by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Sep 7, 2024 | blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Mental Health, Workplace Culture
By now, you’re probably familiar with the term “microaggressions,” those subtle yet hurtful digs or assumptions directed at members of traditionally marginalized groups. They creep into some of our daily interactions, regardless of our background or job level,...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Aug 17, 2024 | blog, Career Advice, Mental Health
Professional setbacks and disappointments are an inevitable part of any career journey. Setbacks come in various forms, whether it’s missing out on a promotion, being laid off, dealing with the fallout associated with a failed project, or enduring systemic...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jul 13, 2024 | blog, Career Advice, Hiring Staff & HR
During a recent chat with some new university graduates, we discussed the function of a Human Resources (HR) department. In the midst of that casual conversation, it occurred to me from their comments that while I have 20+ years of understanding of what goes on in the...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jun 29, 2024 | blog, Bullying & Harassment , Career Advice, Workplace Culture
A “frenemy” (a blend of “friend” and “enemy”) refers to someone who pretends to be a friend but actually harbours feelings of resentment, jealousy, or rivalry toward you. On the surface, frenemies might appear supportive and...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jun 15, 2024 | blog, Career Advice, Mental Health, Workplace Culture
The Cons of Policies Physical Return-to-Work In my last post, More Post-Pandemic Return-to-Office Mandates? (Part One) I talked about some positives of a physical return-to-work (or reduced remote work). In the blog, I’ll look at some of the trickier aspects and why...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jun 1, 2024 | blog, Career Advice, Mental Health, Workplace Culture
Once buzzing with life, the modern office is often quieter in today’s post-pandemic world – despite return-to-office mandates, the threat of these mandates, or hybrid work. With many employees still working remotely or hybrid, desks remain vacant. Some...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | May 4, 2024 | blog, Career Advice
In today’s rapidly evolving job market and the broader economy, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) sparks a blend of awe, opportunity, and angst. AI’s growing influence on workplaces is undeniable, and it’s easy to see that this might ultimately lead to...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Apr 6, 2024 | blog, Career Advice, Workplace Culture
In the ever-evolving landscape of work, the seismic shift toward hybrid and remote arrangements has sparked a multitude of discussions and debates. One hotly debated topic revolves around the impact of these flexible work structures on women’s ambition. Are these...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Mar 9, 2024 | blog, Leaders & Executives , Workplace Culture
Leadership often favours the audacious. Those endowed with charisma, assertiveness, and sociability are often praised for their extroverted qualities, positioning them as ideal leaders. In a landscape that predominantly appreciates extroverted characteristics, the...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Feb 10, 2024 | blog, Career Advice, Mental Health, Workplace Culture
In today’s ever-changing work world, navigating the challenges requires a robust foundation – one built on career resilience. Through my journey in career and executive coaching, it’s become clear to me that career resilience is a cornerstone of success....
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jan 13, 2024 | blog, Career Advice, Featured Posts, Workplace Culture
Welcoming a new year brings an opportunity to reflect on our professional growth. My 2023 was filled with thought-provoking discussions and interesting topics, especially around ongoing post-pandemic changes in the workplace and continuing to prioritize our mental...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Dec 9, 2023 | blog, Career Advice, Featured Posts, Homepage, Mental Health, Workplace Culture
Perfectionism is characterized by the drive to appear, feel, and be perfect. It’s often driven by a fear of failure, feelings of unworthiness, low self-esteem, and adverse childhood experiences. In 2022, I was one of five co-founders of the Canadian Psychological...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Nov 26, 2023 | blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Leaders & Executives
From what I see up close as an HR Consultant and Executive Coach, this is a tough time to be a leader. Modern and inclusive leadership is dynamic, requiring adaptability and finesse to navigate many different challenges, opportunities, and circumstances. The...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Oct 21, 2023 | blog, Career Advice, Featured Posts, Leaders & Executives , Mature Professionals , Mental Health, Workplace Culture
Menopause and Work In October 2023, The Menopause Foundation of Canada released a groundbreaking report that describes the impact of the unmanaged symptoms of menopause and perimenopause on employers and on women’s earning potential. A meaningful proportion of my...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Aug 12, 2023 | blog
Black Psychologists Sounded the Alarm Bells in 2021 In September 2021, CBC journalist Nicole Williams interviewed Mrs. Kafui Sawyer (Registered Psychotherapist) and Dr. Helen Ofosu (Organizational Psychologist) for an article called “Black psychologists say there are...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jul 1, 2023 | blog, Career Advice, Mental Health
Certain experiences are common, but that does not make them easy to manage. Being laid off is one of those problematic yet common experiences. The tech sector has had some notable downsizings, so many people were laid off from Shopify, Meta/Facebook, and Twitter in...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jun 17, 2023 | blog, Career Advice, Leaders & Executives , Workplace Culture
Summer is a natural time to indulge in some new reading material. With summer reading in mind, here are six good career books worth adding to your library whether as a physical book you’ll want to highlight and underline, or as an audiobook, which is a great use of...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | Jun 3, 2023 | blog, Career Advice, Diversity & Inclusion, Leaders & Executives
As an executive coach, clients sometimes ask me for advice on how to develop their executive presence. And every now and then, someone will make it clear that they have a very narrow definition of executive presence — and it usually rubs me the wrong way. The...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | May 20, 2023 | blog, Career Advice, Mental Health
Are you in the habit of saying yes to every request, even when it’s not in your best interest? Have you ever felt like a pushover, allowing coworkers or superiors to take advantage of your kindness? It’s time to address the pitfalls of being too nice at...
by Dr. Helen Ofosu | May 6, 2023 | blog, Career Advice, Mental Health, Workplace Culture
Does rivalry always have to be negative? After my last blog post about Workplace Jealousy, I started reflecting on the potential pros and cons of the related idea – workplace rivalry. One of my favourite organizational psychologists, Dr. Adam Grant tackles this...
