Our work teams are comprised of multi generations. And research indicates that each generation tends to have specific preferences and characteristics. I am delighted to introduce you to my work colleague, Amal Anup, to chat about one of these – Gen Z. Amal works as an HR Associate in Classification and Compensation at Capilano University in North Vancouver, British Columbia. He is originally from Kochi, Karala, India. And he speaks passionately about changes we could be making to our...

The other day I got asked the question “What is a grievance? As this podcast is all about demystifying the HR “stuff”, I thought, hey, maybe a podcast to provide an overview of this area of HR might be helpful to you… so, here goes! Hope you will join me!

Retirement is a topic becoming of significantly more importance and interest to individuals of my generation. It is also something that those just wishing for those “golden years” should start giving thought to. Although it might not feel so at the time, the years pass quickly. And more importantly, once you are finally there, thanks in large part to our better health care, there are also many years ahead of us. For those of you who have been going at warp speed for decades, the sudden...

I met Brian when he was working as the Business Manager for the West Vancouver Municipal Employees Union. I was working as the Director of Human Resources and Payroll Services with the District of West Vancouver. We both eventually moved on from those positions. Brian, to work with the BCGEU – the BC Government and Services Employees Union - as, amongst other responsibilities, their pension expert. Brian recently retired from, what ended up being over ten years with the BCGEU, building...

Today we are going to talk about intentions, given that it is the beginning of a new year, and a great opportunity to start fresh. Like the rain gently washing away the snow where I live. It helped me realize that I don’t like living in a world of black and white. Colour is important to me. I have noticed the absence of colour with white blanketing everything. So, I pep up my day by choosing brighter colours from my wardrobe. What is important to you? And how are you able to bring that...

When you’re in the middle of everything, you are a boss. You have a boss. Being in the thick of it at work, dealing with change imposed from above and leading your team through it, can feel difficult and exhausting. It can also be rewarding Gwyn’s book In the Thick Of It: Mastering the Art of Leading From the Middle takes you on a journey of awareness, growth, and purpose to help you master the art of leadership, to become the kind of leader that delivers results while valuing every human...

Marc published his first book Heroic HR in May 2012 - "A little book with BIG ideas" - presenting his passion and philosophy of the need for HR to align itself with the business of the company in which it works; to present strategic, value-added information to all stakeholders and to move from "data management to information craftsmanship". His most recent book, The Death of HR: Who Killed H. (Harriet) R. (Rose) Job? is a cautionary tale and a detective story which provides further insights...

It’s the holiday season, with all its busyness. We are already stressed out with the uncertainty of the impact of a new covid variant, our work environments still figuring out what a “hybrid” is supposed to look like, the intensity and impact of what are being called “atmospheric rivers” on many of us, especially if you live on the west or east coasts of Canada. And then you add a holiday season… The “good girl” in me feels obliged to bake, entertain and shop… So, a podcast on some...

Barb Ashcroft is a mentor, an encourager, and a thought changer. On the journey of your life, Barb can help with a mid-course correction to multiply the chances for improvement in all areas of your life, whether personal, physical, or your career. She is always looking for individuals with a desire to grow, to change their current ‘normal’. She asks, “Are you ready for some self-development and confidence building?” As a natural leader, she has learned a great deal about mindset, attitude,...

I am not going to bore you with all the statistics on the importance of fun and play in our work environments. I would be just telling you the obvious. I believe these would help with the engagement (or disengagement) dilemma and create a much-needed spark our organizations desperately need right now. When I reflect over the years and my employment at the various organizations I have worked within, what I’ve cherished most - the memories that bring a lovely feeling of warmth within me -...

Today we are going to talk about mentoring–both the formal and informal versions–and our experiences with these. Over the years of her career, Carolyn Cooper-McOuatt has been very involved in setting up mentoring programs through her role as trainer, advisor and coordinator at a local college. These have been quite structured. My personal experiences have been with the more laissez-faire ones and those that just simply came about because... well they just seemed meant to. In this era of so...

Melissa is a registered health coach and an integrated health practitioner. Originally employed as a business executive in the hotel industry, getting let go when big fish bought little fish and then the reality of both daughters suffering concussions from sports injuries caused her to reassess priorities and refocus on a different journey; one that has led her to her current work. As the quote on the banner that sits behind her in her home office reminds us “Health isn’t everything but...

In my conversation with Charlene, she noted that people only really get ready for a career transition when they have to and thus find the process something that really shakes them to their core. And that we need to get better at self-managing our careers. Charlene founded SmART Career Solutions (SCS) to recognize and celebrate that a significant number of professionals don’t fit into a traditional service model and that NOT ALL PROFESSIONALS wear a suit or would consider themselves an...

Negative self-talk. I suspect you are like me, especially when it comes to how we feel we are being perceived by our worlds. We all pick up on body language, changes in vocal tone, and other indicators that an individual’s words, as one example, may not be an accurate reflection of what they are truly feeling. And… yes, this provides a wonderful playground for those negative voices inside of us. Today we are going to talk about that negative chatter inside our heads. Some call it our...

Julia grew tired of being an Administrative Assistant. She also hated her fingernail-biting habit. Hypnotherapy answered both of her quandaries when she decided to pursue certification with the National Guild of Hypnotherapists. That was more than a decade ago. Now a seasoned hypnotist and a Reiki Master, she helps people kick their habits, heal from past traumas, and begin loving the life of their dreams. Join us as Julia tells us about this career choice and answers all those questions...

Heather’s passion is helping empower individuals with confidence in their finances and joy in their lives. Combining the left-brained, money and financial details with the right-brained, emotion, spiritual/woo to improve your life, is her specialty. Hope you will join us as Heather shares tips to make the money stuff more manageable. It is your future we are talking about here! Make it a prosperous one! We hope you will join us!

As I record this podcast it’s October and the time of celebrating Thanksgiving in Canada, so it feels appropriate to talk about being grateful – of expressing gratitude. Immediately all those individuals volunteering their time, doing nice things to make other’s lives easier… you know the ones, come to mind. So, this week’s podcast is all about gratitude and leadership. And a thank you to Stuart McNish for providing me with a copy of Pablo Casals’ A Salute to Life, a lovely reminder of...

Meet Monique Liddle. She is the Manager of Operations at the City of North Vancouver Library. It is a place she has called “home” for over a decade and not a place that she had originally envisioned working when she graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) with her certification in Interior Design Management. Our libraries are so much more than a repository of books and information. Monique was able to use the skills and expertise she had built over the years to...

Stuart McNish, a veteran Canadian journalist, is the host of the weekly news series Conversations That Matter, where he interviews thought leaders from around the globe to dig into the issues that matter to Canadians. He is also the President of Oh Boy Productions, a company he built, in his words, from a laptop and cellphone. Stuart is a natural in this environment. With his start as a reporter with BCTV and training from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Broadcast...

Lululemon stocks went up 13% in one day – apparently we are enjoying hanging out in our comfy clothes and plan to continue doing more of that. News broadcasts indicate that 50% of our workforce are considering quitting. McKinsey and Company and Harvard Business Review articles are noting that people are choosing to not return to work, even without the safety net of alternate employment. We are reassessing our priorities. We are yearning to be appreciated and recognized, to be considered...

Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Disengaged? Counting the years until you can retire? Most of us experience, at least at some point in our careers, these feelings. Are you interested in learning how to live and to work differently, to tap into the leader within you? I believe that we have what we need inside us, to do this. Using my own and others’ experiences, through the sharing of stories and encouragement of reflection, I strive to help you find your true self and potential, and to live...

Stephen Hammond, lawyer turned professional speaker, helps his clients avoid the landmines that are getting so many people and workplaces in trouble. For 27 years Stephen has educated thousands of Canadians about the importance of preventing and responding to all the inappropriate stuff that goes on at work; in particular, harassment, bullying and discrimination. Despite the serious nature of the issues, Stephen is known for his humour, wit, and discussing issues that are current and...

In this week’s podcast we talk about the importance of effective communication and what Susan Scott in her excellent book Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a Time, calls, “fierce conversations”. Overall, most of us could be much better communicators. Too frequently we attempt to express ourselves and find that what we had hoped to convey has been received in a manner that we had not intended or expected. With our incresased use of emails,...

Malcolm White lives his passion through his work. He has always known that he loved working on the water. He was fascinated by the tugboats and the barges they were towing – the ones he would watch while working as a fishing guide in Campbell River, British Columbia. So, he attained his Deck Hand certification and the requisite sea hours. And over a career of, now forty years, he continued to take courses, build continued experience on the ocean, and for many years now, has been master of...

I don’t think it would be much of a stretch to assume that, at some point in our careers we have all been party to, or impacted by, conflict-laden situations: individuals not getting along, someone not pulling their weight, colleagues not showing up on time or at all, poor behaviour, rules not followed, as only some examples. All too often, these situations get tolerated, ignored, excused, and otherwise not dealt with. I have been in situations that allowed me to address such issues,...