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As we head into the colder months, many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder or SAD. People who work from home can be impacted even more. In this post, we'll dive into the definition of SAD along with signs and symptoms and how it affects your wellness. We'll also share ideas of how to manage it, especially if working remotely.

What is SAD?

Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that is directly related to the changing of the seasons. It typically starts and ends at the same time each year and lasts through the winter. It impacts energy levels and can make people feel moody. Some people brush it off as the winter blues, but cases of SAD can be much more severe than that.

How to Manage SAD

You don't have to tough SAD out on your own. It's recommended that you talk to a professional about your symptoms and what to do about them. But there are a few things that can help you try to stabilize your mood during the winter.

Get Fresh Air

The shorter days impact the feelings of SAD, but you can counter them a little by taking advantage of the daytime and going outdoors. Even for just a few minutes each day, fresh air and sunlight can give your mood a boost. At home, take a break midday to go for a walk around the block before returning to your computer.

Set Boundaries

One of the most important things you can do when working from home is set boundaries. And this is especially true if you're experiencing the symptoms of SAD. Make sure you're setting clear boundaries around your start and end time each day. While it can be challenging to say no to events and activities in the winter months, it's okay to curate what you do so you aren't exhausted.

Engage in Social Activities

However, social activities can help you feel better when you're dealing with the symptoms of SAD. Winter holidays are a way for us to stay active, engaged, and grateful when the weather is cold. Pick a few social activities to commit to and let yourself enjoy them.

If you believe a change of pace could help, consider starting a job search with us.

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions today.

The holidays are right around the corner, and if your team is still working remotely, you should consider how to celebrate. Putting intentional effort into your company culture can have a significant impact on employee morale. Here are a few ways to give back and have fun celebrating another year of working together.

Virtual Cooking Class

A fun way to promote team building and provide a fun out-of-office experience for your remote workers is to sign up for a virtual cooking class. Your employees can join via Zoom or other video conferencing software and follow along as the instructor makes the food. There are also mixology classes and baking classes available.

A Gift Exchange

It can be fun to coordinate a gift exchange among your WFH employees. You can arrange it like a Secret Santa, or you can send gifts to your team to open on a holiday party video conference. If your employees participate in the gift exchange, provide a budget to help them stay on track. If your team is okay with it, share their mailing addresses. Otherwise, have them send the gifts to a single person early to ship them to each recipient before the exchange.

Ugly Sweater Virtual Happy Hour

Ugly holiday sweaters have become ubiquitous with the season. There's even a day for it – National Ugly Sweater Day is the third Friday of December. This year, you can celebrate on December 17th. The best part about ugly sweaters is that there's no specific association with a winter holiday, so it's fun for everyone. Host a Zoom happy hour and have a contest for the ugliest sweater.

Choose a Charity to Support

Another way to celebrate the holidays is to promote charitable giving. This demonstrates a culture of gratitude and an interest in your shared community. Choose a cause to support, and your employees can participate in any way that is comfortable for them, from donating money to volunteering in the community.

If you need to hire more talent in 2022, consider working with us.

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions. Our Talent is Finding Yours.

When was the last time you reviewed and reworked your onboarding process? Onboarding, beyond simple training, is the first impression your new employees have of their experience working with your company. An astounding 33% of new employees quit in the first 90 days, so it's a critical process for employee success and retention. If it's been some time since you've last refined your approach, you should take a look at it now. Here are some examples of poor onboarding to avoid and what to do instead.

No Communication Between Job Offer and Start Date

Some people feel that there's no need to reach out to a new employee between the time the offer is made and the start date. They know when they need to show up, and they're expected to do so. But a new team member wants to feel that you are as excited as they are to get started, so touching base a couple of times before they begin work gives them the confidence that they're making the right decision.

Wasting Their First Day with Paperwork

In the era of digital onboarding, there is no longer a need to save the necessary paperwork for the first day on the job. You can use various online programs to give your new employee access to TD1 forms, Personal Tax Credits Returns, and the new employee's SIN. You can also include any proprietary paperwork, such as your employee handbook. That way, it's completed before their first day, and they're ready to hit the ground running.

Not Being Prepared for Their Arrival

We have seen it far too often. Someone is scheduled to start a job and when they arrive, their supervisor is scrambling to find them a workspace, a computer, or anything else they need to be successful. Always prepare ahead of the first day for the new hire. Provide them with a desk or a cube and make sure it's ready for them to start.

No Regular Feedback

Some employers wait for the first 90 days before giving any constructive feedback. But at that point, your employee has already formed their opinion. Don't wait if you see something that needs to be corrected. Let them know right away and provide support for their overall improvement.

Not Providing Appreciation and Praise

At the same time as not providing regular and early feedback, many managers don't offer enough gratitude. Employees like to feel valued, even in their first days. Make sure you're providing praise for the good work they've done.

Do you need to replace an employee?

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions to speak with one of our recruitment consultants. Our Talent is Finding Yours.

Are you thinking about a career change? Have you considered learning a trade? Trade work can be both rewarding and lucrative. There are many great job opportunities in trades, such as electricians, millwrights, CNC machinists, tool and die makers, and many more. It may be helpful to see a few of the myths about trade jobs busted. Let’s take a closer look.

Myth 1 - Trades are for School Dropouts

Probably the biggest myth we hear about trade jobs is that they’re only for people who can’t make it in school or other fields of work. But that’s not true at all. Trades jobs are essential, and they require active learning and mastery just like any other position. But the most significant difference is that most trades jobs can be taught through shorter courses and rely more on experience than education to advance their careers.

A career in a trade is an excellent opportunity for people at all levels of educational background. These jobs will always be in demand and can be done long-term or on a short-term basis.

Myth 2 - They’re Only Jobs for Men

It’s true, many job listings for trades positions tend to use gendered language, and that needs to stop. Companies are becoming more aware of it, but there is a lot of work to be done. But trades are not just for men, and women are starting to take up more space in the industry. Women account for only 4.7% of construction jobs in Canada, but that number is rising.

Many people believe that women are the key to the trades shortage across Canada. But there will be barriers - Women have to work hard to get recognition and often make less than their male counterparts. Change often comes from within.

Myth 3 - There’s No Industry Growth

There is also the misconception that trade jobs are stuck in time, but that’s not true. There is plenty of growth, and these industries are evolving quickly as more technology becomes available. Canada’s construction industry has rebounded already since COVID, and more public works are being funded.

There is also growth within the industry. Just because you start at an entry-level role doesn’t mean you have to be stuck there throughout your career. Learning new skills is a great way to advance and move up the ladder.  

Are you skilled tradesperson?   Let us help you find your next career opportunity in this rewarding field.

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions. 

Adding a new engineer to your team requires a lot of consideration. Not only do you have to determine if they’re qualified for your specific job, but also to find out if they will be a fit with your current engineering group. This is why the interview process is so important. Before you begin asking the most common questions, here are a few unexpected interview questions that can get you to the heart of the matter and determine top engineering candidates for your openings.

How Would You Approach a Problem You’ve Never Faced Before?

Engineers have to be good at solving problems. But if they aren’t able to think outside of the box in an interview, how do you know if they can innovate on the job. Asking about their approach to new challenges will allow them to think on their feet.

What Do You Think is the Most Important Engineering Challenge We Face Today?

You want to see how invested they are in the future of the industry. If they only follow procedures and keep their heads down, they may not be informed of some of the common challenges in the industry. You also want to see where their mind goes and what interests them.

What About the Industry Do You Think Could Be Improved?

New candidates have the opportunity to make a difference and improve processes. So you want to hear from them how they might do that as a whole or in your company specifically. You’ll also get an idea of what they consider problems and how they would approach improvement.

What Steps Do You Take to Avoid Mistakes in Your Work?

Mistakes happen, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be avoided. You want to hear their processes for quality control at every step of the way. You want to hear how they check themselves and others throughout the process.

How Do You Keep Up with The Mundane Tasks of Your Job?

There are a lot of exciting parts of engineering, but there are certainly some boring parts. Everyone loves excitement, but the mundane tasks have to be completed, too. How do they approach these tasks and ensure they are done right?

Are you hiring for engineering jobs?

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions. Our Talent is Finding Yours.

Becoming an electrician takes time, energy, and skill. It’s not easy, and not all electricians are created equal. From just learning the ropes to becoming an expert, every part of the job is hard work that requires dedication. But once you’ve mastered the trade, there are infinite opportunities in the future. While technical experience is necessary, there are also soft skills required for success. Here are five qualities of the best electricians that make them invaluable to employers.

Experience

Most electrician jobs require experience. Companies want to work with electricians who have worked in previous positions in the industry. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t entry-level opportunities to get you started. Enrolling in an apprenticeship program is the most common way to gain the right experience.

Communication Skills

In your career as an electrician, you’ll communicate with people at all levels, whether you work for an organization or independently. Not only will you talk with customers, but you may talk with managers, engineers, architects, contractors, and more. Good communication skills are essential.

Time Management Skills

Most of the work you’ll do as an electrician is time-sensitive. And often, you’ll be required to self-manage your time. That means knowing how to break goals down into tasks and work to get them done promptly will be extremely important.

Problem Solving Skills

Electrical work is, at its core, problem-solving. While you may know your way around the process, every challenge is new, so you need to bring problem-solving skills to the table. Knowing how to do something and figuring out the best way to do it is essential.

A Sense of Adventure

Electricians work in a wide variety of environments. That means you may be ground level one day and at the top of a building the next. Or you may find yourself underground or deep in a tight space working on wiring. If you’re not open to new and exciting opportunities, it may not be a good fit for you.

If you’re a licensed electrician looking for a new opportunity, let’s connect.

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions. 

Though many people may wish to work from home, not everyone’s job is something they’re able to do from the comfort of their home office. As companies refine their hybrid work policy, consider how this will impact those who have no choice but to work on-site. Here are a few ways to address internal equity issues in your hybrid workplace, along with a few examples.

Ensuring Fairness

A need for fairness is just a part of the human experience. So, when one group of employees sees another treated differently, it can be frustrating. Leadership needs to make fairness a priority. One of the ways to do that is to fully communicate how resources will be divided between on site and remote employees. Even though they fully understand different jobs have different requirements, those who perceive inequity will begin to disengage.

Reduce Perceptions of an Inner Circle

Companies also have to be careful not to treat in-house employees differently than WFH employees. They will feel isolated, like they aren’t part of the inner group. That means you need to work hard to ensure that communication is effective across all channels to include those who aren’t in the office. Using the right communication tools will be an excellent start to creating more equity in a hybrid workforce.

Build Trust

Trust may be the most crucial aspect of having a successful hybrid work arrangement. Be open, build goodwill, keep in touch, addressing issues as needed, and managing expectations and outcomes. You can create a balance of trust if you can let the WFH people know they are part of the culture and engage the in-house staff with perks besides flexible schedules.

Types of Work

It’s also good for you to address the types of work that can be done at home versus in the office and adjust accordingly. Some office roles function better with in-person collaboration, while other tasks can be done easily at the home office. Production work can’t be completed at home, but other roles can. Create clear job descriptions to show your reason behind the classification of positions.

Do you need to know more about hiring top talent?

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions. Our Talent is Finding Yours.

If you want to take your career in a new direction, now is the time to think outside the box. Maybe you're looking to advance your career or find a job in a new field altogether. In any case, have you ever considered working with a recruiting agency? There are many benefits to partnering with a recruiter, so it's worth a closer look.

Career Coaching

Not all recruiting agencies are created equal.  However, reputable ones are worth their weight in gold.  They will work with candidates to help them find the best opportunities based on each candidate's individual goals and aspirations. They will seek to understand these goals and will give you career coaching to help you meet them. Recruiting agencies like itec aren't looking to fill a position, they're looking to match the right candidates with the right companies.

More Opportunities

Many companies also reach out to recruiting agencies first or exclusively for their open positions. This means, once you apply, you would have access to jobs before the general public. You can also consider contract assignments to keep your resume current while looking for your next career opportunity.

From Interview to Offer & Throughout Onboarding

Your recruiter is also there to help you prepare for your interview(s), coach you to ensure you put your best foot forward.  They will guide you through the offer stage and be a real confidant during onboarding to help make the transition into your new role as seamless as possible.

Local Knowledge

Recruiting experts aren't just knowledgeable about jobs; they're also experts in your local community.  Recruiting agencies are often involved in their community to get to know local businesses and give back. This local knowledge can be used to help guide you to those organizations that are a fit for your individual goals, skills, personality and overall fit.

Years of Experience

Your recruiter also taps into years of experience, both their own and that of itec. Having this kind of information at your fingertips while navigating your job search will help you find the best opportunity possible. And you will know that this resource is available to you if you ever need to find another position in the future.

Can we help you find your next opportunity?

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions.

Experts say it is more expensive to hire new employees than to retain your current staff. This is why employee retention is at the top of mind for businesses and individuals all across Canada right now. People want to work, but they also want to feel appreciated and safe in the current climate. Here are a few things you can do to keep your employees safe, satisfied, and on the job.

Understand Employee Learning Styles

Learning that many people quit before the end of their first 90 days on the job tells us a lot about the employee experience. One of the reasons is that people don't feel as though they're retaining information from training. That means the onus is on an employer to provide avenues to learning that incorporate all learning styles. This can include visual, audio, and demonstrations.

Refresh Safety Training Regularly

Safety training is never a one-and-done experience. Safety should be regularly reinforced throughout an employee's time with your organization. Begin with a safety orientation at the time of hire. Then offer regular, mandatory safety training to help reinforce behavior and train on any new policies or procedures as they're implemented.

Incorporate Safety into Your Company Culture

It's also important that safety be a part of your overall company culture. It can't just be something that you hear about once in training but never discuss again. It should be regularly reinforced through your corporate culture, mission, values statements, and employer branding.

Work with Safety Experts

You don't have to do it alone. Working with safety experts can help you develop a program that will work for all of your employees. Safety should always be something that includes all-hands-on-deck from your management team to contract talent.

Resources for workplace safety across Canada can be found here:

OHS Canada Magazine
Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine
Workplace Safety North

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Absenteeism is becoming a real issue in many facilities across the country. People are ghosting on their first day, walking off after lunch, and not making it past the first week or two on the job. The cost of rehiring is high, so retention is top of mind. Here are a few strategies that can get you in front of the issue of absenteeism.

Know What You Can Control

Manufacturing, in some positions, can have high turnover. Knowing that will help you manage your expectations when hiring new employees. However, there are various things you can control along the way. What you can do is control your onsite conditions to make your workplace safe and productive. You can make employees feel valued, which will increase their satisfaction. Also, review your pay rates, employee benefits, and PTO policies.

Provide Employee Perks to Contractors

Often, companies will work with contractors to help fill in the employment gaps. However, contractors who don't feel like they have buy-in with their assignment don't feel any loyalty to a job. Extending some of your company perks to contractors makes them feel included and part of the team. It's easy to shuffle that responsibility off to the recruiting partner, but incorporating some aspects of your company culture in the perks you give to your contingent workforce will keep them engaged.

Increase Accountability and Training

While positive reinforcement goes a long way to employee retention, you also have to have accountability in place for your entire team, including contractors. You need to make your expectations clear from the beginning and communicate them regularly in training provided to your permanent staff and contractors. Create a structure that shows what happens if absences become excessive.

Partner with Itec to Hire Reliable Talent

If you are facing employee attrition, consider working with a recruiting partner like itec group who can bring provide permanent and contract talent and help you manage them on the job. itec can work with you to find talent that matches your specific needs and place them on site. They can communicate your requirements and help reinforce accountability.

Want to learn more about hiring a reliable workforce?

Contact itec group Recruitment Solutions. Our Talent is Finding Yours.