Category: HR/Associate Development

There will be a variety of posts, encompassing everything from hiring checklists to training ideas and documents based on more than 25 years of experience and learning from the best people in the business.

… about issues at work

Paul Wagenaar

Sixteen-year-old students left to lock up, fourteen-year-old kids running meat cutting equipment, university or college students struggling to balance work/school demands, and more issues that are stressing students who work.

This post provides an introduction and links to help acquire the knowledge they need to know their rights in the workforce. Please share this post with students you know or with parents who have children working after-school and on weekends.

Inclement Weather and your People

Paul Wagenaar

The stress and anxiety that accompany severe inclement weather events are very real for organizations and their associates. In extreme weather events, it is difficult for organizations to mitigate those emotions; however, it is still possible to have processes in place for “normal” severe weather events.

SIMPLE TRUTHS

Paul Wagenaar

I have realized that many times I have contributed to my setbacks and defeats as much as I have benefited from the successes that I have had. In that journey friends, co-workers, and competitors have tried to teach me lessons that many times I stubbornly refused to acknowledge and appreciate …until recently.

Give me five minutes, and perhaps you might be able to apply their lessons for yourself on your journey.

If you let them … instead help them with tools, training, and a process that works.

Paul Wagenaar

Nothing about difficult situations and angry people is ever simple.

Rarely is there one trigger and one solution. Nuance, exceptions, and the lack of anything resembling black and white all are factors in finding solutions to their problems. There is never just one or two sides to a story, there are usually forty-two sides!

This post is about a process, the tools, and the training required to anticipate, avoid, and ultimately how to deal with these situations when they occur.

What are the things you don’t see?

Paul Wagenaar

A famous racecar driver once said that races are won by how fast you get through the corners, not how fast you go in a straight line.  Many organizations focus on the flash and sizzle of their worlds, ignoring at their peril the routine and perceived “basic” things.  Failure to acknowledge and overcome Organizational Vulnerabilities are the things that will cause your team to fail. 

Its time to go

Paul Wagenaar

You want to be in control of your career.

By recognizing the signs for what they are, especially if you are a long-term employee of your organization, you can start planning and preparing. You want to do things on your terms.

You might be scared, you might feel stuck financially or because of family responsibilities or/and because of the the lack of opportunities; all of those are natural responses.

Embracing rather than ignoring, will allow you to take the steps necessary to secure your future.

Surviving a bad boss

Paul Wagenaar

Having a bad boss can cause very real stress and anxiety. Remember, you have rights and you have options.

If you feel stuck because of family obligations, financial pressures or because there is a lack of opportunities, do not despair. There is help and there are choices.