As layoffs continue, social media is inundated with all the ways leadership missed the mark.
No matter how a layoff is conducted, the need for it at all will generally create tension, but we believe that through effective planning and communication, the process can be more positive than not.
At Career Contacts, we provide a robust offboarding program which creates 3 strong opportunities:
It allows an external team of experts to support the organization in a very difficult time
It provides laid-off staff with the resources they need for career continuance and potentially even career advancement
It invites an auditing process that allows for continuous improvement and the ability to avoid the need for future layoffs or loss of remaining staff
Here are some ways to support your leadership and organization during a layoff (and ways Career Contacts can help):
Communication Plan
Communicate openly and transparently about the layoff process and the reasons for it. Be clear about what will happen and when, and provide as much information as you can.
It is also important to be empathetic and understanding during this difficult time, and to show your appreciation for the contributions of all your employees.
Offboarding Support
Offer severance packages and outplacement support to affected employees. This can include things like financial assistance, resume and cover letter writing, how to effectively update their LinkedIn and increase their access to the current job market. Career Contacts also provides newly laid off employees with training on how to effectively negotiate their salary and how to prepare for an interview, to increase their success in landing a new role.
Stay in touch with affected employees after the layoff, and offer assistance as needed with their job search or career transition. Career Contacts can support organizations in streamlining references and updating job descriptions for employees.
Retention
Provide resources and support for the remaining employees, such access to HR and leadership, increased communication, and assurances on the future of their role, department and organization, and additional training and development opportunities to demonstrate your continued commitment to their personal and professional wellbeing.
As a Leader in an organization, there are several things you should also avoid when conducting a layoff:
Avoid making it seem as though you made a layoff decision lightly. Ensure you effectively communicate that before deciding to lay off employees, you considered all other options, such as reducing hours or cutting expenses in other areas.
Avoid being reactive. If possible, plan for potential layoffs well in advance so that you have time to communicate with your team and minimize the impact on morale.
Avoid being unclear about the reasons for the layoff. It is important to be transparent and honest with your team about the reasons for the layoff and the steps you are taking to minimize the impact on the business.
Avoid making the layoff process unnecessarily difficult or stressful for your employees.
Avoid neglecting the needs of your remaining employees. It is important to address the concerns and needs of your remaining team members and to provide support and resources to help them during this difficult time.
Ready to invest in your offboarding program?
Looking to conduct an audit of your current policies and programs?
Ready to tap into a team of seasoned, forward-thinking HR, L&D and DEI professionals?
Many organizations have new hires beginning in the new year – a fresh start after the busyness of the holidays and a great time to onboard a new team!
How can you ensure that you build an effective onboarding program?
The first thing we suggest is reaching out to our team because we believe every company and employee deserves a customized program.
If you are looking for a more high-level review of what is needed, keep reading.
An effective onboarding program can help new employees feel welcomed, supported, and prepared to succeed in their new roles.
Here are some steps you can take to build an effective onboarding program:
Plan ahead
Start planning your onboarding program as soon as you make a job offer. Consider the needs and expectations of your new hire, as well as the specific tasks and responsibilities they will have in their new role.
Orient new hires to the company and its culture
Provide new hires with information about the company’s mission, values, policies, and procedures. This could include a tour of the office, introductions to team members, and a review of company policies and procedures.
Set expectations
Clearly communicate the expectations and goals for the new hire’s role, as well as the resources and support available to help them succeed. This could include setting specific goals or objectives for the first few weeks or months on the job.
Provide training and support
Offer training and support to help new hires learn their job duties and develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful. This could include in-person training, online resources, or mentorship from experienced team members.
Foster connections and encourage participation
Help new hires feel connected to the team and the company by introducing them to colleagues and encouraging them to participate in team events and activities.
Regularly check in and provide feedback
Regular check-ins and feedback can help new hires feel supported and understand how they are doing in their new roles. Consider setting up regular meetings or check-ins with new hires and their managers to discuss progress and address any concerns.
It takes time to learn how to effectively onboard (the onboarder must first be onboarded). An onboarding checklist is a useful tool for ensuring that new hires have a smooth transition into their new roles.
Here are some steps you can follow to create an effective onboarding checklist:
Identify the key tasks and activities that need to be completed during the onboarding process. This could include tasks such as setting up a workstation, completing paperwork, receiving training, and learning about company policies and procedures.
Determine who is responsible for each task or activity. This could include the new hire, their manager, HR, or other team members.
Prioritize the tasks and activities on the checklist. Some tasks, such as completing paperwork, may need to be completed before others, while others may be able to be done in any order.
Determine how each task or activity will be completed. This could include providing instructions, assigning a mentor or point person, or providing access to resources or training materials.
Consider including deadlines or due dates for each task or activity on the checklist. This will help ensure that everything is completed in a timely manner.
Review and update the onboarding checklist regularly. As your company grows and changes, you may need to add or remove tasks from the checklist. It’s important to keep the onboarding process current and relevant.
Communicate the onboarding checklist to new hires and relevant team members. Make sure everyone has a clear understanding of what needs to be done and by when.
Interested in how we can build one out specifically for your team?
As the new year approaches, organizations need to ensure that they are keeping their remote teams top of mind.
January for many is a challenging time, with post-holiday blues being a very real thing.
Coupled with colder weather in most of Canada, looming recession talk, and the start of a new year, it is critical that organizations continue to be intentional with how they support their teams; especially when they don’t see them everyday.
Here are some strategies you can use to support a remote team:
Establish clear communication channels
Make sure your team has access to the tools they need to communicate effectively, whether that’s through video conferencing, messaging, or project management software. Establish guidelines for how and when to use these tools to ensure that everyone stays informed and connected.
Set expectations
Clearly communicate your expectations for how team members should work remotely, including what their schedule should look like, how they should communicate with you and other team members, and how they should handle tasks and projects.
Provide resources
Ensure that your team has the resources they need to be productive and successful, whether that’s access to certain software or equipment, or training and development opportunities.
Foster a sense of community
It can be easy for remote team members to feel isolated, so it’s important to create a sense of community and connection. This can be done through regular team check-ins, virtual social events, and opportunities for team members to collaborate on projects.
Encourage self-care
Remote work can be stressful, so it’s important to encourage your team to prioritize their well-being. Encourage them to take breaks, get up and stretch, and engage in activities that promote physical and mental health.
Stay in touch
Make an effort to regularly check in with your team members, both one-on-one and as a group. This will help you stay informed about their progress, challenges, and needs, and will also help them feel supported and connected.
The above strategies take time to build, and effort to implement and maintain. Having a dedicated HR partner to support your organization can make all the difference! Looking to learn more? Our HR Consulting division is ready to level up your company culture today!
Asking for more of anything at work is generally a daunting task. As much as we hope that our work will speak for itself, it is not always the case. The best way to get what you want, is to ask for it; but how? When it comes to negotiating what you deserve, Natasha Jeshani, President & CEO of Career Contacts, has some tried and true tips on how to prepare, execute and successfully ask for what you deserve.
Here are a few key ways to find your voice and use it!
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR
The easiest way to stall a negotiation is to not exactly know what it is that you are asking for.
If you are wanting a raise: understand how much you want, and by when.
If you want a promotion: know what title you want, what team you want to be a part of, the new work you want to take on, and when you want to start.
Looking for some added flexibility with your schedule? Know exactly what you need and be prepared to show them how you plan to continue to deliver and execute your role without interruption.
Pro Tip: if you are a working parent that wants more flexibility to support childcare, the best thing to do is to be upfront about that need, but also clear on how you plan to ensure all the work still gets done, the support you will need and the hours you will be online vs. offline.
You were hired to do a role and the organization needs to feel confident that the work will get done. If you do the problem solving for them, the “yes” is much easier to get!
BACK IT UP
It is not enough to just know what you want; you need to ensure your ask is reasonable. The best way to justify that, is to do your research.
If you understand industry standards, know what colleagues in similar roles are making, or how your role is positively impacting your company’s bottom line, you will be equipped to ask for (and get) what you deserve.
Pro Tip: working with external recruitment teams like the ones at Career Contacts will allow you to be transparent with what you are looking for and ask for advice on what the salary ranges are, what the benefits packages look like, what working conditions look like etc.
PRACTICE
Feeling that pit in your stomach, and thinking “I’m just not good at negotiating” or “I’m not good at advocating for myself”? According to an article by CNBC, 60% of women say they’ve never negotiated their salary. The problem is that far too often, we will only get what we ask for.
The solution? Practice!
Ask a friend or a colleague to let you try a few ways that feel natural for you. Just like with anything in life, the more you do it, the more comfortable you will feel.
Now, we know that we cannot (or should not) put all the pressure on employees to ask for what they want, right? Career Contacts is also committed to helping companies to create strong recruitment and retention programs.
The strongest company cultures are the ones that recognize the value of their people, and show them (through actions, not just words) how much their people mean to them.
If you lead a team or organization, here are three ways you can support your employees.
COMPENSATION AUDITS
The only way you can truly know if you are paying equitably, is to ensure you do the work to review your compensation plans and hold them up against current industry standards, local economies, and your team’s performance.
PAY TRANSPARENCY
At Career Contacts, we advocate for pay transparency as one of the leading ways in which we will create pay equity. Women are disproportionately affected by pay inequity (and women of colour even more so).
By posting your salary ranges in your job postings, the transparency creates a much more amicable negotiation process, and demonstrates your organization’s commitment to truly being people-centered.
BE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE
If you have made it this far, you already know the feeling your employees get as they prepare to ask for more. Instead of putting them through that, why not create proactive steps to provide transparency on how employees can ask for more (of whatever it is they need to feel seen, heard and supported).
Pro Tip: engage with one of the HR Consultants at Career Contacts to build out clear policies and processes for raises, vacation increases, work from home requests etc.
Natasha Jeshani is the President and CEO of Career Contacts, an HR & Recruitment Consulting firm. She is also the Founder of Training Arch, which supports organizations with Corporate Learning and Development. In 2018, Natasha published The HR Insider, how to land your dream job and keep it, which hit #1 on Amazon.
Is your company in the process of conducting offboarding and in need of support? Career Contacts and Training Arch are here to help. We understand that offboarding can be a challenging time, and want to ensure you have the resources to set your teams up for success in their new journey.
How do we do it? We provide services in 4 key areas to assist your team member(s) in the next step of their career by providing our expertise on their:
Resume
HR INSIDER SUPPORT
We help your employees prepare for the next step in their journey by providing them with access to an HR Consultant who will provide real time feedback on their resume based on their specific role desires and the industries that they want to be a part of.
LinkedIn
TAILORED TO YOU
We assist your employees in aligning their LinkedIn profile to their resume and ensuring it is set up for them to build their network and attract hiring managers, HR and recruiters to their page.
Interview Prep
VIDEO
Based on the book “The HR Insider, How to land your dream job and keep it” this short course provides tips for your employees on how to successfully prepare for and show up to their interview. This is a pre-recorded session that allows them to watch it in their own time, in a space they feel is conducive to their learning.
Salary Negotiations
VIDEO
In our most popular and in-demand job seeker centered course at Training Arch, your employee will learn the tools to get the best offers and negotiate their salary while still forming a strong connection with hiring managers, HR or recruiters. Focused on win-win solutions, we work with your employees to ensure they feel empowered (not obligated) to negotiate offers that come their way.
About Us
Career Contacts x Training Arch
Career Contacts is a full-service HR and Recruitment firm with teams based throughout Canada and the US. Our sister company, Training Arch, provides Corporate Training & Development programs and courses.
To learn more about pricing for our offboarding services, contact us at learning@trainingarch.com or hr@careercontacts.ca. And for more information on our other services such as
Lately (or maybe I’ve just become acutely aware of it) when I read posts of women in leadership, the post always includes some pep talk on impostor syndrome and confidence building.
While I am sure we can all use a confidence boost from time to time, at Career Contacts we truly believe that the reason women aren’t landing in more leadership roles actually has nothing to do with these women at all.
Today, we are going to share our 5 tips that we believe will effectively increase the promotion and retention of women in business:
1. Re-write your job descriptions
Whenever we take on a new client, the first thing we do is advise them on ways to improve their job descriptions. We partner with organizations holistically to look at what they need, and come up with a variety of candidate profiles that may match those needs.
We also ensure postings remove gender assumptions, and words that often detract female applicants (rock star, ninja, etc.).
2. Start from within – diversity does not start with hiring
In order to increase the diversity within an organization, you must FIRST ensure that you have an organization that is positioned to have a diverse work group succeed.
Through our sister company Training Arch, we provide full internal audits from process to documentation, and provide opportunities to not only be a more inviting organization, but to ensure that once you have hired more women, that they are set up for success. Keep reading for a preview of what is included in the Training Arch DEI 101 course!
“We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.”
– Sheryl Sandberg
3. Consider your team and accessibility
When organizations work with Career Contacts, they recognise that they are gaining access to a diverse talent pool, supported by a diverse group of HR and Recruitment professionals. This makes a difference! If the team you hire to support your recruitment doesn’t truly reflect diversity in a way that is important to you, keep looking!
Accessibility to roles is not only about seeing the opportunity but feeling confident to apply. Women are more likely to apply for roles that have opportunity to work from home. According to a recent study by FlexJobs, about 68% of women said that they preferred to work remotely. Additionally, 80% of women stated that remote work was a top job benefit that they look for when job searching.
Why? Among other reasons, 60% of women enjoy having more flexibility in their work schedules. This could be because according to a recent study by McKinsey and Company, working mothers take on a disproportionate amount of childcare and household responsibilities compared to their male counterparts.
It was also found that without the possibility of remote work options, 60% of women would look for a different job opportunity altogether.
While most organizations understand that leadership positions can structure their days as they see fit, explicitly supporting flexible hours, work environments and styles, demonstrates an organization’s desire to support the needs of their teams.
Lastly, accessibility is about ensuring that all of the needs in our first point (job description reviews) are true requirements. We believe “nice to have” notes are great, if companies are transparent about what is required vs. nice to have and ensuring that they are scoring candidates based on the first, and NOT the latter.
“Any society that fails to harness the energy and creativity of its women is at a huge disadvantage in the modern world.”
– Tian Wei
4. Review your internal Learning & Development
We believe in the need for continuous improvement. We also believe in learning from those whose experiences we do not live, and respecting their stories. At Career Contacts, we partner with communities and organizations that advocate for various groups and invite them to collaborate with us when we facilitate training and support the growth of our clients. When we say we are about collaboration over competition – we mean it.
Need to review or refresh your company’s diversity, equity and inclusion training? Here is a preview of what is included in the Training Arch Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 101 course:
This introductory session aims to provide participants with basic understanding on what Diversity, Equity and Inclusion means within an organizational setting. Note, this session is part of an ongoing program series. DEI 201 and 301 are recommended. In this course you will learn about:
Land Acknowledgements – What they mean and why we do it
Definition of DEI
Defining key terminology within DEI work
DEI from a hiring lens
Forms of bias
This course aims to introduce management and leadership to DEI concepts and begin the conversation.
*Please note that formal DEI audits are required to be booked prior to this session. Audits include a conversation with the leadership team, a review of current policies and practices, and any documentation and communication plans.
For further learning and development, Training Arch also offers Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 201 and 301 courses.
“I never, ever grew up as a young woman believing that my gender would stand in the way of doing anything I want.”
– Jacinda Ardern
5. Focus on pay transparency and compensation
If we continue to focus the narrative of women in leadership around confidence and impostor syndrome, we reinforce the idea that women need to start at the bottom, be grateful for opportunities and this perpetuates pay gaps and the lack of pay transparency.
If you’re new to our blog, you may not know that Career Contacts is passionate about pay transparency. According to laboratory and survey evidence from the last two decades, women are far less likely to negotiate their salaries than men.
The lack of pay transparency is a massive contributor to these disadvantages. In the U.S., many states are now legally requiring organizations to share salaries and we believe this is the key to fair and equitable compensation.
Our HR team is also equipped to review internal compensations, especially in challenging times, to support employee retention while also appreciate the very real reality of business objectives and business continuity.
“Studies show that greater transparency narrows pay inequities based on race and gender. If enough states enact pay transparency, it could forge a new national norm — one in which companies are as upfront about salaries as they are about prices.”
– Business Insider
Creating an environment that supports women in business, particularly in leadership positions is essential for an equitable workplace. If your company would like to learn more about how to create an uplifting environment for your entire staff, our team of HR professionals and our sister company, Training Arch, is here to help! With courses such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 101, 201, and 301, as well as other empowering courses including:
Anti-Bullying & Harassment
Respectful Culture Building
Unconscious Bias Training
Combatting Ageism in the Workplace
Creating a Safe Space
Emotional Intelligence – Leading with Kindness
Mindfulness & Self Care
Finding Your Voice
Moving from Employee to Manager
Conflict Resolution
Effective Workplace Communication 101
and more, Training Arch is equipped to help you facilitate a safe, efficient, and encouraging office for everyone on your team.
For more information on DEI, learning and development, and more, visit TrainingArch.com and for more HR and recruitment tips and resources, be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn stay tuned to our Blog!
Focused on being people first, our team cares about what we do and how we do it. We put our people first, and to us that means our 4 C’s: Colleagues, Candidates, Clients, and Communities!
“People-first” is a term that has been seen increasingly often in organizations and work spaces in recent years. In fact, it has become a buzzword that many business have begun using regularly in their job descriptions and mission statements.
But what exactly is a people-first culture?
At Career Contacts, we believe that centering our people at the core of everything we do has been the catalyst to our growth and success. We’ve built our business and work philosophy around what we call our 4 C’s: Colleagues, Candidates, Clients, and Communities.
“Putting people first is a philosophy backed up by a set of actions which prioritizes the people of an organization above all else including shareholder value and profits, even if it means that leaders must make personal sacrifices.“
-Jacob Morgan, Author of The Future of Work
Colleagues:
It’s important to consider that in order for us to do our best work for our candidates, clients, and communities, we have to start at the core of our company: our colleagues.
It’s been said that who you surround yourself can play a big part in shaping your frame of mind. Afterall, in a full-time position you can spend upwards of 8 hours a day with one another! With this in mind, we believe it’s vitally important to form strong connections with your team. Whether that is by creating a team chat where everyone can share what is going on in their lives (professionally and personally), or holding group events where everyone can interact (in person or virtually). It’s essential to the foundation of the company that there is a people-first environment within a team (big or small).
Additionally, by creating a unique compensation model that steers clear from commissions, we ensure that our teams work collaboratively, not competitively, and that our clients and candidates come first. By being people-centric, we ensure that the work we do aligns with how we want to do it. Our consulting division focuses on the work our teams are passionate about, and takes their entire lives into account – they choose the work they do, and the hours they put into it.
You’ve seen the quotes but essentially what the leadership team at Career Contacts believes is this: hire great people and get out of their way!
We also are committed to ensuring DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) stays at the forefront of our core values at Career Contacts. Through various diversity and inclusion initiatives, we can better partner with our candidates and clients and increase our alignment and service offerings. We believe DEI begins in-house, and we leverage, live, and breathe this in our workplace.
From ensuring our hiring practices are constantly evolving and improving, hire DEI specialists on our team, and partnering with external community partners to continuously learn, grow and do better,
We believe this is critical to our success and the reason our people feel included. When you feel comfortable to show up as hour whole self to work, it becomes a much happier place to be.
“Create the kind of workplace and company culture that will attract great talent. If you hire brilliant people, they will make work feel more like play.“
-Richard Branson
Candidates:
In the case of our candidates, being people-first means providing them with the smoothest possible recruitment process from start to finish. As noted in our last blog (“The ‘No Update’ Update”), we always want to make sure that we are respecting candidates’ time and offering them the best communication on our end and on behalf of our clients. Without our candidates, we wouldn’t be able to do what we love: bringing clients and candidates together.
With such a large client base that spans throughout North America, we take a consultative approach with our clients; letting them know what the job markets are doing, what candidates are asking for and what they need to do to ensure they secure the best talent for their teams.
By supporting with our clients on both an HR and Recruitment standpoint, we move into a holistic partnership that serves all and creates repeat win-win scenarios (our favorite kind!)
Our people-first process invites candidates in, and finds ways to screen them IN, not out of the hiring process. We work with our candidates to set them up for long term success, not just for our current roles, but for future opportunities. We love watching our candidates succeed in landing their dream job(s) over and over again!
In addition to our recruitment process, the safety of our candidates is vitally important to us. For every employee we place on-site, Career Contacts strives to put the safety of our internal and external teams before all else. We partner with our clients to ensure that they have the tools to operate in the same fashion, and ensure our employees are welcomed into safe environments every time.
Whether it’s physical or emotional safety, we do not compromise and neither do our clients.
“Corporate culture matters. How management chooses to treat its people impacts everything for better or for worse.“
-Simon Sinek
Clients:
Our clients are unique, and their recruitment process and needs are too. We understand that recruitment is not always (if ever!) a one-size-fits-all operation. We have our process but are able to easily adapt and customize that process to ensure our clients feel supported in the way they need!
Agile working is about bringing people, processes, connectivity and technology, time and place together to find the most appropriate and effective way of working to carry out a particular task. It is working within guidelines (of the task) but without boundaries (of how you achieve it).
Habitaction
Our goal when working with our clients is to focus on not just what the role requires on paper, but starting and maintaining a healthy dialogue with our clients to really figure out what it is that their team needs in a recruit on a core level. We understand that getting to know our clients on a people-first level is essential to understanding their company culture, and ultimately vital to finding their perfect fit. This also means forming a connection and staying in touch with them even outside of any new openings or hires.
“Many companies espouse in their mission and vision statements that their people come first. We see it written into company values and emblazoned across websites in an effort to recruit, retain and engage employees, yet how many organizations and leaders put into practice what they preach? How many can speak to what it truly means to put their people first?”
-Sinive Seely, for Forbes
Communities:
Being people-first in this sense is an integral part of our purpose as a company, which is why serving and interacting in our community is imperative to our mission. At Career Contacts, we believe in placing the utmost value on our communities, and the environment. While supporting local candidates and local clients, we are also committed to supporting these communities at large, which allows us to give back in a meaningful way.
We work closely and partner (both formally, and informally) with numerous BC organizations and schools such as Dress for Success Vancouver, AGA Khan Foundation Canada, Union Gospel Mission, Black Women Connect Vancouver, and Greystone College (just to name a few), to make sure that we are doing our part in sharing our knowledge and resources with our neighbors. Whether it’s guest-speaking at a resume workshop for a local College or University, or making a donation to a charity that we support such as BC Children’s hospital, we are passionate about where we live and we are avid about uplifting our community.
What stands us apart is the way we give back. Our teams are all invited to take the stage and build their personal brands as they support Career Contacts in building our professional one.
Each year, our entire team decides where our dollars are going to be spent on giving back and which organizations we can support. Even as a smaller organization, there is always time and resources to share – no matter the size.
With our teams based all over Canada and the US, our definition of ‘local’ support expands with us; though Vancouver, BC will always be where it all began!
“Make sure everybody in the company has great opportunities, has a meaningful impact and is contributing to the good of society.”
-Larry Page
People are the very center of the every industry; especially the HR and Recruitment industries. In our day-to-day operations we speak with and work closely with thousands individuals from different lines of work, with different skillsets and backgrounds. The passion that our team has for what we do is rooted in our love of working with those individuals within a true people-first mindset!
If you are looking for the next step in your career, or if you’re looking for a new addition (or additions!) to your team, we are ready to help. Our team is comprised of dedicated recruitment and HR experts who are passionate about assisting in all aspects of the recruitment process and human resources materials. Click the links attached to learn more about our Recruitment and HR services, and to view our currently available positions, take a look at our Job Board. For other HR and Recruitment tips and resources, connect with us on LinkedIn and stay tuned to our Blog!
If you spend any time at all on LinkedIn, you have seen the barrage of candidates who continue to feel ghosted in the recruitment process. They spend hours of their time and energy to research and apply to positions only to get nothing in return.
In a recruitment firm, the goal is to keep candidates informed as much as possible on the progression of a recruit. The challenge for recruitment professionals is that because they work on behalf of a client, there are so many parts of the process that are out of their control. This is not an excuse.
LinkedIn has a lot of stories that point fingers at candidates for ghosting too – this isn’t an excuse either.
That’s why at Career Contacts we are passionate about setting up our clients and our candidates for success by guiding them step by step through the hiring process. We believe that with the right steps in place, the recruitment process can be a positive and rewarding experience for everyone, from start to finish.
Step 1: Don’t start until you are ready
In order to keep your timelines candidate-centered, ensure that you have all your internal processes sorted before posting the role.
Things to consider are:
Compensation / budget
Interview process and schedules
Offer packages
Contracts
Onboarding
Policies and practices
When you have a proper process in place, it allows the interview process to move forward quickly.
[The Career Contacts HR Division is here to support clients with all areas of the above – contact us to learn about how we can support your organization to be set up for success]
Step 2: Be transparent
When candidates ask for information you don’t have, it’s okay to say that you do not know – ghosting is NOT the solution. Not all recruiters have the information readily available, the goal isn’t to have it right away, it’s to have the right person in place to ask.
Companies also tend to keep certain information like salary hidden.
We believe strongly in salary transparency.
Here are a few good reasons why:
It ensures pay equity internally
Increased pay equity (offers not reliant on who negotiates best)
It identifies gaps in your compensation package
Increases trust with employees
The other piece that is important to keep in mind is to be transparent about your process. Whether you do two phone interviews, a test, or an in person interview. While we believe strongly in a strategic and streamlined process, for candidates it is less about what the steps are and more about being informed up front about the steps, and where they fall within them.
Step 3: The “No Update” Update
Things happen and recruitment processes get delayed. Candidates understand if they have the opportunity to be told! We are committed to keeping candidates updated on what is, and isn’t happening in the process.
Sending a candidate an email to let them know you don’t have any information but have not forgotten about them goes a long way.
Step 4: The offer
Our favorite part of the process is when we know we made that match. This is also where many clients end up loosing their candidates by taking too long to put together a formal offer and not keeping candidates informed.
In a hot candidate market, even just a day or two can lead to a candidate being offered and accepting another opportunity, simply because you were not transparent and communicative about where you were in the process.
Remember that letting a candidate know that they are in the top two or that an offer is being prepared, is a justified and highly welcomed update for candidates.
Step 5: The rejection
We know it’s the worst part of the job. No one enjoys the rejection process but it so important to close the loop for candidates. It is important for them to know that this particular door has closed and allow them to move on to the next opportunity.
Step 6: Respond within reason
We all know that sometimes rejection can be difficult, and candidates may reconnect to get more information. If you have feedback that can help them in their job search, it’s a wonderful gesture to share that with them. If they persist to a point that is no longer realistic to respond to, inform them that the role and process have now been closed and that further communication will cease for this opportunity.
Even in the most challenging of circumstances, being kind wins every time.
Our hope is that together, companies, recruitment firms and candidates can have a positive experience.
For more information on our recruitment services visit our Employers page and for more HR and Recruitment tips and resources be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn and stay tuned to our Blog!
Learning and development or training and development (L&D or T&D) programs have become a hot topic of discussion among workplaces internationally. According to a new study featured on Forbes.com, learning and development culture is now viewed by HR teams, employees, and job seekers alike as an essential part of a progressive workplace. In fact, according to the study, it has become a “competitive differentiator”, making companies with L&D programs stand out (to employees and those in the job market) among those without.
What’s changed? While offering a learning and development program was once primarily viewed as a perk used to attract new hires, building a thriving continuous learning program is quickly becoming a permanent fixture among companies around the world.
What is a learning and development program?
The term might seem self-explanatory, but there are many elements that make up a successful learning and development program and culture within a workplace.
Most business have some kind of training/learning and development courses in place. Most commonly, companies will offer HR-led training courses, such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training, and Anti-Bullying and Harassment courses. However, there are numerous avenues for learning that fall under the umbrella of training and development. Courses that cover topics such as effective workplace communication, effective time management, and leadership.
A full-fledged L&D or T&D program will include an ongoing learning plan that can be applied to the entire workplace, or can be tailored to each department based on the development that the company would like to encourage in their team members.
What can a learning and development program bring to the table?
Expanding the learning and development programs that your company offers has several benefits to both your team and even your bottom line.
According to the afore mentioned new research, studies have found that 76% of employees are now more likely to stay with a company that provides them with the opportunity for continuous learning. That same study found that 55% of employees feel that they need additional training in order to perform better in their roles/job duties. With over half of employees agreeing that learning and development will improve their efficiency and three quarters agreeing that they prefer to stay with a company that invests in learning programs for their team, it’s more apparent than ever that a L&D program can boost productivity, retention, and overall job satisfaction among employees within a business.
Beyond satisfaction among current employees, a learning and development program is also now one of the key elements that job seekers are looking for when hunting for a place to work. According to HR managers featured in the recent study, the mention of a continuous training program led to an 83% boost in the attraction of new employees.
Not only has the data shown that companies who choose to invest in training are seeing a 24% higher profit margin that those who don’t, said businesses are also seeing an opportunity to promote from within their company, creating room for the organization to expand exponentially.
What exactly are the benefits of digital / e-learning?
In the past few years, as technology has continued to advance and people have become more inclined to work, learn, and socialize from home, e-learning has become an increasingly popular platform where HR teams and outsourced L&D companies can conduct online courses and lesson plans. E-learning, in the form of digital learning content is usually presented as audio, video, and/or downloadable lesson materials that are easily accessible for remote training.
The convenience of conducting training and development online versus in-person classes is seen as the primary benefit of e-learning, but the list of advantages continues! Online courses allow for each employee to view and participate in their session when their schedule best allows, instead of during a time when they potentially have other priorities that need to be completed. Digital learning allows employers to provide a window for when employees can complete their courses as opposed to having to coordinate, schedule and enforce a company or department-wide meeting. It also allows employees who work solely remotely (or team members who had to miss a day) to participate in the full lesson without missing a beat.
The HR perspective
An HR team is often faced with the responsibility of maintaining employee satisfaction and directing company culture. The overall objectives of employee recruitment relations, retention and engagement lead the way for a strong learning and development plan.
The strategic learning and development departments can be successfully supported through external expertise. HR is often leaned on to support both leadership and their employees and find themselves in a unique position of being able to identify the needs and invite opportunities to explore personal and professional growth.
For leadership, it may create avenues for business growth and continuity, while for employees, it may make them feel a sense of support and create opportunity.
The future of learning and development
Fractional learning and development is the way of the future. What this means is that we are no longer requiring onsite learning and development, but demanding a more customized approach to learning and development.
Employees are demanding flexibility, accessibility and customization.
Examples of successful L&D partnerships include:
Flexible and accessible delivery – remote, onsite, on demand or pre-recorded
Industry and organization specificity – employees are demanding a more customized approach to learning and development that is focused on their industry, their role, and their level within their team (emerging, developing, or strategic member of the team)
Continuous learning – the most effective learning programs have opportunities for ongoing learning. Whether that is reflected in levels (101, 201, 301), or additional material to keep the learning going
Choice – employees want a say in their learning and development journey
Where should my company start when building a L&D/T&D Program?
The good news is, if you don’t know where to start in building out your company’s Training and Development program, you don’t have to do it alone. There are now training companies that are dedicated to doing just that! A good training company will be able to provide a consultation to determine the following:
What are your organization’s primary learning and development needs? What subjects and courses will help your team to best achieve company goals, and which will your employees find most useful in their day-to-day operations?
What platform will work best for your employees’ schedules and accessibility needs? (Online, in-person, pre-recorded video sessions, or live remote learning sessions, etc.)
What would a continuous learning program look like for your organization specifically? Will it focus on leadership training to promote internal growth? Will it focus on providing ongoing learning materials and resources for your employees?
Regardless of what exact direction you want to take your learning and development program into, a training and development company will be able to build out a comprehensive program that works best with the communication and working styles within your office.
If your company is ready to start building a customized learning and development program, Career Contacts’ sister company, Training Arch, is ready to help! With expert facilitators and a thorough understanding of all things Learning & Development, Training Arch is a great option for companies big and small to begin developing their L&D program!
For more information on learning and development, visit TrainingArch.com and for more HR and recruitment tips and resources, be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn stay tuned to our Blog!
Consider the last time you needed advice; who were the people in your life that you trusted enough to turn to for their opinions and feedback? Who are the people that support you and hold you up?
Whether you need some input on a decision that you’re planning on making in your personal life, or a different perspective on a career move that you’re considering in your professional life, you most likely have a team of people behind you that help you to see all sides of an issue. Though you may not have heard of the term, this team of people is what some refer to as your “Personal Board”.
A Personal Board can be made up of friends, family, co-workers, and in some cases even bosses and teachers can play a part in your support network. While they may not necessarily know it, and while you may not always refer to them this way, considering who makes up your Personal Board and who plays what role on your team can be helpful, inspiring, and can help you to visualize the support you have around you in times of need!
In order to help recognize who in your life plays which part on your Personal Board, we’ve provided all of the roles below along with the characteristics of each and why they’re important:
Peer
A peer is someone that you can relate to on a personal or professional wavelength. If you need validation on your current work and projects, do you have someone that comes to mind who can peer-review and give you their honest feedback and support?
Who do you turn to when you need inspiration and new ideas?
When you need motivation to spark a change in your life or make a difference in the world, who can you talk to?
Cheerleader
Having a primary source of encouragement is so important. When you need a pat on the back, who do you go to?
Furthermore, venting to someone you trust is a healthy way to express emotions that might otherwise get bottled up throughout the week. Is there someone in your life that you can safely and appropriately vent to?
Sometimes it can be easy to get off track. Who holds you accountable when you need a push back into the right direction?
Being able to fully be yourself with someone you trust is also a crucially important part of your well-being. Who comes to mind as someone you can fully express yourself around?
Career Coach
Though it’s sometimes tough to accept critique, someone who challenges you is also an important part of your Personal Board. Sometimes it’s helpful to be shown a clear picture of the improvements you could be making in your life and one way to do that is to trust someone, such as a career coach, who can challenge you to become an even better version of yourself. Often, we all need a healthy dose of constructive criticism in our lives and having someone who can provide that in a friendly, compassionate way is indispensable.
Navigating your career journey can be overwhelming when you’re going at it on your own. Is there someone in your corner who can help you to visualize what you would like to accomplish and how you can go about reaching your goals?
Mentor
Experience and field-related knowledge is one of the most valuable qualities a member of your Personal Board can have. Who do you know who is at a senior level in the industry you’re pursuing?
Is there someone in your life who has been influential in the field that you’re interested in and can offer you advice or guidance in your career path?
Access to resources is also an integral part of your route to finding success. When you think about someone who can make helpful suggestions and provide resources, who do you think of? This may be someone who offers their support in helping you develop both professionally and personally.
Connector
Expanding your network is another element of success that can be a huge asset in your career and personal life. Do you have someone that comes to mind when you think about who has the ability to introduce you to other people? Is this person involved in your profession or the industry you’re hoping to familiarize yourself with? If you have a person in your life who can broaden your connections and create opportunities to form new relationships, that is your “Connector.”
As mentioned, a connector can operate inside of or outside of your profession, meaning they may not be directly involved in your work life, but they ultimately will have an interest in, and a knack for facilitating interactions in different social circles.
Wellness Coach
The term “Wellness Coach” is one that has become widely popularized, especially in recent years. Though it is a profession that many people choose to pursue as a career, it’s also a term that can simply be used to describe someone who uplifts and encourages your overall health and wellness.
A Wellness Coach may be someone who is a wealth of knowledge and tips for how to practice self-care. They may have a repertoire of information on the best ways to cope with stress and deal with daily pressures of work, or they may just have a collection of fun and inspirational messages that they share with you often.
This can be someone who routinely or occasionally checks in with you to make sure that you are managing your wellbeing and taking good care of yourself, and someone who is able to lift your spirits and encourage healthy habits when you could use a kind reminder.
In its simplest of definitions, a Personal Board is a group of people in your life that you can count on. These are people that listen when you need someone to talk to, make time in their day to connect, and provide open and honest communication. They will be someone in which you can find both mutual respect and inspiration. They may ask questions that make you take a step back and think, and most importantly they are someone who has a genuine interest in seeing you succeed and thrive in whatever goals you choose to pursue.
When life gets overwhelming, having a strong support system to lean on when you need it is imperative, especially if you’re going through any kind of change in your career or personal journey. Taking a step back to consider the team that you have around you can be a great way to take stock of your support network and will allow you to show your appreciation for them in gestures of gratitude! As a fun exercise, think about anyone who may have come to mind when reading through the descriptions of each role and consider reaching out to them to check in with and thank them! Additionally, take into consideration where you might fit into their Personal Board and offer your support to them mutually.
If you’re coming up on a change in your career journey, or if you’re a leader within a company that is going though shifts or growth in their departments, Career Contacts is happy to help! Reach out to us via our contact page and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and stay tuned to our Blog for more employment tips and resources!
Need help finding outstanding talent for your business or some assistance in taking the next step in your career journey? Here is what to look for in a recruitment firm
With over 40,000 new recruiter roles being posted according to Indeed alone (and recruiters know there are many more avenues for open roles), we wanted to think about why someone would choose Career Contacts. We truly believe that until you know your values, strengths and differentiators, you won’t be able to attract your ideal candidates or clients. Although we aren’t technically hiring for our own office at the moment, we are a recruitment company, so attracting proactive talent is kind of our thing. Because of this, we decided to share some of the core foundations that we have built our company on and the qualities that we strongly believe matter when looking for a recruitment firm that you can trust.
Flexibility, Accessibility, & Diversity
At CC, we are headquartered in Downtown Vancouver. While currently we are predominantly remote or hybrid, we have a space to connect, collaborate and call “home”. Having this space has allowed us to not only interact with our teammates, but also with the people of Vancouver. Over the years, we’ve been able to get to know countless neighbors and learn about their life and career goals. The bonds that this has allowed us to form have been imperative to running our business and understanding the innerworkings of the many industries that also call Vancouver home.
While we love having our home-base in the city, we at Career Contacts also value the importance of flexibility and accessibility for our employees and our candidates. We like the balance of our employees being able to be 100% remote, 100% in office, and anything in between. That’s why, especially in light of the pandemic, we’ve created a system that allows us to get to know candidates virtually or over the phone. Creating this system has empowered our employees to do their job both efficiently and remotely if needed. This has also permitted our candidates to have more flexibility in when they can schedule a meeting with us, leading to increased accessibility for them as well.
Impact, Creativity, & Meaning
At Career Contacts, we care about the communities we live and work in, and together we impact much more than our bottom lines. We love being able to work closely, side-by-side with local businesses and we’re dedicated to listening to their needs and matching them with the right candidates. In addition to providing value to the companies within BC, we are also passionate about creating valuable relationships with our neighbors who are looking for the next step in their career journey. Our daily focus is to make a difference in BC by connecting job seekers with excellent opportunities and connecting employers with excellent candidates.
On everything from how we operate, to how we find and connect with job seekers and clientele, our team is given the opportunity to get creative in how we do our jobs. We are allowed to think outside the box, encouraged to ideate, collaborate and find meaning and joy in the day to day. Our team is happy to celebrate collaboration over competition, and that in turn allows us to work at our most efficient and our most effective capacity. We believe that creating an environment that centers around teamwork not only strengthens our partnerships with our coworkers, but it also creates an environment in which the building of our relationships with candidates and clients can thrive as well.
Agency, Autonomy, & Understanding
We hire co-ops, executives and everything in between. We recognize the different needs, management styles, and career paths, and built a company that celebrates our differences.
In our workplace, we’re proud to be made up of a group of individuals from all different walks of life. We respect the lives we each lead outside of CC and celebrate our different faiths, background, identities etc. We encourage our teammates to be who they are, and we are excited to applaud one another when someone takes a step into a new direction on their career journey. We pride ourselves on valuing internal mentorship and creating a true community within our company. Our office doors are always open, and we’ve designated our workplace environment as a safe space to ask questions.
Being that our team is made up of individuals with different backgrounds and career paths ourselves, we also understand first-hand that you have to be able to be yourself in order to find a role or a candidate that will feel like the perfect fit. That’s why we believe that inviting our clients and candidates to embrace their individuality is the best way to make placements that will last. We welcome candidates and clients to share with us who they are, and we take it from there in connecting them with the opportunities that we think would best fit where they are in their journey and what they are looking for.
Getting to know the needs and desires of a client and or a job seeker is the main priority right from the start of our process. Our procedure emphasizes closely understanding the qualities that a client may be seeking in their candidates and the distinctions within each individual industry. We also focus on getting to know the attributes that a job seeker is hoping to find within their search, and our aim is to find the most suitable role possible within our repertoire. With years of experience under our belt, we also understand the nuances of the job market and we know well how to navigate its ups and downs. Having an extensive knowledge and understanding of the career world as a whole, along with the passion that we have for constant learning has helped shape us into the company we are today and has led to the success that we’ve had within our own industry.
Transparency
We are passionate about pay transparency, pay equity, diversity, inclusion and advocacy. Our team recognizes the importance and gravity of dealing with elements of people’s livelihood. We take this responsibility seriously, which is why we believe in being upfront with candidates about the salary that an opportunity is offering. We also ensure that pay equity takes a front seat among our own team as well as within our conversations and inter-workings with our clients.
Diversity, inclusion and advocacy is at the forefront of our mission at Career Contacts. With multiple human resources professionals on our team, many of whom teach classes on diversity, equity, and inclusion, our firm goes beyond recruitment as a means of placing individuals and filling roles. We whole-heartedly focus on the ethics and morality side of recruitment, making sure that we are always prioritizing our integrity in every endeavor.
If you or your company are considering working with a recruitment firm, these are the attributes that we consider to be the core qualities of a trustworthy company. We believe that recruitment can be a rewarding process for everyone involved and we strive to keep all of these goals at the center of our daily objectives and interactions. Keeping this list in mind when we start our day allows us to set intentions and find the true purpose in what we do. Ready to chat with us about how we can help you in your search? We are ready to help! Reach out to us via our contact page and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and stayed tuned to our Blog for more employment tips and resources!
Job searching can be daunting, especially if you have been on the hunt for a while. From networking, to researching on numerous platforms for available positions, working through different application procedures, all the way through to preparing for multiple interviews, the entire process can be exhausting. If you’ve been feeling as though you could use some assistance in looking for the role that’s meant for you, Career Contacts has compiled these 5 tips for finding success in your job search:
Know your career goals – prioritize them while searching
Transitioning to a new role, though it can seem overwhelming, is the perfect time to consider what elements of a job description are most important to you. What are your ultimate career goals? Perhaps salary is not as important to you as finding a role with an excellent title, or perhaps you want to prioritize finding a role within a company that offers great training opportunities or somewhere that will allow for growth within your career. Beginning your job search by asking yourself these kind of questions is a good way to start off your search journey with your ideals in mind. Not only will this help you to weed out the positions that are not a great fit, it will also allow you to more clearly define what kind of career path you would like to set on and will ultimately help to narrow your search criteria.
2. Customize your resume for the role you are applying for
Though it may require some extra time, one of the best ways to stand out among a list of other candidates who are applying for the same position is to cater your resume as much as you can to the role you are applying to. We recommend reading the job description carefully to ensure that you are mentioning all of your most relevant experience and skills. Pay close attention to the keywords that are listed under the job requirements and identify which of those feel best suited to characteristics that you exemplify. Once you’ve picked out the descriptors that seem most relevant to your working style, consider adding them into your resume in appropriate areas such as your bio and work experience. Be sure that you have examples in mind of how you have applied these keywords at work in the past, and how you can apply them in the future should you be chosen for this position.
3. Network regularly – especially in the industry you’re interested in
Word-of-mouth recommendations can be a huge benefit when you’re in the throes of your job hunt, especially if you are going through a career shift or getting your foot in the door of a new industry. Because of this, networking can be one of the most essential tools at your disposal during your job search journey, but if you’re fairly new to the world of building a professional network, it can be tricky to know where to begin. Traditionally speaking, networking is largely thought of as something you do at in-person work-related events such as seminars and conventions. While those are excellent ways to meet with other working professionals, they are certainly not the only way to form connections. Especially with the element of the pandemic being introduced, in-person events may be few and far between, and when they do occur, the face-to-face relationship building may be made more difficult with the introduction of masks and social distancing. This is where virtual networking comes into play. In recent years, establishing professional social media accounts has become an increasingly popular and advantageous way to connect with people in your industry of interest, other job seekers, and even recruiters, employers, and hiring managers. Try looking for Facebook pages or groups for job seekers in your area, expand your connections with friends and colleagues on LinkedIn, and follow Instagram pages for recruitment companies near you.
You can connect with Career Contacts on all of the following platforms here: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
4. Set a schedule and stay organized
One of the most overwhelming parts of being in the midst of a job search is closely managing your time and keeping track of your calendar. Especially if you are presently still working in your current role while you are simultaneously looking for a new role, managing your time can be a feat in and of itself. Between making time for research and scrolling through job sites, setting up interviews, and coordinating your regular daily schedule in between all of the additional job search tasks, it can feel like there is not enough time in the day. This is why staying organized is vitally important to setting yourself up for success in your job hunt.
Depending on your daily schedule, some people may find it more helpful to job search sporadically throughout the day and save or screenshot the roles they’re interested in to then apply to at the end of their day. Alternatively, some may find it easier to set an hour or two apart from the rest of your day and dedicate that time to browsing through job sites and networking. While either of these approaches work, regardless of which you choose, ensuring that you have a set method can be beneficial in making you feel less overwhelmed.
When you do get through the first stages of finding and applying to a role, if you are able to land an interview, the last first impression you want to make is being late or worse, forgetting to show up altogether. Marking your calendar with important dates and times is essential to help keep you on track throughout your search. As an extra reminder, another great tool to utilize is setting alarms for yourself throughout the day to remind you of any events that you have coming up.
5. Identify examples of your skills – keep them in mind when interviewing
While it’s great to have your skills and experience listed on your resume, it’s important that you’re able to back up your resume with real-life examples. For instance, if you mention that you have strong communication skills, think of some occasions when you were able to communicate efficiently to make a point or solve a problem. Were you able to connect with a new client or make a sale by striking up a conversation? Additionally, if you list that you are a strong leader and great team player, what are some scenarios in which you led your team to a win or worked with your team to accomplish a project or goal? Having these examples in mind while writing your resume is an excellent way to feel even more prepared for when you’re interviewing.
Note: Keep in mind that not all of your examples of your skills, experience, and work ethic have to be directly related to work or previous positions. Have you volunteered somewhere where you were able to develop and showcase your leadership skills? Do you participate in any hobbies or sports that would be an example of your dedication and teamwork? These are valid ways to demonstrate your abilities and can help the interviewer get to know who you are outside of work as well.
At Career Contacts, we understand that entering into the job market or going through a career shift can be intimidating. With so much to remember and stay on top of, it can be an emotional rollercoaster to go through a job search journey alone. With this in mind, we’ve created our services to assist you in your job hunt process, with one primary goal in mind – to help you find a role that feels like a perfect fit. For more information on the excellent positions that we are currently hiring for, check out our Job Board and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and stay tuned to our Blog for more employment tips and resources!
If you’ve been to a formal interview or if you’ve been researching how to prepare for one, you are most likely familiar with the famous last question that interviewers and hiring managers are known to present at the end of their line of questioning. It typically sounds something like, “do you have any questions for us”? Though it is common, this question is frequently one of the last that interviewees think to prepare for, and often when it’s presented it can feel like you’ve been put on the spot. If you are in the midst of your job search and would like some assistance in your prep, Career Contacts is here to provide some context around this question and why it’s important, as well as examples of 5 questions to ask an interviewer that will show you’ve come prepared.
Why have at least one question prepared?
While it might seem that interviews are designed for an employer to get to know you and decide whether or not you would be the right fit for the role and for their company, what many interviewees often forget to consider is that it is also a chance for you to get to know more about the position and the employer and whether you feel it would be the right opportunity for you to pursue. When a hiring manager opens up the floor for you to ask any questions, it’s an invitation to not only provide some additional background on yourself that could make you an even more promising candidate, but to also ask any pressing questions that you might have about the details of the job description or about the organization or team as a whole. Though it’s not mandatory to have questions at the end of an interview, many hiring experts agree that it certainly makes a candidate seem more interested, engaged, and prepared when they have at least one thoughtful question at the ready. Having the right enquiries on hand can show that you’re proactive and that you’ve done your research about the role, the company, and the hiring process.
It is important to note that there may not always be time at the end of an interview for all of the questions you may have about the role. Additionally, keep in mind that many questions may be answered throughout the discussion and some may have to be saved for an introduction upon getting hired, but when the end of the interview arrives and you’re put in the spotlight, here are some examples of queries that you can have on hand:
Are there any concerns about my resume that have not been addressed?
This can be a good way to segue from the discussion about your background into the questions for your interviewer by giving them an opportunity to ask anything that they may have forgotten to touch on during their questioning. It also gives you an opportunity to get ahead of any apprehensions that they may have in hiring you for the role. For example if there are any gaps on your resume, this could be a great time to mention any reasons that you were not employed at the time, or any side projects that you were participating in that were not necessarily applicable to a resume but may be of value.
2. How is success measured at this company and in this role?
Depending on who you ask, success is measured differently everywhere you go. One employer’s idea of success may mean meeting an individual daily or weekly quota of some kind. Another employer may measure success by how much an employee contributes to the overall goals of their department. By asking this, you can show that you have an interest in what taking on this role would mean in the big-picture sense. It’s a good way to learn about what is most important to accomplish should you end up getting hired and it’s an excellent way to let the hiring manager know that you would be a dedicated employee.
3. What would a day in this role look like?
Should you make it through the hiring process, what can you expect when you start this new position? Are there any daily tasks or responsibilities that conflict with your current working style? This is a great way to get to know the role more in depth to determine if it would be a good fit or if there are any parts of the new routine that would take some additional getting-used-to. Asking what an average day may look like is another way to show that you take initiative and can also further the conversation in which you can mention more about your applicable background.
4. What is one obstacle that someone in this role may face?
Obstacles are inevitable with any position. Knowing what you may be up against should you get hired for this position can let you know if you believe this role would be a good fit. Additionally, asking this question will not only let you know more about the role and what to expect should you get the job, but it can also show that you are thinking ahead and planning ahead of time for any issues that may arise. This could also present an opportunity to mention how you might handle such an obstacle, demonstrating how you could apply your problem-solving skills.
5. What is a core value that is important for an employee at this company to have?
Getting to know the core values that are important to a company is an excellent way to get a feel for the environment that you will be potentially working in if chosen for the role. Perhaps their core value is integrity; this lets you know that in order to put your best foot forward for this role, you can focus on and prioritize demonstrating your honesty in any communication moving forward. Alternatively, their core value could be loyalty, stressing that dedication and growth within the company is something that they center. In this case you can ensure that in any further interactions, you’re at your most present and enthusiastic about the ways that you could contribute to the future of the organization. This can also be an excellent question to wrap up an interview and a positive note to end on.
Thoughtfulness Can Go a Long Way
Making an insightful inquiry at your next interview can show that you are ahead of the game, optimistic, and preparing for the best-case-scenario of you landing the position. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that interviewers are often on a tight schedule, so be sure to remain aware of the clock and conscientious that their time may not allow for numerous questions at the end of your allotted interview window. If you reach the end of the interview process and you find yourself with more than one query, it can be a courteous gesture to ask the interviewer or hiring manager how many questions they have the time for and keep your most pressing question at the forefront of your mind in case they are on a time crunch.
Overall, being prepared with engaging and thoughtful questions for your interviewer can be exceptionally helpful in making the best first impression possible. Keep these 5 questions at the ready while you prepare for your upcoming interview and use them as inspiration for any others that you may want to bring up next time you are in the hot seat.
For more tips and insight on interviewing and employment be sure to stay tuned to our blog and follow us on LinkedIn!
In parts one and two of our three-part breakdown of HR burnout, we’ve focused on many aspects of the additional work and logistical issues that COVID 19 has introduced into the workdays of HR teams internationally. However, the most pressing issue that has come into play in the last 19 months is how this additional workload, along with the daily stress of living through a world-wide pandemic, has affected the mental health of work teams as a whole, and specifically the emotional toll that it has taken on HR leaders. In this blog we’ll be exploring what we can do with this knowledge, how HR leaders can best support their employees and how employers can best support their HR teams through these unprecedented times.
Caring for Others’ Mental Health – The Emotional Toll
It became evident very quickly into 2020 that with all of the stress of the pandemic being introduced, organizations all over the world were going to need to re-evaluate and re-prioritize their company-wide mental health resources and support system. For many employers, this may have even been the first time that they had considered this element of their employee benefits. The first step in addressing this for many companies was to task their HR team with reviewing their existing mental health support systems as well as introducing new resources for their employees. While this has become an increasingly important assignment over the course of the last nearing two years, for many HR leaders this was the first of many issues that became incredibly pressing, seemingly overnight. This, along with the additional workload mentioned in parts one and two of our HR burnout series, has led to HR professionals feeling as though they have not had the time to properly take advantage of these mental health related benefits and resources that they, themselves have worked so hard on. Because of this, the impact of the pandemic has weighed even heavier on their mental health.
Numerous studies have shown the negative effects that the pandemic has had on mental health for individuals all around the globe, but when you factor in extreme stress and pressure at work on top of that, it gives an entirely new meaning to the term “burnout”. This has been the case for countless employees internationally and rings especially true for HR professionals. Though we’ve touched on the additional workload of HR teams, we haven’t yet discussed one of the most profound aspects that working through a pandemic has unleashed onto them – the emotional toll. Re-analyzing benefits packages to help their fellow employees through difficult times, introducing new policies and procedures to help protect themselves and fellow staff members, performing countless lay-offs and completing offboarding procedures, sometimes for members of their own department – all of this has taken an enormous amount of emotional energy for HR teams. In addition, they may have had to deal with co-workers and employees becoming ill or dealing with the loss of a family member. Being that it is often also the responsibility of the HR department to address work absences and offer resources to employees who may be dealing with grief in their personal lives, this can have a major impact on the metal heath of an HR leader.
As previously revealed in part one of this series, acting as the messenger between employers and employees is another element of the average HR workday that has become even more emotionally taxing over the course of the COVID-19 outbreak. Questions of health and safety are arising daily, and emotions have been at an all-time high, leading to many intense conversations being held in the office, often led by the HR department. Additionally, issues of staffing (lay-offs, offboarding, re-hiring some employees who had been let go, and bringing on new hires) have also proven to become even more emotionally strenuous during the past 19 months. Even during “normal” times, staffing is one of the most challenging parts of an HR professional’s workload but during a world-wide pandemic when issues of employment have become increasingly complicated, it’s not difficult to see how staffing could become an intense and emotionally draining assignment.
Did you know that Career Contacts has designated consultants who specialise in health and safety? These are not ‘side of desk’ responsibilities and we are providing our clients with the expertise they need.
Where to go from here? – The HR Balancing Act
So how can HR professionals ensure that they are continuing to provide the best possible care for their employees while accounting for their own burnout? The answer is unfortunately not cut and dry, but the basic first step begins with balance. Though it’s easier said than done of course, HR leaders globally are deciding that the best next course of action for their teams is to strike a delicate balance within caring for their employees, completing their daily list of actionable assignments, and caring for themselves. Creating a weekly detailed list of priorities, while it sounds like this would be one more task on top of everything else, is actually one of the tips that experts have given to strategize during highly stressful times. Constructing a full overview of the days ahead will allow for a more complete picture of where the most energy should be put today and where it can be preserved or carry over to a new day.
With all of the amazing technology at our finger tips, Career Contacts has partnered with exceptional companies that support HR departments in staying organized, equitable and accountable to the work being done.
How Employers Can Support Their HR Teams
When you look at their position as a whole, one of the primary duties of the HR team is to care for the needs of their employees. This in return means that many HR leaders feel as though they are hardwired to care for others before they care for themselves. Since the beginning of the pandemic, HR professionals have frequently come forward to express that because of their additional workload in caring for employees, and lack of sufficient time, they have been largely neglecting their own self-care. A burned-out HR department is not only destructive to the morale of the HR team themselves, but this can also create a domino-like impact on the entire company where no one’s mental health needs are being properly and adequately met. This all being said, what can employers be doing to fend off burnout and ensure that their HR team is well taken care of?
Provide them with enough back-up
According to HR leaders, the first priority is to make sure that they have enough back up, i.e. enough people on their team to help balance the workload. Though finding qualified candidates is a feat in and of itself, the pressure of having to bear the brunt of all of the work and emotional elements that have been mentioned in this series is far too big of a burden on a department that is short-staffed. If your HR department is in need of some additional help in finding fellow HR professionals, consider outsourcing some of this work to an employment agency – Career Contacts is always ready to assist!
2. Listen to your team
The pandemic has created the consistent need for new and intimidating conversations between staff and HR leaders, as well as between HR leaders and employees. Instead of making decisions solely on their own, employers are urged to consider the feelings, thoughts, and opinions of both their HR team as well as their employees. Having an open-door policy and taking into consideration the questions, comments, and concerns of your staff before making decisions that impact their lives is always strongly recommended and is even more important in light of the effects of the pandemic. Listening to your team also means keeping an open mind when your HR leaders need time to take a break and step away for their own mental health.
3. Practice what is being preached
Now more than ever, prioritizing mental health and tapping into mental health resources should not only be easily accessible, but perhaps most importantly, strongly encouraged and demonstrated from the top down. Employers are implored to demonstrate healthy boundaries and work-life balance and to be models to their team of everything that entails. Leading by example and providing your staff with the encouragement to come forward when they need a day off is essential and can go a long way in the battle of the burnout.
Moving Forward
While HR burnout has become an increasingly prevalent issue in today’s workplace, with the use of consistent, open communication, teamwork, and readily accessible mental health breaks and resources, there is hope for a brighter future in which HR professionals can combat the burnout and achieve a healthy work-life-balance.
For more HR and employer tips and resources, be sure to stay tuned to our blog and stay connected with us on LinkedIn!
In part two of our deep dive into HR burnout, we’re exploring the effects that the pandemic has had on working from home versus working from the office, layoffs, hiring and staffing concerns, and what this all meant for HR departments world-wide.
Transitioning to Remote Working
From the near-beginning of 2020, as workplaces began to close their office doors due to the start of COVID-19, HR departments became tasked with assisting in the transition of employees to work-from-home scenarios. This task has included everything from gathering information from the news about ever-changing pandemic safety protocol, collaborating with CEOs and managers to create work-from-home policies and procedures, to filtering down those messages to the employees and addressing their questions and concerns.
Research | Leadership | Communication
This massive shift in the way that the workplace operates and how work gets done has created obstacles for every member of work teams internationally, with HR departments at the forefront of it all. Many operational HR professionals had an opportunity to really step into strategic roles, where their voices not only mattered, but were critical to business success and continuity.
Although the popular take is that companies should do everything in their power to transition to remote workforces, there are many reasons that working from home can create challenges for some employees.
Factors such as childcare, not having a home office or quiet space, lack of access to reliable wifi, sharing their space with a partner or roommate, and even pets, can all create challenges. This, in combination with numerous other issues that the pandemic has brought on, has led to people having to leave their jobs altogether or being let go by their employers. Handling this back-and-forth between employees and employers, as well as completing the ongoing on- and off-boarding process, are two of the many circumstances that have had HR leaders feeling overwhelmed to say the least.
Even if they are able to conveniently work from home, the shift to working remotely has been a big adjustment for HR leaders as well. When one of your primary duties is to be a voice to the company, doing so without the ability to have face-to-face interactions can often complicate and change these interactions entirely. This has affected not only the HR department but the employees who rely on them for important workplace communication. Responsibilities like relaying sensitive information between employees and employers, checking in on the well-being of the staff, and conducting multiple layoffs especially becomes more difficult when all meetings are virtual.
High EQ HR professionals have recognised that the effort it takes to genuinely connect with team members requires significantly longer and more thoughtful connection, than being able to see physical signs of their employees struggling (or celebrating).
Layoffs, Re-Hiring, and Staffing Concerns
Studies have shown that the constant change and fluctuation within the job market has been immense since the beginning of the pandemic. With over 130,000 COVID-19 layoffs in Canada alone, the past 19 months have unleashed a slew of unprecedented additional work onto HR leaders. Add to this the droves of employees who have left their jobs since 2020 and it paints a clear picture of the stress that HR departments have had to face with off-boarding duties alone. Staffing concerns haven’t only been layoffs, people leaving, and off-boarding procedures. As discussed in part 1 of our HR Burnout blog series, all of these issues combined have ended with, in countless offices, a severely understaffed company, and a very tired and burnout HR department that has been responsible for handling all of the most challenging parts of these processes. The glaring question mark for workplaces and HR professionals has become how to handle the staffing of their company with all of the trepidations of a world-wide pandemic in the way.
Navigating the Unknown
Leading into the Summer of 2021, as COVID-19 vaccinations became more widely available, workplaces have begun the undertaking of re-opening their office doors, re-hiring and re-building their teams. While on the surface this has helped to aid the understaffing issues, the behind-the-scenes workload has had HR leaders scrambling to entirely change their directions once again. Filling new openings throughout an organization’s various departments has now become one of the most challenging aspects of the world’s new work climate, and therefore one of the most difficult elements of an HR leader’s day-to-day workload. The competitive nature of employers attracting the best candidates in an environment where job-seekers could be presented with numerous potential offers, has continued to add to the pressure onto the HR department.
At Career Contacts, we are seeing our candidates fielding multiple offers every day, and supporting our clients with ensuring they have the most streamlined, candidate centric, and competitive process in place to increase their chances of their offers being accepted.
Our recruitment and HR team have provided support by enhancing compensation plans, providing leadership with training and development to source and screen candidates, continued to improve candidate and employee experiences, and so much more. Living and breathing Kaizan (continuous improvement) has created such an incredible opportunity for tangible growth and success for our clients.
HR professionals continue to ensure that their company is offering all of the best and most appealing attributes for job-seekers. This includes staying up to date on competitive salaries for each position, designing an attractive benefits package, and coming up with flexible work arrangements such as work-from-home versus work-from-office hybrid capabilities.
Additionally, more employers have now asked their HR teams to determine how to offer the most comprehensive pandemic and post-pandemic-related health and wellness resources to potential candidates. While we whole heartedly believe that health and wellness plans are critical to retaining employees in any workplace environment, it is yet again, another item on the agenda of the HR team that now needs to be updated and checked off frequently.
Increased Workloads | Health and Wellness
Transitioning Back to Working from the Office and New Health Protocol
While it might seem that transitioning back to working from the office is a return to some form of “normal”, the pandemic is continuing to shape and mould the workplace into a completely new environment.
With COVID cases continuing to arise and the addition of the Delta Variant introduced, health and safety protocols are required to be updated regularly, leaving HR departments with a laundry list of procedures, requirements, and concerns to relay back and forth between employees and employers. Without precedents to rely on, HR is having to lean on their legal partners for increased support.
Having employees back in the office means engaging in conversations around masks, vaccinations, and social distancing; all of which have been surrounded by tension, debate and like it or not, politics. This also means discussing which departments and employees will be required to return to the office, if any, and if there will be a potential for certain roles to become fully remote or hybrid positions, which is another conversation that also has the possibility to become contentious. Equity should always be top of mind whenever new policies and practices are created, and balancing equity with being mindful of individual circumstances, takes a certain skillset that not everyone within HR has experience or training in.
HR is now responsible for shepherding employers through these conversations on the back end as well as guiding employees through them, all while bearing the potential and often very real criticism from either end. Addressing the safety and emotional concerns of the team is also at the forefront of the HR department as the transition to working from the office begins. Some team members may have faced the loss of a family member in the past 19 months. Some may have pre-existing health issues or live with someone who is immunocompromised and therefore have an aversion to working from the office while COVID continues. Every employee deserves to be heard and supported when possible, and this determination and decision making will often fall to, you guessed it, HR.
Important to note that through all of this, HR has been critical to organizations being able to be candidate and employee centric, heart lead leaders and seeing continued success. We are grateful to have our voices heard and our opinions form meaningful discussion and change.
All of the elements mentioned in part one and part two of this series would be a lot for HR professionals to handle in general, but add to all of this the weight of working through a world-wide pandemic and it becomes even more evident why HR burnout has become an increasingly common topic of discussion. In part 3 of our HR burnout series we will be delving into how the pandemic has effected mental health as a whole, mental health policies, and where to go from here in terms of HR departments being able to best support their employees, and how employers can best support their HR teams as well.
To continue with us in our break-down of HR burnout, be sure to stay tuned to our Blog and follow us on LinkedIn for more HR tips and resources!
The term “burnout” is one that you may have heard around the office, especially in the past 19 months. But what does it mean exactly? According to the definition from mental health and wellness website HelpGuide.org, “burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.” While it’s a fairly new term, it’s one that has become increasingly relevant in today’s work environments.
In this 3-part series, Career Contacts is taking a deep dive into HR burnout to explore what it is, why it’s happening now more than ever, and how it’s effecting HR departments everywhere. Most importantly, we are deep diving into what we can do to combat it.
Workplaces all over the world have been affected in countless ways by the pandemic. It’s changed everything from how we work, with new health and safety protocols updating day-to-day, to where we work, as many offices transition to working remotely part or even full time. It’s affected just about every aspect of the average workday and has left offices in a constant state of unrelenting change.
Greater Workload
During the course of the last (nearing) two years, employers and employees alike have faced numerous challenges that have come along with the whirlwind of change that has ensued. The employees that are perhaps feeling the pressure the most during this time are the ones who are staying on top of and introducing all of these changes – your office’s Human Resources team. HR professionals worldwide have had to shift from dealing with the stress of their normal workload, to now taking on all of the challenges that COVID has brought with it, in addition.
Lack of precedent or opportunity for training
Challenges like transitioning to remote work, lay-offs, re-hires, surveys, distributing top-down messages, and business-wide updates have all been added to the plate of the HR department. This has created a huge impact on HR divisions, with the biggest impact being on businesses with small Human Resources departments who have been bombarded with additional work that can only be divided between a team of two, sometimes even one person. The sheer volume of work that has been added into the mix for HR teams is made more difficult by the many layoffs within every department, including their own. Not only are they often required to oversee aspects of layoffs and off-boarding for other branches, but they then have to deal with the aftermath of the company and their own department being short staffed as well. This has led to many HR leaders feeling overwhelmed and as if they are always playing catch-up on their workload.
Additionally, being that all of these changes have been brought on without any precedent or warning, Human Resources teams have had to be the voice on issues and topics that are new both to them and to the rest of the world. They are being asked to perform at an ultra-high level with little background knowledge about the plethora of new information being presented to them. In other words – they are having to deliver breaking news constantly with no context on how this will affect the staff, and the workplace as a whole.
Without access to mentors to guide them, courses to teach them, and previous cases to draw from, HR is often asked to make the call without truly knowing what the consequences of the outcomes may be.
This creates an added burden of accountability that goes beyond the usual ask of HR and people and culture professionals.
The go between
The toll of acting as a messenger between employees and employers has also become a heavier load to bear since the beginning of the pandemic. Navigating how to filter down messages from managers to employees has always been one of the many challenging aspects of an HR professional’s position, but this too has dramatically changed in the past 19 months. Passing on company-wide messages and updates about everything from where, how, and when employees work comes with nuances, especially in stressful times. HR leaders have had to be the ones to pass on and enforce these updates from upper management, while also delicately balancing and responding to the feelings of their fellow employees. For HR personnel this means ensuring that they have a huge capacity for being empathetic to the concerns of the leaders of the company and their needs, as well as creating space for employees to voice their concerns and on-going questions.
Questions of new safety protocol and procedures, working from home versus working from the office, and numerous concerns about both all have been raised consistently and with much tension surrounding them. Acting as the “middle-man” responsible for answering these questions and relaying messages from the top has been a huge undertaking for HR departments who have also had to stay up to date with the ever-changing flow of breaking news surrounding the pandemic as well. Many HR leaders have felt that they have been in a constant state of back-and-forth, assisting on everything from consulting with employers and managers on new health guidelines and how to initiate next steps, as well as counseling employees on all of the updates and working with them to make them feel safe and heard. This would be a big ask in any situation but then add the emotional aspects that the pandemic has brought with it and it’s easy to see why HR teams are feeling burnt out.
So, what does this all mean for our HR teams? In our next 2 blogs, we will be unpacking more about HR burnout and the elements that are adding fuel to the burnout flames including hiring/staffing during a global health crisis, working from the office vs. remote work, burnout’s effects on mental health, and what we can do to combat and prevent it.
To learn more, be sure to stay tuned to our blog and follow us on LinkedIn for more HR tips and resources!
While it’s well known that team building exercises and events are beneficial for a workplace, it’s less commonly considered that volunteering can be one of the most inspiring and impactful ways of promoting collaboration among your team!
Whether it’s a company-wide event or a department-wide excursion, volunteering and giving back as a group is an exciting and powerful way to bond your team with shared, meaningful experiences. Even further, it’s also a way to discover your employees’ interests, passions, and talents and use them to create engagement and form connections.
In addition to team building within the office, giving back as a group is also a way for your company to get involved in your community and make a difference in your backyard and beyond.
If you’re ready to volunteer with your team and are wondering where to start, we’ve listed some ideas on how to do just that below:
Ask your employees about what’s important to them
Your team members all come from different backgrounds with different interests, passions, and skillsets. Start by asking them if there are any charities or organizations that are important to them, or any specific talents that they would like to utilize. This a great way to compile ideas for company team building and volunteer opportunities, while getting to know more about your employees and letting them know that their interests are valued.
As an example of this, each year our Career Contacts team collaboratively chooses an organization to give back to. We are proud to have established a long-standing relationship with BCCHF (BC Children’s Hospital Foundation) and in addition, our team members can also decide on other causes that they would like to contribute our time and resources to.
2. Create/organize your company’s own unique event
You don’t have to look beyond your office for impactful volunteer/team building opportunities. Consider creating an event that’s unique to your company and the products/services you provide. This will give your employees an opportunity to use the skills they’ve honed at work and apply them outside of at their desks for a good cause.
3. Start local
Regardless of the location of your office/team, there are likely many volunteer-based programs and organizations in your own neighborhood that your team could give back to and connect with. Community-focused events can be an excellent place for your team to lend your voices and abilities – try looking at your local community centers, shelters/food pantries, schools and colleges for any events that may need volunteers.
4. Plant a tree or start a community garden
Giving back to the environment is also an exciting and worthy cause for your team to take part in! With correct permission from your city, a tree planting day can benefit mother nature and your group mutually. Or in addition to planting trees, planting a community garden will also allow your employees to collaborate with one another while giving back to the whole neighborhood. A sponsored garden is also a great way to let your community know that your company cares.
5. Organize a public space cleanup in your area
Is there a park or beach nearby the office that could use some tidying? Hosting a public place cleanup comes with many exciting ideas for team-building exercises. Creating fun games such as “who can collect the most trash by the end of the day” or “who can find the strangest item” while cleaning can be a motivational and memorable way to get your team to connect. Consider providing a picnic lunch as an extra treat.
6. Host or participate in a blood drive event
Blood donation is widely considered to be one of the most profound ways to give back. Additionally, being that hospitals are always in need of blood, this is an event that, once established, could be made into an annual workplace tradition. Adding other fun elements to the day such as “blood donor” pins and certificates, and a catered lunch is an excellent way to make your employees feel appreciated.
To learn more about how to set up a blood drive for your team, reach out to your local hospitals and blood donation centers.
7. Think big picture
Encouraging your employees to volunteer together and get involved can be a year-round venture! Many businesses do this by creating programs that reward their team with a donation made to the charity of their choice for every hour they’ve spent volunteering there. This can also extend to a larger dollar amount for every team member they bring with them to volunteer outside of work. These programs not only motivate your staff to give back, but it can also motivate them to encourage and connect with one another as well.
8. Learn together
Another way for your team to engage and get involved is to attend seminars that talk about important issues and topics. Learning together can be a powerful way to bond a team and can have lasting impressions both in and outside of the workplace. Hosting group outings to these events is an excellent way to open up important dialogues among your staff that they can then utilize throughout their workday and beyond.
Looking for a great seminar for your team to attend? One of Career Contacts’ own, Jeff So, is going to be a panelist for The University of British Columbia’s Community Connection Series: “But Where Are You Really From?” Navigating your Racial Identity Throughout your Career Journey on Thursday, October 14th, 2021.
Are there any commemorative days or awareness months coming up? Consider planning or finding volunteering opportunities that relate to a national or international holiday or commemorative event.
Here are some upcoming Canadian and world-wide commemorative events that your team can use to inspire your volunteerism:
Women’s History Month – October
Veteran’s Week – Nov. 5-11
Remembrance Day – Nov. 11
Transgender Day of Remembrance – Nov. 20
Canada History Week – Nov. 20-26
Activism Against Gender Violence – Nov. 25 – Dec. 10
World Human Rights Day – Dec. 10
No matter where or how your team decides to get involved, volunteering and giving back together is sure to be a rewarding experience for everyone.
For more employer tips and resources, stay tuned to our blog and follow us on LinkedIn!
What is The Golden Circle and what does it mean to “find your Company’s Why”? Created by author and inspirational speaker, Simon Sinek, The Golden Circle is a visual model that illustrates Sinek’s theory about the success behind some of the world’s most well-loved business and brands. According to Sinek, the Golden Circle is a guide that can be used to aid in your company’s improvements in corporate culture, leadership, hiring process, product development, as well as marketing and sales.
We at Career Contacts believe that this model highlights some of the most essential elements of running a prosperous business. Because of this, we’ve composed some of our own thoughts about the components of The Golden Circle, finding your business’ “Why”, and how you can use all of this to assist in your company’s search for employees that will share the core values of your organization.
When setting out to start a business, most people begin their journey by asking themselves the basic questions:
What
What kind of goods or services will we provide?
What will providing this good or service offer our customers/clients?
What is the draw – what is going to make people want to buy what we’re selling?
How
How are we going to go about creating these goods or services?
How will we go about providing them?
How will our day-to-day operations work?
How will we set our business apart from our competitors?
These questions may seem like the most important questions to ask at the start. After all, how can you run a business without knowing what basic functions it will have?
However, the golden question that many business owners often overlook is the “Why”.
The Why is your organization’s core principles. Instead of focusing on the financial gain aspects of your business, the Why is all about reflecting on what you and your company can add into the world on a grand scale. Finding your Why starts with asking yourself and your team:
Why this? – Why are we providing these specific goods and services? What is the big picture or end goal? What is the driving factor behind why we are running this business?
Why us? – Why are we the right people for this job?
Why should people trust us and be loyal to our brand and our message? – How will we inspire them with our branding and ideas rather than manipulate them into buying our products/services?
These “Why” questions are the foundation of what is going to make your business successful, and in addition to that, they are the questions that are going to act as the motivation for yourself and your team. The answers to these questions are more than just hypothetical thoughts or words on paper. Once the answers to these questions are established, they become a mission statement that you can then use to fuel your organization and build out its place in whatever industry you are now a part of.
If you find yourself grappling with your Why questions and still feel like your answers are unclear, consider reflecting on what motivates you as an individual. Is your goal to help others gain something or achieve a certain objective? Is your aim to be a globally recognizable brand or to make a big impact on your local area? These are the type of principles that will help you establish the drive behind your business and all of its endeavors.
Where does this all come in when hiring employees and building your team?
At Career Contacts we believe that in order for any organization to thrive, its employees must all have a clear and shared mission, goals, and vision of what it means to be successful within that specific company. A team without a shared “Why” may have individual successes, but the overarching mission/message of the company will be lost on your business’ target audience and ultimately will lead to a drop in the interest and loyalty that customers are willing to invest in your brand.
When searching for new hires for your team, keeping your business’ Why in mind is essential to matching with the right candidates. For example, if your company’s mission is to have a national or global impact but an applicant is hoping to work for a smaller company, it may not be the right fit. Or, on the opposite end, if your business focuses on reaching a local area and a candidate is hoping for an opportunity with global reach, they may not be the right team member for your organization.
Finding your company’s Why not only lays the groundwork for building a strong and unified team and a well-run workplace, most importantly, it solidifies the very reason for why your business exists and why you and your team wake up every morning ready to take on the day.
If you need assistance in finding candidates that are the perfect fit for your business, we are ready to help! Contact us at hiring@careercontacts.ca or call 604-606-1831 for more information!
For more HR tips and resources, be sure to stay tuned to our blog and follow us on LinkedIn!
Please enjoy this sponsored post brought to you by our HR Consultant and client, Jeff So, HR Manager at Indochino
MY WORKPLACE NEEDS A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) COMMITTEE, NOW WHAT?
So in 2021, it’s become more common for organizations to say there’s a “need” to have DEI given the rise in social movements like BLM, Stop Asian Hate, and Every Child Matters. You have so much to navigate and so many topics to tackle but none of this matters if the committee ends up being performative or virtuous for the sake of brand awareness.
For me, as an HR leader, it’s relatively easy to lead any initiative that betters those around you, especially when it comes to our colleagues and coworkers. But know this, not every HR leader is necessarily a DEI expert but you may asked to wear that hat for your organization because honestly, who else would? On the other hand, just because you aren’t a DEI expert doesn’t mean it’s impossible to champion inclusion and foster a respectful workplace for all!
Here’s how I did it (and by no means is this the only way).
Before you start any committee, it’s important to have buy-in from the top (ie. Executive, Leadership, Senior Managers) so the committee you are chairing has the support necessary to action items. As the saying goes, talk is cheap. It’s important the representation of the committee is purposeful and gives voice to all the organization’s members. Include a mix of different staff and managers from various departments and members also a couple seats for your organization’s Leadership.
Let your committee members know that you appreciate them lending their voices for your colleagues and that they should be proud of the responsibility and embrace the opportunity be impactful.
Next, again, just like any committee, there are housekeeping items. These were my general expectations/ground rules that I wanted every committee member to follow especially since we all have busy schedules and want to be respectful of everyone’s time.
Must be able to attend meetings regularly and be an active participant (ie. Camera ON, asking questions, sharing thoughts)
Try to give at least 24 hours’ notice if you can’t attend a meeting so you can reschedule if there isn’t a strong attendance – it happens!
Most importantly, have consistent bandwidth to action and support committee initiatives without sacrificing regular work performance.
It’s your first meeting – no need to freak out!
For me, I emphasized that I was very much on this journey of learning and appreciation with the committee and the entire organization. I admitted that I would likely make mistakes along the way as a way to reassure others to know it’s OK to do the same. The committee will support one another and will work to build each other up – it starts with this group – this is your group of DEI Champions.
Tip: If you don’t have a committee secretary, have the responsibility for note taking on rotation amongst the committee.
Here’s an idea for a first ‘agenda’.
Start by inviting the committee to join you in conducting a Land Acknowledgement. Land Acknowledgements are statements that recognizes and inserts awareness to the traditional territory or territories of the Indigenous peoples who called the land home before the arrival of settlers. It is an ongoing commitment to and appreciation for the land we are in a direct relationship.
For me here in Vancouver, BC – I wish to acknowledge the traditional territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations in which we live, work and play.
If your committee works remotely or in different regions, open the floor up and encourage your committee members to do an acknowledgement from where they reside. There’s no pressure, especially if Land Acknowledgements are new, but always encourage each person to research their geographical territories and perhaps even share at a future meeting. Focus on the growth.
Next, do a round of introductions so everyone can get to know each other a bit better. Again, preach comfortability. For a fun ‘twist’, I asked each committee members in 60 seconds or less to share with the group their role in the organization WITHOUT mentioning job titles.
Work together on coming up with a VISION STATEMENT. What goal will your strategies and meetings work towards? Here’s a sample: “To create an inclusive culture that fosters productivity, comfortability and creativity while representing the community we serve to attract and retain top talent.”
Depending on what DEI resources available to you, you may need to prepare some research beforehand to introduce a diversity topic like gender pronouns, glass ceiling, generational gaps or unconscious bias. If you have a DEI Expert/Consultant/Material – this could be used as a presentation time. Save some time for Q&A and follow-up too.
Take notes for a follow up segment to strategize and come up with a list of possible action items.
Before you end your first meeting, consider having an ‘open floor’ time to share your thoughts, feeling and your colleagues’ thoughts and feelings. This time is reserved for discussing ideas and initiatives as well. Essentially, this will help us chart your committee’s deliverables and set achievable internal goals. This is a GREAT time to share any personal anecdotes within the group.
At the end of the meeting, make sure everyone receives a copy of the minutes followed by key takeaways (for those who may have missed the meeting). Don’t forget to thank everyone for their time!
Lastly, remind each other to be kind to one another on this journey. Be inspirational, be vulnerable, be open minded.
Let me know if you found this post insightful and be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn to read more on my upcoming HR perspectives: www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreycys.
Kindly, Jeff
For more HR tips and resources, head over to our Career Contacts Blog!
As the world begins to transition into our new reality in the aftermath of the pandemic, employers and employees alike are being faced with the question – should we go back to the office? Many companies have begun allowing room for dialogue to open up the possibility of letting staff decide for themselves which they prefer. If your workplace has started hashing out this discussion, then you know that this debate is fraught with pros and cons.
So how do you decide? Career Contacts is here to help! We’ve compiled some key factors to consider as you weigh your options, and we’ve provided an interactive checklist to help you make the best call for your current lifestyle.
WFH vs WFO – How to decide which is best for you
Here are some aspects to think about:
Commute
Commuting is perhaps one of the most widely deliberated topics when discussing the pros and cons of WFH vs WFO. Depending on how far you live from your workplace, and how strenuous the drive or transit is, commuting may be one of the biggest factors that you consider when deciding where you want to work. That being said, though some find commuting to be stressful, others find that they often cherish those moments on the way to and from the office. Some may even feel that their morning and evening drives or transit are a welcomed time to clear their head before or after the day’s work.
Mental Health
Another topic of conversation that has grown in relevancy throughout the pandemic is the isolation that comes along with working from home. The workplace is often a hub for our social interactions, acting for many as a primary place to form personal connections, friendships, and relationships. Losing this source of connection can have an effect on job satisfaction and overall mental health, making this an important factor that should not be overlooked when making a decision.
In addition to social interaction, the WFH vs WFO debate has opened up a conversation around boundaries and work-life balance. As more people start to work from their homes, there has been a realization that the flexibility in their schedule, while it is a pro, has also blurred the line between their work life and their personal life. In the same regard, working from home can also blur the line between their workspace and their living space, making it more difficult to transition in and out of “work mode” throughout the week.
Collaboration
Teamwork and collaboration are vitally important for a well-run company. If a large portion of the staff members are working from home, how will this effect collaboration in the workplace? While some people collaborate best in face-to-face interactions, some feel as though working remotely has encouraged more virtual meetings and interactions, perhaps allowing for even more collaboration and interaction than there would be working side by side in the office.
Childcare
Childcare, though not a factor for everyone, is an important element in the decision-making process for many. Working from home allows flexibility in childcare that some may have a great appreciation for. Alternatively, working from home could present obstacles if you have a child at home that needs your attention during work hours.
Productivity
Aside from the logistical and tech support issues that could play a part in the argument in favor of working from the office, another factor to consider is productivity. While being in your own space can provide a certain level of comfort that can be conducive to being productive, there’s no denying that working from home can lead to distractions.
Professional Networking
What about the bigger picture? How will working remotely affect the future of the workplace and your personal career journey as a whole? Professional networking in person at the office can have advantages. For instance, speaking face-to-face may help you make a stronger impression, but are in-person introductions the only way to form new connections? With today’s technological advancements, people are interacting with work colleagues all over the world via video conferences, virtual meetings, and even virtual work parties and events. Some may even argue that these video events, along with platforms such as LinkedIn and other online networking sites, has allowed them to cast an even wider net in their professional network being that they can interact with people from all over the world instead of just the office.
Taking all of these factors into consideration and thinking about how they play a role in your current lifestyle can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve created an interactive checklist to help you organize your priorities and to help you make your WFH vs WFO decision with confidence.
Fill out the interactive checklist below to see which way you’re leaning in this debate, and for more career resources be sure to stay tuned to our blog and connect with us on LinkedIn!
How often do you consider the feelings of your team when you make a company-wide decision? How your team feels matters. Here’s why.
As organizations begin their back to work programs, many have provided surveys to get a sense of where their teams are at. While we are huge advocates of listening your people, it can do more damage if you hear them, but don’t actually do anything about what they ask for.
Let’s start with a little story.
Company A and Company B both want return to office programs in place. In both cases, the following is true:
Ideally, they’d prefer if everyone comes back 5 days a week
The staff have been working remotely since March 2020 with little disruption to revenue streams
Both have conducted surveys in which most of their staff want to remain 80-100% remote
Both are aware that not maintaining WFH options has consequences
Company A sends employees back to the office and continues business as usual with little to no support or consideration of their team’s feelings.
Company B, however, considers all of the following, starting with these simple steps that we believe are vital to a strong employee experience, strategic for higher retention rates, and important because they are the right thing to do.
These steps are:
Asking your team what they need
Doing what you can to support those needs
To go into more detail:
If you are going to ask your teams what they want, you have to be prepared to move, even a little bit, in their direction
Asking your teams what they want, them telling you, and then going into the completely opposite direction will breed resentment and eventually, create a mass exit
If you are going to require employees to return back to the office 100% of the time, you need to know exactly why
For example, overall job performance went down
If you are going to take the time to do a survey, go beyond just work from home, dig deeper
Caring about your employees means caring about them as a whole. Consider these factors:
What has changed in the last year for them
What needs do they have now that they may not have had 2 years ago
What is most important for them in their jobs
When they think about total compensation, what do they prioritise
How have they (and their loved ones) faired this past year
Are they ok
What do they need from you beyond a job and salary
Taking these aspects into account when discussing any kind of change in the workplace is vitally important, particularly after the difficult times we’ve experienced in recent years.
In addition to these, here are a few other areas employers can focus on to ensure they’re fully supporting their teams, especially now.
Lead by example
If you are asking your teams to come into the office more, the management and leadership teams should also be there. Asking something of your teams that you are not prepared to do yourself sets the wrong tone.
If the goal, as many have found, is increased collaboration, ensure that leadership is part of that collaborative work.
If you want your teams to feel safe to share, leadership must also be willing to share how they are feeling.
Recognise your teams in meaningful ways
If your teams are still with you post COVID, it’s time to recognise them for staying – we can promise you there are a LOT of opportunities for employees to leave right now.
Start simple and small with genuine moments of gratitude. Thank them for their efforts, their time, their energy. Notice their work and ensure they feel seen (for example, appreciating the last social post they did and acknowledging them nailing the call to action).
Recognize that your teams are more than just your employees
Know about their important moments outside of work and give them space and time to properly celebrate their own moments. Weddings, birthdays, vacations – let your teams know that you recognise their worlds outside of their titles and that you respect their right to enjoy those moments without burden.
Now that you’ve been presented with all of the careful considerations of company B, ask yourself which company would you (i.e. your employees) rather work for?
We strongly believe that companies can only thrive when caring for their teams as individuals. Which is why we are happy to assist companies with all of their HR needs!
Whether it’s a formal employee recognition program, a customised employee survey, or some leadership coaching, the HR team at Career Contacts is here to listen, and take action alongside you.
For questions about our HR support, email us at HR@careercontacts.ca or call us at 604-606-1831
For more HR tips and resources, be sure to stay tuned to our blog and follow us on LinkedIn!
Terminating an employee is something that no employer or manager looks forward to. When it is necessary however, you may be wondering how to go about the process in a way that’s appropriate and courteous to the employee. The Career Contacts HR and Recruitment teams* have years of experience with both filling roles for employers (our favorite part) and assisting them with the termination process. So, to help you with this often-daunting duty, here are some steps to consider:
*please note that we are HR professionals and not employment lawyers; we always recommend that details surrounding the legalities of terminations go through an employment lawyer. Career Contacts proudly works with a team of employment lawyers that we are happy to put you in contact with!
1. Stay on point – less is more
We know that this is not an easy conversation for either side; but we have an obligation as managers, leaders and HR professionals to be as kind and respectful as we can through the process.
Being direct, to the point and succinct is kind.
Being clear, honest and transparent is kind.
Reserving judgement, and being the “bigger person” is kind.
One of the key pieces we focus on effective communication.
Termination meetings are not the time to bring up old wounds, or get into debates – the decision has been made, it should be final, and now is the time to provide the details of what happens moving forward.
Pro Tip: The best way to enter into these conversations is to come in well prepared (this is a common theme in all the advice we give!)
2. Documentation – for them and you
Legally speaking, each termination will have it’s unique requirements on severance packages, written notice, just cause to release the employee etc. That being said, we recommend an employer still choose to ease the pain and shock of the termination by providing documentation and clear instructions on what happens next.
Over and above fair compensation, we believe that it is important to ensure they are aware of the support they are being provided, their options and next steps in their career.
While the person terminating the employee is thinking about the conversation in the present moment, the employee has likely moved far beyond to think about how this will affect all other areas of their lives. They are moving through this process emotionally and deserve the space to process and think things through without being required to answer too many questions in the process.
Pro Tip: Ensure your team has an approved checklist which includes all of the information they need to document, as well as a reminder of all of the information they need to provide the employee. If you run the meeting professionally and efficiently, it will provide for a much better employee experience.
Clear and consistent documentation is critical for employers to properly, effectively and legally terminate an employee. The recommended checklist allows companies to be equitable, and consistent in their decision making, and reduces the risk of bias or discrimination.
Reach out to hr@careercontacts.ca for your customized checklist
3. Before you Conduct a Termination Meeting
Here is where we like to tag in our employment lawyers. Before you get to any conversations, have you truly identified your reasons for terminating someone, and confirmed that you are not conducting a termination that is discriminatory or outside of legal requirements.
You need to ensure you are providing adequate notice, compensation, documentation and support – this is not something that should be done casually and without proper thought.
Before you start, it is also critical that you check for any safety concerns, assess any internal risks and ensure that your people are well prepared, and well equipped.
Pro Tip: Always have two people conduct the termination; one that will do the speaking and one that will bear witness, and support any required documentation and note taking.
Along with the termination checklist, Career Contacts recommends having a separate checklist that incorporates all departments associated with a termination such as IT, security, leadership and the department members.
4. Conduct an Exit Interview
While not all employers chose to give an exit interview after terminating an employee, we at Career Contacts strongly suggest this as a final step in the termination process. Exit interviews should not be reserved for staff that choose to leave of their own volition.
Staff that are being terminated should also be able to provide their thoughts on how things were being run, whether they were provided the right resources and opportunities etc. This is such a valuable learning exercise and ideally conducted by an external third party.
Pro Tip: Do not try to conduct the exit interview in the same meeting as the termination; this is inappropriate and does not respect the candidates need to process the news.
Exit interviews in general should also never be positioned as mandatory, but rather, an opportunity to share their thoughts and address any questions or concerns. It must be optional, it must be no longer than 30 minutes (20 minutes is our sweet spot) and must be about the employee sharing – not you.
If terminating employees is not something you and your team feel equipped to do, it is important to seek out support externally. Our process at Career Contacts is collaborative, immersed in empathy and kindness, and with both the employee and employer in mind.
For more helpful content on this topic and other tips for employers, stay tuned to our blog!
The past year and a half has been an unprecedented time in the world and that includes in the workplace. Most companies never thought it was possible to do what they do from home, and have spent time and resources to support a safe working environment, while ensuring business continuity.
As companies begin to discuss bringing employees back to the office, employers may be feeling apprehensive about how to transition their team back into the workplace in a way that is safe and considerate to their employees. If you are wondering how to ensure you are keeping your employees in mind during this transition, you are already hitting our number one recommendation – talk to your employees!
Here are some additional insights on how to do just that:
Start by taking a look at your company’s policies and consider if any of them need to be re-written to better suit the current state of workplace environments post-pandemic. Because the landscape of the work world has continued to change so dramatically over the course of even just the past few months, this may be a good time to review your workplace’s safety/sanitation, clocking in/out, dress code policies etc. and reintroduce them to your staff.
Far too often, organizations will simply go with “how it has always been done”. Taking the time to review the requirements, and ensure you are taking an inclusive lens, will ensure you are creating a people first environment.
Pro-tip: If your company needs assistance with this, the HR team at Career Contacts is always ready to help! Whether it is simply a review, or a complete overhaul – we are here to support our clients in the best way possible. Email us at hr@careercontacts.ca to learn how!
1. Recognize that returning to the office does not have to be an all or nothing decision!
Create a hybrid model where employees are asked back to the office in a way that makes sense and ensure you are creating a continuous dialogue to invite discussion. If your business has not been negatively affected by your teams working from home, dig deep into why you feel everyone needs to come back
2. Take your time with your transition back
If you do decide that being in the office is really the best course of action, consider introducing a work-from-home, work-in-office hybrid system where employees can get reacclimated to working from the office slowly instead of all at once. This will ensure that your team doesn’t feel overwhelmed by a sudden drastic change in their daily routine and can allow them to discuss how the transition is going.
Ensure that whatever decisions are being made are announced gradually and with plenty of warning for your employees.
The pandemic created drastic changes for everyone and giving your team enough time to readjust their schedules and lives is going to play a fundamental role in allowing them a stress-free transition.
3. Going back to our first tip – talk to your people
A step that is vitally important not to overlook is talking to your team about what they want and need at this time. How do they feel about the transition and do they have any preferences on how to move forward as a company?
This can be done by sending out a company-wide survey or by taking time to meet with your employees in a group setting or one-on-one to hear their thoughts and concerns. Doing this is an essential part of letting your team know that they are heard and valued.
Pro Tip: Did you know that the 3 main reasons why leadership want people back in the office are
Performance management
Oversight and
Ability to collaborate and build meaningful connections
At Career Contacts, we have spent the last year and a half building out robust remote performance management programs, creating leadership courses to provide additional resources on how to lead remote teams, and also have a list of employee engagement ideas that have seen meaningful connections.
There are many ways to answer the above fears, and back in the office does not have to be the only solution.
4. Keep in mind that life circumstances may have changed significantly for the people on your team.
From having to implement different childcare/schooling routines for their children, to moving to a new home, people world-wide have felt the effects of the pandemic on many if not all aspects of their lives. Some people may now have limited access to transportation if public transit has become scarce in their area, or if they no longer have access to a car.
Did you know that the pandemic provided Career Contacts with an opportunity to go Global? Simply by sheer necessity, our cross-border restrictions ended up created an ability for us to open a US office and provide opportunities for our team members to work outside of Vancouver effectively, and efficiently.
Take care to make sure that your company is not only considering what your teams have gone through this past year, but also ensure you are supporting them with those changes. It can be assumed based on the sheer number of COVID cases and deaths, that almost every member of your team has either had COVID, knows someone who had COVID, or has lost someone to COVID. These experiences have lasting effects and this needs to be kept in mind when creating an empathetic work environment.
Being that this is an unparalleled time in the world, this transition back into the office is going to be a new and potentially strange experience for employees and employers alike. It’s clear that for a workplace to have a healthy and smooth transition for everyone, people-first companies have a responsibility to support their team members in every way they can. By keeping these points in mind, your staff’s reintroduction to the office can be a small victory in the midst of what has been an extremely trying time.
For more info and HR tips check out the other blogs in our Human Resources category!
We at Career Contacts are proud advocates of mental health awareness and wellbeing in the workplace, so in recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ve compiled some useful information that can help facilitate a dialogue around mental health in the office.
Something important to keep in mind when considering the topic of mental health in the workplace is that mental health matters affect both employers and employees alike, so engaging in an open conversation about it can be helpful to everyone and can be instrumental in creating an office environment in which everybody feels safe and heard.
MENTAL HEALTH DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE
Aside from being associated with higher rates of disability and unemployment, mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression can also become evident in employers’ and employees’ communication, engagement, physical capabilities, daily functioning and overall job performance. This may explain why companies worldwide are recognizing the importance of addressing this topic, and why many have introduced programs that promote both physical and mental health in the workplace.
While it may seem like one more thing to add to the agenda, there have been numerous examples of these kinds of programs and workshops having proven success! This could be because, while it may not be the first place you’d think of as a hub of health culture, the office can be the perfect place to promote a culture of mental health! Being that workplaces already have the groundwork laid for communication structure, a built-in social support network, and a system of incentives and data for tracking progress in things such as healthy habits, the workplace is primed for dialogue around the importance of mental health.
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Wondering where to begin? Here are some actionable steps that employers can take to start creating a culture of mental health awareness in their offices:
Provide informational materials (brochures, videos, etc.) about the signs and symptoms of mental health issues along with resources for seeking treatment
This is a great way to spark the conversation around mental health matters and lets your employees know that their workplace is a safe and welcoming environment for anyone experiencing mental health related matters.
Supply employees with mental health tools, such as self-assessment charts to keep track of how they’re feeling
Not everyone is yet equipped with the right language to describe their feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Consider reaching out to a mental health professional to ask them about what tools and charts they would recommend.
Support employees by offering mental health screenings at subsidized or no cost
This is an excellent place to start for any office environment. A mental health screening done by a professional is another way to let your employees know that they’re cared about.
Consider providing extended health insurance that covers a wide variety of mental health resources
Certain mental health resources such as counseling and medications may not be covered by regular health care, so providing extended health insurance to employees is an excellent way to make sure that their needs are met.
Introduce programs and seminars that provide techniques for stress management
As previously mentioned, mental health workshops and seminars have widely been successful in contributing to the dialogue around mental health in the workplace! They can also provide essential information to employees about how to manage job and home related stress.
Designate quiet areas around the office for de-stressing and relaxation
Creating an environment where employees are welcome to have a few minutes to themselves (to meditate, relax, etc.) can be very beneficial in creating a healthy, balanced workplace.
Provide training to managers on how to recognize signs that an employee may be struggling and train them on how to provide resources to anyone that is in need of support
This can also be done through holding workshops and is a great way to facilitate a healthy and safe workspace.
Provide an office-wide open and supportive environment where employees feel safe and encouraged to discuss work-related stress
It can be intimidating to come forward with concerns as an employee. By creating a culture of openness and honesty within your workplace, you’ll be doing providing your employees with a network in which they can feel safe and supported.
Wondering where to begin if you’re an employee? Here are some steps that you can take within your workplace and within your everyday life that can help keep a focus on mental health awareness:
Become a wellness advocate and discussion leader in your workplace
You can do this by receiving mental health advocacy training or by simply taking the initiative to start the dialogue about mental health among your coworkers.
If they haven’t already, try encouraging your employers to take the above steps within the workplace
Start by compiling this list along with your own resources and approaching the topic with a trusted superior.
When your employer introduces mental health programs and workshops, show your support by participating and encouraging others to participate as well
This is a great way to get involved with mental health awareness in your workplace and can be a great way to connect with your colleagues!
Help to lift the stigma around mental health by sharing your own experiences when an appropriate time is offered
The stigma surrounding the topic of mental health can be intimidating, but by opening up about your story and experiences, you can help to normalize a conversation that everyone can relate to in some way.
Form connections with co-workers and make sure to keep an open mind and offer your support when a colleague shares their own experiences
Creating a network of support and a sense of community is an important part of mental health and wellbeing. Getting to know your coworkers both in and outside of work can be monumental in forming connections with and supporting one another in your mental health journeys.
Do your best to implement healthy habits in your personal life that can help you set an example in your workplace
Learning about mental health and how to support your own wellbeing can be invaluable in your personal life and can help you to feel prepared in sharing that knowledge with your colleagues.
If you find yourself showing signs or symptoms of struggling with mental health related matters, reach out or ask for help from someone trusted
Reaching out, while it can sometimes feel intimidating, is paramount in caring for your mental health and is a vital step in the right direction for your overall wellbeing.
Although it may still feel taboo to discuss in the work environment, addressing the topic of mental health is crucially important to the makings of a supportive office atmosphere. By taking these steps together, we can introduce another level of safety, honesty, and community within the workplace.
If you are struggling with mental health and need additional resources and support, here are a few places for you to turn:
