As oil dips below $30 a barrel and the dollar dives to the lowest it’s been since 2003, it is hard to see clearly through the downturn doom and gloom. It is a critical time for organizations to assess their operations, budgets and teams and strategically consider their options for weathering the economic storm while …
Salopek HR Blog
2016 Workplace Resolutions – What’s Yours?
The start of a new year is all about planning – planning the weight you will lose, the alcohol you will avoid, or how you will spend the money you save by not smoking. New Year’s resolutions are typically about personal plans for improvement, but they are also a useful tool for organizations and their …
Job Search Strategies for the Newly Unemployed
2015 was a tough year for Alberta. Drastically lower oil prices have led to layoffs in the thousands and with no guaranteed uptick in the near future, economic conditions look to remain tougher for longer. If you are one of the thousands of people who have recently found yourself unemployed, it is easy to get …
Planning Amidst Uncertainty – is it Worth it?
Markets are up one day and down the next. Commodity prices are unpredictable and all over the map – mainly heading south! Can we actually plan and budget with such uncertainty? Is the business plan worth the paper it is written on? It depends on how you do your planning – if you are looking for …
Corporate Holiday Parties: Managing Un-Merry Behaviour
With the holiday season upon us, Salopek & Associates recognizes that many companies across Canada are excited about their upcoming Holiday Parties. It is an annual event that most employees look forward to, reminisce about and always have a story or two to tell you about from the year before. Holiday parties are a great opportunity …
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 …
Alberta HR Trends 2015
Salopek & Associates has been sharing HR trends and best practices with our network and clients for the past 10 years. One resource that is always of interest is the Alberta HR Trends Report, an initiative started by HRIA in 2013 that bi-annually surveys over 1000 HR professionals in Alberta to gain insight on industry …
Lay-Offs – Moving Forward With Purpose
We have all either experienced it and/or read about it – the after effects of a lay-off. Staff leaving offices with their termination packages, stunned as they walk to their desk to pack up their belongings and looking embarrassed as they say a quick good-bye to those they meet in the hall. Those that remain stand …
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 …