Don’t Settle for Silver
For too long Canadians have lived under the shadow of our neighbour to the South. Americans do not want to be second best in anything and the only colour they dream about and reward is gold. Canadians on the other hand tend to downplay our expectations and far too often this has meant that we are willing to settle for silver and as a result the top prizes elude us. more...





Body Language and Workplace Interviews
Q: When I’m conducting an interview will body language tell me whether the person is being deceitful? more...

Friday and Monday Sickness
Q: I am the Human Resources Manager of an office full of sales people. Presently, I have a one-year employee who routinely misses work on Fridays and Mondays and has used all of his vacation and his sick leave allotment for the year. These absences are causing a huge disruption and adversely impacting morale because other employees have to cover for him. The manager wants me to fire this employee for excessive absences. At a pre-disciplinary meeting this employee broke down and said that he had a “serious drinking problem”. Can you tell me what my obligations are with respect to this employee and whether or not I can terminate him for absenteeism or poor performance? more...

Emerging Trends in Candidate Screening
Q: The recession has taken a hard toll on both employers and potential employees of today’s marketplace.  What are the emerging trends in candidate background screening among those affected by this recession? more...

Passing the Baton
Q: I have just been promoted to the position of manager. While this is an exciting career opportunity, I am struggling to manage my relationships with former colleagues and team members who now report to me. Is it possible to maintain my previous relationships while at the same time establishing my role as manager? more...

Emerging from the Downturn
Q: I know the recession is ‘officially’ over, but I’m hearing conflicting reports about the job market. Should I be worried about my staff? What can I do to reduce turnover? more...

Canada’s Changing Demographics in the Workplace
Aging population. More immigrants. Different languages. Accepting more employees with disabilities. There is no God. Young Aboriginals. Wait. What was that? “There is no God”? How does this fit into Canada’s changing demographics? more...

New Cohort Calls for New Leadership Development
As the Canadian workplace evolves to embrace top talent from around the globe, well-educated, ambitious immigrant professionals have become intrinsic to their organizations’ current and future success. Typically hired for their acumen in information technology, finance, research and engineering, career-minded New Canadian professionals anticipate opportunities for advancement, readily signing up for leadership development offerings promoted by their employers. more...