody ever complains is usually a team where nobody trusts anybody enough to speak up. The real test is what we do with it. Here are four rules that can stop a small grievance from becoming a full-blown crisis.
1. Do not take sides
In the early days, you only ever hear one version of the story, and it is usually told by the angriest person. Picking a side too soon turns a problem between two people into a war between two camps. You also lose the one thing a guard force cannot do without: being someone both sides can still talk to.
Take a simple case. Two guards argue over who covered whose shift. If you jump in because one of them is your friend, you are no longer an observer. You are now part of the dispute, and whatever you say next will be quoted against you. Stay neutral. Be the person both sides can still trust at 3 a.m., when the shift is long and the site is quiet.
2. Do not fan the flames
Discontent spreads fastest when everyone is already tired and worried. Do not make it worse.
- Do not gossip. “I heard they are cutting everyone’s overtime” can travel through a whole company in an hour. If you have not verified it, do not repeat it.
- Watch the WhatsApp group. Screenshots travel. A message sent at midnight in anger can be forwarded to the very person you were complaining about by breakfast. If you would not say it to the supervisor’s face, do not type it.
- Keep your tone calm at handover. No sarcasm, no pointed remarks, no rolling eyes. A shift handover is not the place to recruit supporters.
- Keep it off social media. Posting about your company or the client’s site can breach your contract and the site’s confidentiality rules, and it rarely solves anything.
3. Listen to every viewpoint, and write it down
If people come to you, listen to each person separately and let them finish. Ask four things: what happened, when, who was there, and what outcome do they want?
Then record it, in writing, as neutrally as you can. Facts, not adjectives. Include the date, the time, the place, the names, what was said or done, and who witnessed it.
| Vague and unhelpful | Specific and useful |
|---|---|
| “The supervisor is always unfair to us.” | “On 3 October, the night roster was changed at 6 p.m. without notice. Three guards were moved from nights to weekends.” |
| “He is a bully.” | “On 8 October at about 10 p.m., he raised his voice at me in front of visitors at the lobby.” |
| “Nobody gets paid properly here.” | “My September payslip shows 40 overtime hours, but the amount paid looks lower than what I calculated.” |
A few more points on keeping records:
- Keep your notes private, dated and factual. Do not use the site logbook as a diary of grievances. It is an official record, not a notebook for complaints.
- Read your notes back to the person to check that you got it right.
- Write down all viewpoints, including the ones you disagree with. Nobody trusts a record that only tells one side.
4. Take it to someone fair, who can act, and bring proof
Venting to colleagues changes nothing. The goal is to put the issue in front of someone who has the authority to fix it and a reputation for being fair.
Choose the right person. Usually the ladder runs from your supervisor or Ketua Pengawal, to the operations manager, and then to the HR department or a director. Go up one rung at a time. The exception is when the person above you is the source of the problem, or when the issue involves safety or something illegal. In those cases, go straight to someone you trust higher up.
Ask for a private meeting. Not in the guardhouse. Not in front of colleagues. Request a proper time and place, and keep it professional.
Bring proof. This is what separates a grievance from a rumour:
- Your payslips, duty rosters and employment contract or offer letter
- Your own dated notes, kept as described above
- Official messages sent to you (not forwarded gossip)
- Photos or copies of documents you are entitled to keep
Be careful about what you collect. Do not take client CCTV footage, access logs or photographs of restricted areas as “proof”. At a data centre, a bank or any controlled site, that can breach site rules or client confidentiality and leave you in more trouble than the person you are complaining about. If you need such evidence, ask for it formally.
Present, do not accuse. Say what you saw, what the documents show, how it affects the team, and what you are asking for. A calm, specific request is far harder to dismiss than an emotional outburst.
Follow up in writing. After the meeting, send a short message confirming what was discussed and asking when you can expect a response.
When the issue is about wages or the law. If the matter is unpaid wages or non-compliance with the minimum wage, workers can take their complaint to the Labour Department (JTK).¹ The Code of Conduct for Industrial Harmony, agreed between government, employer and union representatives in 1975, also serves as a guide for handling industrial relations issues at the workplace.²
How it looks in real life
Imagine two guards, Hafiz and Ramli, arguing over a changed roster. By evening, the WhatsApp group has split into two camps. What does a steady head do?
He does not join either camp. He tells the group, politely, to wait for facts. He speaks to Hafiz and Ramli separately and writes down what each says. He gathers the old and new rosters. Then he requests a private meeting with the operations manager, hands over a short written summary and the two rosters, and asks what can be done. No shouting. No sides. Just facts and a request.
A final word
Dissent is a signal, not a mutiny. It tells you something in the system is broken or at least feels broken. The way we handle it decides whether the team comes out stronger or splintered. Stay neutral, stay calm, listen to everyone, write it down, and take it to someone who can fix it.
Guards who handle disagreements with maturity are the same guards who get trusted with bigger responsibilities. That is how a good team is built, and how a good career is built too.
By Guards, for Guards
This article is prepared exclusively for pakguard.online and may not be republished without written permission. Content is based on the public sources cited and is accurate as of the date of publication. Readers are advised to refer to original sources or relevant authorities for the latest information. pakguard.online accepts no liability for decisions made based on content on this site.
References
¹ Utusan Malaysia. (July 2025). Gaji minimum RM1,700 wajib mulai Ogos, tiada lagi pengecualian. Utusan Malaysia. This source reports that queries or complaints about minimum wage implementation can be submitted to the Labour Department (JTK). https://www.utusan.com.my/nasional/2025/07/gaji-minimum-rm1700-wajib-mulai-ogos-tiada-lagi-pengecualian/
² Industrial Relations Department. (n.d.). Code of Conduct for Industrial Harmony (COC). Ministry of Human Resources. This source explains that the 1975 tripartite COC serves as a guide for employers, employees and trade unions in handling industrial relations issues in the workplace. https://jpp.mohr.gov.my/en/coc-pengenalan/
