Articles

Many employers view layoffs as an unpleasant, yet inevitable consequence of a recession, and for certain industries, that may well be the case. Other companies do have options. Just ask your employees.

Fall Garden Stew with Chicken

When selecting meat such as chicken thighs for your recipes, it is most beneficial to select cuts that have the skin removed and bones in. Soups, stews and broths made with meat with the bones in during cooking are extremely nutritious and contain minerals from the bone, cartilage and marrow, including calcium, magnesium and potassium. Acidic wine or vinegar added during cooking helps to draw these minerals into the broth or stew liquids. Combined with the nutrients of local, seasonally available vegetables, you have an exceptionally healthy dish. Cooking with the bones in really doesn’t add many calories to the dish; in fact one-eighth of this recipe amounts to only 195 calories per serving. It’s wonderful for bone health, and boosts your immune system. After all, didn’t your grandmother recommend chicken soup for a cold or when you weren’t feeling well? So, dig in and go back for seconds!

The Myth of Multi-Tasking

Multi-tasking has become a well-recognized attribute in the workforce and the new norm—almost to the point where we now brag about our ability to juggle two or more things at once. Many job ads now ask for the standard prerequisite: “Efficient multi-tasker—able to juggle multiple projects and priorities under short deadlines”. Yet the relentless, almost contagious need to juggle more than one thing at a time can drain an employee’s time, energy and can lead to further frustration and stress in the workplace, says Carolin Rekar Munro, Associate Professor of Leadership and Human Resource Management at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C.

New Employee Wellness Program

Medisys Health Group, a Canadian provider of health-care and medical imaging services to corporations and individuals, has launched a comprehensive employee wellness program “FreshStart” as a compliment and natural extension to their existing corporate health services.

Healthy Foods Boost Brain Health

Recent studies are finding heart-healthy foods can positively affect brain health and the ability to function. Specific nutrients may affect memory, concentration, learning and decision-making. The brain operates best with a steady supply of fuel in the form of glucose. Unlike muscles, the brain cannot store glucose; the best way to supply it is by eating a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, cereals, pasta and rice, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. Eating breakfast and snacking during the day will also help keep blood glucose levels steady and available for the brain. Iron is lacking in many North American diets, but it is essential for transporting oxygen to the brain and is needed by the brain to use glucose. Some of the best food sources for iron are lean beef and lamb. The iron found in meat is the most easily absorbed, but to increase iron absorption in other food sources, consume a vitamin-C rich food with the iron-containing food, such as orange juice with an iron-enriched breakfast cereal. To help mental alertness and concentration, protein foods such as fish, meat, dairy, soybeans, peanuts, almonds and wheat germ are important to include in your diet. Omega-3 fats in salmon, tuna, sardines, herring, lake trout, walnuts and flaxseed, help keep the blood vessels and cell membranes healthy. Even one serving of fatty fish every month may lower the risk of stroke. Antioxidants found in bright-coloured fruits and vegetables, especially blueberries, strawberries, spinach and broccoli, may also help protect the brain. Slight dehydration may slow the time nutrients take to reach the brain, resulting in possible short-term memory lapses. So drink lots of fluids for optimum brain activity.

Healthy and safe workplaces

Health is the New Wealth

Against a background of economic uncertainty, people across the globe are feeling vulnerable, not only in terms of their wealth but also their health, according to a study by DDB Health, the global healthcare practice of DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc.

Leadership Summit on Health and Safety Action

At the Industrial Accident Prevention Association’s annual conference in Toronto, Ontario this past April, the CEO Health & Safety Leadership Charter held the Leadership Summit. The summit brings together CEOs, presidents, and other leaders to work together to identify how they can improve their abilities in transforming the health and safety cultures and activities in their organizations. This year, the summit focused on successfully engaging boards of directors, staff, and supply chain partners in a renewed emphasis and priority on health and safety. Participants heard from experts in the field, shared their own experiences, and identified the following specific actions that CEOs can take to transform their health and safety cultures.

Control Your Technology

The age of automation has us dependent on communications devices: desktops, laptops, Blackberries, cell phones, pen drives—the list goes on. Technology is a blessing and a curse: we are always available, always on call. We are always using energy.

Workers Cite Positive Career Impacts of Recession

Nearly three-quarters of workers surveyed say the recession has actually had some positive impact on their career. A survey of 457 workers by Accountemps, a specialized financial temporary staffing firm in the U.S., reported that workers are gaining more from the experience than just managing to keep their jobs: 77% of respondents cite at least one positive effect the recession has had on their jobs, including the ability to tackle new projects and take on more challenging work. The survey asked workers: “What positive effects, if any, has the recession had on you and your job?” Their responses* were:

Reduced Flights for Job Seekers

FlightNetwork.com, one of Canada’s highest volume online travel sales sites, recently announced a new plan aimed at helping Canadian job seekers land jobs in other cities or provinces by assisting with the cost of their airfare.

Individual Empowerment

A Las Vegas Fairytale

Lynda Trommelen ended up at Cirque du Soleil, a dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment based in Montreal, Quebec, almost by accident. While working there she not only had a great adventure, but also learned lessons about inclusion. That is, a workplace that values equality, respect and opportunity for every member of their diverse workforce that we can all benefit from. At the Live Healthy, Work Smart Your Workplace Conference ’09 in Ottawa, Ont. earlier this year, former performer Lynda Trommelen shared her unique work experiences with participants.

Nourishing Attachments to Loved Ones

Our culture worships and promotes achievement, money, beauty, material possessions and all forms of competition. While these things can be interesting and fun, they do not bring sustained fulfillment. The moment our team scores, we get a bonus and buy that car or outfit and we get a rush of endorphins into our brain. We like this feeling and want more of it.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Missed opportunities, a loss of focus and cost-management—these are all reasons why employers are losing quality people in the workplace today.

Do you Know Where Your Off Switch is?

Recently, I shared an evening meal with the coordinators of the staff retreat. At the meal, the table was perfectly set—rolls, salads, water, china and cutlery. And at each place setting resting next to the dessert was a Blackberry (not the edible kind), placed with loving care by the occupant of the chair. The meal proceeded. Nibble on the salad, check the Blackberry. Sip the soup, check the Blackberry. And so it went from course to course, bits and bytes between the bits and bites.

Becoming a Great Leader

I’ve worked with business executives for more than 20 years, and only a few have proved to be exceptional. Those who are have never attended a “Leadership Development” program a day in their lives. I believe that great leaders are more like artists than executives. Picasso knew what he was talking about when he said, “I don’t develop; I am.”

Industry Trends & Innovations

Committing to Your Resolve

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.

Face-to-Face or Cyberspace: Does business travel get better results?

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.

Workplace Trends A Wake-Up Call To Leaders

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.

The Top Motivator at Work

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?”

Work Relationships Remain Strong

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.”

Organizational Culture

Most Creative in the Workplace

Being a nurse can be fun! A group of very talented singers who are all Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetists in Minnesota can really sing! The Laryngospasms create and perform medical parodies for audiences throughout the U.S. Since the group’s inception at a 1991 Christmas party, they have recorded three albums, three videos, and has been featured in numerous publication, radio and TV shows.

At Work Silence is Still Golden

Do you know people at work who sit snuggly at their computer and listens to the radio all day long? They might perk up from time to time to giddily remark, “I love this song.” They are the ones who gasp dramatically and say they would die if they couldn’t listen to music at work as if it’s supplying the oxygen to their cubicle. I am not one of those people.

YW Profile: Steam Whistle Brewing

Steam Whistle Brewing is nearing a decade in business but still enjoys the same family atmosphere from its early days thanks to very deliberate decisions by brewery co-founders, Cam Heaps and Greg Taylor.

Up Front: Vera Asanin

Apology Accepted

Despite what you might think, it might actually be better to apologize for that mistake you made in the business report, or the wrong way in which you handled a project. Contrary to the belief that leaders who apologize are seen as weak or incompetent, a study out of the Queen’s University School of Business in Kingston, Ont. found quite the opposite. Victims of mistakes made by leaders who apologized consistently perceived them to be more “transformational”, i.e., ethical, influential, trustworthy, caring and considerate.

Relationships with the Community

8 Steps to Being a Better Listener

Listening is not a passive activity. By being a passive hearer, you may take in some words but give nothing back. Listening requires thought and effort. It means you must work at listening with your head and heart and not just your ears. And it means learning how to respond to what is being said so that those people doing the talking know that they have been heard.

Employer Committed to Staff

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. Cheryl Bakke Martin, President of Inspirations Unlimited, a Calgary-based career counselling and coaching company, completed an outplacement program for employees at Flextronics, an international electronics manufacturer. She was very impressed with Flextronics in its commitment to helping staff through the career-transition process. She says, “Flextronics really had their people’s welfare as their top priority.” Flextronics is in the process of shutting down its Calgary facility, which employed 370 people. As Martin explains, “People tend to create their own obstacles to finding satisfying jobs, and my job is to shift people’s energy from despair to hope and optimism.” She says the key is to realize what they are good at and what they like to do. Broaden your beliefs The first myth to dispel is the narrow view of what people believe they are capable of. Bakke Martin told Flextronics’ employees not to define themselves by what they have done in the past, or to think that their previous work is all they can ever do. Her goal is to shift workers’ tendency from looking back—thus preventing change—to looking forward at new opportunities and ask the questions: “Where am I? Where do I want to be? What have I never had the opportunity to try? and Can I make that happen now?” Do not believe everything you hear The second myth career counsellors are up against is created by the media and perpetuated by peer groups. People should not believe everything they hear. Daily news stories about the recession and lay-offs do not mean that there are no jobs; it all depends on where you look and what you believe. The departing Flextronics employees were taught how to approach the job market, and how to find out about the opportunities that do not get posted. These largely come down to using existing networks and learning how to find new networks. Find encouragement and support The last myth to dispel is that career counselling is only about teaching skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and how to find job opportunities. One of the most important aspects of career counselling is the encouragement and support it provides. “Career counselling does require a little bit of hand-holding and encouragement,” Martin says, “and an important part of this is giving people the confidence they need.”

Interview with Adria Vasil: Author of Ecoholic

YW: What is an ecoholic?

Spotlight: Xerox

Founded in 1974, the Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC) has a global mandate to provide innovative ways to re-evaluate materials and processes to deliver more energy- and cost-efficient products to customers around the world. The teams behind these innovations are made up of individuals from around the world, which is an integral part of XRCC’s strategy for developing a world-class research centre. The hiring, mentoring and promotion of skilled immigrants has won the organization various awards, and we consider the company’s approach to diversity a workplace model worthy of mention.

October is Workplace Health Month

With increasing pressures both at home and at work, many employees feel undervalued and stressed. This affects performance and productivity, as we know that happy, healthy employees are more likely to treat their customers well. They are also more likely to stay with their employers.

Workplace Humour

Oops! Why They Didn't Get the Job

Employers have provided Your Workplace with some of the more amusing reasons for refusing potential candidates. Bosses may welcome a bit of comic relief while sifting through large piles of résumés, but it’s rather unfortunate for the individual hoping to get hired.

Don't Be Fooled by Funny Presentations

We all know that it’s good to use humour in presentations. It makes people more open to whatever the message is, it breaks down barriers, and makes learning more fun.

Laughter Versus Exercise

Is your boss looming over your shoulder watching you? Is your company undergoing significant changes which you find overwhelming? While you can’t always control your stressful work environment, there are ways to manage your levels of stress so that it doesn’t lead to mental and physical exhaustion, illness and disease. What is the best way to relieve anxiety: exercise, listening to music, or having a laugh? Researchers at Nottingham Trent University in Nottingham decided to find out. They tested 20 women four times at weekly intervals, exposing them to 20-minute treatments of stationary cycling, watching a funny video, listening to New-Age music, and just sitting quietly.

Humour and Correctness

“So this white, male oppressor of humanity walks into a gathering place for disadvantaged individuals with unresolved challenges. He says to the representative of the working underclass who has been ruthlessly exploited by his corporate overlords...”

Humouring Your Relationships

The brain reacts more strongly to stimuli it deems negative than to positive stimuli, according to studies conducted by John Cacioppo, Ph.D., previously at Ohio State University, now at the University of Chicago.

YW Interview

Amanda Hancox: Dancing into Transition

After a 30-year career as a professional dancer and actress, Amanda Hancox is now the Executive Director of the Dancer Transition Resource Centre (DTRC) in Toronto, Ont. The Centre assists performing dancers make transitions into new careers by helping them develop transferable skills, explore career options and prepare in advance for work life after a career in dance.

YW Interview: Dr. Peter Senge

Management guru Dr. Peter Senge is a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management and founder of the Society for Organizational Learning. He is perhaps best known for his 1990 best-selling book, The Fifth Discipline, which introduced the idea of the “learning organization”. Senge was a keynote speaker at the Your Workplace Conference 2009 in Ottawa.