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Source: fastcompany.com Transitions happen, but the adjustment period doesn’t have to linger. Here’s how to become a high-performing unit once again. Leadership teams are often disrupted by major changes: restructuring, acquisitions, layoffs, and executive turnover. These transitions typically lead to a messy adjustment period as teams scramble to regain stability and navigate new dynamics. This phase can feel chaotic and unproductive—but it doesn’t have to drag on.

Source: www.inc.com Here are three conversations managers must have to kick off the new year on a high note. If you want to hit the ground running in 2025 while leading your team, there are three key conversations you should have, according to leadership experts. First off, a little context:

Source: www.hcamag.com With research from the O.C. Tanner Institute, the 2025 Global Culture Report uncovers how employees feel about their workplaces, company culture statistics and culture trends currently shaping workplace cultures and includes a wealth of insights to attract top talent, reduce turnover and help employees thrive. 

Source: www.cbc.ca Competing demands of work and home are part of the problem, according to Gallup poll Work-life balance? What’s that? A new poll provides fresh numbers to illustrate what many exhausted working women have been reporting for decades — work-life balance isn’t exactly working for them.

Source: benefitscanada.com Three-quarters (74 per cent) of Canadian employees say they have or would turn down a job opportunity because an employer’s culture didn’t feel like the right fit, in line with seven in 10 global respondents who said the same, according to a new survey by Dayforce Inc.

Source: mentalhealthcommission.ca “I know there’s tension on my team, but it’s hard to get to the root of the problem when everyone has the option to simply turn their camera off and disengage, and I only hear about conflict second-hand.” Consider underlying causes of aggressive behaviour If an employee appears disgruntled or even aggressive, consider what other contributing factors might be at play. Whether it’s pandemic-related stress, an especially hectic period at work, or another hardship (which the employee may choose not to share), it’s important to be mindful that you are not likely seeing the full picture.

Source: talentcanada.ca Burnout is a growing issue severely impacting productivity, engagement and retention. When employees experience burnout, they often struggle to stay focused, feel disconnected from their work and may eventually leave. These factors lead to higher turnover and costly recruitment. In the Canadian workforce, unique challenges such as managing multicultural dynamics make addressing burnout more critical.

Source: hcamag.com Panel of experts discuss perception gap between managers, workers, and executives, and the struggles of managers There is a “significant disconnect” between employee and employer perceptions of wellbeing, and the managerial gap may be to blame. “The main disconnect is still between the managers and the executives,” said Alexandra Levit, workforce futurist and author, in a panel discussion on unlocking workforce potential presented by Dayforce.

Source: hcamag.com ‘There’s an expectation for leaders to drive future states and accomplish the return on investment needed to transform organizations’ As organizations face increasing levels of change, the ability to manage transitions effectively has become even more critical, according to one expert. “Organizations are going through so much change, whether it be cultural, technology-related, or process-related,” says Michelle Haggerty, COO and US president at Prosci, in talking with Human Resources Director.

Source: forbes.com Whether you’re a leader or an individual contributor, chances are, you’re experiencing more conflict at work—at the same time you’re seeing less civility. This kind of experience can get in the way of your happiness, but also your productivity and peace of mind.

Source: forbes.com When you have a great organizational culture, you’re energized and so is the company. You get results for employees, customers and shareholders. But cultures can be elusive as well, with their complexity, nuance and power.

Source: forbes.com An organization is only as strong as its senior leadership team. In fact, a recent Bain & Company study of 1,250 companies found that organizations with highly effective executive teams achieve revenue growth, profitability, and total shareholder returns that are three times higher than the average. Yet, many executive teams fall short—often to the detriment of the entire company. According to a 2020 survey by the Center for Creative Leadership, 65% of senior executives feel their top team is ineffective.

Source: www.forbes.com If 2023 was the year of business acceleration, 2024 was the year of the tortoise with a haze of business lethargy we haven’t quite seen before. This malaise was likely spurred by a variety of reasons that go beyond economic headwinds to business paralysis instigated by global unrest and national uncertainty around the impending election.

Source: www.talentcanada.ca Before HR and C-suite leaders can mitigate social isolation in the workplace, they must understand what it is, why it’s beneficial to protect workers from it, and why they’ll want to alleviate it.

Source: www.cnbc.com One of the biggest challenges for any leader is figuring out how to hold people accountable for their mistakes without creating bad blood. In those situations, playing the blame game is always a losing strategy, according to leadership expert and bestselling author Michael Timms.

Source: www.cnbc.com “Eric” is a program manager at a fast-scaling tech company. He’s hungry for career growth and perfectly positioned to take on more responsibility. He’s eager for exposure to senior management and hopeful he’ll eventually advance to a director-level position. Yet despite his ambition and potential, Eric finds himself constantly repeating two toxic words: I’ll wait.

Source: www.cfib-fcei.ca Workers’ compensation boards and occupational health and safety regulators in Canada are increasingly concerned about psychological health and safety in the workplace. This shift reflects a broader understanding of the impact that mental health issues can have on workers and workplaces, including the realization that psychological injuries can be just as debilitating as physical ones.

Source: www.forbes.com A Highly sensitive person (HSP) is a personality identified by psychologist Elaine Aron. Present in 15-30% of the population, HSPs are employees with high levels of Sensory Processing Sensitivity reflected in a display of increased emotional sensitivity, stronger reactivity to both external and internal stimuli—pain, hunger, light and noise—and a complex inner life.

Source: www.forbes.com Getting feedback from employees may seem like the perfect way to keep them engaged, and it can certainly work well. But there are also pitfalls and mistakes you can make when you’re gathering feedback that will stand in the way of achieving the results you want.

Source: forbes.com Recent Gallup research reveals a stark reality: only 33% of U.S. employees are engaged at work. Since managers are responsible for at least 70% of employee engagement, there’s clearly a gap between what employees need and what leaders are providing.

Source:  www.fastcompany.com These traits create a workplace where employees feel valued and empowered and set the standard for success. The definition of effective leadership is being reshaped by the relentless march of technology and the ongoing shift toward hybrid work environments. As AI and digital tools become integral to our daily operations, the expectations placed on leaders are evolving just as rapidly. What does it take to be a good boss?