One of the most important things to understand in management is that what people say about their motivation is only half true. They say they want success for the team or project or organization…and it’s true they do want that. However, what they won’t say is that they also have a strong personal agenda, and that agenda will affect much of their behaviour. A good rule of thumb is that no project will move forward unless it satisfies the need for it to be both good for the group and good for the individual. Understanding specific motives There are general categories of individual motives such as ..read more

HR professionals do their best as facilitators in helping employers realize the importance of addressing employees’ mental and physical health issues arising from the workplace. However, it can often be an uphill battle for HR to convince upper management to invest in employee wellness. You’re likely to come across someone in your social circle or someone you know in need of extended sick leave due to deteriorating mental health or developing serious health issues stemming from workplace stress. According to a national survey of 2,000 working Canadians by Abacus Data, work is a common source o ..read more

Picture it — you’ve just gotten your coffee, plopped down into your office chair, and you’re ready to work for the day as the manager or a leader of an organization. Your team is hard at work, plugging away at the projects and tasks assigned to them, and everything seems pretty status quo.  However, you don’t really know what your employees are thinking and feeling. Everything may seem calm and collected, but underneath the serene workplace surface, employees could be grappling with dissatisfaction, stress, interoffice arguments, or a lack of belief in the company’s direction or mission ..read more

One of the key mandates for HR leaders and organizations worldwide is developing and maintaining an engaged workforce and a robust corporate culture. These two things are inextricably intertwined and difficult to build. Ignore one, and you cannot achieve the other. Without a strong culture, an organization will struggle to achieve its goals. Especially in challenging times.?  We know the importance of engagement. Scores of articles, books, and studies discuss this vital aspect of the workplace and of an organization’s success. But even more important is the next frontier – purpose.   ..read more

Since 1973, with his ground-breaking “The Nature of Managerial Work”, Henry Mintzberg has been a refreshing force in understanding management and organizations. His unique approach? Observing what managers actually do, rather than theorizing what they should do. Contrary to the perception of managers as reflective planners, Mintzberg showed they are dynamic actors, constantly adapting and tackling challenges on the go. In today’s management literature, we often encounter an idealized vision of management, rather than its gritty reality. Mintzberg critiques this, especially the widespread portr ..read more

While technological change has a lengthy history of disrupting the workforce, the scope of our current technologies is facilitating the career transition phase as never before. There have been some remarkable technological developments in the world of career transition (outplacement) over the last few years. These innovations have been important as they provide a useful, accessible form of support for individuals in career transition. Technology Expands Career Transition Support Some virtual career transition developments in recent years include such features as network tracking tools that are ..read more

In anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8th and the collective pursuit of a more inclusive world for women, today, the UN Global Compact Network Canada released findings of a recent project that revealed crises are gendered. The “Accelerating Systemic Change” project exposed fault lines in Canada including gender-based and systemic barriers which hinder women’s ability to effectively respond to crises which are disproportionately affecting them. “‘Accelerating Systemic Change’ revealed that Canadian women faced a triple burden during the COVID-19 pandemic; they were expected to p ..read more

CPHR BC & Yukon is issuing a request for proposals for the services of a recruiting firm to support our search for a Manager of IT and Systems. The proposal will include a detailed breakdown of costs. As well as specifics related to expertise in IT recruitment and recruiting for non-profit organizations and/or small enterprise. CPHR BC & Yukon is seeking the above as we need to begin this search as soon as possible, with the goal to having an individual hired into the role by April 15, 2024. We will be accepting proposals until 4:30 PM PST on March 6, 2024. Learn more about our ke ..read more

Numerous factors in our lives and careers are crucial in shaping our journey toward quality and fulfillment. My exploration into these aspects, through global research, interviews, and deep analysis, has led me to identify critical factors vital for anyone aiming to excel personally and professionally. These findings are what I refer to as work-life factors, each playing a distinct role in enabling us to be at our best instead of engaged or balanced. Consider the six life-factors as the personal attributes and traits that empower us to thrive as individuals and to navigate our existence with p ..read more

There are questions in all facets of business that are difficult to answer, some that are easy to answer, and some that are really, really subjective. One of those subjective questions is: What does trust mean to your organization? It’s a question with answers that will run the gamut. If you ask ten people what trust means to them, you will get ten different answers. Think about all the things we are asked to trust—or have been conditioned to trust– on a day-to-day basis. We trust that the brakes on our car will work. We trust that other drivers will stop at a red light. We trust the postal se ..read more