I don’t know about you, but age is one aspect of DEI that I hardly ever hear anything about. Yet, the impact of ageist policies on older workers is profound.

Are you thinking something like “but it’s time for those boomers to get out the way so I have a chance!”? Well, I asked Laura Tamblyn Watts, the CEO of CanAge about that. CanAge is Canada’s Seniors Advocacy organization and, she says while a few older workers have a ton of privilege, many are shockingly disadvantaged. With 25 years of experience, Laura brings a wealth of knowledge about ageism and its impact in the workplace and to aging people. We discussed:

The shocking statistics on ageism and why it’s the most prevalent form of discrimination globally;

How ageism manifests in the workplace – from overt policies to hidden biases;

The benefits of multi-generational workforces – from increased productivity to reduced churn;

Practical steps to make your workplace more age-inclusive starting with your DEI policy; and

The risks of doing nothing.

This episode was eye-opening and will broaden your understanding of ageism and equip you with practical tools to foster a more inclusive work environment.

Find Laura on LinkedIn.

Check out CanAge at canage.ca.

Learn more about Living, Learning, and Earning Longer here.

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This video explores the complex nature of managing a crisis at work. Maybe there’s a catastrophe, but maybe it’s a smaller event that has emotionally impacted many employees. Both are crises.

I spoke with John Robertson who wrote Run Toward the Roar and advises on crisis preparation and response. The name of his book is derived from the behavior of lions where the older ones position themselves on one side of the prey and roar, while the younger ones wait on the other side for the prey once they have been spooked. We tend to behave similarly during a crisis – we tend to run from ‘noise’ resulting in even greater chaos. Instead, John advises the following:

A crisis is rarely the event itself like the flood or storm, but rather the impact it has on individuals and organizations.

Consider the impact of unexpected and less dramatic events like the loss of a beloved employee.

When facing a crisis, it’s crucial to listen to the stories of those affected. We all love to hear stories of someone who has come through a crisis, but what about when they’re still in the middle of it?

One of the first steps in managing a crisis is normalizing reactions.

I had never thought about the small events as crisis before, but I won’t forget now. Check out this video!

Find John at john@fortlog.co or www.thehrhub.ca for HR consulting in Western Canada.

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While diversity is almost a fad for some companies, we also know that having a diverse team adds bottom-line value. As long as diversity is accompanied by inclusivity.

The video with Dr. Helen Turnbull CSP highlights that diversity positively impacts the bottom line – but only when everyone feels included and valued. She’s been working in the field a long time and did a TEDx in 2013. She says:

It’s not enough to simply hire a diverse group of people and pat yourself on the back. You need a culture where everyone feels included and can contribute their unique perspectives and ideas.

When diversity training elicits an eyeroll… you have an uphill battle. The leader is telegraphing their thoughts and unlikely to foster an inclusive environment.

But inclusivity does not mean that people should be allowed to monopolize meetings ad nauseum. If they’re not adding value… why are they there?

Contact Dr. Turnbull at www.thehrhub.ca.

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The question: Is it undue hardship or is it a regular hardship? Those of us in HR in Canada need to consider this. And we can always brush up on the duty to accommodate so check out this video.

This was the focus of my conversation with Dylan Snowdon. Dylan is an Employment Lawyer and Instructor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary. This is something he is asked about a lot and here are some of his insights:

You have to accommodate, but can consider those accommodations that have the least impact on the employer.

Accommodations can take many forms, and it doesn’t always have to be a big or complicated solution.

The difficult accommodations are when there are a lot of unknowns or the employer is not accepting. Mental health often falls in this category.

Whenever someone requests accommodation, the duty has been triggered.

Remember, the duty to accommodate is an important part of creating an inclusive workplace. By making reasonable efforts to accommodate the needs of employees, employers can create a workplace that is welcoming and supportive of all employees.

Find Dylan at www.carbertwaite.com.

Andrea is an HR Consultant and can be found at www.thehrhub.ca.

The post The Duty To Accommodate – How Far Do You Have To Go? appeared first on HR West Consulting - Elevating Success.

What environment do you need for creativity, focus, and deep thought?

I think I am getting the hint. Notifications, emails and messages aren’t making me more productive and they greatly reduce my ability to be thoughtful. This is true for many of the people in our organizations too.

Daniel Sih is an author and productivity guy. I reached out because of his Spacemakers book, but I was curious about productivity and he delivered!

He’s a physiotherapist and accidentally became a productivity consultant over a glass of whiskey.

Now he is going to TedX and his ‘idea worth sharing’ is that we need to put down our phones to be more productive and have better relationships.

He used to think productivity was about getting better at email and prioritization. That is helpful, but, to truly be productive, you need to think about who you are and what is important to you. Then be productive at THOSE things.

Notwithstanding the importance of knowing our priorities, we can teach employees to manage email, set priorities, and maintain good habits. Organizations have a better chance of getting a lot more of the right work done.

Spacemakers: How to Unplug, Unwind, and Think Clearly in the Digital Age

You can find more about Daniel and Spacemakers on https://spacemakers.com.au/.

You can find Elissa Lok for Spacemaker or Email Ninja training in North America at elissa@spacemakers.com.au.

The post Productivity in the Workplace – And Feel Better Too! appeared first on HR West Consulting - Elevating Success.

Think about your favourite online escape.

Is it making you happy?

Connecting with people is overwhelmingly shown to create happiness. That doesn’t really happen when we are spending more and more time online. And, if we’re honest, so much is a total waste.

Digital wellness in the workplace is becoming an increasingly important aspect of wellness. As we spend more and more time on our devices, it’s helping drive burn out, stress, and anxiety. Obviously this will have a negative impact on the well-being and productivity of workplaces.

The first of my guests, Daniel Sih and author of Spacemaker, has been invited to speak at TedX and his ‘idea worth sharing’ is that we need to manage our use of tech. He laughs, a little amazed, because most of us remember a life before this level of tech and yet we have become so dependent so fast. And now it’s an idea worth sharing. Elissa Lok, my second guest and HR Consultant, helped Daniel develop a Spacemaker course and reflects on the impact in organizations.

Some other ideas:

Boredom is not bad even if we do anything to avoid it. In fact, a lot of creativity happens when we are bored. When we give ourselves time to be unplugged and disconnected from technology, we allow ourselves to have new ideas, and think more critically. It’s hard to underestimate how valuable that is.

Our tech is powerful and useful – and addictive. Addiction can be defined as the repeated use of something even though it causes substantial harm. Of course the irony of this topic and how I am delivering it is obvious.

Steve Jobs didn’t let his kids use ipads or iphones.

The relationship between tech and productivity is an inverted U curve.

If employers are interested in employee productivity and wellbeing, they should investigate digital wellbeing. It’s the right thing to do do, but there is also tremendous benefit to the workplace, to ourselves and our humanity.

Spacemakers: How to Unplug, Unwind, and Think Clearly in the Digital Age

You can find more about Daniel and Spacemakers on www.spacemakers.com.

You can find Elissa Lok for Spacemaker or Email Ninja training in North America at elissa@spacemakers.com.au

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