Human Resources 101

Two in five working Canadians have experienced vacation envy; nearly 1 million Canadians booked a vacation as a result
TORONTO, ON – May 14, 2008 – The sixth annual Expedia.ca™ Vacation Deprivation™ survey by Ipsos-Reid reveals that more than one quarter (29 per cent) of Canadians are not taking all of their vacation time (up [...]

by Tom Terez
1. Thou shalt honour thyselfYour brain can process 100 trillion instructions per second while using the equivalent of just 12 watts of power. Your heart beats 100,000 times per day, carrying your blood some 12,000 miles (19,000 km). You’re built to imagine, create, communicate, and love. If you do nothing else today, sit [...]

About the only way to avoid workplace politics is to move into a cave and grub for roots and berries. Even there the bears are probably trying to hide the best berries from you.
It doesn’t matter what type of organization you’re involved with: the community association, your job, the local amateur orchestra, or minor-sports league, there [...]

In his post, “7 Quick Tips For Managing Your Friends At The Workplace,” Andrew Rondeau gives some good advice on dealing with friends who are now direct reports.
What about the other side of the equation? Your friend has been promoted and is now your boss. What kinds of things can you do to make the [...]

The Alberta Centre for Active Living has launched a user-friendly website to promote physical activity during the workday. Called Physical Activity @ Work, the site provides information about the health and bottom-line benefits of bringing physical activity into the workday as well as the safety and risk management issues involved. It also includes:

a step-by-step guide [...]

A recent on-line survey by Monster.ca found that less than two-thirds of Canadians intend to take as much vacation time as they are entitled to this summer and a significant number will check in with their employers while on holiday.
* About 64 per cent of 1841 participants said that they intend to enjoy a well-earned [...]

This morning, this article popped on to my must-read list from a couple of different sources. Dan Bobinski posts a good overview of fundamental principles that will build a better workplace.
When discussions come around to what it is that makes an excellent workplace, the answer could fill a library. But most of us don’t have [...]

Creating a Learning Climate for Nonprofit Staff – how to create a workplace climate that supports informal learning.
Note From Boss To Employees – Execupundit.com gives some insight into what an employee needs to know about their boss.
The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun – Are you having fun? (Flash movie)
Ten Characters You’ll Meet at a Business Meeting – [...]

Dr. Martin Shain, a senior scientist at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, outlines seven key ingredients of a healthy environment.
As an employee you would:

Have a clear understanding of your role and responsibilities and perceive that your skills match the job
Have a say in your job and how you do it and [...]

A study published in Canadian Social Trends found that workers in 1986 spent on average 4.2 hours, or 250 minutes, doing activities with their family members. In 2005, that time had dropped to 3.4 hours, or 205 minutes, a decline of 45 minutes.
“As work hours rise, family time falls.”
That’s the key conclusion of a [...]