This past week, I had to schedule a time to breathe. That sounds crazy, that I booked myself so tight that I did not have time to wind down, take a breath, call some friends to see how they are doing, and clean up my “stuff to do” file.
For some reason, I always take a breath during the Easter season. Many people make big changes at the beginning of the new year, setting new goals, then moving as fast they can to do as much as possible while the weather is cold and the days are short. Then at the end of March, we see sunshine, time changes, we feel burnt out, and Easter holidays are so close we can taste the chocolate!
This is the perfect weekend to prioritize our own needs and wants, desires versus must haves, as we begin to plan our days off work, in order to spend time with our friends and extended families.
This time of year, many of us begin to think about the meaning of community, as everyone belongs to a community in some way, shape, or form. We all need to take a breath and a moment to decide which communities we want to be a part of, especially over the coming weeks.
Church is a community, in whatever spiritual form we choose. Our homes are located in communities. Our city is a community. We have the choice whether to participate in our community events, sports, businesses, parks, etc.
Our workplaces are communities! The people we work with every day and spend most of our time with all share in the same community of work, and we should take a deep breath right now with our co-workers who feel the same way we do, maxed, stressed, tired, and overworked.
Our families are communities, whether they are big, small, extended, close or far, no matter what culture, background, or religion.
Today is the day to take a breath, relax within our respective communities, take a walk, plan some time off work in the coming weeks, and indulge just a little. It will feel good to know that we are so alive, we survived the long cold winter, and we can make plans, choose our communities, and fully enjoy the Easter celebration.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Spring cleaning in the workplace
It's finally spring! We all need to get outdoors more often, to soak up that vitamin D and enjoy our short spring season.
We seem to have rituals that are common this time of year, perhaps around the time change, the first day of spring, or at the first sight of robins. Daylight savings time did affect many people, as we are already tired from our long winter, lack of sunshine, hard work, and cold weather. But every spring, it seems like people brighten up, get more energy, and start doing more outdoor activities.
Many people choose to do some spring cleaning, de-cluttering their homes, cars, and work spaces in order to start fresh and get rid of the remnants of winter. I think we should create a ritual of conducting a workplace physical marked by the first day of spring.
North Americans have yearly rituals regarding health care, such as getting a physical once a year, having a dental check up once a year or more, and having some type of eye exam every two years. So why not add a workplace health ritual to that list?
A workplace health checklist would help with the process, so here are my thoughts. Does your workplace allow for natural light somewhere or encourage workers to get outside, even if for only a few minutes? We are what we eat - does your workplace offer a safe and sanitary place to eat during breaks? Is there a fridge to keep cold items, so our food stays fresh? If the workplace offers food and drink items, are there healthy choices? And is your workplace a positive social environment? We all know the negative effects on our health when we are under too much stress, and having a supportive workplace will help to combat this stress. Finally, is your workplace physically and environmentally sound? Are the chairs ergonomically correct, are work vehicles kept up to the safest standards, and is noise kept to an acceptable level?
No workplace is perfect, but we should ensure we are doing what we can to keep it healthy. If we sit down with our co-workers and bosses, and create a workplace physical checklist that can be done at this time of year, we can breathe a little easier knowing we are doing everything we can to be healthy and to remain healthy in all areas of our lives.
We seem to have rituals that are common this time of year, perhaps around the time change, the first day of spring, or at the first sight of robins. Daylight savings time did affect many people, as we are already tired from our long winter, lack of sunshine, hard work, and cold weather. But every spring, it seems like people brighten up, get more energy, and start doing more outdoor activities.
Many people choose to do some spring cleaning, de-cluttering their homes, cars, and work spaces in order to start fresh and get rid of the remnants of winter. I think we should create a ritual of conducting a workplace physical marked by the first day of spring.
North Americans have yearly rituals regarding health care, such as getting a physical once a year, having a dental check up once a year or more, and having some type of eye exam every two years. So why not add a workplace health ritual to that list?
A workplace health checklist would help with the process, so here are my thoughts. Does your workplace allow for natural light somewhere or encourage workers to get outside, even if for only a few minutes? We are what we eat - does your workplace offer a safe and sanitary place to eat during breaks? Is there a fridge to keep cold items, so our food stays fresh? If the workplace offers food and drink items, are there healthy choices? And is your workplace a positive social environment? We all know the negative effects on our health when we are under too much stress, and having a supportive workplace will help to combat this stress. Finally, is your workplace physically and environmentally sound? Are the chairs ergonomically correct, are work vehicles kept up to the safest standards, and is noise kept to an acceptable level?
No workplace is perfect, but we should ensure we are doing what we can to keep it healthy. If we sit down with our co-workers and bosses, and create a workplace physical checklist that can be done at this time of year, we can breathe a little easier knowing we are doing everything we can to be healthy and to remain healthy in all areas of our lives.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Why not take the first job that comes along?
Back in the peak employment years, when job seekers had the upper hand, I expected to hear the line, “I don’t want to take the first job that comes along”. Job seekers were very picky about the types of jobs they would accept. I understand that concept when jobs are plentiful; that is the time to look for the perfect job. But in these times, with the unemployment rate higher than it has been in decades, the choice of jobs available is slim. Still, I keep hearing that darn phrase all over the place, “I don’t want to take the first job that comes along”. Job seekers want to be as picky as they were before, even with so few choices.
So, my question back to the job seeker is, “what if the first job that comes along is the perfect job?” Are job seekers willing to forego all first offers because they are the first, and maybe the grass is greener on the second offers? What if the second offer that comes along is terrible, or does not come along for another year or two?
And, for those job seekers using a staffing agency, “could it be that the first job that comes along is the perfect job, because the staffing agency has done its job?” Staffing agencies, like About Staffing, work all day, every day to find the right candidates to fill specific jobs. The jobs we are filling are the ones that our client companies have committed to paying a fee when we find the best possible people for those vacancies. We don’t waste our clients’ time by sending candidates on interviews for nothing; we send the best possible candidates for those particular job positions.
So, there is no need to wait. There is no point in “not taking the first thing that comes along”. Especially in these times, when the perfect job no longer exists and paying the bills needs to come first, you should really consider the first job offer that comes along. Employment insurance will eventually run out and no one knows what will be around the corner. Sometimes, taking the first thing that comes along can lead to a wonderful opportunity and a successful work life!
So, my question back to the job seeker is, “what if the first job that comes along is the perfect job?” Are job seekers willing to forego all first offers because they are the first, and maybe the grass is greener on the second offers? What if the second offer that comes along is terrible, or does not come along for another year or two?
And, for those job seekers using a staffing agency, “could it be that the first job that comes along is the perfect job, because the staffing agency has done its job?” Staffing agencies, like About Staffing, work all day, every day to find the right candidates to fill specific jobs. The jobs we are filling are the ones that our client companies have committed to paying a fee when we find the best possible people for those vacancies. We don’t waste our clients’ time by sending candidates on interviews for nothing; we send the best possible candidates for those particular job positions.
So, there is no need to wait. There is no point in “not taking the first thing that comes along”. Especially in these times, when the perfect job no longer exists and paying the bills needs to come first, you should really consider the first job offer that comes along. Employment insurance will eventually run out and no one knows what will be around the corner. Sometimes, taking the first thing that comes along can lead to a wonderful opportunity and a successful work life!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Conducting Exit Interviews
I was recently asked by a client to help her create a plan for exit interviews. Unfortunately in this market, people are still being let go or are quitting, and job loss and change continues to be a big concern. Employers are trying to do everything they can to work with exiting employees regardless of the reason for their departure. I don’t really do exit interviews, or believe in them for my business. But, many other companies do. So, I wrote up some tips on conducting exit interviews for my client, and thought I would share some of this information.
Firstly, what is the purpose of the exit interview? Some companies want to collect data, possibly to determine what improvements can be made. Some companies want exiting employees to feel okay about leaving, in hopes that they may choose to come back at a later date. Some companies want to monitor the effectiveness of programs, benefits, and training. Meanwhile, other companies just want to resolve issues.
There are all kinds of ways to conduct exit interviews. Some companies hire outside human resources or research firms to conduct the interviews. Some do them internally, with supervisors or through their own human resource department. Some exit interviews are done over the phone, via email, or hard mail questionnaires, but the best ones are done in person, whenever this is possible. There are also many varieties and forms that can be used, such as tick boxes, standardized or open ended questions. Exit interviews can be five minutes long or an hour depending on the information being transferred.
The most important thing a company needs to remember when developing the exit interviews is to have a clear vision. Who will conduct them and when? What questions will be asked and why? What is the overall goal of the company, and what is the purpose of the exit interview? And finally, how will the exiting employee feel when the interview is done?
When ending a relationship, how the person felt on the last day is how they will remember the entire experience regardless of how long the person was there or what was encouraged or positive throughout the life of the job. Hopefully the person leaving will feel a little better after being heard, and that the company will know how to proceed to refill the position, or how to create a better work environment in the future.
Firstly, what is the purpose of the exit interview? Some companies want to collect data, possibly to determine what improvements can be made. Some companies want exiting employees to feel okay about leaving, in hopes that they may choose to come back at a later date. Some companies want to monitor the effectiveness of programs, benefits, and training. Meanwhile, other companies just want to resolve issues.
There are all kinds of ways to conduct exit interviews. Some companies hire outside human resources or research firms to conduct the interviews. Some do them internally, with supervisors or through their own human resource department. Some exit interviews are done over the phone, via email, or hard mail questionnaires, but the best ones are done in person, whenever this is possible. There are also many varieties and forms that can be used, such as tick boxes, standardized or open ended questions. Exit interviews can be five minutes long or an hour depending on the information being transferred.
The most important thing a company needs to remember when developing the exit interviews is to have a clear vision. Who will conduct them and when? What questions will be asked and why? What is the overall goal of the company, and what is the purpose of the exit interview? And finally, how will the exiting employee feel when the interview is done?
When ending a relationship, how the person felt on the last day is how they will remember the entire experience regardless of how long the person was there or what was encouraged or positive throughout the life of the job. Hopefully the person leaving will feel a little better after being heard, and that the company will know how to proceed to refill the position, or how to create a better work environment in the future.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Olympics a success!
The 2010 Winter Olympics are now over. We experienced highs and lows throughout those couple of weeks, as our sister province hosted the world.
Creating anything big does take an immense amount of work and sometimes we forget about the details behind the scenes. From the decision to take on the event, to the application and putting together the actual bid, right through to co-ordinating volunteers and security, organizing every single event down to the second, and creating spectacular entertainment that delights the entire world, was truly a massive undertaking.
There was hope and disappointment, energy and exhaustion, strategy and change, success and failure, hugs and tears, and even some laughter over the course of the Olympics. These Olympics had shown some true teamwork and helped to re-established the belief that dreams do come true. Even with the scrutiny that the Olympic committee heads have been under for the things that have gone wrong, overall, it has to be considered a huge success!
Business creators, founders of great things, and inventors who do find success some day, have all had many a naysayer try to convince them that they can’t do it. But they do their best and make changes as needed, hoping to one day find the right formula to achieve their dreams. There will always be pessimists and those non believers when something great is being created, and there will always be bumps and hurdles when the outcome is expected to be life altering.
Mothers giving birth go through the emotions of being nervous and scared, uncomfortable and in pain, to experiencing excitement and joy when they end up with their child in their arms. Then there is the learning, change, and planning that come with having a child, for many years to come.
Business founders start with an idea and a desire to create something great. They get nervous and excited, as they take risks and commit every waking moment to the success of the new venture. As the business grows and markets change, the founders try to find new ways of being better, risking more and trying to draw in more support, to hopefully end up with the title of founder of something great.
Olympic athletes work their whole lives striving for the win, working through the pain and the suffering, the learning and the fundraising, all worth it for the title of Olympic medalist or at least Olympic athlete. The organizers, volunteers, athletes, and supporters have completed their roles. Each has earned their title of 2010 Winter Olympics participant and should hold their heads’ high. All their hard work behind the scenes is appreciated; together they created something great.
Creating anything big does take an immense amount of work and sometimes we forget about the details behind the scenes. From the decision to take on the event, to the application and putting together the actual bid, right through to co-ordinating volunteers and security, organizing every single event down to the second, and creating spectacular entertainment that delights the entire world, was truly a massive undertaking.
There was hope and disappointment, energy and exhaustion, strategy and change, success and failure, hugs and tears, and even some laughter over the course of the Olympics. These Olympics had shown some true teamwork and helped to re-established the belief that dreams do come true. Even with the scrutiny that the Olympic committee heads have been under for the things that have gone wrong, overall, it has to be considered a huge success!
Business creators, founders of great things, and inventors who do find success some day, have all had many a naysayer try to convince them that they can’t do it. But they do their best and make changes as needed, hoping to one day find the right formula to achieve their dreams. There will always be pessimists and those non believers when something great is being created, and there will always be bumps and hurdles when the outcome is expected to be life altering.
Mothers giving birth go through the emotions of being nervous and scared, uncomfortable and in pain, to experiencing excitement and joy when they end up with their child in their arms. Then there is the learning, change, and planning that come with having a child, for many years to come.
Business founders start with an idea and a desire to create something great. They get nervous and excited, as they take risks and commit every waking moment to the success of the new venture. As the business grows and markets change, the founders try to find new ways of being better, risking more and trying to draw in more support, to hopefully end up with the title of founder of something great.
Olympic athletes work their whole lives striving for the win, working through the pain and the suffering, the learning and the fundraising, all worth it for the title of Olympic medalist or at least Olympic athlete. The organizers, volunteers, athletes, and supporters have completed their roles. Each has earned their title of 2010 Winter Olympics participant and should hold their heads’ high. All their hard work behind the scenes is appreciated; together they created something great.
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