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Y’all Kept on Working…
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Sixty-seven percent of employees did not take all of their vacation time in 2009, according to a survey by
Right Management. Right Management is the talent and career management firm within Manpower, an employment
services company.
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Violence in the Workplace
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Employees should be able to work in a safe and healthy environment without fear of any kind of violence.
Yet most people are aware, either from their own personal experience or from the experience of a family
member, friend or colleague, that workplace violence—especially psychological harassment or bullying—is still
common in many workplaces.
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Music at Work: Does it Work?
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In a room full of about 100 employees who are wearing headsets and fielding calls, the 2002 song “Hot in
Herre” by rap singer Nelly is pumped into the room through speakers on the ceiling. A woman rises, does an
assortment of dance moves you might see at your local nightclub, and gives an open-mouthed grin and an
exaggerated wink to her audience. A number of her coworkers rise and join her in this pantomime, emphatically
dancing to the music. The only sound they make is to continue on with their calls.
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Brainy Books
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It seems like the latest trend in books these days are catchy titles and then a longer, more serious,
subtitle. So what’s the truth? The quick burst of the title, or the slow burn of the subtitle? We leave that
to your mindful opinion. These thoughtful books all deal with heady topics.
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Face-to-Face or Cyberspace: Does business travel get better results?
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Now, more than ever, Canadian businesses are tightening their belts and taking a hard look at their
budgets for ways to trim costs. According to a September 2009 study conducted by IHS Global insight on behalf
of the National Business Travel Association, travel is now viewed as a cost to be controlled, and businesses
are seeing it as an expense rather than an investment. However, business travel seems to remain on our minds.
At the time of printing, National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Canada reported that its 6th Annual
Conference and Exhibitor Showcase, scheduled for April 2010 in Toronto, was already more than 90% sold
out.
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Workplace Trends A Wake-Up Call To Leaders
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Employees are feeling increasing stress in the workplace that, if left unchecked, could impact business
performance, according to Towers Perrin’s Workplace Watch, a newly launched quarterly look at
employee opinions across global organizations. Based on opinions of more than 650,000 employees, Towers
Perrin found that only 55% of workers agree they can balance work and personal responsibilities, down from
62% just one quarter earlier. On the other hand, employee engagement, a key indicator of organizational
performance, has held steady through the first quarter of this year.
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The Top Motivator at Work
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We may all want money, respect and status but most Canadians say it’s personal satisfaction that motivates
them to do a good job at work, according to the latest Monster.ca online poll.
The new online poll, involving 6,424 Canadians, asked the following question: “What motivates you most to do
a good job?”
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Work Relationships Remain Strong
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Lean economic times do not
appear to have harmed work relationships, a new survey suggests. Eighty-seven percent of professionals
interviewed recently said they have a good rapport with their supervisors and 95 percent get along well with
coworkers. In fact, slightly more respondents today described their relationships with supervisors and peers
as “very good” than did participants in a 2005 survey on the same subject.
The survey was developed by Accountemps, a specialized staffing service. It was conducted by an independent
research firm and is based on telephone interviews with 457 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in
an office environment.
“In good times and bad, building strong relationships with peers and supervisors is a priority for most
professionals,” said Max Messmer, author of Motivating Employees For Dummies. “Employers must
continually nurture a culture in which employees feel valued and engaged–workers who enjoy interacting with
each other not only make the office more pleasant, but also produce better work.
Colleagues who have established strong rapport are more likely to support one another when presented with
challenges or new responsibilities. Employers should look for opportunities to strengthen ties with their
staff and help them bond with each other, such as by assigning mentors and encouraging people to assist those
with rising workloads.”
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Employer Committed to Staff
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The biggest challenge in finding a new job, especially after a lay-off, is the job-search myth. Let’s face
it: people are worried about searching for a job, especially during a recession. However, the fears people
have about tend to be largely unfounded.
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Communication Styles
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We cannot “not” communicate. Our non-verbal behaviour speaks volumes
whether we realize it or not. We’ve heard it before: “Know who you’re talking to and adapt your communication
style to your listeners’ style.” As many times as we’ve heard these words to be the key for creating and
managing relationships, I’ve found that people often do the opposite. Whether I’m observing a speaker or
sales representative, or having a one-to-one conversation with a client, it’s obvious their messages are
about them. They’re oblivious to reading their listeners’ non-verbal and verbal cues. This is not that
difficult to do. Imagine where you could take your relationships with others if you took the time to listen
to what works for them.
We have preferences—certain skills and behaviours that make us who we are. Recognizing styles in yourself and
others can help you influence and build relationships and become a better communicator.
There are a variety of instruments that identify individual communication styles. For the purpose of this
article, I’ve chosen the four communication styles identified by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. These styles
are based on tendencies to be task-oriented, versus people-oriented and easygoing, versus take-charge.
While these are simplifications, tendencies of the four styles
are:
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Dealing With Difficult Team Members
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There is a fundamental shift that needs to take place in our thinking about the role of immigrants in our
workforce. It’s a shift upon which our prosperity depends, not just for private enterprise but for the
Canadian economy as a whole. By 2011, immigration will likely account for 100% of our net labour force
growth, according to Catalyst Inc. report, Career Advancement in Corporate Canada: A Focus on Visible
Minorities. Already, visible minorities make up more than 15% of the Canadian workforce.
It’s time for us to stop looking at how we can benefit immigrants by hiring them, and shift into a deeper
understanding of the boon to business of having a diverse team. Nytric Limited, celebrated internationally
for its reputation for technological innovation, credits its success to its inclusive hiring policies. Nytric
was recently awarded the RBC Best Immigrant Employer Award by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment
Council. Asked why Nytric has a high ratio of immigrants to Canadian-born workers on staff, Director of
Business Development, Anthony Gussin, says, “People from different cultures tend to think in slightly
different ways. Instead of always viewing a problem from one particular perspective, we get several points of
view on it. And that has made us very competitive in the sense that we are able to come up with smart ideas,
new ideas, and different ideas that have helped us get products into the market more effectively.”
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Make Work for Yourself
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Professionals trying to land a job may want to pursue project work. According to specialized staffing
service, Robert Half International, companies that are unable to add full-time employees during periods of
economic uncertainty often bring in professionals on a temporary basis, which can translate into
opportunities for those who are looking to earn income, make new contacts and enhance their marketability
during an extended job search.
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Workplace Without Borders
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When Amanda Wilson finishes her night shift, her work day isn’t over. The MacDonald’s restaurant manager
heads home to log on to StationM, a social network developed by MacDonald’s as an online meeting place for
crew members. The 20-year-old Okotoks, Alberta native was selected as this year’s resident blogger for the
North American site.
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Power Up Your Life
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Are you living the best possible life? In this issue, we explore books
for discovering your potential and motivating yourself to achieve it. Whether you’re new to the workforce,
retiring, or smack in the middle of work life, there are ways for you to shine.
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Committing to Your Resolve
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It’s about six weeks into 2010, the point at which 60% of new years' resolutions have been broken.
Although business initiatives may run longer, their track record is similar–some estimate 60% are dropped
within six to nine months.
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Do it Yourself!: Part 2 of 3
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Have you done anything worthy of recognition this week? (Of course you have!) Did anybody notice?
(Maybe yes—maybe no. It might have gone either way!) The real question worth answering is whether or
not you noticed. How much attention did you pay to your own contributions, accomplishments, innovations and
progress?
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Cost Management
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Reductions are planned across most employee groups, industry sectors and geographies. Even in Alberta,
those employers who do plan to cut back call for the same 0.75% decrease to 2009’s salary increase plan.
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Retaining Potential Retirees
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Sometimes winning isn’t just about age.
With baby boomers retiring in large numbers, concern in the corporate world is growing regarding the loss of
experienced employees. How do we slow down the brain drain and keep potential retirees in the workforce while
we transition into replacement with the younger generations? The 2008 Recent Retirees Survey conducted by the
Employee Benefit Research Institute was undertaken to better understand what employers might have done to
encourage workers to postpone their retirement and remain longer with their company.
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