Have you ever called in “sad?”
Have you ever called in sick because you actually felt sick at the thought of going to work? Let’s face it, while the overdue conversation about mental health has finally started, there is still no easy way to call work and say what you really need is a mental health...
Leaving a Toxic Job
“Jane Smith” knew she’d made the wrong decision the first day at the job that would end her career. The supervisor showed her to a filthy cubicle. The computer keyboard was jammed with food, and what she hoped was hand lotion. When she asked the I.T. support tech for...
Self-Employment: A Reality Check
Self-employment is becoming more and more common, as shifts in the economy make some jobs obsolete, and new technology makes self-employment easier than ever before. Who hasn’t had the conversation about their dream business? Whether your dream is to open a...
Five Ways to Spot a Bad Workplace During the Hiring Process
Often, when we are looking for a new job we really want to make sure that we’re chosen by the potential employer. We may be motivated by a deep desire to pay off student debt, the need to provide for ourselves and our loved ones, and for the security that comes from a...
The right help at the right time: what are the differences between Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Psychotherapists and Life Coaches?
With all the attention focused on mental health issues and mental health in the workplace, I’ve noticed the growing popularity of mental health specialists Psychotherapists, Psychiatrists, Psychologists – and Life Coaches. What hasn’t been growing is...
Automation is Now
A few weeks ago I visited my local bank branch to get some cash to insert into birthday and graduation cards. I’m blessed to have several delightful nieces and nephews. I chatted with the bank teller a bit and then she told me about the upcoming renovations to the...
Partying Hard? No Pictures Please: Social Media and Summer Fun
Canada Day weekend is on the horizon. It’s one of our favourite weekends to cut loose and celebrate our beautiful country and all of its blessings. Whether you go away to a cottage or camping, or you’re in the city for fireworks, Canada Day often involves a lot of...
Advice on Job Searching as a New Graduate
Recent graduates and the soon-to-graduate looking at job postings probably notice a frustrating fact of life: many entry-level jobs seem to require 2–3 years of experience. Therein lies an age-old conundrum: how can I get experience when I can’t get a job because I...
Are you a workplace dad? Do you know a workplace dad?
Most of us have known a kind-hearted woman who people would say was “like a mom to everyone.” The expression “work spouse” has become a popular way of describing significant-yet-completely-platonic close workplace relationships. Now, with Father’s Day just around the...
For Best Results, Network Sincerely
Network, network, network. You’ve probably heard over and over again about the importance of networking. For some people networking is a necessary evil, something like a chore. And to introverts, networking can feel like some kind of punishment. How can you conquer...
Racism … Is it at your place of work?
It’s hard these days to turn on the TV, radio or even flip through your phone without encountering intense discussions related to diversity, inclusion, and race relations. Lately, it seems that the workplace is colliding with many socially and politically charged...
Mental Health – Making it Work in the Workplace
Trigger warning: mental health problems, especially depression. Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month I was inspired to write a two-part blog series on mental health in the workplace (click here to read the first part). In part one, I discussed the “Do’s and...
Do’s and don’ts – how to be mindful of mental health in the workplace
Trigger warning: mental health problems, especially depression. I am sure at some point in your life you’ve woken up on a Monday morning with a terrible sore throat and a fever. You quickly realize that there is no way you’ll be making it to your 9 am meeting across...
Corporate scapegoats and sacrificial lambs … what to do if you become one.
Recently I published the second part of a two-part blog series on corporate psychopaths who are basically wolves in sheep’s clothing. Often these wolves are at the top of the corporate food chain and are in senior/executive roles. In the current article, I will...
Planting the Seeds of the Future (of Your Career)
Spring 2018: Planting the Seeds of the Future (of Your Career) View this email in your browser Springtime is when we take care of the garden, open the cottage, wash and tune up the car. Spring is the time to shake off the stagnation of a long winter and welcome growth...
Mothers Take Many Forms
With Mother’s Day approaching I’m reminded of my mom and how she made my brother and I her priorities, even though she always had a very busy professional life and faced many challenges as a relative newcomer to Canada. Without taking well-deserved attention away from...
How to be a fox when interviewing a wolf (Part 2)
Most of us remember hearing the story of Little Red Riding Hood when we were kids. This cautionary tale was not told exclusively for our entertainment, it’s also designed to warn children to be leery of strangers who may lure and prey upon them through disguise and...
Corporate Psychopaths – wolves in the workplace (Part 1)
When it comes to people getting ahead professionally in the proverbial ‘work jungle’ most of us have heard or used descriptions that come from the animal kingdom, including: “Wow, Mark in sales is a real tiger” “You don’t want to mess with that lawyer, she’s a real...