Sometimes the way things are presented in the media oversimplifies a situation and misses balancing perspectives that help truly understand what’s going on. I’ve recently been following the Tim Hortons Story in Ontario where store owners (in fact, the children of the founder) have changed their employee benefits program to being cost shared instead of…
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Get Back to Basics
inAs 2018 begins, it’s a great time to think ahead to the upcoming year and set some resolutions as a Leader. Think about what you’d like to see as outcomes for this year, professionally and personally. Think about what you’d like to see your team accomplish or develop, and spend some time reflecting on…
Read MoreClient Feature: Hippo CMMS
inWinnipeg Tech Company, Hippo CMMS Uses Acuity HR Solutions to Help with Growing Pains Written By: Reena Sommer, PhD, Hippo CMMS November 27, 2017 One of the challenges facing companies experiencing rapid growth is finding a balance between product development and service, and staff management concerns. Too often, business owners’ primary focus is on growing their…
Read More3 Ways to Miss the Mark on Handling People Problems
inWhen leaders experience a problem with a specific person, a gut reaction is to solve it in the quickest, easiest, and most painless way possible. It’s true that problems should be solved quickly, however, well-intentioned efficiency or avoidance can cause leaders to miss the mark. Even when uncomfortable, dealing with a situation personally with the…
Read More3 Reasons Why Small Companies Need HR
inThe first thing business owners think about when starting a company is their core business. An idea becomes a product or service fueled by the passion that started it all. Once the dream becomes a reality, passion for the cause quickly becomes inundated by other business requirements such as securing funding, legal support, space and…
Read MoreDon’t Promote Your Best Employees…
inAt the very least, stop promoting your best employees into leadership positions without very, very careful consideration. I speak with so many different employers from different industries, and the story is too often the same. “We have this great employee, best technical person or best performer we’ve ever had, so….we promoted them to Manager /…
Read MoreThat Back to School Feeling
inIs it just me or does that back to school feeling still hit you, even though you haven’t gone ‘back to school’ in ages? There is something about September and getting back into a routine after the classic Winnipeg summer slowdown. Even though August was a very busy month for me from a work perspective,…
Read MoreWhat Are Leaders Afraid Of?
inIn the past number of months, we’ve been focusing time with many clients on one of our newest Acuity products: the Engagement Indicator. The Engagement Indicator is a survey that asks employees a series of questions that have been proven to measure the core elements needed to attract, focus, and retain an organization’s most talented employees…
Read MoreKey Communication Tips for Effective Change Management
inChange management planning can quickly be derailed without a solid communication plan. On the other hand, a strong communication plan can help make up for unforeseen circumstances or an imperfect change management strategy. Here are some key change management communication tips to help you navigate the change path: COMMUNICATE THE PROBLEM In order for people…
Read MoreSuit Shopping for Beginners: Lessons in Humility
inShopping for my first suit was an experience in humility that will stay with me forever, and one that has (oddly enough) helped to shape the leader that I am today. A number of years back, I had left a job with a clear career track to follow a new path. As I approached graduation from…
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