Skip to main content
search
Category

Employer

Jul 21
Love4
team play

Teams that play together, stay together

By Workplace Culture

Studies have shown that greater employee engagement has a significant, positive influence on work quality and revenue, and company-sponsored team play or sports teams are a great way to make that happen.

The Toronto 2015 Pan Am games are in full swing and have captured the fervor of sports fans across the country, as they root for their favourite teams and athletes. In the corporate world, company leaders try to inspire the same level of fandom and engagement in the office, rather than the stadium.

Here are great benefits of how a team playing together can impact the company culture:

1. Teamwork:

Promoting team spirit in the office and on the field increases morale and camaraderie among employees, and unites them towards a common goal: winning. Whether looking to win a game or sign a new client, having a supportive team to share successes with makes the achievement all the more meaningful.

Additionally, teaming up to participate in a fun activity creates an excellent opportunity for networking and casual collaboration, which translates well to a business setting.

2. Coaching:

Behind every good team is a good coach. Coaches have a wealth of knowledge and a strong ability to effectively transfer it to their players. They also have a knack for assigning roles based on players’ strengths and abilities, and how those fit into a larger gameplay strategy.

Allowing employees to coach a team also develops their management skills, while building the confidence of each player when their talents are recognized.

3. Goals and Rewards:

Winning is usually the ultimate goal of most sports, but we’re not all Harlem Globetrotters. Setting realistic, achievable goals – for the team and individuals – and rewarding performance is vital to maintaining a high level of motivation. Whether it’s a gleaming golden trophy or a simple high five, recognition of a job well done is valued by employees, regardless of whether they scored the goal, made the assist, or delivered a solid defensive play.

4. Wellness:

Promoting physical activity through a company sports team fits nicely into corporate wellness programs. Better yet, healthy employees are typically more productive and have lower levels of absenteeism, resulting in higher performance on the job.

5. Retention:

Turnover rates drop dramatically when employees are engaged and feel proud of the company they work for. Giving employees the opportunity to fight for the home team will grow your internal fan base, and keep your star players from being drafted elsewhere.

Summer is a great time to encourage your employees to team up and get active. Whether the team play softball or ultimate Frisbee or cheers on their co-workers from the sidelines, team sports will help foster greater levels of engagement and grow team spirit within your company.

Need more champions on your team? Hire a Career Edge intern.

May 26
Love3

Get the Most Out of Your Summer Interns

By Employer

As the temperature outside rises, employers are warming up to the summer internship season; but four months doesn’t always leave much time to make a real dent in many of those seasonal projects.

There are plenty of articles that provide interns with tips to succeed during their internship, but there are also a few things that employers can do to create an environment that inspires optimal performance from their enthusiastic, highly motivated intern during their internship term.

Read More

Feb 17
Love4

Why Paid Internships Matter: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

By Employer

The recent global recession threw the economy a curveball, which forced companies to reduce their personnel significantly. Now, with the Baby Boomers beginning to exit the workforce en masse, a labour crisis is fast approaching, and Canadian businesses must compete with emerging global markets to attract, recruit, and retain the talent needed for socio-economic sustainability well into the future.

In the TED Talk, “The workforce crisis of 2030 — and how to start solving it now,” Rainer Strack, of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), highlights this projected labour shortage in Canada, and in the world’s 15 largest economies, over the next 15 years.

Read More

Dec 31
Love5

Champions of Immigrant Success Award

By Employer

Are you a champion of Immigrant Employment? If you answer yes, apply or submit a nomination for a TRIEC Immigrant Success Award, sponsored by RBC.

Nominations are now open for the TRIEC IS Award: RBC Champions of Immigrant Success. Up to four winners will be selected for: 1) their extraordinary leadership in immigrant employment; 2) the positive impact of their work on both skilled immigrants in the GTA and their own or other businesses; and 3) the sustainability of their initiative(s).

Read More

Jun 25
Love3

Deloitte reduces barriers to employment for recent graduates with disabilities

By Employer

Having been recognized as one of the country’s Best Diversity Employers in 2012 and Best Employers for New Canadians in 2013, it is obvious that Deloitte takes its talent seriously. Whether it’s developing women in business or welcoming newcomers into the Canadian workforce, Deloitte has maintained a steadfast commitment to promoting a diverse and inclusive environment.

In recent years, Deloitte has launched a number of initiatives to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace. “We are always looking for top talent at Deloitte and hiring people with disabilities is an area that we need to continue to focus on,” says Sarah Boon, Senior Manager of Talent Advisory at Deloitte. “As a business we are finding that this is really an untapped talent market.”

Sarah Boon, Senior Manager of Talent Advisory at Deloitte

In her experience of hiring through Career Edge Organization’s Ability Edge program, Boon has realized the business case for hiring recent grads with disabilities, noting a few key benefits:

Reflecting the marketplace

“Deloitte is the largest professional services firm in Canada. We want to be reflective of the diverse communities in which we live and work. There is a positive impact on morale and team spirit as our workforce becomes even more reflective of our communities.”

Innovative problem-solving

“Our clients expect our teams to be high performing with diverse perspectives, and the global economy requires a broad set of skills and increased innovation to serve the global marketplace. Greater diversity at work means that a wide variety of perspectives are utilized when solving problems.”

Competitive advantage

Alexander Bergen, a current Ability Edge program intern in Deloitte’s Marketplace Services and Digital Marketing department

“We prefer to focus on their abilities; we hire people with the right competencies, diverse skill sets, and talents that will enable them to excel in the job. Having diverse people and an inclusive workplace that supports them gives us a competitive advantage.”

But connecting with the right talent isn’t always easy. Boon explains that it is Deloitte’s goal to be recognized internally and externally as a leader in diversity, and to effectively leverage partnerships in the business community to support this initiative. “If Deloitte wants to remain in a leadership position in Canada, we need to seek out the best talent and be innovative with our hiring practices. We can’t do this alone, so our relationship with Career Edge is very important.”

Businesses aren’t the only ones to benefit from partnerships that serve as a catalyst between employers and diverse talent. Candidates that face employment barriers are given the opportunity to get a foot in the door at leading organizations, allowing them to jump-start their career shortly after graduation.

“I registered and someone from Career Edge emailed me out of the blue, notifying me about this opportunity at Deloitte and that my resume was a good fit,” said Alexander Bergen, a current Ability Edge program intern in Deloitte’s Marketplace Services and Digital Marketing department.

In partnership with Career Edge, Deloitte is making a significant impact on reducing barriers to employment faced by recent grads – particularly those with disabilities – looking to gain meaningful work experience that is consistent with their education and career aspirations.

“This internship allowed me to gain valuable marketing experience with one of Canada’s leading professional services firms. Deloitte is a really strong brand and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”

Sarah Boon and Alexander Bergen outside Deloitte`s Toronto headquarters
Sep 21
Love3

What Makes an Internship a Success? 4 Things Employers Should Know

By Recruitment

Internships seem to be a perennial “hot topic,” resurfacing every fall in conjunction with “back-to-school” time. Prompted by growing youth unemployment in Canada and increasing controversy about unpaid internships around the globe, the topic was featured on a recent episode of CBC Radio’s “The Sunday Edition” with Michael Enright.

Click here to listen to the program

Click here to go directly to the “4 Keys to a Successful Internship”

Read More

Mar 22
Love4
internships

Internships: Low risk, big return

By Employer

The Maytree Foundation’s blog, “Maytree Conversations,” posted an article by Shannon Klie, Writer and Content Developer, hireimmigrants.ca, ALLIES, entitled “Internships: Low risk, big return,” highlighting innovative programs for bringing qualified international talent to the workplace.

Career Edge Organization’s paid internship program was cited as “a novel approach” for businesses to test out potential candidates for fit and expertise.

The Regional Municipality of Halton has addressed this concern by centralizing the cost of internships. Individual departments don’t bear the cost of an intern, providing further incentive for managers to bring in skilled immigrant interns.

Because the Region partners with Career Bridge, managers have access to many pre-screened, professional new immigrants to fill intern spots. That’s a win-win. And, employers are increasingly recognizing the power of internships, according to an analysis of organizations shortlisted to the Best Employers for New Canadians competition in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

What Employers Need to Know

Internships for skilled immigrants can help with immediate staffing needs. You can:

  • Hire a highly skilled and professional candidate on a low-cost trial basis;
  • Benefit from multi-lingual professionals who bring global experience to your company and can help you connect with new markets; and
  • Increase your staff’s cross-cultural communication skills and intercultural awareness.

Click here to read the full article

 

Read Next: What makes an internship a success? 4 things employers should know

Sep 24
Love3

Finding the Fit: 3 tips on attracting the right person for the job

By Recruitment

From the July, 2010 Issue of CareerBulletin

In a competitive job market where candidates tout more credentials and technical skills than ever, fit is increasingly becoming the differentiator.

What is organizational fit? It means that above and beyond being “qualified” for the job, the employee’s goals, values and preferences are aligned with those of the organization. It means there is working chemistry between the employee and his or her team, and that coming to work every day is a pleasure and not a drag.

Here are a few things employers can do to ensure they are attracting, hiring and retaining the right people for their organizational culture.

Read More

Aug 27
Love4

5 Tips to Set Your Intern Up for Success (From an Intern’s Perspective)

By Employer

Career Edge Organization has connected thousands of prospective interns with host employers for over a decade. I am delighted to be one of these fortunate job seekers to land a role that has allowed me to make leaps and bounds in my professional development after only a few months.

What constitutes a successful internship?

In contrast to my fellow 500-odd interns currently filling positions at host organizations across Canada, I believe I have a unique perspective by working with an intern’s success story from my role at Career Edge Organization itself. In my role as Project Coordinator and Sales Support Assistant, I interact with interns enrolled within the three different internship programs  and at all levels of participation. I assist initial job seekers with the registration process and the completion of their internship documents prior to their start date. I provide them with resources throughout their internship and continue communication once they have achieved alumni status.

Considering the extensive amount of Career Edge internships I witness on a habitual basis, I have been able to make a fair assessment of what an intern requires from their employer to succeed in their role, all while growing professionally toward the objective of a rewarding and progressive career.

Read More

Close Menu