Feb. 7, 2018 "Low- engagement companies should look to Canada's culture for inspiration": Today I found this article by Kirsetn Sutton in the Globe and Mail:
Managing director, SAP Labs Canada
When remarking on the country's culture in late 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, "There is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada." Charles Foran, CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, reacted by declaring Canada to be an experiment in postnationalism.
"He was articulating a uniquely Canadian philosophy that some find bewildering, even reckless – but could represent a radical new model of nationhood," Mr. Foran said.
That experiment has resulted in the forming of a country of extraordinary tolerance, pride, freedom and industriousness. The stability of our social and financial systems is the envy of much of the world, and most people who live in Canada are happy (79 per cent of Canadians, according to a 2016 Angus Reid Institute report).
If only more Canadian organizations realized this, they might be able to make Corporate Canada as pleasant a place to be as our homes and wilderness. As it is, many companies are still fighting against the micromanagement, bureaucracy and sterility that demotivates Canadian workers and causes 73 per cent to disengage from their work, according to Conference Board of Canada research.
For many Canadians, satisfying work is the missing piece of the puzzle in what are otherwise very fortunate and contented lives. Too often, this is because companies don't give employees enough of a chance to make their work satisfying.
"Instead of the free and democratic individuals [Adam] Smith envisioned, many employees end up […] spending their days trying to please their bosses so they can keep their jobs," wrote Canadian philosophy professor David G. Dick.
"Instead of the free and democratic individuals [Adam] Smith envisioned, many employees end up […] spending their days trying to please their bosses so they can keep their jobs," wrote Canadian philosophy professor David G. Dick.
Over the past few years at SAP Canada, we've made a conscious effort to try to reverse that trend. We considered what makes Canadians so happy and tried to create a microcosm of that culture in our workplace.
This meant embracing diversity of opinion and ability, giving employees autonomy, ownership and opportunities to grow, and not bullying employees into being productive. It also meant remembering that Canadians have families, and that they value the security of our social systems. We mimicked that by creating one of the most generous benefits packages in the country.
This meant embracing diversity of opinion and ability, giving employees autonomy, ownership and opportunities to grow, and not bullying employees into being productive. It also meant remembering that Canadians have families, and that they value the security of our social systems. We mimicked that by creating one of the most generous benefits packages in the country.
Make no mistake, we saw the risk in this strategy. It might work for a country, but business is different. The safe option has always been to tell employees what to do and structure their days around doing it.
There was a chance employees could have interpreted our laidback attitude – the games rooms and chill-out rooms – as a licence to take their foot off the gas. But they didn't. The hands-off approach not only made our employees want to be productive, but it made them happier and more ambitious as well.
There was a chance employees could have interpreted our laidback attitude – the games rooms and chill-out rooms – as a licence to take their foot off the gas. But they didn't. The hands-off approach not only made our employees want to be productive, but it made them happier and more ambitious as well.
Empowering employees has paid off beyond our wildest dreams. SAP Canada is now Glassdoor's Best Place to Work in Canada, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from employees. Employees bring their passions to work, are comfortable being themselves, whoever they are, and want to succeed and make a difference in the world. The experience of working at SAP Canada is now much more reminiscent of Canada's strong culture as a whole than the stingy, stuffy, management-heavy workplaces of old.
Give employees the chance to create a culture they want to be a part of, and they will. They'll make work what they want it to be, they'll find purpose, and they'll strive to improve.
They'll respond to being trusted with the company's destiny. All that will be to the benefit of your business. A genuinely positive company culture is one, to paraphrase Gandhi, that lives in the hearts of its people. It is shaped by individuals, not policies or CEOs. It will, as you've doubtless heard, eat any boardroom strategy for breakfast.
They'll respond to being trusted with the company's destiny. All that will be to the benefit of your business. A genuinely positive company culture is one, to paraphrase Gandhi, that lives in the hearts of its people. It is shaped by individuals, not policies or CEOs. It will, as you've doubtless heard, eat any boardroom strategy for breakfast.
Canadian companies struggling to empower their employees and create innovative, happy cultures can find the blueprint for success right under their noses. Canada is an amazing place to live, a place of incredible positivity, acceptance and independence. Let's make our companies the same.
"Secrets for success in managing a multigenerational work force": Today I found this article by Jeff Cates in the Globe and Mail:
President, Intuit Canada
Canada's work force is in a state of flux. The average age of retirement is steadily increasing, and the number of senior citizens still working has skyrocketed by around 62 per cent over the past 10 years.
At the same time, there's an entirely new generation joining the labour market: Generation Z, or those born roughly from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. The result? Today's business leaders have found themselves in the unprecedented situation of managing four generations working side-by-side.
At the same time, there's an entirely new generation joining the labour market: Generation Z, or those born roughly from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. The result? Today's business leaders have found themselves in the unprecedented situation of managing four generations working side-by-side.
How can today's leaders successfully manage a multigenerational work force and adapt to the rapid evolution of the expertise their teams need to thrive? Here's my advice.
Don't dwell on differences. Generational stereotypes are precisely that, stereotypes, and not useful tools for creating an inclusive, positive office culture.
Your employees – Gen Zs, Millennials, Gen Xs and boomers alike – have diverse needs, priorities and goals. Don't assume people hold certain beliefs or require special treatment. Get to know your team members individually to understand how best you can set them up for success.
Your employees – Gen Zs, Millennials, Gen Xs and boomers alike – have diverse needs, priorities and goals. Don't assume people hold certain beliefs or require special treatment. Get to know your team members individually to understand how best you can set them up for success.
While this is a best practice for any leader, keeping a close pulse on your employees is especially crucial in a multigenerational work force where your employees have likely experienced vastly different leadership styles and office cultures over the course of their careers.
Keep context in mind. You can be a more empathetic leader instantly by simply understanding the economic landscape that shaped how professionals view their careers and what they expect from their employers. For instance, members of Generation Z were brought up in the economic crisis and have witnessed firsthand the shifting future of work.
Automation, digital platforms and the explosion of the on-demand and sharing economies have led to the creation of jobs and businesses that didn't exist even a decade ago.
Automation, digital platforms and the explosion of the on-demand and sharing economies have led to the creation of jobs and businesses that didn't exist even a decade ago.
This trend is only accelerating. According to the World Economic Forum, 65 per cent of children entering primary school today could end up working a job that hasn't yet been invented, and Intuit Canada research projects that freelancers, independent contractors and on-demand workers will make up 45 per cent of the work force by 2020.
What does this mean for managing the newest demographics entering the work force? Flexibility is paramount. According to Intuit Canada's latest report, The Future of Entrepreneurship: Generation Z, almost half of Gen Zs agree that flexibility is a stronger indicator of professional success than salary.
Empower your team to pursue their passions; encourage people to bring their whole selves to work; allow employees to define what balance means to them. In addition to creating a happier, more satisfied work force, placing a premium on flexibility can also help you cultivate a more well-rounded team with diverse perspectives.
Never stop up-skilling. This blistering pace of technological innovation also means that skills are becoming outdated more rapidly than ever before. This applies to workers of all demographics, whether they have decades of industry experience or graduated from university last year. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, nearly half of the knowledge acquired during the first year of a four-year technical degree is already obsolete by graduation day.
This shift towards lifelong learning means that business needs to take a larger role in education. Simply put, if you want to stay competitive, you need to offer continuing opportunities for upskilling, so your employees can keep pace with innovation.
In today's multigenerational workplace, keeping your team up to date on the latest skills, tools, and platforms also means offering diverse opportunities for continuous learning based on unique learning styles and preference.
Online learning tools like LinkedIn Learning are a great option for workers looking to reinvigorate their skill sets, but understand that some employees may benefit more from in-person training or from the opportunity to attend an industry conference and hear from others in their field.
Online learning tools like LinkedIn Learning are a great option for workers looking to reinvigorate their skill sets, but understand that some employees may benefit more from in-person training or from the opportunity to attend an industry conference and hear from others in their field.
Amid significant demographic, technological and economic change, today's business leaders face many challenges, and managing multiple generations is no exception.
However, if you take a vested interest in your employees' unique goals and needs, give them the flexibility to make their role work for them, and offer continuous opportunities for professional growth, you can promote a more motivated, productive team across all generations.
However, if you take a vested interest in your employees' unique goals and needs, give them the flexibility to make their role work for them, and offer continuous opportunities for professional growth, you can promote a more motivated, productive team across all generations.
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