Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Employee Engagement

Life Strategies Ltd. is located in Aldergrove, BC which is just outside of Vancouver; and next week Vancouver is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics. One Olympic tradition is the Torch Relay. The Torch Relay began on October 30, 2009 in Victoria, BC and will be making its way through Aldergrove, BC on February 8, 2010. As Life Strategies is new to Aldergrove we are excited to be joining together as a team to go out to watch the Olympic Torch make its way through Aldergrove and then enjoy a potluck lunch together afterwards.

Team building activities, such as the one mentioned above, are a great way to improve employee productivity and keep employees motivated. Taking a team building activity out of the office is also an effective way to reduce distractions and any office politics as well as bond closer team relationships[1].

If your team is living in the Vancouver area, there are many Olympic related team building opportunities you can participate in. While attending Olympic sporting events may be a budget buster for most companies, there are many free activities you can do as a teambuilding activity. For some free ideas visit http://citycaucus.com/2010free



[1] http://www.innovativeteambuilding.co.uk/pages/articles/benefits.htm

The Importance of a Cover Letter

I’m currently working on a variety of career resources; one of which is a guide on developing cover letters. Here I will share what I’ve learned while developing the cover letter resource.

One commonly asked question is “why do I need a cover letter?” or “isn’t my resume enough?” I’ve found that a cover letter is a great way to help get you your dream job to increase your engagement at work and can be a great value add in addition to your resume. Your cover letter should be used as a way to show your personality to potential employers.

In the first paragraph of your letter start with a catchy phrase and avoid using something generic such as “I’m submitting my cover letter and resume for consideration for the ____ position. [1]” Use this paragraph to speak about why you want the job, how you heard about it, and why you want to work for the company. In the second paragraph list your skills, knowledge, accomplishments, and abilities. Be sure not to repeat what is already written in your resume. In your final paragraph, thank the person reviewing the cover letter, mention a time you’re available for an interview, and provide your contact information.


In terms of style and formatting, keep your cover letter consistent with your resume. If you’ve used a specific header in your resume, use the same one in your cover letter. Also, try to keep the font size and colour consistent with what you’ve used in your resume. Print your cover letter on white or a slightly off-white paper[2].
A cover letter is an important piece of the job search. Be sure to devote a respectable amount of time to writing your cover letter as you would to developing your resume. The cover letter is often the first thing an employer or hiring manager will review so it’s important to put your best foot forward with your cover letter.




[1] http://resume.monster.ca/12006_en-CA_p1.asp
[2] http://www.settlemanitoba.ca/employment/cover_letter.php#Cover_Letter_DOs

Book Review: The Power of Inclusion

Title: The Power of Inclusion: Unlock the Potential and Productivity of Your Workforce
Authors: Michael C. Hyter and Judith Turnock
Rating: 3.5 stars
Available: To purchase online and at various book stores.

With constantly advancing technology and increasing globalization, employee performance is what distinguishes top performing businesses from the rest. Hyter and Turnock highlight the aristocratic approach that many organizations take when deciding which employees are worthy of investing in, exclusively providing select employees with opportunities for advancement. They go on to explain how most management teams hire employees with characteristics similar to themselves, and solely focus training and development on those who they have deemed “high potential” employees. In a business world that is said to promote “equal opportunity” these common practices undoubtedly perpetuate inequality.

The authors make a business case for an inclusive model of human resource management. They detail how the people who are most successful in the workplace achieve their level of success because of the attention and amount of investment management has provided for them, not because they had more potential than any other employee. Subsequent chapters go on to explain how businesses can create an inclusive culture, concentrating development opportunities not just on the select few, but giving those same benefits to everyone; this will help them unlock the potential and productivity of their workforce.

Like
What stood out most for me was the section in the concluding chapter that highlighted assessment and evaluation guidelines to measure progress and results (p 230). The criteria include:

• Increased breadth of recruitment


• Increased internal sourcing and advancement


• Increased diversity across the board


• Reduced turnover


• Improved employee satisfaction


• Improved customer satisfaction


• Increased market share

I also liked the index that highlighted important terms and topics, and the case studies weaved throughout the book which provided relevant information on real experiences.

Dislike
What I disliked about this book was that it seemed to focus on medium to large sized businesses. Also the turnaround time for measureable impact of the strategies proposed is fairly long. I think it would have been helpful for the authors included smaller, achievable goals throughout refurbishing process.

Lessons Learned
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket; equal opportunity includes providing every employee with training and development opportunities equally.

Winter Wonderland? How to Prepare for Snow Days

In British Columbia we’ve just recently received our first snow fall which has covered our roads making the commute into work a potentially dangerous time. Snow-covered, icy roads can present a barrier for many in keeping business going as usual however, by providing employees with a “snow day plan” you can help keep them safe and the company productive.

Here are some helpful tips to implement your winter commute program:

Plan Ahead
Don’t let employees become anxious over the snowfall by neglecting to plan ahead. Make sure you address “snow day protocol” before the first snowfall of the season. Look at the weather forecast and address concerns in advance.

Get the Message Out
There are many options for spreading the word such as posting snow plans on your internal company website and lunch rooms or other common spaces; utilizing email broadcasts; addressing procedures during team meetings; and having a contact network or phone line with “snow day updates.” The best way to get the message out will depend on your organization’s structure/size and the communication tools available. If you are having trouble deciding on the best method, ask your employees for suggestions. Use multiple methods if necessary.

Emphasize Safety
The main reason for planning for snow days is to ensure the safety of your company’s number one asset: the people. Ensure to communicate this message clearly to employees.

Provide Work Alternatives
If you’re able to, provide staff with work alternatives so that they won’t get behind and won’t feel pressured to come into the office on dangerous roads. If employees work on laptops, these can be brought home the night prior to an expected snowfall. By providing databases which can be accessed from a distance this will ensure little disruption. If staff doesn’t use computers, cannot bring laptops home, or cannot access files/databases remotely, allow employees to bring home paper files or other necessary work. Think of projects which can be worked on outside of the office (e.g., research projects).

Be Understanding
Above all else, be understanding. Not everyone has access to snow-ready vehicles or reliable transit routes, and school closures may impact child care responsibilities.

By utilizing these strategies you can remove the stress surrounding snow days and foster engagement.

Celebrating the Holiday Season With Your Work Team

Tradition is defined by dictionary.com as “a customary or characteristic method or manner.”[1] At Life Strategies we have several holiday traditions that bring us together as a team. Each year, around December, we get together to go out to an event. In my time working with Life Strategies we have gone to a Pantomime play in White Rock, BC (something we’ll be doing again this year), attended a Christmas concert at the Red Robinson Theatre, and celebrated the season on a Christmas carol ship. Our annual holiday event is a great time to get together as a team to relax and appreciate one another for the work done throughout the year.

In addition to our annual event, the Life Strategies team gets involved with several charities. Early in November, Life Strategies’ team members contributed to the Samaritan’s Purse: Operation Christmas Child which involves filling a shoe box or plastic container with toys and living essentials for children in need. We also work together, clearing out our closets and prepping for a Clothing and Toy Giveaway in Coquitlam, BC, that reaches out to individuals of all ages to provide clothes, food, toys, and items for the home (see below for a picture of all the donations received this year). Another favourite Life Strategies’ tradition is to donate to World Vision. World Vision makes donating simple by providing a catalogue and ordering online[2].

Likely many workplaces have one holiday tradition or another. During this busy time of year, such traditions can be a great way to keep employee engagement going. If you’re organization doesn’t participate in any holiday traditions, try starting something simple (such as a baking trade-off where everyone brings baked-goods to work and swaps amongst one another to get a variety of baked-goods to take home). I find our workplace holiday traditions are a great way to pump up energy and increase productivity.


[1] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tradition
[2] https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/gifts/Forms/preHome.aspx?mc=3221603&lang=en

Status Update: Creating a Presence Through Social Networking: What To Do and Not To Do

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn are increasing in popularity; most everyone has an account on one or more sites. From my personal experience it has been quite common to use such sites to network with friends and family but more and more people are creating accounts to connect with their business contacts to help further their career. Creating an account for career networking is just one way to instigate Planned Happenstance which is the theory by John Krumboltz that details that individuals have the ability to create their own luck.[1] For instance, you never know which of your contacts is going to be able to help you further your career. Before jumping in with both feet and creating an account or adding career contacts to your existing accounts, take a moment to review the following dos and don’ts for creating a web-presence.


Do:
1. Keep your network interested - Engage your contacts by changing status updates, adding pictures, or posting relevant links
2. Use an updated, professional profile picture
3. Consider increasing security settings - If you are going to create an account that is visible to everyone, you may want to limit who has access to post public things on your account (e.g., with Facebook there is an option to remove the ability for contacts to write on your “wall”)
4. Be available to your network - If you’re using your social networking presence to ask for favours from some of your contacts make sure you’re available to them when they ask for a favour in return. Remember networking (whether face-to-face or online) is a two-way street
5. Keep contact information up-to-date and accurate
6. Join groups and become fans of pages that are relevant and appropriate
Do Not:
1. Combine personal accounts and business accounts - You may want to create one account for friends and family and another for business contacts. It is likely that your business contacts are not going to be interested to see pictures from your family reunion
2. Accept “friend requests” or requests to be “connected” from individuals you don’t know - If you aren’t sure who someone is but feel they may be valuable to add try viewing common contacts to see if that can ring a bell
3. Post inappropriate content - As a rule of thumb, if you have to think about whether or not something is appropriate, it likely isn’t
4. Provide too much information - Be cautious about the type of information you’re posting (e.g., it may not be safe to post an address if you work from home)
[1] http://www.contactpoint.ca/cjcd/v1-n1/article2.pdf

National Career Development Month

It may be news to you but November is National Career Development Month in the United States. Although we don’t have the same special day here in Canada, it’s a great opportunity to bring attention to the growing need for career development activities and promote them throughout an individual’s lifespan. It’s the perfect time to reflect on your career and focus on developing it.

Many associations and educational institutions throughout the United States are celebrating through fun and informative activities, contests, workshops, and/or featured resources. If you’re interested in celebrating check out these resources for suggestions on activities that might be of interest:

• Creative Ways to Celebrate
  
• NCDA Poetry and Poster Contest
  
• National Career Development Month: A Celebration of Work