YW Blog Posts
Spring cleaning can yield interesting results
The beauty of spring cleaning is not only in the space you create when you get rid of things you no longer require, but it’s also in what you find when you rummage through your … Continue reading
Clean up your “un-wow” moments
The expression, “Wow!” is often used in our culture. Whether it is to describe an exhilarating experience, an impressive book, a great movie or a new restaurant, we like to share our “wow” experiences with … Continue reading
And What About the People?
Just as Bill Clinton had a sign in his campaign office famously declaring “The economy, stupid!”, reminding him to focus on the economy as he fought, and won, the presidential election against George H. W. … Continue reading
Say what? How words affect our behaviour in powerful ways
Most of us believe that we are fully aware of and in control of all aspects of our behaviour. We assume that we possess a complete understanding of our underlying motivations and think that we … Continue reading
Does Career Development Foster Engagement?
Career development for your employees is a major engagement driver. When we think of the correlation between employee engagement and business results, the employer’s goal is to move employees through three stages: from being “satisfied” … Continue reading
Just Added: Steam Whistle Brewing!
We are thrilled to announce that Steam Whistle Brewing will be speaking about “Thriving Workplaces” at Conference 2012: The Changing Workplace! Steam Whistle Brewing has been awarded as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Canada’s … Continue reading
“Unjunking” Your Snacks at Work
Looking for a 2pm pick-me-up at the office, but don’t know what snack to eat? While many of us try to stay away from junk food, there are times when hunger hits at work or … Continue reading
Preparing for the Changing Workplace: Are you ready to lead?
Canadian workplaces are at a crossroads: Will workplaces make the changes they need to embrace the future, or will employees continue to migrate from job to job in search of a better work experience? Changing … Continue reading
Work Break on Ice
While the warmer weather is almost upon us, it was only a few weeks ago that I walked my usual path to the bank and my eye caught skaters on the rink behind City Hall … Continue reading
Does Wellness Lead to Inspired Ideas & Innovation?
Once in awhile I get inspired during a swim, or on a walk. An innovative idea, a connection of ideas or a solution to a problem. “I must remember this thought for work tomorrow,” I … Continue reading
Guest Blog: Are You Ready for the Changing Workplace?
How are you incorporating social media into your workplace? Is your workplace attracting or repelling the next generation of workers? Are you engaging and retaining frontline team members through effective employer brand management? Are you living your brand from the inside out? Do you … Continue reading
Love or Fear? Why Love is the Heart of Strong Leadership
Leaders today need to focus on one thing — love. There are many links between love and leadership, and reasons why love from the top down can transfer to a stronger company, says one of … Continue reading
Action Learning: More Than Brainstorming
With 2012 upon us, we all like to be innovative and fresh. This blogpost comes with permission from The Pillars, a Montreal-based management consulting firm focusing in HR, management, training and executive coaching. In this … Continue reading
Fitness and Wellness Trends for 2012
Stability balls are “out” for 2012, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, an organization that surveyed more than 2,000 fitness professionals across the globe to identify health and fitness trends for 2012. Stability … Continue reading
The Latest Trends in Corporate Philanthropy – Part II
Recently the Canadian Red Cross developed an innovative program called The Volunteer Market. The pilot program based in Atlantic Canada is set up as an online “Kijiji”-type program. It allows employees to volunteer time or … Continue reading
The Latest Trends in Corporate Philanthropy – Part I
December is a time when organizations strive to give back. The best part is that it’s great for employee morale and team building. In this two-part series by Faith Woodland, we look at charitable giving … Continue reading
“White Elephant” Gift Exchange: A Great Holiday Diversion!
Gifts exchanged during “white elephant parties” — where people often unburden themselves of useless or unwanted items — are designed to amuse more than amaze. “White elephant parties can be a fun way for employees … Continue reading
The Dangers of Personal Ego
In my previous columns, I highlighted some contextual/situational factors that can compromise our ability to make both sound and ethical decisions. In the final post in this series, I will highlight an area that, arguably, … Continue reading
The Great Workplace - How to build it, how to keep it, and why it matters
Some books have a very narrow and deep focus, like a PhD writing among the pages. Not this title. In the The Great Workplace, authors Michael Burchell and Jennifer Robin encourage broad thinking and free-range … Continue reading
Standing Desks — Could This Be Your Office?
We all knew that incorporating small physical activity such as taking the stairs, walking and stretching into our day was good for us, but who knew that we could benefit from standing at our desks? … Continue reading
When Bad Decisions happen to Good People – Part 2
In my last blogpost (November 10), I discussed how time pressure can compromise our ability to make ethical decisions. This week’s column will build on this theme by exploring another classic study that examines how … Continue reading
Assessing Your True Strengths
The idea that we should work and lead from our strengths is becoming more widely accepted today. We are more energized, and we shine in work and other aspects of our lives. But how do … Continue reading
Culture Transformation for Thriving in Permanent White Water
Leaders today require more adaptability than ever, due to uncertain economic times and unfamiliar challenges. YW’s leadership columnist Jim Clemmer, of The CLEMMER Group, has seen a resurgence of interest in leadership and culture development … Continue reading
Enjoy Life Before it Expires
In Washington, D.C., at a subway station on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through … Continue reading
Team Performance: A New Perspective
All too often the demands of work cause a cyclone effect causing us to get caught up in the whirlwind of the day. We end up working reactively, responding to the requests, emails or demands … Continue reading
Careers Are Like Pinball Machines
My uncle Joe was an amazing, unassuming man. Kind and loving, he taught me a great deal, for which I will always be grateful. Although we never talked about his work, I remember the smile … Continue reading
When Bad Decisions Happen to Good People
Recently there has been considerable attention on the inability of some executives to behave in an ethical manner. In certain cases, these individuals were seen to be “good people” who made very poor decisions. How … Continue reading
How to “Cure” and Build Your Team
It is true that the people working for your organization are the greatest asset of the organization. This statement refers to more than just having talented people on the payroll. Standing around like bumps on … Continue reading
Shared Secrets from the Cirque
Too many people cringe when thinking about the next meeting they have to attend. Boring, too long, stale and all too serious. Meetings are the same-ol’, same ol’. Now imagine an alternative: Would employees be … Continue reading
Holiday Party Planning 101
As we head into the holiday planning season, there are a few things to keep in mind for the 2011 holiday office party. Many of the suggestions for employees attending parties we’ve heard before: Don’t … Continue reading
Empathy: A Cornerstone of Organizational Effectiveness
One can make a persuasive argument that our capacity for empathy is the glue that holds our society together. Without truly appreciating and emotionally identifying with the situation of another person, a healthy and functioning … Continue reading
Arlene Dickinson Speaks on Leadership
The “2011 Performance Excellence Summit”, hosted by the National Quality Institute (NQI) November 1 was certainly a quality-packed conference. More than 19 speakers spoke on topics such as a return on excellence, employee engagement, mental … Continue reading
Holding On to the Fort
It was dusk when I arrived home. I heard the banging and clanging before I saw anything. Quietly approaching the sound, I watched my beloved in action while trying to understand what I was witnessing. … Continue reading
“Positivity Quotient”: A Great Way to Build Teams
We received a lot of feedback and had many views of our September 30 blogpost, “What is Your Positivity Quotient? A crucial element of team performance”. YW Guest Blogger Craig Dowden referred to a compelling, … Continue reading
Dealing with Mental Health Issues in the Workplace
At Business Takes Action’s 4th Annual Conference, The True Cost of Workplace Mental Health this week, I had the privilege of being part of a panel along with two talented professionals: Deanna Matzanke, Director HR … Continue reading
Time for Innovation
There’s nothing quite like coming into the office early before everyone else has arrived and getting things done. It’s time to focus, with a creative, fresh mind. While many complain about the form of email, … Continue reading
Keep Up the Team-Building Activities to Avoid Workplace Sabotage
A recent study from the University of British Columbia found that managers should keep team members connected and engaged to avoid workplace sabotage. Envious employees are more likely to undermine peers if they feel “disconnected” … Continue reading
Creating Leaders Out of Managers
John Kotter is a Harvard Professor and management guru who has worked with some of the top employers in the world. He makes an important distinction between managers and leaders. This difference is important — … Continue reading
Best Workplaces: What Makes an “Attractive”, Healthy Employer?
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd was awarded “most attractive employer” by the recruitment firm Randstad Canada last week. RIM topped six of the 10 “attractiveness categories”, including pleasant work atmosphere, career progression and quality … Continue reading
Ad(d) to Communication in the Workplace
In advertising, one of the interesting statistics is how many commercial messages the average North American is exposed to on a daily basis — estimates range from 1,000 to 3,000. The challenge for advertising is … Continue reading
What is your Positivity Quotient? A Crucial Element of Team Performance
Business is a serious matter. Time, effort, and energy are invested in creating mission statements, crafting strategic plans and paying attention to the bottom line. In many organizations, spending time to focus on interpersonal dynamics … Continue reading
Why You Need to Think Like
Generation Y
“Assume a Gen-Y state of mind,” motivational speaker and Environics/Lipkin President Mike Lipkin told attendees of our “Secrets of a Thriving Workplace” conference earlier this year. Generation Ys, also known as Millennials, are those born … Continue reading
Wear a Skirt, Not Trousers for Success
Wearing a “suitably lengthened skirt” is your best bet when it comes to making a good first impression in the workplace. Women wearing a skirt give a more favourable impression and are considered more confident … Continue reading
How to Improve Communication During Turbulent, “Roller-Coaster” Times
It is Fall fair season, but roller coasters are not just found at the fairgrounds these days. The ups and downs of the economy and business can make people feel as if they are on … Continue reading
Background Music in the Workplace?
To play music or not to play music? That is the question. And the answer is “No” — for me that is. When I focus at work I am so absorbed in what I am … Continue reading
New Study on Work Engagement
Want to improve employee engagement? Make it part of your performance management process, say researchers from the University of Toronto and University of Guelph. A new paper suggests that an employee’s performance can be best … Continue reading
Creative Ways to Target
Bullying in the Workplace
A new University of Saskatchewan research project is targeting workplace bullying in a creative way. The research project, funded by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, follows a pilot study where 12 special care aides presented … Continue reading
How to Let Your Employees
Work from Home
A total of 83% of people believe that employees should be able to work from home, and should be entitled to flex hours 50% of the time, according to our latest poll. In our blog, … Continue reading
The Greatest Truth about Steve Jobs
There has been much press and exposure recently concerning Steve Jobs and the impact of his stepping down as CEO of Apple. While I am a fan of Apple products and own many pieces myself, … Continue reading
National “Work-From Home Day”
Last Friday we blogged about remote working and flex hours, asking our readers if managers are behind the times. We specifically asked if employees should be entitled to flex hours or remote working. So far, … Continue reading
Remote Working and Flexible Hours: Are Managers Behind the Times?
A recent Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) survey finds that a majority of Canadian HR professionals believe there will soon be an increase in employees working remotely. But the biggest roadblock is getting support from … Continue reading
Hidden Talent
With all this talk about Generation Y or Millennials, have we forgotten about Generation X? They’ve been dominated by the Baby Boomers their whole working career and seem to manage to always get squeezed out. … Continue reading
Supportive Coworkers Are Good For Your Health
A coworker can be a “man’s best friend”, according to new research released earlier this week from a Tel Aviv university, and in newspapers across the globe. The 20-year study, published in May in the … Continue reading
Leadership: To Infinity and Beyond!
Most leaders are successful at their jobs. They are competent, and they show up ready to meet day-to-day tasks and working relationships with enthusiasm. They might be 83% competent at executing their jobs. But what … Continue reading
A Look Back. . .
This past May we partnered with Great Place to Work® Institute Canada for our annual conference — “Secrets of a Thriving Workplace”. Some dynamic speakers divulged their secrets on how they rose to the top … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why You Need a Mini Vacation
If it seems everyone you know is heading out for a one or two-week vacation except you, why not take a mini vacation? While many of us focus on a long-awaited summer vacation, the mini … Continue reading
the way for organizations to create a thriving, world-classwork culture.
We recognize that a positive work culture leads to engaged, inspired and healthy
employees who contribute more in terms of creative ideas, performance and results.