BCjobs Blog

With more and more folks becoming aware of human rights and anti-bullying legislation coming into effect (Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan have passed provincial legislation against bullying and BC now has an advocacy group – http://bullyfreebc.ca) there has been an increase in complaints being brought forward concerning bullying, not only to employers but also to human rights council.

When we think of workplace conflict, most of us probably cringe. No one likes to deal with conflict. But…conflict can actually be good. From conflict comes growth. The trick is to discover how to manage conflict so that it stays healthy and doesn’t go down the path of destruction. If we allow conflict to get out of hand, we can unknowingly create a toxic workplace and that is certainly something we want to avoid.

The quest for employee engagement has been front and centre in the business world for several years; however, there still seems to be a lack of understanding or will on the part of leadership to take the advice being given by those who have researched the topic.

Have you ever had to work with an employee to improve performance? Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope with an employee who just didn’t seem to ‘get it’?
Coaching an employee may be an opportunity for a win/win situation. While it may seem that you’ve tried everything; trying to understand what the blocks are for the employee, I wonder how many of us think about coaching as opposed to considering discipline, as a way to achieve our goals.

What does it mean to me when I say that I trust someone?

Trust, to me, means that I can have confidence in a person to do what she says she will do. I can believe in her when she’s given me her word on something…and I can feel that she truly has my best interests at heart.

It means that a person won’t take advantage of me and she’ll be honest with me and because I know that; I am comfortable in being honest with her. It means that if she does make a mistake – she will take accountability for that mistake and not try to make excuses for what happened.

As the economy continues on an up swing, organizations will be busy trying to find the perfect employee to fill the gaps needed to fuel their growing business needs. Finding a qualified employee is one thing but keeping them is a whole new ball game.

Top performers. They are most often the true indicator of a company’s culture and are part of the integral root system of a company’s success. They are the first to speak up and also the first to pursue feedback. What they will not do is sit idle.

In order to stay afloat, a compulsory effect of the recession for many companies has been a concentrated and immediate focus on the bottom line. As a result, employers and their employees have felt the inevitable strain of extensive layoffs, chaotic restructurings, and difficult cuts and freezes in pay and benefits.

For organizations and employees everywhere, it’s been an undoubtedly difficult year. An uncertain economy. Record-high unemployment numbers. Increased workload and stress. The toll on personal relationships and finances.