According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the price of a bad hire is at least 30 percent of the employee’s first-year earnings. A wrong hire costs a company financially and can also impact organizational culture and have a disastrous ripple effect on other employees’ productivity and effectiveness. What constitutes a wrong hire? 1. Lack […]

Being an employer of choice is a corporate objective for companies of all sizes across Canada, and it is a goal that Salopek & Associates assists clients in achieving every day. Now entering its 19th year, Canada’s Top 100 Employers is an annual competition featured in The Globe & Mail that recognizes the nation’s best […]

I have recently been involved in an unorthodox recruitment, where the employer decided that proceeding with reference checks was an unnecessary step in the process. This experience made me re-examine my thoughts on the value and timing of reference checks for employment purposes. Typically, reference checks are one of the last steps performed before proceeding […]

A company is only as good as it’s employees. Therefore, it’s important to ensure you hire great people. Goes without saying, right? Of course you want to hire people who are qualified to do the job, but more importantly, you want to hire employees whose beliefs and behaviours are aligned with the company’s core values […]

I am fascinated with organizations like law firms and medical practices where lawyers, doctors and nurses are placed in senior management positions. ‘Managing Partner’ and ‘Nurse Manager’ are well known positions that you will find in the majority of legal and medical practices. I am often left to wonder what skills or training these professionals, […]

This morning I learned that one of my previous employers has recently suffered some rather devastating financial set backs as a result of the economic downturn. While the news is unfortunate for many reasons, it has caused me to reflect on my time at that company. I wasn’t actually there for very long in the […]

As I watch my younger sister navigate dating in the 21st century, I cannot help but reflect on the beauty and success of good old-fashioned courting. This period of dating where you get to know each other over dinner dates, flowers, where doors are opened for you, and effort is made. I cannot help but […]

Recruitment is one human resources process in which there is never a dull moment. People are unpredictable and organizations are so dynamic, and often there are at least a couple quick changes throughout the process that force us recruiters to scramble and reorganize. As a recruitment specialist, I am often tasked by my clients to […]

In December my colleague, Leah Fochuk, wrote an excellent article about best practices in HR. (Definitely worth a read if you haven’t seen it). In her article she mentioned onboarding of employees. Today, I would like to look at this from a slightly different point of view – Onboarding Contract and Temporary Workers. In our […]

It is no secret that in Alberta, and more specifically in Calgary, we are experiencing a very challenging economic time and job market. Thousands of Calgarians have lost their jobs and are seeking employment, many of them unemployed for an extended period of time. The latest unemployment rate in November 2016 has Alberta’s largest city […]