Becoming an HR Best Practice Leader

As a human resources professional, I am oftentimes enlisted by my clients to bring forward recommendations and advice based on current HR best practices. Companies want confirmation that they are competitive in today’s market and that they are ahead of the 8-ball with respect to their organizational practices. However, the challenge is that best practices …

Progressive Performance Management

  Performance management is an important human resources initiative that helps organizations manage their people, reward top performers and identify those employees who are struggling to meet organizational expectations. Having formalized performance management processes in place helps organizations become more efficient and effective by ensuring that their employees are meeting and exceeding performance goals. When …

Staying Positive in a Depressed Economy

2015 was a tough year for the province of Alberta and 2016 isn’t shaping up to be any better. The drastic dip in oil price has led to mass layoffs and unemployment rates that have not been seen since the previous recession in 2007-2008. Although there is no way to predict economic factors with 100% …

3 Advantages of Mentorship Programs

As baby boomers retire, with them they take incredibly valuable human capital that is not easily replaced. It is well known that this generation is exiting the workforce at increasing rates and behind them millennials are coming in the door, just beginning their careers. Capturing all of the internal company knowledge, skills and experience in …

The Quest for Work-Life Balance

Now, more than ever, employees have numerous commitments and obligations outside of the office and are constantly being pulled in many directions. A shift in technology in recent years has made it easier to stay connected to the workplace to the degree that some employees never fully “shut off” from work mode. It is because …

Resumes – How Long Do I Keep Them?

Every now and then, I find myself hesitating over the delete button when an unsolicited resume arrives in my inbox. As recruiters and HR professionals, we may wonder: are we legally allowed to discard resumes? After talking with several colleagues, it’s clear that many are still uncertain about the requirements for retaining resumes. This uncertainty …

Fuelled for Work: Kale Caesar Salad

This post is Part 4 of a series called Fuelled for Work. Every few weeks we will share a post with recipes and ideas for workplace lunches and snacks that keep your brain fired up, your stomach satiated and your taste buds stimulated. Check out the last Fuelled for Work recipe for Curried Apple Quinoa …

Surveillance in the Workplace

A few years ago I worked in an office where a video camera was installed during my time of employment. The camera was positioned in our office, in the crevice between the wall and the ceiling, peering directly down on me and my coworkers to observe our every move. Perhaps it wasn’t to observe our …