human resources « BOWEN BLOG

Posts Tagged ‘human resources’

Winning the War on Talent

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

With the tightening job market, organizations are requiring new or different outsourced HR services. The war on talent is definitely heating up and internal HR teams are challenged with shifting priorities and strategic workforce planning issues.

Over the past several months, BOWEN has been researching workforce trends. Through our findings, we’ve recognized that many organizations need help with retaining and attracting employees, and we’ve responded! Our Outsourced HR division is providing transactional HR services to organizations, allowing their internal HR professionals to move into a more strategic role and focus on larger company priorities. Our experienced team will conduct reference checks, exit and stay interviews, and can help fill in gaps where required.

Companies need to maximize their internal resources, manage costs and deliver results. Most importantly, organizations need to ensure that their fingers are on the pulse of their workforce so they can retain existing employees, while being competitive in attracting new top talent. BOWEN’s Outsourced HR professionals can help internal HR teams ensure they have the flexibility and skills to respond to the changing labour market and conditions, and achieve optimal results.

Please contact Marilynn Balfour (mbalfour@bowenworks.ca), Director of Outsourced HR, for more information.

Tags: career resources, employee management, employee retention, human resources, workforce planning
Posted in Career building tips, HR Management | No Comments »

The Truth About Temp

Thursday, August 4th, 2011

Over 150,000 Canadians were employed through temporary services in 2010 (Stats Canada). That’s an incredible number! While temp work is on the rise, there is still a misconception that temporary workers can only fill clerical or administrative positions. It is true that support in these areas is common, but at BOWEN, we have found our temporary candidates being considered for mid- and even senior-level positions.

The increase of temporary workers in higher positions is a result of the diverse candidate skillset currently available, as well as a somewhat cautious economic recovery. Whether it’s an administration, accounting and finance, IT, industrial, or a project management position, temporary workers can satisfy a wide range of staffing needs. And sometimes, temporary work fills an immediate need that can lead to permanent employment.

Whether you are looking for job flexibility, an opportunity to gain experience, a temporary means of income while you look for a permanent role, or simply like the variety of working for different companies in different industries, temporary work is a great job solution.

Tags: career resources, employee management, employment, human resources, temporary
Posted in Career building tips, Employment opportunities, HR Management | No Comments »

BOWEN ON THE MOVE

Friday, February 18th, 2011

I am excited to share with you that BOWEN is on the move. After operating in Calgary’s downtown core for 37 years, we are moving to the Beltline area (Suite 700, 602 - 12 AVE SW), which will be our new home effective February 28, 2011.

Our move coincides with many new developments at BOWEN, including a new logo, expanded service offerings and new opportunities for both our candidates and clients.

It is going to be a change for us but to put things in perspective, our new office is only four blocks from our current location. Without a doubt, the next couple weeks will be a little chaotic with all of the moving preparations (our office is a bit of a mess with all the boxes right now), however, it is still business as usual leading up to and during our move. You will still be able to reach us through our existing phone and email contacts, including our main number of 403-262-1156 and info@bowenworks.ca.

Thank you for your patience and I look forward to sharing more about our new BOWEN in the posts to come!

Tags: human resources, job search, recruitment support
Posted in General, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Talented Terrors are Toxic in the Workplace

Friday, February 4th, 2011

It may not be a topic that gets a lot of attention, but it should. Talented terrors are a workplace reality. Their skills and abilities make them superstars, but their attitudes leave a lot to be desired. Talented Terrors can deliver excellent results but their attitudes damage morale and destroy teams. They actually believe you can’t manage without their brilliance.

Talented Terrors will push you to the limit to see how much they can get away with. They drain all your energy making it difficult for you to deal with them. They do not nor do they want to give 100%. Whether you work with them or supervise them, you need to manage them. They need to be held accountable for their actions so they don’t drive the productive employees away.

What can you do to turn this situation into a win-win for all? BOWEN is going to tackle this tough topic at our next “Building a Better Workplace” seminar series in February. Judging by the incredible response and the sellout of three seminars, this is one hot topic that managers have been struggling with for years. We promise to run more seminars in the near future and will post a few highlights from our discussion later this month.

If you’ve got a toxic talented terror on your team, there is hope! With the right approach and resources, you can turn things around. Stay tuned.

Tags: career resources, employee management, employee retention, human resources
Posted in HR Management | 1 Comment »

How to get started…incorporating diversity into your workplace

Friday, October 15th, 2010

In my Oct. 12^th blog post, I wrote about why diversity makes good business sense. A diverse workforce will make an organization stronger for many reasons:

· Including immigrants increases your organization’s talentpool.

· It makes good business sense to have a workforce that represents your community and customer base.

· A diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and new approaches and can open doors to international opportunities.

· A diverse workforce brings a global competitive advantage through international networks, cultural knowledge and language skills.

· Immigrants can be very loyal opportunities, improving your retention rates and improving your recruitment and training costs.

(Source: Shell Immigrant Employment Project)

So now you may be convinced to start planning, or you may need more information. Either way, there are several places to get started in creating a new – and brighter – future for your organization.

Become a corporate partner in the Calgary Regional Immigrant Employment Council’s mentoring program or learn more about this great organization that builds pathways between employers and skilled immigrants. Visit www.criec.ca for information.
Get involved in Networking for Success events where you can meet with internationally trained professionals. These events are hosted by Calgary Catholic Immigration Society and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Call (403)290-5116 for information.
Show your leadership by becoming a pilot organization for the Map to Meaningful Employment.

All of these opportunities are part of the Shell Immigrant Employment Program and you can find out more by contacting jaime.enachescu@calgaryunitedway.org

Tags: diversity, foreign recruitment, human resources, workforce planning
Posted in Employment opportunities, HR Management, diversity | No Comments »

PREPARING FOR FUN IN THE SUMMER SUN

Monday, July 26th, 2010

summersun

We just had a sunny weekend and according to the Weather Network we will continue to have sunny days right into the upcoming long weekend. This is welcome news after the cool start to the summer we have had.

I am really looking forward to some downtime with my family as we go on vacation. However, if you are like me, the time leading up to vacation and the time immediately following can be really hectic. I’m hoping this time around will be different and have sourced a few tips to help with the work/vacation /work transition.

Prepare early, You mark on your calendar and start dreaming of your vacation in advance so in turn, start preparing for your work departure just as early. Notify co-workers, arrange for coverage in your absence and start compiling a list of items that need your attention before leaving. The added time to prepare relieves stress and ensures items are not missed.

Do not forget the basics. Some tasks will need to be done before every vacation such as recording your out of office voicemail and setting your out office email message. Your work may have a standard list of pre-vacation policies. If so, make sure you are aware and adhere to them.

Make a vacation preparation list. Lists in general are a great way to stay on track and with each item you check off you are that much closer to fun in the sun.

Schedule a buffer day. It is not always possibly but if you are able, you should schedule in a home day between when you get back from vacation and when you start work. On this buffer day you can adjust your sleep schedule, re-stock on groceries and other tasks. This will make sure that on your first day back at work your mind is focused and you are ready to work.

Leave yourself notes on projects that you will be continuing with when you return. This way you will be back up to speed more quickly and can hit the ground running. Also, if you have them written down at work you can put them out of your mind when on vacation.

Do you have any vacation tips? I’d love to hear them!

Tags: career resources, human resources, life balance, time management
Posted in Career building tips, Seasonal | No Comments »

Bullying Discussion Heats Up

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

On Saturday, Jun 12, the Calgary Herald featured an article about BOWEN’s Bullying in the Workplace seminars.

If you haven’t had a chance to read it, check it out here:

//www.calgaryherald.com/life/Bullying+workplace+rise/3145498/story.html

Interestingly, the story resulted in some great responses from Herald readers who were happy to see that this important topic was being discussed!

Yesterday, newspapers across Canada were picking up the story based on Queen’s University’s School of Business research that shows workplace bullying can be more damaging than racial or gender harassment. Interestingly,the Province of Ontario is preparing to pass a bill that will require employers to “develop and communicate workplace violence prevention policies, assess the risks of workplace violence, and take reasonable precautions to protect workers from domestic violence in the workplace”.

(http://http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/Bullying+work+worse+than+gender+racial+harassment+Report/3151623/story.html

Quebec and Saskatchewan already have similar legislation in place. Let’s hope it is not long before every province follows suits. Workplace bullying is wrong - plain and simple!

Tags: Add new tag, career resources, human resources, management
Posted in General, HR Management | No Comments »

Hats off to everyone in the staffing industry!

Monday, June 7th, 2010

This week is Staffing Week in Canada, and I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the incredible team of staffing professionals at BOWEN, as well as the employers who come to us seeking assistance for a wide variety of workforce needs, and to the job seekers who ask for our help with their careers.

I recently celebrated my 26th anniversary with BOWEN and can honestly say I still love coming to work each day. This is a dynamic and challenging industry, that is also very rewarding. There is such satisfaction in helping people find a job that will carry them along their career path and balance their work / life responsibilities! At the same time, I am honoured that so many of Canada’s top companies have trusted BOWEN’s experience and expertise, and invited us to essentially become part of their human resource and business teams.

The past few years have been particularly challenging for the staffing industry, as we were so directly impacted by the economic downturn and the effects on business. However, there is a positive shift happening and I know that regardless of what the future holds, we will continue to give our best to the employers and job seekers who want our help. Congratulations to all who are part of the staffing industry and enjoy the week!

Tags: employment, human resources, recruitment support, workforce planning
Posted in Economy, General, Seasonal, Thank You | No Comments »

The High Price of the Workplace Bullying

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Last week, I wrote about the real problem of bullying is in today’s workplace. What is workplace bullying? It can be defined as the mistreatment of others motivated by the bully’s personal agenda and is intended to strip down the target’s confidence to have them conform or comply with the bully’s intent. It may sound pretty formal but really, bullying is a form of manipulation and is about control. And just like with school bullying, workplace can have a long term psychological impact on the target and it involves repetitive, aggressive behavior meant to intimidate and control the victim.

It’s also something that can be difficult to talk about or address, but not doing so can cost employers more than they may realize. An article on the Canadian Women’s Health Network states A 2007 survey of bullying targets conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute in the United States found that 45% of the respondents experienced stress-related health problems, including anxiety, panic attacks, sleep problems or depression.

Prolonged exposure to stress in the workplace can lead to other serious health concerns, such as problems related to cardiovascular, neurological and immune system health. Also, targets often decide to quit their jobs and end up trading the stress of bullying for the stress of being unemployed.”

As an employer, I want to ensure that I know what signs to look for so that my employees can feel safe and remain focused on their responsibilities, while enjoying a healthy workplace. When we start to count the costs, both from a monetary and a morale perspective, it is too great to tolerate any form of bullying. We don’t accept it at school and we shouldn’t accept it in our workplace.

Check out my May 20th entry for more information on our upcoming free seminar about workplace bullying.

Tags: career resources, employee management, employee retention, human resources, management
Posted in HR Management | 1 Comment »