Resources

Understanding earned media – what it is, why it matters, and what it can do to bolster your brand and your reputation – is essential for businesses of every size. In a time where our lives are dominated by digital communication, the potential benefit cannot be overstated.

In a time where our lives are dominated by digital communication, the potential benefit of earned media exposure for businesses cannot be overstated.
You’re likely already doing your best to attract customers and build your brand and reputation using what’s called owned media. That’s your self-generated content, which may include your website, your social media channels, direct mail campaigns and signage and promotions located on your property. 
If you have the budget, you’re probably also using paid media, which is purchased content such as an advertisement on a digital platform, published by traditional news media outlets like newspaper or radio, or displayed on a great big billboard down by the highway. 
Earned media includes publicity and attention gained through word-of-mouth, social media mentions, online reviews, and various forms of media coverage that a business receives without direct payment. 
Put simply, earned media is exposure you didn’t have to buy. Sometimes that exposure is better than anything you could buy. Here’s why:

1. It Builds Trust and Credibility for Your Brand

When you’re making an important decision, who do you look to for advice? Who do you trust? 
If your answer is someone you know and/or someone who has nothing to gain, you’re in the majority. 
People are more likely to trust third-party recommendations from friends, family, or credible media outlets than your paid advertising, according to international audience measurement specialists Nielsen.  
Their Global Trust in Advertising Survey asked 30,000 people in 60 countries what impacts their consumer decisions. The results were overwhelming: 83% of respondents said they view earned media as the most trustworthy due to its independent nature. 
The results of an American Association of Advertising Agencies study were even more dramatic. They found that 96% of consumers flat-out distrust paid ads altogether.

2. It’s Cost-Effective

Small businesses often operate on tight budgets, and allocating resources for marketing and advertising can be challenging. Earned media offers a cost-effective solution by generating publicity without the need for hefty advertising expenditures. 
You can invest in an earned media specialist to help you but if you DIY it, it’s free other than your time. 
Whether it's a feature in a local newspaper, a positive online review, or viral social media content, earned media provides visibility that can be challenging to achieve through paid channels alone. 

3. Amplified Reach through Social Media

In the age of social media dominance, the power of earned media is amplified. Positive experiences shared by customers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can quickly reach a vast audience. Small businesses can leverage user-generated content, customer testimonials, and influencers to extend their reach organically. The exponential effect of media stories, shares, likes, and comments creates a buzz around the brand, boosting its online presence.

4. SEO Benefits

Earned media contributes significantly to search engine optimization (SEO). When a business is featured in reputable media outlets or receives positive online reviews, it enhances its online visibility and authority. Search engines often prioritize content that is perceived as trustworthy and relevant, leading to improved search rankings. This increased visibility can drive organic traffic to your business's website, resulting in a higher likelihood of converting leads into customers.

5. Community Engagement and Local Support

Fostering a sense of community and garnering local support is vital. Earned media, especially coverage in local newspapers, radio stations, or community blogs, can create a strong bond between the business and its local audience. This sense of connection often translates into increased customer loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth marketing within the community.

About the Author 

Claire Bickley is the former National Manager, Public Relations, for Chartwell Retirement Residences. As a journalist, she worked for Canada’s largest media outlets, experience that informs her current work as a communications consultant. 

Introduction

Understanding residents' needs in retirement residences is pivotal for delivering exceptional customer service. Engagement surveys play a critical role in this process, offering deep insights into residents' preferences, concerns, and overall satisfaction.

Crafting the Perfect Survey

The essence of a good survey lies in its ability to capture a wide array of feedback while being empathetic to residents' experiences. This includes a mix of Net Promoter Score questions, open-ended queries for detailed insights, structured multiple-choice questions, and custom queries tailored to specific interests or concerns.
*Net Promoter Score is a common metric used in customer experience programs. An NPS score measures customer loyalty by looking at their likelihood of recommending a given business.

Ensuring Effective Survey Participation

Maximizing participation requires a multifaceted approach: informative introductory communications, regular reminders through emails or community announcements, visually engaging posters in common areas, and personal engagement methods like doorknob hangers or face-to-face invitations.

The Art of Analysis

Post-survey, a comprehensive analysis is conducted. This involves interpreting numerical data such as Net Promoter Scores, extracting themes from qualitative feedback, statistically breaking down multiple-choice responses, and performing comparative analysis to identify trends or outliers.  This isn't merely about tallying scores but about interpreting the rich tapestry of feedback received:
•    Analyzing NPS Scores: Understanding the overall satisfaction levels and identifying the factors contributing to high or low scores.
•    Interpreting Open-ended Responses: Delving into the qualitative feedback to grasp the residents' sentiments, concerns, and suggestions. This involves not just reading the responses but interpreting the emotions and underlying messages conveyed.
•    Statistical Breakdown of Multiple-choice Responses: Looking at the distribution of responses, identifying patterns, and understanding the areas where the residence excels or needs improvement.
•    Comparative Analysis Across Locations: For residences that are part of a larger chain, comparing results across different locations can be insightful. It helps in identifying best practices and areas where specific locations might be struggling, allowing for targeted interventions.

Communicating Results to Residents

Sharing the survey results with residents, either through newsletters, meetings, or other communication channels, is crucial. It demonstrates transparency and a commitment to using their feedback constructively.  If you don’t share feedback – and your resulting action plan – after this survey, you can expect fewer responses next time.

From Insights to Action

Addressing Individual Unresolved Issues Promptly: Unresolved issues identified in the survey must be dealt with swiftly. This may require one-on-one discussions, tailored responses, or particular interventions to tackle specific concerns. Rapid resolution of these issues can significantly enhance the customer service index.

Segmentation into Resident Groups for Collaborative Problem-Solving: Establishing small, cross-functional groups comprising both staff and residents can lead to more effective problem-solving and stronger community bonds. For instance, a group dedicated to enhancing dining services might include kitchen staff, a nutritionist, and residents, working together to explore improvements in menu variety or meal timings. This approach mirrors successful initiatives seen in senior living providers like Senior Star and Watercrest Senior Living. These organizations have emphasized the importance of collaboration between staff and residents, particularly in adapting to challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the value of direct involvement of residents in decision-making processes.

Focus Groups and Regular Meetings: Regular GM lunches or focus group sessions enable ongoing dialogue. For instance, a monthly lunch meeting can be a platform for residents to discuss recent changes or ongoing concerns, fostering a sense of involvement and community.

Utilization of Family Councils: Family councils, akin to advisory boards, can be instrumental in providing external perspectives on resident care and community life. This mirrors the collaborative approach seen in platforms like Carely, where family input is integral to care planning.

Ongoing Feedback Mechanisms: Establishing continuous feedback channels like digital suggestion boxes or regular follow-up surveys ensures that actions taken are resonating with residents and allows for quick adjustments.

Cross-functional Teams: Creating teams that include staff from different departments and resident representatives can lead to holistic solutions. For example, a team focusing on activity planning could include fitness instructors, healthcare staff, and residents, ensuring diverse viewpoints are considered.

Incorporating Technological Solutions: Leveraging technology, such as apps for feedback collection or digital noticeboards, can modernize communication and make information more accessible, thereby enhancing engagement and responsiveness.

Direct Communication Channels: Establishing open forums like town hall meetings or suggestion boxes encourages transparency and builds trust. These platforms can be used to discuss survey outcomes, planned actions, and gather immediate resident feedback.

Family and Community Engagement: Involving families and the broader community through forums or workshops can enrich the service offerings. For example, a community partnership could lead to new educational programs or intergenerational activities within the residence.

Conclusion

Transforming survey data into actionable strategies is key in retirement residence management. It's about creating an environment where residents feel heard, valued, and actively participate in shaping their living experience. This approach fosters a community of satisfaction, belonging, and continuous improvement.
 

By Patrick Boult, COO, Greenhouse Marketing, Sales & Recruitment

The DementiAbility Methods offer a philosophy of care that promotes an interdisciplinary, person-centred, wholistic approach to the health and well-being for people living with dementia and other forms of cognitive loss. The goal of these methods is to enable abilities, maximize independence, facilitate social connection and empower engagement (in meaningful activity and in activities of daily living), based on an understanding of the connections between the brain, personal narrative, environment, and behaviour.

DementiAbility provides easy-to-use tools that are designed to help carers to think differently about dementia, with a focus on developing skills related to fact-finding, empathy, observation and creative problem-solving, with the objective of developing an individualized plan of action that responds to a dynamic understanding of the needs, interests, skills and abilities of each person in their care. Moreover, DementiAbility also helps care partners to understand the role of the built - enabled - environment when supporting independence, quality of life and overall well-being.

The DementiAbility Methods includes each of the following elements:

• The physical environment is familiar, set up for success and looks, feels and smells like home, with required memory supports in place
• Each person has many and diverse opportunities to be engaged in daily life and lives with meaning, purpose and joy
• Independence is fostered
• Each person feels he/she belongs, has the opportunity to connect with others, and has diverse opportunities to give and receive love. Each person has diverse opportunities to make meaningful contributions to his/her day/home/society (e.g. - chores & tasks). Self-esteem is enhanced because each person is set up for success. Each person is empowered to make decisions and voice his/her choice
• Staff, volunteers, and families, individually and as a team, know how to enable abilities, according to needs, interests, strengths, skills, and abilities based on an understanding of lost and spared memory
• Each person enjoys balanced living, including opportunities to engage body, mind, and spirit/social. Needs related to love, belonging, social connection, and cultural/spiritual/religious norms, beliefs, and practices are identified and addressed
• The organization clearly supports its team and connects its vision and mission to the DementiAbility principles and philosophy of care. The team works together to enhance, and expose, the abilities and potential of each person in its care
• Knowing that individuals with dementia live in the moment, each carer is committed to making every moment count

Why Use the DementiAbility Methods?

When the DementiAbility Methods are put into practice, there are many positive outcomes that can be realized. This includes the following:

• Environments and individuals are set up for success - thereby creating a place where people want to live, work, and visit
• Environments look, feel, and smell like home
• Life story information affords positive outcomes, as it is used to understand behaviour and to create person-centred interventions
• Residents benefit from engaging in meaningful jobs, tasks, chores and leisure activities (evidence shows they will engage longer and report higher levels of satisfaction)
• Memory supports enhance independence and self-esteem, as they help residents to find locations, find things, do things (independently) in the right order, connect with others (through the use of name tags and nameplates on tables), and engage in activities that support memory loss
• Care partners, with an understanding of spared memory and spared capacity, know how to create positive experiences and outcomes
• Carers know how to train individuals living with dementia to use memory cues
• With an understanding of behaviours (including triggers), there is a reduction of falls, UTI’s, delirium & hospital admissions related to delirium
• There is an increase in resident, family and staff satisfaction
• There is a reduction of responsive behaviours
• There is a reduction in the number of medications used to address responsive behaviours
• Carers understand the vitally important connections between the brain, life story, environment and behaviour, and know how to problem-solve to create interventions that address needs, enable abilities, and set each person in their care up for success

Refer to www.dementiability.com for additional examples.

The landscape of long-term care (LTC) in Canada is undergoing a profound transformation, shaped by the shifting demographics towards an aging population, and upended by the impact of the global pandemic. This article delves into the emerging trends that are reshaping the Canadian LTC domain, focusing on six key areas of impact:

1)    Person-centered care
2)    Workforce development
3)    Technology integration
4)    Policy reforms, 
5)    Role of family caregivers.
6)    Alternate care options

1)    Elevating Person-Centered Care: Fostering Dignity and Autonomy

The spotlight is now on person-centered care (PCC) in the Canadian LTC realm, championing the importance of tailoring care strategies to each resident's unique needs, preferences, and dreams. Learning from models of care, such as PACE (Programs for all-inclusive care for the elderly), reinforce a more holistic approach to resident well-being. Such movements acknowledge the diversity in seniors' backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations within LTC facilities. PCC emphasizes involving residents and their families in care decisions, championing open communication, upholding dignity, and encouraging resident autonomy. Extensive research showcases that PCC significantly enhances residents' quality of life, well-being, and sense of belonging (Williams et al., 2018).

2)    Empowering the Workforce: Uplifting Care Quality

The backbone of the LTC sector rests upon a skilled and dedicated workforce that delivers top-tier care to residents. Shortages of staff at all levels has reinforced the need to encompass the bolstering of training initiatives, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and strategies that enhance job satisfaction and retention rates. By investing in the continuous development of LTC staff, Canada is striving to ensure that caregivers are well-equipped with the expertise and empathy required to provide adept and compassionate care (Berta et al., 2015). The recruitment and utilization of immigrant workers has become more widespread, helping to reduce shortages, and resulting in reducing the degree of institutionalization among older adults (Butcher et al., 2022).  Furthermore, fostering interprofessional partnerships among diverse healthcare professionals enriches the holistic care experience, benefiting residents' overall well-being.

3)    Technology's Frontier: Revolutionizing Care Delivery

Technology is a driving force in the Canadian LTC sector, presenting novel solutions to amplify care delivery, communication, and resident engagement. Electronic health records (EHRs) streamline information sharing among healthcare practitioners, leading to improved care coordination and seamless information flow (Bonnell et al., 2020). Globally, advances in robotic technology is being seen in all aspects of care and service delivery, relieving workloads and positively impacting staffing shortages. Telehealth and telemedicine facilitate remote consultations and monitoring, particularly vital for residents in geographically isolated areas. Moreover, assistive technologies such as smart home devices, wearable sensors, and medication management apps empower residents to maintain independence while ensuring their safety (Arcand et al., 2019). The pandemic served to accentuate the value of continued online connections with families. The integration of these various emerging technologies is not only enhancing care quality, but they are also empowering residents and families to play a more active role in shaping their care plans.

4)    Pioneering Policy Reforms: Forging the Path Forward

The pandemic exposed the limitations of existing long term care models. In recognition of the need for comprehensive change, policymakers across Canada are enacting reforms to elevate the LTC sector. These reforms span financial allocations, regulatory modifications, and initiatives aimed at improving care quality. Investments in LTC infrastructure and staffing levels aim to address capacity limitations and enhance care quality (Canadian Institute for Health Information [CIHI], 2021). Reinforced regulatory frameworks prioritize the creation of safe and respectful environments for residents, while quality improvement initiatives promote the continuous evaluation and enhancement of care practices (CIHI, 2020). These policy reforms stand as the bedrock for establishing a resilient and effective LTC system.

5)    Family Caregivers: Essential Collaborators in Care

Family caregivers play a pivotal role in the Canadian LTC landscape, offering emotional support and actively contributing to residents' care journeys. The burgeoning trend centers on recognizing and supporting family caregivers through education, respite services, and their inclusion in care planning (Sherwood et al., 2021). Acknowledging the indispensable role of family caregivers enriches communication, assures care continuity, and ultimately enhances residents' well-being. Collaborative partnerships between LTC facilities and family caregivers yield a comprehensive support network that positively influences the lives of elderly individuals.

6)    Alternate Care Options

The experience of alternate long term care delivery modes from other jurisdictions has opened up new possibilities for care, and are seen to become more commonplace in the future. Such adaptations as Green Houses (small nursing homes integrated into the local community), UK extra care housing near communal spaces, and the Netherlands integration of college student housing and nursing homes, are examples of new approaches to long term care. The expanded presence of hospice care provides an alternate level of end-of-life care that reinforces the importance of palliative care for those who are not in a long term care setting. Conversely, the provision of palliation in long term care facilities has become the new norm. Reaching into the community, the utilization of new technologies is seen making home-based care an increasingly viable option for the provision of long term care for more seniors. 

Summary

While the pandemic has been a major disruptor in the care sector, it has served to bring attention to the need for change in long term care. As the demand for LTC continues to rise, keeping abreast of emerging trends remains pivotal in shaping effective policies and practices. A heightened focus on person-centered care will amplify the resident experience, and continued adjustments to workforce development will promote a strong base of skilled and compassionate staff. The integration of new technologies is about to revolutionize care delivery in all levels of care, and all facets of care. Policy reforms will continue to evolve in response to changing needs and expectations, while the support for family caregivers will be seen as a critical component of a robust and sustainable LTC sector. Alternate care models will continue to evolve, which in turn will impact the role and services of the long term care sector. 

By proactively embracing these trends, Canada forges a path towards a future where aging individuals receive exemplary care, maintain their autonomy, and continue leading meaningful lives within their communities.

References

Arcand, M., & Monette, M. (2019). Technology to support aging in place: Needs of older adults living with dementia. Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 22(1), 17-24.

Berta, W., Laporte, A., Deber, R., Baumann, A., & Gamble, B. (2015). The evolving role of health care aides in the long-term care and home and community care sectors in Canada. Human Resources for Health, 13(1), 1-11.

Butcher KF, Moran K, Watson T. Immigrant labor and the institutionalization of the US-born elderly. Publishes November 2021, Accessed May 25, 2022. Hyyp://www.nber.org/papers/w29520

Bonnell, A., Alvarado, K., & Berta, W. (2020). Electronic health records in long-term care: A scoping review. Health Informatics Journal, 26(3), 2250-2260.

Canadian Institute for Health Information. (2020). Enhancing the quality of care in Ontario's long-term care homes. Retrieved from https://www.cihi.ca/en/enhancing-the-quality-of-care-in-ontarios-long-term-care-homes

Canadian Institute for Health Information. (2021). Long-term care homes in Canada: How many beds are there? Retrieved from https://www.cihi.ca/en/long-term-care-homes-in-canada-how-many-beds-are-there

Sherwood, S., Spilsbury, K., DeCoster, M., & Dill, J. S. (2021). Exploring family engagement in long-term care homes: A scoping review of the literature. The Gerontologist, 61(2), e148-e161.

Williams, A. M., Lum, J. A., & DeForge, R. T. (2018). Making person-centered care come alive in long-term care organizations. Journal of Healthcare Management, 63(5), 344-358.

About the Author

Professional Background: Ron Martyn combines over 40 years in activities, administration and education in the long term care and seniors field. He has worked in activities and recreation (institutional and community based) services for seniors, served as an administrator in long term care facilities, owned a retirement facility for 20 years, and initiated a college level (Sheridan College) gerontology program. He is co-owner of ActivityPro Inc., providing software support for professional recreation documentation and staff training in the long term care sector. 

Ron specializes in the provision of training and consulting in the areas of recreation/activities and organizational leadership. He combines his experience and expertise in the seniors’ field with his work as a trainer, presenter, and program developer in the field of education, to provide stimulating and real-world perspectives in his presentations. Ron has provided his services at the local home level, for major provincial and national associations, and at professional conventions.

Ron Martyn
Silver Meridian
rmartyn@silvermeridian.com

I'm not perfect. I'm guessing you aren't either. 

I make mistakes. I've already made some this week, and I'll make some next week. I was born as a baby and not a leader. As I get older, I continue to learn how to be a better leader. My experiences shape who I am, both mistakes and successes.

I look back to some of the things I've done and wondered what I was thinking. Sometimes I was too eager, and sometimes I was too naïve. Most of the time, when I look at my mistakes, I realize I didn't examine the situation while I was in it, which makes me oblivious.

Here are some of the leadership mistakes I've made and how to fix them.

1.    Getting caught up in group gossip. Our peers are important to us. It doesn't matter how old you are; there are times when we all still feel like an awkward teenager. We want to have someone to chat with at coffee. It's nice to have a friend or two at work. We all inherently want to belong.

Sadly, gossip is how many people create conversation and commonality among their workmates. 

"Did you hear about Michael? You won't believe what he just said to the CEO!" or "I cannot believe that Michelle wears that into the office. I wouldn't wear that to the nightclub!" "Did you hear the scuttlebutt about accounting? Many layoffs are coming, and I bet I know why."

Work and the people at work are what we have in common. It's something we can easily chat about in the elevator, while waiting for a meeting to start, or a quick text to break up our afternoon doldrums to our work friends.

And boy, have I been guilty! It was easy to talk about all of those things. It was light conversation that made me feel like I belonged. But it is the wrong thing to do. Participating in gossip (even if your managers and leadership team do it) is unprofessional and will hurt your ability to lead.

Create boundaries. Refuse to talk about the boss, the company, and other coworkers. Learn to walk away, change the subject, or defend whoever is being talked about. Hold yourself to a high "non-gossip" standard and don't engage in work issues with coworkers in the office or outside of it.

2.    Finding Fault. When things go wrong, it doesn't have to be someone else's fault. We don't always need to find someone else to blame.

As a true leader, focus on the issues and what can be done, rather than who did what. Perhaps you need to take responsibility for the issue.

When I walk into my doctor's office, I don't want the office receptionist to complain that the doctor is always late. I want them to show leadership and take care of the situation, rather than throwing the doctor under the bus to gain my sympathy. And I don't want the doctor to blame the receptionist for poor scheduling either.

A true leader will take responsibility and ownership before they point the finger in blame. If you start focusing on solutions rather than blame, your coworkers will remain loyal to you.

3.    Trying to stay invisible. You may not be in a formal management role. You may not be recognized as a leader, but that doesn't mean that you cannot be an excellent leader in your organization. However, if you choose to fly under the radar and stay invisible, you will never be acknowledged for what you do or the value you add to the organization.

That doesn't mean you need to walk around all day, pointing out to everyone how great you are. It doesn't mean that you need to point out every task you do and proudly put your name all over every document you create, either. It does mean that when we do receive compliments, that we don't dismiss them.

When I first dated my husband, he was very complimentary to me, but I was uncomfortable with his compliments and brushed them aside. When I did that, he pointed out that I was dismissing something he thought was valid by saying, "No, that isn't true," by my words and actions. He pointed out that I needed to accept a compliment and not insult the giver.

When someone compliments you about your work, do you tell her that she's wrong or give the compliment to someone else? Do you say things like, "Oh, it was really Rachel who did the hard parts"? While Rachel may have been instrumental in helping you get the task done, she doesn't deserve all the credit—so don't give her all of the credit. Learn to say thank you and learn to stop giving away your reputation and credibility.  If you are leading a team, everyone realizes that you are not doing that alone. By all means, thank the team and give them credit where credit is due, but don't ignore yourself in the process.

Do you make a point of coming prepared to meetings and speaking up during them? You should, especially if you're intent on establishing a leadership role. Show yourself, the company, and your coworkers that you have something to contribute. Be prepared so that when you do contribute, your contribution is valuable.

Learning to lead takes time. Along the way, we are bound to make mistakes. Mistakes are a learning mechanism, so be sure to learn. If you can see yourself in my examples, then be sure to make the appropriate changes, so you don't continue to make the mistakes.
 

When it comes to building a cold beverage planogram set, it’s easy to be influenced by personal preferences and biases. Maybe someone on your team insists on pushing a certain brand, or a loyal customer is always looking for grape soda. Are these the right choices? To optimize your sales, it’s important to remain diligent and make product decisions based on data and facts.

Building the right assortment starts with having all the categories covered. Specific drinks pair better with different meals, dayparts, and/or consumers. Soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, isotonics, iced tea, and various types of water should all be represented. It is better to reduce the number of individual SKUs than to eliminate a category altogether. Even in the smallest retail spaces there should be sufficient room to stock up top sellers. If there are multiple coolers or machines side-by-side this could be used to extend the overall planogram space as it will allow you to take advantage of the extra area. However, if your beverage equipment is situated at opposite ends of the floor plan, you should treat them as separate units.

A best practice is to lead with the most recognizable brand by group. For example, placing Coca-Cola at the start of the carbonated soft drinks, or Gatorade to begin the isotonics/sports drink section.  Consumers will search from left to right for visual cues, such as logos and colours, to locate their preferred beverage choices, so it’s important to position products accordingly. The core selection within each category should be based on relevant market data and product rankings from credible sources such as Nielsen. It’s good to stay on top of trends and performance, but there is one category that has stood the test of time: carbonated soft drinks. To this day, carbonated soft drinks are the number one segment and should make up at least 25% (or more) of your shelf space. This is as a starting point and may need to be even higher depending on your type of business.

As health and wellness continues to be important to consumers, operators should offer more low-calorie options. This can include diet or “zero” branded items as well as sparkling and premium waters. It’s essential to always have a “better for you” choice next to the traditional sodas and juices.

What About New Products and Innovations?

It can feel overwhelming with the number of new products, brand launches, and added flavours coming out each year and you can bet your cold beverage sales rep will bring them up every chance they get. Innovation should only be included in larger planograms to avoid cannibalization of core SKUs and make up less than 10% of total space. For best results, they should be positioned alongside their associated brand and/or category. 

The point of adding new products and innovations to your product mix is to keep the planogram exciting and refreshed with new additions as it can introduce new customers to a stagnant category and help to create impulse purchases. The trick is being selective, trying out, and determining your studs and duds. The studs will instantly become top performers and likely move from trial innovation to your core portfolio. The duds, on the other hand, will take up valuable space and can become an inventory risk. It’s okay to take chances, however if something isn’t selling it’s your imperative as an operator to move on quickly!

Need assistance in sourcing the perfect beverage mix for your vending, office coffee, or micro-market operation? Let Complete Purchasing Services (CPS) Vending help you to find the perfect mix of products for your customer base. 

About the Author:

Andrew Smith is the Procurement Director of Consumer-Packaged-Goods at Complete Purchasing Services Inc, a leading supply chain solutions provider for hospitality and non-commercial clients in Canada. Andrew has been in the foodservice industry for 8+ years with expertise on cold beverage strategy and CPG category development. Learn more about Complete Purchasing Services by visiting eCPS.ca.
 

By focusing on creating an inclusive and equitable environment, and actively working towards that goal, organizations can be a shining example to their communities.  This will benefit the organization by providing a larger staff base to hire from, and more support from the community in terms of volunteers or other supports. This will also strengthen the corporate brand of the organization and ultimately contribute to better client service.

Pesce & Associates can assist with reviewing your policies and practices to ensure they are equitable and inclusive.  For more information visit our website at www.pesceassociates.com. 

Organizations have a legal and moral obligation to have established measures and procedures in place to prevent and respond to racism or discrimination in their workplaces. Beyond that, they also have a duty to foster environments that are respectful of human rights and inclusive to all.  This isn’t an easy job, it isn’t a one-time-only action, it is ongoing. This takes commitment and it takes work. 

Putting in the work will be a worthwhile effort though, as a diverse and inclusive work environment contributes positively to increased workplace productivity. Additionally, having an inclusive and discrimination-free workplace will likely result in:

•     An improved understanding of those you work for, with and around; 
•     A work environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential;
•     Multiple perspectives on problem solving; 
•     Better performance outcomes;
•     Increased retention rates; 
•     Increased employee morale; 
•     Improved client relations; and
•     Reduced number of complaints and grievances.

Keith Jeffers, in his article “How to respond to racism in the workplace”, states: “Systemic Racism is not attributed directly to the actions of specific individuals. Rather, it arises from policies, procedures, practices and conduct which may not be discriminatory in their intent, but which adversely impact racialized groups and individuals”. 

Failing to ensure that an organization is not engaging in, or condoning discrimination or harassment has serious repercussions. Human rights decisions are full of findings of liability and assessments of damages that are based on, or aggravated by, an organization’s failure to appropriately address discrimination and harassment. 

The following factors in Ontario Human Rights Code complaints have been provided as considerations for determining whether an organization has met its responsibilities to respond to a complaint of discrimination or harassment: 

•     Whether there were procedures in place at the time to deal with discrimination and harassment;
•     The promptness of the organization’s response to the claim;
•     The seriousness with which the claim was treated; 
•     Whether or not resources were made available to deal with the claim;
•     Whether the organization provided a healthy work environment for the person who complained, and
•     The degree to which the corrective action taken, if any, was communicated to the person who initially complained.

A large part of building an inclusive and discrimination-free workplace is taking the time to analyze your existing HR systems and processes with the purpose of identifying any barriers, or systemic discrimination that is built into those systems and processes.

The Supreme Court of Canada, in decisions from two separate cases, made it clear that systems must be designed to be inclusive of all persons. Organizations need to actively ensure that their policies and practices create inclusiveness, rather than making exceptions to force individuals to fit into the existing system. This includes reviewing policies, practices and decision-making processes within the organization, being aware of the possibility of systemic barriers and actively seeking to identify and remove them. 

When reviewing policies, practices and procedures, look for the use of informal or highly discretionary or subjective processes for decision-making. The less formal the process is, the more likely that subjective considerations or differing standards will be applied, thereby providing further opportunity for unconscious biases to come into play. By having formal processes in place for hiring, discipline, promotions, performance reviews, or rewards and recognition, everyone in the organization is treated in the same manner and is provided with equal opportunities. 

In some organizations, formal policies exist, but they are not always applied, or are applied unevenly. When this happens, it creates barriers for some. Don’t let discriminatory or harassing behaviour go unaddressed because you may have a policy in place, but it has lost its value because you don’t enforce it. The implementation and enforcement step is critical to creating an inclusive and discrimination free environment. 

It was mentioned that having formal processes in place can help to ensure that everyone is treated equally, and provided with the same opportunities, however if those standardized procedures were developed failing to take into consideration cultural differences, they may be creating barriers for racialized persons. This can be especially true with testing or evaluations that fail to account for cultural differences. Be sure to treat everyone as individuals. 

Organizations do not exist in a vacuum, they exist in communities that, in a nation like Canada, are made up of a very diverse group of people. Organizations’ workforces should look as diverse as the communities they operate in. The diverse make-up of the community should be represented within the organization and at every level of the organization.  Employers need to take action and be a leader in equity and diversity in their communities.  The first step is to review your HR systems and programs to understand if there is any bias or discrimination.  The next step is then creating implementation plans to address any gaps.  

Bersin by Deloitte defines inclusion as: “Creating an environment in which people feel involved, respected, valued and connected – and to which individuals bring their “authentic” selves (their ideas, backgrounds and perspectives) to their work with colleagues and customers”.   Create these workplaces and it will benefit your organization, your staff and the clients you serve.

About the Author:
Elizabeth Hill is the Managing Partner at Pesce & Associates Human Resources Consultants.  She is an experienced Human Resources leader with specialized knowledge and practice in health care, long-term care, and social services. Throughout her career, she has provided consultation and guidance to organizational leaders on employee/labour relations, recruitment, conflict management, performance management, employment legislation, compensation, and benefits.

A focus on building partnerships between unions and employers is the foundation of her role in supporting clients with labour relations from problem-solving and grievance resolution through to collective bargaining.

To support organizational success, Elizabeth has successfully facilitated, developed, and implemented strategic human resources initiatives, including strategic planning, employee surveys, organizational effectiveness projects, and core competency plans.

Elizabeth’s clients include hospitals, long-term care homes, community health centres, and other not-for-profit organizations.  She is a member of the Human Resources Professional Association.

At Pesce & Associates, our consultants have years of experience in developing programs to provide organizational capabilities for creating great workplaces. For more information, please visit our website at www.pesceassociates.com or contact Elizabeth Hill, Managing Partner, at 416- 491-1501 extension 23 or at ehill@pesceassociates.com.
 

There are times when I’m a terrible listener. During conversations, I’ve been known to be distracted, judgmental, argumentative – or to partially ignore the person I’m chatting with.

It isn’t that I don’t hear the person I’m speaking with; I certainly do. But it’s more that I’m not really listening to what they are saying. Since I know that listening isn’t my best skill, I consciously work on improving it.

There is a big difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a function of your ears. Listening is a function of your brain; making sense of the words that you are hearing. Just because you can hear does not mean you are a good listener.

I’m not the only one who isn’t a good listener. According to a report from Accenture, 96 percent of global professionals consider themselves to be good listeners, yet 98 percent admit to spending part of their day multitasking. We can’t be a multitasking and be a good listener simultaneously. Other research shows that we retain about half of what others say – regardless if we are multitasking!

Clearly, it’s not just me. Most people are not good listeners. They are too worried about what they want to say or their own point of view, multitasking, and not paying attention. When we don’t listen attentively, we are, in effect, saying to our to conversation partners that what they have to say isn’t important to us. This bad habit is not only hard on our relationships but also particularly detrimental to our professional success as well.

We all have bad habits when we listen to each other, and virtually all of us (myself included) need to fix those habits.

Check to see if you are guilty of any of the habits below, and if so, follow my advice to correct each bad listening habit.

1. You’re talking instead of listening.

Two people can’t speak at the same time and have a conversation. That’s more like two separate conversations. Each speaker is listening to what they themselves are saying, and they aren’t listening to each other (in fact, they are probably arguing).

So, you need to stop talking! When the other person is speaking, you should not be speaking. You shouldn’t be interrupting them, and you shouldn’t be thinking about what you will say next, nor should you look something up on your mobile phone to prove your point. If you are thinking about what you will say, you are still talking; it just isn’t out loud. It’s in your head, but it still means you’re not listening as you should.

Great tip – I’ve had many people tell me they are afraid that if they don’t say what is on their mind immediately, they will forget. If you can forget what is on your mind that quickly, it isn’t that important. If an idea comes into your head and you don’t want to forget, put your hands together and mentally assign that thought to your hands. Keep your hands together until you share your thought (when the other person is finished).

2. Your typical response is, “Me, too.”

When you make the conversation about yourself, you are not listening and certainly not validating the other person.

For instance, if you and I are chatting and you tell me that you are really busy, I shouldn’t be saying, “Me, too.” If I am, then I’ve made the conversation about me instead of about you (which means I wasn’t really listening to what you were saying). I could ask you what is keeping you so busy. I could ask if I can help. And during that conversation, I could mention that I am busy too. But I shouldn’t take your comment and make it about me. That isn’t relating to your conversation partner; it is making it all about you (and that makes you not only a bad listener but a bad conversationalist, too).

3. You’re distracted or multitasking.

We’ve all heard the expression, “Listen with your eyes” © Dr. Steven Covey. That means, essentially, paying attention to the person we are chatting with by looking at them (making eye contact). If we are distracted by something (a cell phone, computer, television, etc.), and our eyes are looking at something other than our conversational partner, we aren’t listening to the other person, but are only hearing what they have to say. We may occasionally ask a question, but we aren’t giving the other person our full attention.

Do one thing when you are in a conversation: listen. Don’t multitask, don’t focus on something else, but stop and really listen to what the other person is saying. Give them your full attention with your ears, brain, and eyes.

Listening is work, and it doesn’t happen automatically as hearing does. However, by being a good listener, you will reap the rewards both personally and professionally.

Thanks for listening.

About the author:
Rhonda Scharf is a Certified Speaking Professional and member of the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame. Check her and her workshops out at www.on-the-right-track.com and be sure to attend her Are you a People Manager? Series starting in March.

When I think back on some of the mistakes I've made, I'm surprised I even survived my career as a manager. That role is full of potholes, and I feel like I’ve stepped in most of them. 

I admit, I’m still making mistakes. I made one last week, and I’m sure I’ll make one next week. But I continue to learn from them, every day. And that will ultimately make me a better manager. In fact, many people believe that when you make a mistake and recover from it, you often become better at your job than if you’d never made the mistake in the first place. That’s certainly true for me. We get better when we make a mistake and fix it, because of the learning that comes from the experience.

In my role as a trainer, I’m aware that my mistakes can help not only myself, but others as well. I can help other people to not make the same mistakes I did.

Although everyone is different, and management roles vary widely, there are a number of mistakes that seem to trip up just about every manager at some point. They’re potholes in the roadway and they can cause a lot of dysfunction in the workplace. Fortunately, they’re avoidable.

These mistakes are particularly commonplace if you’re a new manager or supervisor.. Perhaps you’ve become the manager of people of the people you used to work with, who are now either reporting to you or are on a different corporate level from your role. And that means the rules governing how you behave and interact with your colleagues, are now different for you. They changed the moment you accepted your new role.

The first pothole to watch out for is: becoming one of the team.

When I became a new manager, I was young, eager, and excited, because my promotion meant more money and more responsibility. I saw it as the first step on the fast track to success. 

What I didn't realize was that my new role was in some ways light years from my previous role. I had to make some big changes; because suddenly I wasn't exactly “one of the team” anymore.

But I was determined to not lose my place in my group of peers. I still had lunch with them daily, I still shared my personal life issues, and I still complained about the boss. 

Wrong!

When you step into a management role, you have to realize that you can't have your cake and eat it too. You can’t be “one of the gang” the same way you used to be. 

It didn't mean I couldn't have friends at work. But it did mean that I needed to create some boundaries. I could no longer join in when people were complaining about the boss, or venting. Those days were gone for me. 

Instead, I needed to treat everyone in my firm—and that included the bosses—with professional respect. I made an agreement with my old work colleagues that, even outside the office, we wouldn’t talk about work issues. Those boundaries were very important, and very helpful.

That was the first lesson I learned as a new manager. What have you learned?

Rhonda Scharf is a Certified Speaking Professional and member of the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame. Check her and her workshops out at www.on-the-right-track.com and be sure to attend her Are you a People Manager? Series starting in March.
 

With the new legislation on the single use plastic ban, many operators are actively seeking alternatives that will help to forward their sustainability goals without having a negative impact on their bottom line. 

It should be noted that the first phase of Canada’s new prohibition guidelines for single-use plastics is now in effect. As such, many items including straws and stirrers, foodservice ware, cutlery, check-out bags, and six-pack rings will no longer be manufactured or imported into Canada (effective December  20, 2022). As such, the manufacture and import of the following plastic items (see below) are now prohibited. The full sale and use ban will take effect at the end of 2023:

•    Cutlery: Includes knives, forks, spoons, sporks and chopsticks. Note that all plastics, including recyclable, “oxo-degradable” and/or compostable versions fall within this category.

•    Foodservice Ware: Items designed for serving or transporting ready-to-consume foods and beverages, including ‘clamshell’ containers, plates, cups, boxes, bowls and lidded containers. Also includes expanded or extruded polystyrene foam (a.k.a. EPS, or commonly known as Styrofoam), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), carbon black items, and plastics described as “oxo-degradable.”

•    Straws: Includes straight drinking straws, and bendable versions including those packaged with a beverage container (i.e., drink boxes).

•    Stir Sticks: Includes anything designed to stir or mix beverages or prevent spilling from the lid of its container.

•    Checkout Bags: Includes those designed to carry purchased goods from a business, such as at a grocery store, garbage bags are not included in this category.

•    Ring Carriers: Designed to carry beverage containers together.

Operators will have until the end of 2023 to deplete their inventory of these items and transition to fully compliant alternative items. It is worth noting that clarity on the laws keeps changing (e.g., bendable plastic straws for healthcare and feeding applications will continue to be allowed to be produced and sold).

How Can a Complete Purchasing Services Membership Help with the Transition?

Complete Purchasing Services (“CPS”) members have access to a packaging guide which provides alternative items. Moreover, CPS members can take advantage of “Best Value” contract pricing on the recommended alternative items meaning that operators can find some savings and mitigate the impact to their bottom line. 

Not Yet a CPS Member?

Learn more about the benefits of a CPS membership by visiting eCPS.ca > Success Stories, or > Contact Us to reach out to us directly. 

Already a CPS Member?

Please reach out to your dedicated Account Manager to request a copy of our packaging guide, or login to eCPS.ca > Program Updates to download your copy. 

Although civility and bad behaviour are not specifically referenced in the Ontario employment legislation, it is fair to say that civil societies have accepted that civil behaviour is the underpinning of all successful human interactions.

In the last ten years there has been an increasing body of academic knowledge that not only confirms that proposition but has now been able to quantify the losses in dollars, efficiency and productivity when uncivil behaviour prevails.  A study by researchers in the United States involving the multi-national giant Sisco Systems showed the cost of bad behaviour in the workplace to be in the many millions of dollars. 

While not legislated like workplace violence, it is clearly management’s responsibility to ensure that a civil workplace culture prevails; just as it is management’s responsibility to provide maximum returns in terms of efficiency, productivity, services or accountability to stakeholders, be they tax-payers, shareholders or clients.

We as Canadians have believed for many years that we are a very polite society, we even have an international reputation for politeness.  It is therefore interesting to note that the research in Canada now suggests that 50% of Canadians claim that they have been the victims of incivility in the workplace at least once per week! 

Good behaviour is clearly understood to be a top-down phenomenon and all levels of management are accountable, some might even say obligated, to ensure that the workplace culture reflects the expectation of good behaviour.  There is a risk that if an employer accepts and tolerates bad behaviour among its employees there is the potential for that behaviour to spread beyond the workplace. 
Research identifies the contributors to uncivil behaviour in the workplace. They include, but are not limited to:    

• Leadership
• Gender
• Age
• Power
• Generational Distinctions
• Culture
• Stress

Let us go through each of these topics in more detail. 

Leadership: in the context of workplace behaviour leadership involves demonstrating appropriate behaviour and investing time and effort in ensuring that workplace leaders are trained in how to be role models and how to detect and correct bad behaviour in others.

Gender: is a factor that cannot be ignored. Research shows that men are twice more likely to offend than women. Interestingly women will endure bad behaviour longer than men. However, perhaps as a consequence, women who have been victims of bad behaviour will be more likely to engage in disruptive gossip, now being called in some circles as boss whispering, than men. Given the makeup of today’s workforce it is critical that employers’ take steps to address this issue.

Age: research indicates that workers who are offenders in behaving badly are often older than the target of the behaviour by about six to seven years. While employers cannot mandate the age of the workforce they can take steps to mitigate the effect of age differences by sensitizing the offenders to more appropriate behaviours. 

Power: is also a determinant of bad behaviour, particularly in an environment where it is tolerated. Again this directs the conversation back to how leaders are trained and how clearly behavioural expectations are expressed.

Generational Distinctions: are very important in managing behaviour as different generations bring different standards to the workplace; knowing the differences and understanding how to integrate the various generations is critical to workplace performance. 

Culture: in this context can mean not only what is permitted in the working environment but also the culture from which the worker comes. As society becomes increasingly diverse so do workplaces and the accepted norms of behaviour may well change. 

Stress: can influence behavior enormously, it can be stress at work or stress away from work. It is important to understand the intersection of stress on workplace behaviour. There are many other issues that are external to the workplace and therefore beyond an employer’s direct control, but which should be acknowledged by organizational leaders. Again, as with many other elements that influence behaviour, appropriate training of all levels of management is critical to being in the best position possible to deal with the outcomes of these phenomena in the workplace.
There are clear consequences to allowing bad behaviour to become the norm in a workplace. These include but are not limited to:

• Poor work quality
• Poor attendance
• Minimal work engagement 
• A lack of inclusion
• Weak job satisfaction

In addition researchers have shown that an uncivil workplace has been shown to impact ability; it has been discovered that there is some form of neuro-chemical reaction that takes place in the victims of bad behaviour that undermines physical and cognitive skills, and consequently affects the workers’ ability to work. This can result in what is being called an unseen civility tax when bad behaviour is left unaddressed. Some elements of that are:

• Poor decision making
• Lack of innovation
• Increased grievance activity
• Poor client/customer service
• Poor or diminished reputation
• High staff turnover
• Weak or poor “early warning system” for significant internal issues

Ultimately, if you want a successful workplace where employees are engaged and providing high quality services to clients, ensuring you have a civil workplace is critical.  Employers must be vigilant in clearly and energetically establishing and indicating what constitutes acceptable behaviour in the workplace.  Establish what behaviour is expected, and then hold everyone, leadership and employees, accountable for this behaviour at all times.
 

As we know, the pandemic has changed how we work. These days, most employees seem to prefer a hybrid model, with some workers even considering changing careers over returning to the office full time. For employers on the other hand, getting back to the office is a must, if only to justify paying for the space. But how should they go about it? CPS has some answers.

For employees, remote work offers many advantages, whether it’s flexible hours, reduced travel time and costs, or improved work-life balance. Employers have benefitted from it as well, since it helped them maintain productivity through the global crisis, while reducing maintenance and operating costs.

At the same time, they continue to pay for spaces, often very large ones, with very few employees showing up. If you want them to return, you will need to reassess the space and services you provide. The idea is to create a healthy, comfortable environment where people feel at home.

Focus on layout

Break rooms are a good place to start. If possible, make them spacious and comfortable. The most appealing break rooms include a lounge area, a foosball table, playing cards and so on. While breaks may have once been considered a luxury, today they are recognized as essential and as a way of increasing productivity. Workers need to be able to truly unplug, disconnect and relax, and they should be able to do this as they see fit, without anyone controlling the number or duration of their breaks. It all comes down to trust. These spaces exist to promote interaction and collaboration among colleagues, helping the company culture grow. 

Flexibility is another key aspect. Just as they do with remote work, employees need to be able to fit their work time into their home life and strike a healthy balance. Why would they want to go back to the office if it means losing the balance they’ve achieved during the pandemic?

In-office services

Access to food and beverages is another important consideration. From vending machines to mini-markets, employees need modern food options that fit everyone’s needs and desires. Opt for fresh, healthy products they can eat throughout the day. Beverages are also important, and you should offer an unlimited supply of free, high-quality tea and coffee. Other options include setting up a smoothie bar or coffee shop with a barista. Otherwise, a simple coffee machine, kettle and microwave are sure to make your employees feel more at home.
During breaks or on lunch, employees will no longer need to go and spend time in lineups, which will reduce stress and save them money. It will also make the office a more lively environment in which colleagues can interact and have a pleasant time together. 
Employees have also mentioned free parking, gas reimbursement, access to gyms or outdoor spaces, and on-site restaurants as important factors when working at an office.

Meeting today’s challenges

While working remotely may be comfortable, it certainly has its drawbacks. Staying focused can be a challenge outside the office, as there are generally more distractions at home. Employees may also miss the social component of interacting with colleagues—all the more reason to make your office a dynamic, comforting and motivating environment. Coming back to work should be an enjoyable experience.
Life today comes with its own set of challenges. Inflation and rising electricity costs are making workers reluctant to stay home full time—something you should certainly keep in mind. Not only will they want to come back, but their physical and mental health will flourish. And in 2023, this is everyone’s priority.

Highlight: Getting workers back to the office is no small task. Focusing on comfort and services is a great way to start.