Guest Speakers Announced for 2015 Workplace in Motion Summit

Queen’s IRC is hosting the 2015 Workplace in Motion Summit in Toronto on April 16, 2015. We are pleased to announce the growing list of speakers and special guest speakers.

Summit hosts and leaders: (bios can be found in the Facilitators and Speakers tab)

  • Paul Juniper, Queen’s IRC Director
  • Brenda Barker Scott, Summit Chair
  • Françoise Morissette, OD Leader
  • Diane Locke, HR Leader
  • Anne Grant, LR Leader

Special guest speakers:

  • Brittany Forsyth, Vice President of Human Relations, Shopify
  • Bryan Acker, Culture Change Ambassador, TELUS Communications Inc.
  • Christine Greco, Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, Samsung
  • Courtney Jolliffe, Resource and Logistics Co-ordinator, We Day, Free the Children
  • Hugh Ritchie, Director, Government Relations Program, Office of the President, OpenText
  • James Prince, Manager of We Day Retail Distribution and Sales, Consumer Engagement, Me to We
  • John Wilson, Corporate Culture Strategist, City of Edmonton

2015 Workplace in Motion Guest Speakers

Talking Trust in Trinidad

 34 Behaviours That Affect Levels of Trust in Business EnvironmentsI recently had the opportunity to work with a group of HR professionals in Trinidad, through Queen’s IRC’s partnership with the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business within the University of the West Indies.

As part of our discussion about building trust in the workplace, we discussed behaviours that lowered trust and those that raised trust. It did not take long for the participants to generate lists of behaviours through table discussion. It was not surprising how frequently participants pointed to similar behaviours in very different workplaces.

Below are two lists of behaviours which affected levels of trust in their workplaces. Have you experienced these in your workplace?

Behaviours which they experienced in their workplaces that LOWERED trust:

  1. Dishonesty from management and leadership
  2. Leadership not walking the talk
  3. Lack of transparency (hidden agendas)
  4. Not admitting mistakes
  5. Playing favourites/showing bias
  6. Lack of open dialogue (secret side deals)
  7. Lack of rewards and recognition
  8. No credit given for ideas contributed
  9. Executives not fulfilling responsibilities
  10. Lack of communication
  11. Unwillingness to change
  12. Selective sharing of information
  13. Double delegation
  14. Personal biases and prejudice
  15. Double standards
  16. Incompetence
  17. Not listening
  18. Breach of confidence
  19. Acting without facts

Behaviours which they experienced in their workplaces that RAISED the level of trust:

  1. Keeping your word
  2. Being honest, fair and treating people equally
  3. Rewarding and recognizing employee performance
  4. Mentoring other employees
  5. Delegating responsibility
  6. Sharing information
  7. Being personally accountable
  8. Supporting structures such as policy, training, internal promotions, penalties, and sanctions
  9. Keeping confidentiality
  10. Supporting work-life balance
  11. Demonstrating competence
  12. Giving credit for work and ideas
  13. Coaching and acting as a change agent
  14. Demonstrating integrity
  15. Leading by example

To learn some ways to help build trust in an organization, please read 5 Steps to Build Trust and Change the Culture in an Organization

If you are interested in building trust training for yourself or your organization, please visit Building Trust in the Workplace.

Are You Ready for the New World of Work?

Get ahead of the shift with the 2015 Queen's IRC Workplace in Motion SummitWe have reached an important turning point in the world of work – a time when organizational success is no longer defined by economies of scale and efficiency, but by the ability to learn and innovate. Technology is transforming how we work and what we do. Global competition is the new normal. By 2020, millennials will make up half of our workforce. How do we prepare for this shift?

The 2015 Workplace in Motion Summit creates a space for discussing these issues and exploring new strategies and structures for a changing workplace. The day will include an exploration of key trends in technology, global competition, generational flux and the knowledge economy, along with valuable opportunities to network with colleagues. Discover what pioneering organizations are doing to connect and leverage talent, and learn what you and your organization can do to thrive in the future.

Summit Chair Brenda Barker Scott and Queen’s IRC Director Paul Juniper will lead group discussions, along with workshop facilitators Diane Locke, Françoise Morissette and Anne Grant, who will delve more deeply into human resources, organizational development and labour relations issues. “Our bold agenda for this first Workplace in Motion Summit is to create space for re-thinking, reflecting and re-imagining,” says Barker Scott. “We’ll be challenging individuals and teams to view their systems from new perspectives.”

The Summit is designed specifically for human resources, labour relations and organizational development professionals, as well as the leaders in their organizations. It’s ideal for organizations who want to bring colleagues from HR, LR and OD, as well as current and future leaders who will leave inspired to lead change together.

Queen’s IRC alumni save 35% off the regular price (with limited spaces available). Bring your team and save – groups of 2-4 people will save 25% and groups of 5 or more save 50%! Single attendees can register online. To take advantage of the Team discount or the Alumni discount, please call 1-888-858-6826 or email irc@queensu.ca.

Explore what the new world of work means for your career, your organization and your industry. Join Queen’s IRC at the Workplace in Motion 2015 Summit on April 16, 2015 at the Allstream Centre in Toronto.

 

 

Director’s Note – January 2015

Paul Juniper, Director, Queen's IRCThere has been a great deal of discussion these days about generational differences at work. Millennials are seeking different rewards than their older co-workers, and evolving technology is changing the way we all do our jobs. In such a diverse and constantly shifting environment, how do we build teams that foster collaboration, trust and a shared vision for success?

Queen’s IRC programs tackle that challenge head on, using evidence-based tools and hands-on activities to help you design processes and practices that result in a positive work environment that clearly contributes to the bottom line.

I am pleased to introduce our new Designing Change program to help you map out and lead a transformational culture shift that engages multi-generational team members from all levels of your organization. Our new Building Trust in the Workplace program is offered as a one-day workshop or as an add-on to other select courses, and focuses on developing the vital skills, practices and process that result in a culture of respect and trust. And our highly popular Change Management program gives you the confidence and tools you will need to diagnose, plan and implement changes in your organization.

In 2015, we will also be introducing a new opportunity to take your professional development to a higher level with a one-day Summit designed specifically for Human Resources, Labour Relations and Organizational Design professionals. The Summit will feature excellent opportunities to share ideas and challenges with colleagues and your own team members, through innovative learning sessions and experiential activities designed to help you embrace and use change to your advantage. Look for details in the near future.

At Queen’s IRC, we continue to develop new programs that are based on your feedback and founded in solid research and evidenced-based practices. I invite you to explore our new programs, and to make 2015 a year of positive approaches to your changing world.

Paul Juniper, CHRL, SPHR
Director, Queen’s IRC

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
– George Bernard Shaw

Looking Back on 2014…

Stephanie NoelAs the year draws to a close, I would like to reflect on some of the highlights for Queen’s IRC. This fall we introduced two new programs based on feedback from our participants. Building Trust in the Workplace and Coaching Skills were both well received and we look forward to offering them again next year. In March 2015, we will launch a new advanced change management course called Designing Change, which will provide the tools and skills needed to map out and lead a transformational culture shift in an organization.

In addition to developing new programming this year, Queen’s IRC Director Paul Juniper spoke at a number of conferences and special events, including the Alberta Health Services HR Conference, the Queen’s University Alumni Leadership Summit, and the Consulting Engineers Association of Saskatchewan’s Conference.

This year has been an exciting and busy year at the IRC. We joined forces with the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s, and are excited about this opportunity for collaboration. Our staff, facilitators and speakers travelled from coast to coast and internationally, teaching new skills and tools to HR, OD and LR practitioners. We extended our international presence by offering programs at the Cave Hill School of Business in Barbados and the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business in Trinidad. We also released the results of our Caribbean survey, An Inquiry into the State of HR in the Caribbean.

On behalf of Queen’s IRC, I would like to thank you for your continued support of our programs and our practitioner-focused research. I am looking forward to continuing to build the relationships with our supporters, participants, and their sponsoring organizations in 2015.

I am proud of the work we are doing at Queen’s IRC, and I encourage you to take a few minutes to review the excellent papers and articles we have released this year.

Stephanie Noel,

Queen’s IRC Business Development Manager

Articles published in 2014 - Year in Review

  • Strategic Grievance Management in Today’s Unionized Environment – Lori Aselstine
  • The Professionalization of Human Resources – Claude Balthazard
  • What does ‘professionalism’ mean for HR professionals? – Claude Balthazard
  • Developing Organizations: A Metaphorical View – Brenda Barker Scott
  • Designing for Collaboration – Brenda Barker Scott
  • Learning the Art of Painting the HR Landscape: What Aunt Sally and Others Can Teach HR Professionals About Communicating “Up” – Sandi Cardillo
  • The Government of Alberta’s Organizational Design Journey: The Ministry of Innovation and Advanced Education’s experience using the 4-D process – Marina Christopherson, Dianna Wilk and Judi Carmichael
  • The Case for Change at Humber College: The HRMS Innovation Project – Part 1 – Kathy Cowan Sahadath and Althea L. Gordon
  • Global HR Trends: Is HR Ready to Respond? – Alison Crozier
  • Improve Your Negotiation Outcome by Learning Something New: A Collective Bargaining Success Story – Jennifer Davis
  • The Head-Down Theory: How Unfairness Affects Employee Engagement – Blaine Donais
  • Recognizing Employee Engagement in the Workplace – Cavell Fraser
  • 5 Steps to Build Trust and Change the Culture in an Organization – Paul Juniper
  • An Inquiry into the State of HR in the Caribbean – Paul Juniper and Brendan Sweeney
  • The Coaching ‘Explosion’: Exploring the Growing Field of Coaching, and the Value it Brings to HR – Francoise Morissette
  • What’s Your Story? Helping The Next Generation Imagine Their Career Identities Through Narrative Career Coaching – Nick Nissley
  • The Future of Unions in Canada’s Private Sector: How Can Unions Overcome their PR Problem? – Stephanie Noel
  • Young Workers and the Union Movement in Canada – Stephanie Noel
  • Change Management 101: What Every Change Manager and Change Leader Needs to Know BEFORE Jumping into Implementation – Sharon Parker
  • Leadership Sustainability: A Framework to Sustain Culture Shifts – Beverley Patwell
  • The Way Forward in Employment Relations – Using Social Dialogue as a Means of Improving the Organizational Effectiveness of a Credit Union – Christa Sankarsingh
  • Inside HR at the Ontario Public Service: An Interview with Lori Aselstine, Director, Employee Relations and Strategic HR, Government of Ontario – Cathy Sheldrick
  • 4 Trends in Recruiting Top Talent: Approaches and Tools for HR Managers – Adam Smith
  • Recruiting Talent Using Applicant Tracking Systems – Lori Stewart
  • Managing People and Labour Relations in Municipal Government – Terry Wagar
  • The Need for Lean HR: Reinvent or RIP HR – Diane Wiesenthal
  • Enhancing Your Strategic Value as a Human Resources Professional: Playing to Win in HR- Kevin Yousie

5 Steps to Build Trust and Change the Culture in an Organization

5 Steps to Build Trust and Change the Culture in an OrganizationHow do you change the culture in a workplace where workers don’t trust the leaders, where employees are not engaged, and where people just don’t care about doing their jobs? A few months ago, I was speaking to a group of senior leaders and the topic of changing culture and increasing employee engagement came up. The conversation started innocuously, with a comment like, “There’s too many potholes in the road and you can’t get people, whose job it is to fill potholes, to care.”

“Why do you think that the workers don’t care?” I asked.  “How does management behave?” We had talked earlier about the importance of mission, vision, values and behaviours – and the one we didn’t get to was behaviours. Every organization has a mission and a vision, and most of us have values like honesty and integrity. But often in the workplace, what you actually see demonstrated is dishonesty and lack of integrity.  Is it any wonder why the employees are not engaged?

As our conversation continued, there was disbelief that it was possible to change a culture, particularly from one very senior person who works in the public sector. She was fascinated. She said, “Can you really change a culture?”

“Of course you can!” I said.  Everyone else chimed in, saying, “You can’t do that in our organization because there’s such a low level of trust in management and in the leadership.”

This conversation led me to develop the new Queen’s IRC Building Trust in the Workplace program. Here are 5 ways to implement a culture change, build trust and increase employee engagement in your workplace.

1. Cultural Change Needs to Start at the Top

In organizations with low levels of trust, what often happens is middle management has given up. They don’t know what to do, or their senior leaders are not supporting them. You must have the support from senior leaders to make a culture change.

Top management– the president, director, whoever is the head honcho or honchess – has to come out and say, “We know how things have been around here. We’ve heard from you in the surveys that you don’t trust us. We acknowledge that you have said this.” Top management needs to tell the employees what they’re willing to change, and what they’re going to change, and what that looks like.

2. Identify and Change the Behaviours

Making a cultural change has to start with the behaviours. As a manager in an organization where you have a history of poor performance, you may have four people who know how to do a job, but only two of them are doing it well. If you need something done, who do you give it to? Do you give it to the one that’s doing it well or to the one who avoids the work? It’s the same as having a child – you tell them to take out the garbage and they deliberately spill it all over the ground so you don’t ask them to do it again. Often employees can be like that. Unfortunately if you let the kid get away with spilling garbage on the ground, then the person who doesn’t spill the garbage gets the extra work. Eventually what happens is you totally overload the people who are capable and willing. They become unhappy and dissatisfied because they’re seeing what they think is the other people getting away with something.

Getting people to work in a positive and constructive way to make cultural change happen takes time. You have to be consistent, and firm, and you have to keep moving in the same direction. As a senior leader in a new organization, someone challenged my authority right at the beginning of my term about an important change announced in a meeting.  “No, I won’t,” that person said to me, in a room full of people. If I had let that go, then the other employees would have heard, “It’s okay to say no.” Instead, I said, “Yes, you are going to do this, but this isn’t the place for us to have that conversation.” Despite the fact it wasn’t on the agenda for that meeting, I took the time to explain the progressive discipline that would happen when someone says no to a legitimate work request from their manager. “This is what we’re going to do from now on. I’m not going to allow work refusals.” Unless you’re asking them to do something that’s illegal, immoral or unsafe, for work that is reasonably in their current job, they cannot refuse. That was fundamental and I could not let it pass.

Can we change culture? Yes. Can you do it quickly? No.

3. Don’t be Afraid to have Difficult Conversations

Lots of managers don’t know how to have a difficult conversation with an employee. And they’re unwilling to have those conversations. I’ve talked with people in organizations who just put up with incompetence because it was so difficult to manage people to leave. They’re unwilling to sit down with somebody and say, “I’m not satisfied with what you’re doing. Here’s the standard, here’s the expectation, and here’s what you’re doing.” It’s a hard conversation.

In one of my roles, I went to my leader and said, “I have people here who need to go.” He said, “We can’t. These people have been here for 15 years, we have a moral obligation to keep them.” But we don’t.

4. Lead by example

Sometimes we have to admit publicly that we’re wrong. If you as a leader can admit publicly that you’ve made a mistake and you’re wrong, it actually gives permission to everybody else to do the same. We all make mistakes. Did you do it deliberately? Did you do it because you wanted to come in in the morning and you really wanted to screw things up? It’s unlikely that you did. Instead, let’s understand why you made that mistake, and how we can stop that from happening in the future and move on. The alternative is a culture of punishment: “You screwed up. We’re going to make sure everybody knows what you did, and you’re stupid.” How many of us have worked in places like that? You go back to your office and you slam the door, and you bang a few things around, and you think terrible things about the organization. At lunch you go and you talk to your friends and you say, “You know what he said to me?” What’s happened to your productivity for the next month?

5. Motivate and Empower Employees to Build Relationships and Trust

There are many different ways to manage. My way is, I trust you. I trust you until you give me reason not to, and then I ask you about it. Trust has to be given, so as a leader I have to give you my trust, to earn your trust. I have to risk it first.

I believe that it is not possible for me to motivate you. All I can do is lower the barriers to you motivating yourself, or raise the opportunities for you to motivate yourself – but I cannot motivate you.  There are people who have a different belief system, who believe that if they get the whip out, that’s motivation. I do believe there have to be consequences, but I think that there also have to be opportunities.

It’s better if you extend trust and let people police themselves. “Here’s what needs to get done, you’ve got the tools that you need to do it, here’s a reasonable length of time to get it done, is that a problem?” “No.” “Okay. If you have a problem let me know. Don’t let it get to the end and it not being done without you telling me. But other than that, do it, and I’ll stay out of the way.”

To empower people, you can push decision-making as far down the organization as you can, and give people some accountability over what they do and how they do it. I am clear about what I want as an end-result, but I shouldn’t need to tell my employee in excruciating detail how to do their job. I don’t have the knowledge to do that, and it would be a mistake for me to try. The end result is important. How you get it from here to there, that’s really up to you to do it in an efficient way.

Many organizations struggle with low levels of employee engagement and trust. Changing the culture in a workplace and rebuilding trust takes time. Our new one-day Building Trust in the Workplace program will show you how to identify the reasons behind low trust levels, understand different types of behaviour in the workplace, and transform organizational culture to foster a more transparent and positive environment.

About the Author

Paul Juniper, Director, Queen's IRCPaul Juniper (MA, Geography (York); CHRP; SPHR; Honourary Life Member, HRPA) became the sixth Director of Queen’s University IRC in 2006. Paul is a leading and respected figure in Canada’s HR community, with over 30 years of experience in human resources and association leadership. Paul is particularly sought for his views on the future of the human resources profession. He speaks regularly at national and international conferences on trends in human resources, and the ways in which individuals and their organizations can continue to raise the bar on HR. Paul developed and designed the IRC’s Advanced HR programming to meet the increasingly complex professional development needs of HR practitioners. He teaches on Queen’s IRC’s Advanced HR, Strategic Workforce Planning, Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy, and Building Trust in the Workplace programs. His research focuses on the state of the HR profession both in Canada and around the globe.

An Inquiry into the State of HR in the Caribbean

An Inquiry into the State of HR in the Caribbean - Survey results from Queen's University IRC in collaboration with the Cave Hill School of BusinessQueen’s IRC has begun to develop a strong working relationship with the HR community in the Caribbean. Partnerships with the Cave Hill School of Business in Barbados and the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business in Trinidad and Tobago have allowed the IRC to bring its unique brand of programming to practitioners from almost a dozen Caribbean nations. Building partnerships such as these are critical to understanding the innovations and challenges in the global HR community. They have also allowed Queen’s IRC to extend our research beyond Canadian borders.

This report summarizes and analyzes the results of a survey of HR practitioners from the Caribbean conducted in 2012. The survey is a key component of the IRC’s commitment to engaging with international practitioner communities. More specifically, the results of the survey provide insight into several key aspects of Caribbean HR practitioners’ working lives. These include the demographic characteristics of practitioners, their roles and responsibilities, the nature of the organizations for which they work, their education and career development, the knowledge and skills required to thrive in the Caribbean, and of course, their perspectives on important issues, innovations and challenges in the HR profession today. The information in this report provides an important foundation to track ongoing trends and innovations in the Caribbean HR community and serves as a useful comparator when combined with recent (and forthcoming) surveys of Canadian HR practitioners.

Director’s Note – Fall 2014

Paul Juniper, Director, Queen's IRCChange – for most individuals and organizations – can bring about a mix of feelings, including apprehension, anticipation, anxiety and excitement. At Queen’s IRC, we have recently experienced change, and the best way to describe our feelings would be unbridled enthusiasm for a new era of opportunity, exploration and growth.

It’s with great excitement that we announce that Queen’s IRC has recently joined forces with the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s. With 27 departments and schools, the Faculty of Arts and Science provides a wealth of opportunities for collaboration and unlimited possibilities to partner with some of the best minds in arts, languages, humanities, social sciences and physical and natural sciences.

Our integration within Arts & Sciences opens up a whole new world of mutually beneficial opportunities and a broader environment for exploring new ways to expand upon our programming. We are currently cultivating relationships within the Faculty and strategically planning priority areas for partnerships.

We are also pleased to announce the introduction of two new programs, beginning in the Fall of 2014 and based on feedback from program participants. Building Trust in the Workplace will focus on the vital skills, practices and processes that result in a culture of respect and trust. This program will be offered as a stand-alone one-day course, but will also be offered in conjunction with other programs to allow for shared savings for participants.

Evidence tells us that a long-term approach to employee retention yields great results. Our new Coaching Skills program will help you identify your top talent and implement strategies for nurturing their skills for mutual benefit and organizational success.

In his book An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield talks about adapting to new and unexpected situations, noting that, “it’s mostly a matter of changing your perspective.” At Queen’s IRC, we are always looking for fresh perspectives to move our programs forward, and feel confident that our new partnership will give us – and you – excellent opportunities for professional development. Let’s “think like an astronaut” and explore new horizons for growth and success!

Paul Juniper, CHRP, SPHR
Director, Queen’s IRC

Interviews with Labour Relations, Human Resources and Organizational Development Experts Available Online

Queen’s IRC has interviewed many of our expert facilitators, speakers and staff, in the areas of Labour Relations, Human Resources and Organizational Development. These interviews are available on our YouTube channel.  We encourage you to take the time to check out these videos.

Al Loyst – Coach/speaker at the Negotiation Skills and Managing Unionized Environments programs

Andy MacDonald – Coach at the Negotiation Skills program

Anne Grant – Facilitator for the Labour Relations Foundations and Mastering Fact-Finding and Investigation programs

Brenda Barker Scott – Facilitator for the Organizational Design, OD Foundations, HR Decision Making and Building Smart Teams programs

Carol Beatty – Facilitator for the Change Management program, and past Director of Queen’s IRC

Craig Flood – Guest speaker at the Labour Arbitration Skills program

Derik McArthur – Coach at the Labour Relations Foundations program

Gary Furlong – Lead Facilitator for the Negotiation Skills and Managing Unionized Environments programs

Henry Dinsdale – Speaker at the Labour Relations Foundations program

Jim Harrison – Facilitator for the Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy program

Paul Juniper – Queen’s IRC Director, and Facilitator for the Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy, Strategic Workforce Planning, and Advanced HR programs

Peter Edwards – Guest Speaker for Labour Relations Foundations and Change Management

Join us online for new videos, articles and information:

Queen's IRC on LinkedIn Queen's IRC on Twitter Queen's IRC on Facebook Queen's IRC on YouTube

Director’s Note – January 2014

Paul Juniper, Director, Queen's IRCTwitter and other social networking channels have demonstrated just how quickly we’ve become a global community. News travels at a blinding speed, and events occurring halfway around the world are broadcast in real time to our various devices.

These days, the business world is evolving just as quickly. New international partnerships and collaborations have changed the landscape in practically every industry, resulting in both opportunity and challenge for organizations and changing the way we approach new markets. It’s not just a matter of expanding into an international market – it’s also about understanding how new competitors are vying for your customers and your top talent.

At Queen’s IRC, we don’t just teach you how to thrive in a global economy – we live it. We’ve partnered with the Cave Hill School of Business in Barbados since 2009, and recently, we signed a partnership agreement with the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, a school recognized as the premier institution for the provision of business and management education, training and consultancy services in Trinidad and Tobago. These agreements allow us to expand our markets – and they give us valuable experience that can be translated into teachable moments for our clients.

Globalization is not just about partnerships, however, it is also about understanding culturally diverse markets and building a dynamic and nimble organizational structure that is responsive to the opportunities that lie ahead. In a world currently experiencing global talent shortages, it is more important than ever to understand how to build and retain expert teams for competitive advantage.

Our new Strategic Workforce Planning program focuses on talent management for sustainability and growth in changing times. Our instructors use real-world experience and evidence-based tools to help you understand the core components of succession planning and identify gaps in your current workforce planning. Combined with our other programs, the Strategic Workforce Planning program offers exceptional benefits to leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve.

Our programs continue to grow and evolve in response to your needs and the ever-shifting needs of a complex business environment. Our communication strategy now includes social media, and I encourage you to join us on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Take the time to explore how we can help you align personal growth and planning with the goals of your organization and a changing world.

Paul Juniper, CHRP, SPHR
Director, Queen’s IRC

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