by Patricia Heard

Strategic Advice:

“It’s the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way you will go.”
   Cindy Chan, CHRP
   HR Consultant, The Canadian Depository for Securities

“Never become ‘competency complacent’; be curious and know that you can always learn something new.”
   Elena Calabria, CHRP
   HR Manager at Artaflex Inc. 

“Stop trying to fit the job. We can be very good at being the business chameleon, changing our colours depending on the background. You’ll be more successful and more satisfied in your work when you stop going against your natural grain.”
   Susan Landry
   Human Resources Manager, Sun Media Corporation

“There are many different roads you can take. Don’t restrict yourself, stay open to roads you may not have considered.”
   Anonymous 

“If you want to move up in your career, never lose your passion for what you do and never compromise your integrity. In the long run this will make you stand out from everyone else.”
   Rebecca Lee
   Leadership Development Program at TELUS

“Once you’ve found your passion, continue to learn, grow, practice and develop your skills and abilities. Make sure you’re current and relevant.”
   JoAnne Trotter, CHRP
   Human Resource Business Partner at Cadbury Adams

“Tiger Woods said something like this, “I don’t know how I’ll do today, but what I do know is, with practice, I’ll be better tomorrow.”
   JoAnne Trotter, CHRP
   Human Resource Business Partner at Cadbury Adams 

 “Find “the” job you are looking for – not “a” job. This takes some research and requires you to do more than send out resumes but it makes all the difference in the long run.”
   Rick Galbreath
   President, Performance Growth Partners Inc.

“Keep in mind that you are ultimately responsible for the marketing of your own career. To that end, we should always to be mindful of how our careers are evolving. Job titles may or may not be important to you, but job content and strategy and continuous evolution towards a goal is vital.”
   Dolores Bryant
   Human Resources Manager at St. Marys Cement

“Be true to you and try not to resist the experience too much.”
   Linda Rummell (nee Ryall)
   Director, Human Resources  Canwest MediaWorks

“Don’t take criticism personally, listen with an open mind and, if it applies, take it. If it doesn’t apply, say thanks and move on.”

“Surround yourself with people smarter and more skilled than you, because they will free you to move on to new and interesting challenges.”
   Lynn Marie Caissie, CHRP, RHB
   Senior Human Resources Professional at LMC Consulting

“Have your resume professionally written. It is worth the money!”
   Laura McLeod, CHRP
   Human Resource Consultant at Goodwill Industries of Toronto

“Check your ego at the door.”
   Carolyn Kirby (Lansing)
   President, Aim Hire

“Never miss a chance to shut up.” (A Will Rogers Quote)
   Rick Galbreath
   Perform To Grow (performtogrow.com)

“Believe in yourself and have a group of people you can count on when the going gets tough. There will always be people telling you that you cannot succeed and if you continue to listen to them, you will spiral downwards.”
   Belinda Fernandez (CHRP)
   Certified HR Professional

“There is a difference between being humble and grateful for the opportunities you have had and selling yourself short – make sure you strike the right balance.”
   Belinda Fernandez (CHRP)
   Certified HR Professional

“Plan the work, know the plan, work the plan.”
   Mike Cutler
   Production Manager, StairWorld Inc.

“Discipline and a positive attitude will usually beat out natural talent.”
   Paul Turenne
   Harris Computer Services

“There are many people with similar credentials and experience, but not everyone has a genuine passion for what they do and has a good work ethic.”
   Rebecca Lee
   Leadership Development Program at TELUS

“Hearing four little words can change your life. What are they? I believe in you! These words can inspire you to work harder, smarter and keep doing better and striving to new heights!”
   Carmela Aita
   Head of HR, Canada at The Body Shop

 “Don’t get into the mindset of giving your people 50 feet of rope and telling them – ‘when you get to 49 feet – call me!’ Keep the communications going.”
   Phil Smith, Manager, Building Division
   Peak Engineering

“Don’t take criticism personally, listen with an open mind and, if it applies, take it. If it doesn’t apply, say thanks and move on.” 

“Surround yourself with people smarter and more skilled than you, because they will free you to move on to new and interesting challenges.”
   Lynn Marie Caissie, CHRP, RHB
    Senior Human Resources Professional at LMC Consulting

by Patricia Heard 

NO MORE DRIVE-BYS

At Pronexus, Gary Hannah, President and CEO, heads a team of 22 professionals who just won the accolade of “Best Development Tool” at the World’s Communication Conference^™ in Miami this March. I asked Mr. Hannah about the changes in staffing in the IT sector over the years and he had some interesting insights to share.

     First, Mr. Hannah’s hiring strategy is very specific. At Pronexus they nurture business growth around the world which requires dynamic, well-educated employees with diverse backgrounds who can adapt to different time zones in their work schedule. Mr. Hannah attributes his company’s success in part to Ottawa’s strong post-secondary education system, the high concentration of technology companies in the area, and the healthy mix of available employees from different parts of the world.

     But just having a pool of talent doesn’t mean your company will hire the right people. The secret to Mr. Hannah’s hiring success is, as he puts it, “To hire NOT for the job, but to be a great member of the team.” When he makes a hiring decision, Mr. Hannah keeps focused on the question, “Is this the right kind of person for my company?” Everything else flows from there. This fantastic advice keeps new blood and new ideas feeding the company.

     The biggest change Mr. Hannah has seen in employees over the years is the attitude about the hours they work. What used to happen in IT firms – and not so long ago – was that employees felt if they weren’t working all hours and weekends, then they wouldn’t keep their jobs. At Pronexus, no one does a ‘drive by’ on the weekend to see who is working- which actually did happen in some firms. “We do have a problem with staff not wanting to leave work,” reports Mr. Hannah, “I usually have to kick them out because they are so keen to work on the fun stuff we do here. But work-life balance is really important to managers at Pronexus and we try to enforce that with everyone.” Hiring for attitude and maintaining work-life balance may not be earth-shattering news, but they are great HR rules to live by in any sector.

CALM AND STEADY

Richard Annett, Human Resources Manager at EMS Technologies, joined the company in 2000, in the middle of what he describes as the local market engineer feeding frenzy. Every available wireless or optical engineer was being grabbed up. His approach to the candidate marketplace however, has always been cautious. His hiring guidelines: be picky; take your time and compromise. Compromise here means hire for ability and attitude, not necessarily for all the skills and knowledge that’s needed. At EMS this is necessary because finding an engineer with experience in the satellite communications field is just not going to happen very often.

   What’s the attraction for employees? “Work in a dynamic company, where employees have the opportunity to stretch their abilities and add to their knowledge is the major appeal for candidates,” says Mr. Annette. Stable growth over time, really neat technology and a variety of career paths are the bones of the offer at EMS. A culture of participation adds flavour with new facilities showcased by glass walls right at reception, extensive social networks, scholarship programs, an on-site gym and yoga programs to name a few.

    Mr. Annette maintains however, that to be successful in HR management today you must bring more to the boardroom table than staffing abilities. “HR is in the best position to know the most about a company,” says Mr. Annett, “and we can have a huge influence that goes far beyond staffing, benefits and the traditional HR specialties. Understand and get close to your HR networks, management networks, know the trends and bring information to the table about the world outside.” Planning for the future is especially tricky in 2009 and Mr. Annett is not planning any radical changes. His job, which really seems to mirror his personality, is to balance optimism and reality – and he’s a natural at it!

WAKE UP

   It’s not nap-time at Braebon, makers of sleep apnea testing equipment and snoring prevention appliances. Dr. Richard Bonato, Founder and CEO, met me in his offices in Kanata to talk about staffing in IT. Braebon’s work is based on extensive research, so their ties to students and the higher education community are close. Recently, Dr. Bonato was involved with a program called WINS – Winning Innovations Networks for Schools. This OCRI-sponsored program puts business in front of high school groups to talk about their work, generate enthusiasm and encourage students to get involved in the field. “This involvement,” says Dr. Bonato, “benefits the community and helps give you a great educated workforce.”

   At Braebon, school involvement comes naturally. Dr. Bonato taught 3^rd year psychology courses on sleeping and dreaming at Carleton University and his research department is stocked with Ph.D.-heavy talent. “Braebon has made an education commitment to our staff too.” says Dr. Bonato. “Anyone who goes back to school and graduates or passes their course, gets their tuition reimbursed by the company.” With up to 50% of the population snoring (and presumably the other 50% looking for a quiet nights rest), the market for Braebon’s products is vast and well worth the investment in future talent.

THE BATTLE IS OVER

There are less jobs out there, there has been a reduction in salaries and this all translates into opportunities for local high-tech companies to find and hire the right professionals. Bernard Breton, COO & Head of Sales & Marketing for Mentum says this means tech companies can get better talent for their money than in recent years. This means better products, better service and, hopefully, better bottom lines.

     Mentum’s philosophy has always been to be extremely picky in their hiring. Mr. Breton affirms, “We don’t gamble. This is a long and difficult recruitment process for software and telecom engineers at Mentum.” This means a stringent assessment process, thorough interviews and a six month probationary period with the right to extend that if necessary. The difficult economic times faced by all high-tech firms simply reminds them of the importance of the recruitment process. Not only is hiring the wrong resource expensive, but it gives you much lower productivity ratios – something that Mentum is very focused on avoiding.

      “We are very specialized in what we do, and we need high productivity in our staff.” explains Mr. Breton. “This means we hire the best candidates possible to get a higher productivity ratio.” Having more productivity per engineer, makes Mentum more competitive. As well, having a highly productive team means that non-performers aren’t being carried by the rest and this definitely encourages cohesive team efforts. If the battle for great candidates is maybe not as fierce for the moment, perhaps tech companies should look at hiring talent while it’s available.

Manager’s Tip From WorkDynamics:  Keeping the Balance is Key  

It is a delicate balance to keep your workforce stretched but not broken, and your customers clamouring but happy. “At WorkDynamics we’ve been careful to hire to suit our business growth, and grow to meet our demand,” says Don Harrod, VP of Technology and Operations. No one likes to have layoffs – it’s hard on the individual(s) being let go and it’s hard on those left behind as they try to pick up the pieces. As Mr. Harrod says, “Ideally, you want to be in the position of being able to say, ‘we don’t do layoffs because we’ve planned our business properly’.”

Patricia Heard is co-owner and Director, Client Services, of HireSmart Human Resources Inc. an Ottawa-based permanent staffing company. To reach her, send an email to pheard@hiresmarthr.com.

Well take heart – some people work for companies that they love! In each of the four cases in this edition, people make the difference. People in positions of power who care about employees, about the corporate reputation, about what their life means to themselves, their families, their co-workers and staff. You CAN transcend the expected and create something more for your team too.

FAMILY FIRST – AND SECOND TOO!

“Our first rule,” says Kristy McDougall, HR Manager at Rhodes & Williams Insurance, “Is Families First.  I should explain that though.  We have our own ‘home family’ – which always comes first – and then we have the Rhodes Family.”  The Rhodes & Williams team is so close that this great philosophy appears to have come about quite naturally.  Special events at Rhodes include the home families, issues at home are taken seriously, and no one questions if someone has to take time off to deal with matters at home.  Nothing illustrates this more than the day we had a huge snow storm.  The President, the VP and the entire sales team pushed cars out of snow banks in the parking lot to make sure that every staff member could get out and home safely.  “That’s the kind of team we have.” says Mary Raymond, Office Manager.  She and Ms. McDougall work hard to maintain an exact fit when they hire – choosing candidates with great ability, but only if they are going to mesh well with the rest of the team.

     This kind of atmosphere gets talked about.  Ottawa is too small a community to keep an industry secret like “Where’s a great place to work?”  “Rhodes & Williams competes locally, nationally and globally,” explains Ms McDougall, “without rigid borders – there’s more flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit than is typical in most insurance firms.” This capability allows them to write more business, their ethical and upfront dealings with clients gives them a stainless reputation and their stellar customer service cements Rhodes & Williams as the broker of choice for customers.

    In 2007, Rhodes & Williams entered the Employee Choice Awards. The main reason was not to win the award, but because the process of entering gave them the opportunity to survey employees anonymously, initiate a formal process to examine how they work with employees and to learn how they could improve. In 2008, as a result of new initiatives, Rhodes & Williams placed in the top 10. This commitment to employees is reinforced many ways including their focus on health (part of their “family first” philosophy), manager nominated employee awards (condo time-share), and the attitude that starts with Rhodes & Williams President, Trent Young, who says, “We have the best group of employees in the city.”

PRIDE…

Delma Devoe, Human Resource Manager at CTV, took time out of a busy day juggling Employee Diversity Day planning and one thousand other things, to spend some time talking to me about what CTV does best. Her response is award-winning: “We produce a fantastic product – it makes everyone proud to be working here!” Ms. Devoe cites the history of CTV, the News and Regional Contact shows – both #1 in their time slots, and the pride in the brand of the station, nationally recognized as an industry leader. With positive energy like this, Ms. Devoe jaunts from one event to the next with boundless enthusiasm.

     There are so many other things that contribute to making CTV a great place to be – Ms. Devoe actually prepared a 3-page summary to help explain the details. From extremely competitive compensation packages through to a subsidized cafeteria, CTV is an employee-focused organization. The feeling in the CTV offices is one of camaraderie and hard work, both admirable and sought after in any organization.

     There is proof that CTV is getting it right, too. This year, they celebrated five 30-year veterans, six 35-year veterans and one 40-year veteran with awards. Outstanding for an organization with 100 full time employees on staff. Plus, consider this: when these veterans retire, they often come back for more. Retirees love it as this offers them the opportunity to continue to be productive as well as being able to provide mentoring for junior staff and students. Altogether, Ms. Devoe presented a picture of a balanced, well-nourished staff of employees who work hard to maintain the status of their brand. Her best advice to other managers: “You have to really listen to employees and dig much deeper sometimes for understanding.” Only by listening can you find out what employees want, what would make a difference for them, and how it can all be implemented in your environment.

 TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT

Heidi Hauver, Manager, Human Resources has been with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority since August 2007. There have been many HR updates and changes at CIRA since then. Her approach to HR is highly practical and is reflected in some of the first things they implemented; a New Hire Orientation Program and Service Year Awards, to recognize employees for their years of service. “Being with an organization for five years is exceptional these days,” she explains. “We have had over ten employees receive this award. We try and focus on the time we have with each team member.  We believe you have to challenge your employees and you have to engage them in the time that you have with them.”

   Recognizing that what you get out of employees equals what you put in means productivity is a two way street. Employees produce for the company, but the company has to produce for employees too. “You have to diversify your HR programs to appeal to a wider, diversified audience.” says Ms. Hauver. “Having a cool working environment is important to the majority of our team, but matching that with a variety of other benefits, social activities, development opportunities and boosted internal communications efforts means you’ll reach everyone in the organization at some level.” When you engage your whole team you strengthen it so each member feels more connected – to each other and to the organization.

THREE STEPS TO SUCCESS

It’s been a difficult year in the construction industry so asking a manager about what they do really well for employees is a bit off base at this time. However, Melissa Kruyne, General Manager at Kott Lumber Ottawa, is quick to point to their successes. The first indicator, to her way of thinking, is the employee loyalty that Kott has earned over the years. “This year, we celebrated our 25-30 year veterans. When I’m here 20 years from now, I will be extremely proud if there is that same track record.”

    What makes people stay with the same company for so many years? Especially these days? Part of it has to be attributed to the family-oriented company spirit that pervades the organization. Personalized gifts for employees’ children at Christmas and family-oriented events, raffles and attitude in general just being a few of the ways Kott ‘walks the talk’ in this area. And then there’s giving back to the community. “Every year we make a donation to the Christmas Exchange, and I am always astounded by the generosity of our employees.” Explains Ms. Kruyne. “Employees buy a light bulb for our 20-foot tree – made by Kott employees in our truss department – and Kott matches every donation dollar for dollar. With 200 employees, we were able to make a donation of $6500 this year. That’s the kind of people we have at Kott.”

    Kott also revised their compensation structure so that productivity can be rewarded. Starting with the truss and joist plants, Kott worked a plan to give back productivity gains to employees – which had a huge impact in terms of pay for those who earned it. Ms Kruyne elaborates, “We are working with an A-Team of employees here and focusing on LEAN manufacturing principals. This method of rewarding our teams ensures fairness and gives everyone something significant to strive for as part of a team.” And really isn’t that what everyone looks for in life? Recognition; a place we can be proud to bring our families on special occasions, and an opportunity to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. No wonder Kott has 30 year veterans!

Manager’s Tip of the Month: From Urbandale’s Laurie Pepper, HR Manager: the best thing for employees is working together for a long time in a family-oriented company. “Helping each other comes more naturally when we have all worked together for such a long time,” says Ms. Pepper. A close-knit organization can mobilize a lot of action from their team – and in this economy we need everyone pulling together harder than ever.

For example, when we think about being creative at work, we can think about solving problems in different ways, developing new methods or processes that save the company money, etc., etc. We can also think though, about bringing a creative mindset to work. In other words, at work we have the ability to CREATE something – no matter what our job is. Even if we sweep floors, we can create a more positive attitude in others just by how we perform.

Please enjoy the attached issue of Talk From the Top and, if you have a moment to let me know how your company or your team is creative, I would love to share that with others. Please email me at patricia@pollackgroup.com with your ideas or thoughts on creativity! 

PERCEPTION IS REALITY

   I met with Al Albania, President of Acart Communications, in his open, bright and airy offices on Nepean Street to hear his ideas on creativity – and my perception of creativity changed. I used to think about people as ‘creative’ or ‘not’. Now however, with a perception fine-tuned by Mr. Albania, I have reoriented my thinking and now understand that each of us is creative and can add to creative solutions for our companies.
 
“Creative people do their best work in a creative environment.” said Mr. Albania. “You can’t fake this; it has to be the real thing. So it has to be created by and for them, and it has to inspire them to do work that really matters.” Acart’s offices are a great demonstration of this concept at work. When there’s a problem to be solved, a creative solution that has to be discovered, people are pulled into various ‘think tanks’ to hash out ideas. Wine on Friday afternoons, breakfast on Friday mornings, a cappuccino lounge, open concept work areas, huge windows…everything geared to helping people be creative and to think large.
 
In Mr. Albania’s business, his team is paid to be creative, but it goes beyond just having one idea about a product or service. At Acart, it’s about the creative solution that solves the customer’s problem. Mr. Albania further refines his perception of creativity: “When you get the job done in a way that breaks new ground, and you feel good about it, that’s creativity!” So the bottom line for companies that want to encourage a creative team is to find out what they think is creative, what they believe will help them, and to start implementing these changes.

GET JAZZED!

  Michael Burnatowski, Manager of the OCRI Entrepreneurship Centre, is all about the creativity. “Our job is to help clients start and grow their businesses,” says Mr. Burnatowski. “That is all about change and being creative so our Entrepreneurship Centre team has to be change-focused and creative in their approaches.” The energy and enthusiasm in OCRI’s offices at City Hall are obvious and engaging – so how does he do it?

  “It’s about ownership,” says Mr. Burnatowski. “Having individuals take ownership for their work, and letting them go and get it done is key.” To do this right means knowing your business, getting the right people and letting people make mistakes. Mr. Burnatowski talks about ‘Corporate Confidence’ which translates into management trusting staff to be competent and diligent in their work. Once people understand that they aren’t going to be fired for mistakes, that they aren’t in competition with their colleagues, then the fear loosens off and the ideas come out. “My team knows they have my trust and they have my support with my management.” says Mr. Burnatowski. “And when I have to shoot down some creative idea it is going to be an open discussion about why that decision was necessary and why ‘no’ isn’t necessarily bad! No in our case often leads to change- something I view as positive.”

   When Mr. Burnatowski started with OCRI almost two years ago there were 350 people who attended the seminars. Today, enrollment is up to over 1100 people thanks to creative solutions and empowering front line staff. Proof that trust and creativity go hand in hand and the benefits can be huge!

ENGAGE AND ENDEAR

  Dara Mottahed, Sales Manager at METRO Ottawa, has to be creative – quite simply, it’s his job. METRO is, by its very nature, a creative aberration in the world of print news – it’s free in both its print and web versions. What a great idea! Mr. Mottahed explains what it takes to have a creative work environment which, for him, means staff partners who want to be there and who are fully plugged into the vision of METRO.                                                                    

“In the corporate world,” says Mr. Mottahed, “you must be creative in order to be noticed. You have only one chance to make a first impression and it had better be good! For METRO, it means we have to make sure our front page – which is our first impression – captures and engages our readers right away.” Besides being a free daily, METRO also has some unique distribution methods, featuring about 30 individuals working at handing out papers on the street every day. So, what does it take to be creative every day?

“Dialogue is imperative, as is listening – really listening.” insists Mr. Mottahed. “Remember, these people don’t work for you, the manager, they work WITH you. So get them involved, ask their professional opinion, know your team and find their creative side.” Mr. Mottahed goes on to explain that this takes involvement, out of which clarity is rendered. This comes down to his mantra of Engage and Endear – what he does with staff, with people he has just met and with his newspaper. “Keep things simple,” he warns, “remind yourself to take a step back outside of your busy life and consult with those around you.”     

THE ‘LIST’  

Ok, making a list doesn’t sound especially creative – it sounds like something an accountant would do. At the FLA Group though, Leah Eustace, Managing Partner, pulls out The List at every team meeting and creative new ideas get logged. Every once in a while The List gets reviewed and some great suggestions are put into practice. For example, FLA ’s email addresses used to be @theflagroupinc.com and, because of The List, the addresses have all been shortened to @flagroup.ca– what a great thing THAT happened!

The FLA Group is a creative organization though, and this attitude is fostered with an open environment, meetings where no one feels threatened and any idea – no matter how crazy – can go on The List. “We make conscious efforts to free creativity at the FLA Group,” says Ms. Eustace. “We call it ‘accidental creativity’ – fun days a few times per year where the whole team participates in something outside of work and ideas flow; partner days with no phone, no email, no computers…these things really stimulate some fresh ideas totally by accident just because we’re out of our normal environment.”

By recording ideas somehow, you encourage constant creativity. New ideas are logged, acknowledged – they don’t get lost in the shuffle of everyday chaos. How many times have we felt that we just won’t bother to mention our idea because it never amounts to anything? If you keep and put to use a list like Ms. Eustace’s though – no idea goes unnoticed!  

 GET REAL  -   Bernie Ashe, CEO of the Kott Group, spoke with me about how leadership can bring energy to a team. Energy, for Mr. Ashe, comes from leaders in an organization and he carefully distinguishes the difference between Leaders and Managers.  “Great leaders need great followers,” Mr. Ashe explains, “but that Leadership DNA has got to be there for it all to work.” A great leader is inspiring, has good judgment, and really understands what it takes to have people be confident in him or her. Managers are a different entity entirely though. “Management is more a science – you plan, you structure, you track…none of that is particularly inspiring for people. Leadership, though, is an Art.” says Mr. Ashe.

   The interesting thing about this view is that you can clearly see that leadership thrives at all levels in an organization. “Leaders can be on a fork lift, they can be in the sales office, or they can be in management.” explains Mr. Ashe. Recognizing and appreciating your leaders, those who strive every day for the ‘win’ at work, will bring energy to your teams and your company as a natural flow.

  Keeping the energy in tough times is when inspired leadership is a huge benefit to your company. We have to be confident in our leaders, we have to trust them and we have to believe what they say. “Fake isn’t going to work,” says Mr. Ashe. “A veneer of ‘everything’s ok’ and ‘I have all the answers’ – no. You have to ask the questions, seek the answers and be genuine, comfortable and natural in your approach.”

Put Your People First  -  Bob Urichuck is an internationally recognized sales expert, a motivational speaker and author. His books, Disciplined for Life and Up Your Bottom Line, are best-sellers and he spoke with me between appointments during a snowstorm about Energy. Mr. Urichuck is very excited. He is excited about everything, including just getting up in the morning! So it was particularly apt to speak with him about energy and how managers can bring energy to their team. Apt, but not – as it turns out – a natural solution for many managers because Mr. Urichuck challenges you to turn your organization upside down. Here are Mr. Urichuck’s steps for helping your team achieve more energy:

1. Uncover the desires of the individuals in your team, and find out how you can help them achieve their goals. Why does anyone go to work? Because they have a dream. Help people achieve their dreams and everyone benefits – you, the individual, the company, the customers – everyone. 
2. Empower your team to implement solutions to problems. You can’t do it all so stop trying and let your team fulfill their capabilities.
3. Achieve engagement: ask your team to define corporate objectives and they will be all the more engaged in achieving them.
4. Consequences: so what happens if goals aren’t met? What happens if they are? Your team decides the incentive and the punishment and they’ll be motivated by their OWN desires.
5. Team attitude: when your team decides what the collective spirit or attitude should be at work, then they are responsible for achieving it. Let them name it and they’ll own it.
6. Be thankful: recognize every day what we have. Recognize every day the great things we do.

“The bottom line,” says Mr. Urichuck, “is to demonstrate the appropriate behaviors for team building and the team will follow, but also give them all a chance to participate and to lead.” For more information, visit Mr. Urichuck’s website at www.BobU.com. His weekly e-minute, articles and books will inspire and energize.

Randy Burgess, Vice President of the Ottawa 67s Junior A Hockey Team, is focused on staging a world class sports and entertainment prod-uction for every game. To do this is a challenge, especially with the mandate of maintaining low ticket prices which results in a tight budget for video crews, equipment, entertainers and event coordinators. “Where else,” asks Mr. Burgess, “Can you take a family of four for three hours of live entertainment for only $60?” He looks slightly unbelieving as he says this knowing that there just isn’t anywhere else!

   Most of his staff have regular ‘day’ jobs – government workers, salesmen, students – and they work the games because each of them is looking to add something to their own lives. “I try to give them the basic tools to gain experience in an area of interest,” says Mr. Burgess, “and they take it and run.” For example, when he started with the organization more than two years ago the equipment for the show was a sagging table and a pile of gear. Today there have been some huge upgrades: new cameras, new control room, rewired audio/video system, re-flown sound system with arena shaking subwoofers, a score board with twice the intensity of the video image, new projectors…the list goes on. “Getting the right equipment in place proved to the crew that we were serious about staging world-class events,” says Mr. Burgess. “The crew shares that commitment and we all try to make each game better than the last.” And they share a lot of laughter too which is another critical factor in the success of the show, as well as why they love their jobs.

   Proving his commitment, giving people the opportunity to work at something they’re interested in and encouraging people to have fun helps his team love their jobs. But the real kicker comes when staff experience live what Mr. Burgess calls the very best reason that they do what they do. On January 23^rd, Isabelle McGrath performed the ceremonial puck drop to start the evening. Isabelle, 8 years old, had just finished treatments for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After she dropped the puck and shook hands with the team captains, she was so excited it was all she could do to keep her feet on the ground as she jumped and skipped back to the bench smiling ear to ear. “Players all tapped their sticks for her – it inspired me, the audience, the players…” Mr. Burgess explains, “the opportunity to be involved at so many levels is why we love our jobs at the 67s.”

VALUE THE WORK

   Nick Ayre, Vice President of Human Resources at CARE Canada says that buying into the value of your mission is a key contributor to being successful in your work. Of course, CARE Canada’s mission is easy to buy into. It encompasses serving individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world through strengthening capacity for self help; providing economic opportunity; delivering relief in emergencies; influencing policy decisions at all levels; and addressing discrimination in all its forms. Connecting with the organization’s mission must certainly be the case for those CARE Canada international employees working in the most harsh and dangerous environments around the world and enduring often long term separation from family and friends. “This kind of motivation can only come from within,” says Mr. Ayre. “You can’t be trained to feel this, and it isn’t policy-driven. These are very special people who work in the field.”

   For Mr. Ayre, however, the passion for his work is driven by his personal business mission which he breaks down into three distinct areas:

1. Through the excellence of the work of his department Mr. Ayre understands well the contributions Human Resources makes at CARE Canada to enable its work around the world and in delivering approximately $140m in programming to people in need.
2. His personal passion for human resources drives him to develop and nurture best practices in HR to the benefit of all staff at CARE Canada.
3. Part of Mr. Ayre’s passion is also driven by his desire to help outsiders learn more about CARE and how to embark on a career in international development.

Can profit-oriented leaders learn from Mr. Ayre’s passion? Absolutely – the key is to have a defined mission and to believe in the value of the mission. Keeping the mission alive, keeps your passion for your work alive.

BOARD THE BUS

   Leeanne Paquette, Human Resources Manager, joined the Medical Council of Canada two years ago as their first dedicated HR resource. Ms. Paquette’s philosophy, “You’re either on the bus, or you’re not” illustrates her goal of having fully engaged employees and her HR initiatives have worked wonders at helping staff get on board. Her first task at the Council was to create an HR Report Card requesting feedback from all employees. One of her questions: “do you enjoy coming to work?” was for the most part answered negatively. Today, that same report card reflects an amazing shift in staff attitudes towards work.

   So how did Ms. Paquette get staff engaged and loving their work? Many new initiatives were put in place but driving the changes were two main goals: getting staff involved in decision making and helping to make life easier for everyone at the Council. Nothing she did cost a lot – sometimes her initiatives cost the Council no money at all, but it added up to massively increased job satisfaction. Here are a few things Ms. Paquette did to achieve attitude adjustment at the Council:

-          Improve employee understanding of the important work of the council

-          Introduction of on-line performance management systems

-          Creation of the Health and Wellness committee

-          Flex-time hours

-          Creation of an Extended Leadership Team: managers meeting together with directors for the first time as a group

-          Administrative Assistants’ Forum: administrators meeting as a team to share knowledge and improve consistency across the organization, and to work together for improvements with management

-          Professional Development – HR helps employees ensure their career path is on track and they are getting the training they need to be successful and even more productive

-          Arranged with local suppliers to offer pick up and delivery of dry cleaning and employee vehicals for maintenance, in-house flu clinics and massage-therapy sessions

When employees board the Council bus now it’s full steam ahead with job satisfaction and improved morale.

MANAGERS TIP OF THE MONTH WITH SUSAN LANDRY, CHRP, HR MANAGER WITH SUN MEDIA

   “Remember,” cautions Ms. Landry, “that not everyone will love the job for the same reasons you do.” This sounds obvious but we can get so wrapped up in our own motivation that we forget others will have a completely different view. “I know someone who could make more money somewhere else,” explains Ms. Landry, “but because we give her the option of working from home at least one day a week, she’s staying put.” Whatever it is that management can do to help people love their jobs means increased productivity, retention and employee loyalty – and sometimes it saves the company money too!

Resolution 1: Improve Attraction and Retention Methods

With discriminating employees shopping for the right company, employers competing for hard-to-find skill sets have to work harder at selling their sizzle! Pierre Girard, Corporate Human Resources Director from Brigil, says the biggest problem in today’s market is attraction and retention of employees. “It’s very different from when I first started my career in Human Resources twenty three years ago,” said Mr. Girard. “Back then I had my Question and Answer sheet to quiz potential employees with, today they are interviewing ME and I’m presenting them with a Welcome Package about the quality of life at Brigil!”

   Retention is more difficult today too as generation X and Y-ers can seem to be willing to make a leap into a different company for a small pay upgrade. Brigil has set a goal to be the top employer in the region by 2010. To achieve this, they are looking at their many retention strategies such as personal training programs, flex hour shifts, performance bonuses, subsidized employee fitness memberships and considering changes they should make like perhaps bringing the gym right into their building. Career counseling and education for internal advancement of employees, corporate discounts for employees from local retailers, years of services recognition program, and other strategies add to career satisfaction and have helped increase retention of valued employees at Brigil.

Resolution 2: Be Flexible

   “The best piece of advice I would give a new HR manager today,” says Tara Sevigny, Administrative Manager at Grand & Toy, “is Be Flexible!” When employees have to change their schedule, she’ll accommodate them whenever possible and she strives to create a positive, supportive and fun work environment. And it shows in the relaxed and friendly faces of employees at this busy office!

   Five years ago Ms. Sevigny moved into the role of Administrative Manager at Grand & Toy. “We were in the middle of a huge renovation,” she recalls, “and the main focus of the changes was to create an office that was more employee-centered. Where it used to be all about doing your job – clocking-in and clocking-out, we’ve created a more healthy balance.” Today the Grand & Toy offices are a sleek sea of colourful cubicals for a variety of call-centre staff, administrators, and others. Ms. Sevigny works hard to cultivate a fun workplace with special interest days like Ugly Sweater Day, Stupid Slipper Day and even an Office Olympics to keep employees engaged and having fun. Office Olympics, held during the Beijing Olympics, included events such as: Office Chair Relays, Calculator add-offs, Javelin Straw-Throwing and was complete with medal award ceremonies – all organized by the new Social Committee. At Grand & Toy, work seems to be a lot of fun and new candidates are impressed by the atmosphere and environment right away. Add the flexibility and understanding to the mix, and employees at Grand & Toy end up more satisfied and productive.

Resolution 3: Update Your Measuring Stick

   “Dude – the powder’s good until 2…” Judy Green, Manager, Marketing & Communications for the Canadian Library Association, uses this quote from a presentation by Jim Carroll to illustrate her resolution. “HR managers today have to know what makes work attractive for candidates – and it’s not the 9-5 lifestyle, with 40 years at the same job,” said Ms. Green. Companies that routinely expect employees to make work the most important thing in their lives are going to be in for a shock. The new graduates watched older relatives give everything to work only to die of heart attacks in the year of their retirement – when life was supposed to begin. And they vow that’s not going to be them.

   So, with the demand for work-life balance taking precedent and the new breed of worker looking for more than a pay cheque, companies are going to have to compete for talent in a whole new way. “This is a very different ride for anyone in HR today,” Ms. Green states. “And what’s it going to look like in 2011? It’s going to be tough to find a candidate.” Good thing senior executives are used to change and adaptation Ms. Green says. Having made so many adjustments already – computers, cell phones, the internet, to name just a few – senior players understand adapting to the changing demands of a new workforce is also a necessity.

BONUS Resolution: Understand and Communicate

   Véronique Duvieusart, CHRP and Associate Director of Human Resources at the University of Ottawa offers her personal recommendation for new HR managers. “It’s important to understand the business you are in when you come into a new role,” said Ms. Duvieusart. “Beyond the business though, you must understand your corporate culture in order to be effective in HR.” Understanding how decisions have been made and communicated in the past, as well as the audience you are dealing with, plays into your ability to successfully implement new programs and policies.

   Having someone from a university recommend research isn’t surprising, but this makes huge business sense. Consider a group of engineers for example, who would react to a proposed change differently than a group of corporate trainers. No matter the group, understanding the players, opening dialogue and building trust and credibility, will allow you to achieve improved buy-in to change. Without this understanding, there are minefields ahead you won’t even see until you’re into the heat of a battle you don’t want!

Talk from the Top is brought to you by the executive staffing professionals at the Pollack Group. Know someone in Ottawa who should be interviewed for this series? Contact the Pollack Group today:

255 Metcalfe Street, Suite 702, Ottawa, ON  K2P 1P9 ▪ 613-238-2233 or email: patricia@pollackgroup.com

NEXT MONTH: KEEPING THE LOVE ALIVE