Keeping Spirits Bright

“It became apparent that stress is an individual thing,” she says. A further survey of employees revealed that the workplace wasn’t even the primary source of stress; depending on the individual, it might come from issues at home, financial troubles and so on. Nonetheless, the problems intrude into the workplace, impeding workers’ ability to perform their best. So the company introduced lunch-and-learn sessions about dealing with specific kinds of stress.

On training, the fast-growing company recognized that it was no longer a small business and needed some formal policies, such as an education assistance program that reimburses employees for 50% of expenses at the start of a work-related program and the rest on completion. Hunter is just now working on an employee recognition tool kit. Inter Pipeline, as it happened, had an OK year in 2009 and was not forced to cut back, either on payroll or perks. But whether or not the new initiatives cost a lot of money, she says, the important thing is that the company is really listening to its employees and responding as best it can.

Beyond communicating well, there are a number of things employers can do to combat a sag in morale. Often it’s a matter of analyzing costs and benefits, and setting the right priorities. If employees are being asked to do more with less, don’t hold back on the tools, the HRIA’s Bouchard recommends. Continue to provide learning and development opportunities, even if they are just low-cost internal training or webinars. Both Vista Projects and Inter Pipeline increased their training activities over the past year. Equally important, employers should make time for fun and celebrate the wins, even if it’s just in the office, she says. In-office competitions such as interdepartmental challenges (to raise money for charity, decorate workspaces to celebrate holidays, etc.) or ticketed out-of- office events create a sense of reward at a minimal cost.

Edmonton architectural firm Manasc Isaac, a Best Workplaces finalist in two categories, really started to notice the slowdown in the spring of 2009, says partner Shafraaz Kaba. For the first time in years, the company was unable to offer salary increases or hire co-op students for the summer to help out with the workload and allow staff to take vacations. But management made sure other things, such as the annual company ski trip, kept going as before.

“The small things don’t make a huge dent [in company expenses],” Kaba says. The company used a slow Remembrance Day in November to hold a staff retreat when the entire group could review goals and bring ideas forward, as well as have some fun. During the afternoon, employees were split up into groups of three to create five-minute videos about the meaning of sustainable building, to be screened at a “YouTube festival” over dinner (ordered in to the office) that evening. “It was a hoot,” Kaba says. (The seven competing videos can be viewed on Manasc Isaac’s website, manascisaac.com.)

Upside Software, a finalist in the Best Workplace for Diversity category, is in the fortunate position of avoiding most of the downsides of the recession (profits and revenues were up in 2009) while taking advantage of the upside (turnover dropped to around 1%). Still, CEO Ashif Mawji recognizes that employees may still be affected by job loss in the family or investment losses. With that in mind, the company increased its benefits coverage last year. “We’re doing a lot more family-type events,” Mawji adds, reflecting the fact that the software firm’s once mostly young and single staff is growing up. Unlike other companies who use their suites at Rexall Place to entertain clients, Upside makes it available to every employee at least once a year. “Our clients are primarily in the U.S.,” Mawji says. “It’s mostly for staff.”

Recognizing and thanking staff for their extra efforts is especially important during the hard times, HRIA president Bouchard notes. Last June, the Calgary Airport Authority, another Best Workplaces applicant, rolled out a new program called YYC Miles, whereby employees can recognize their peers for good work. Every month each employee gets 1,000 points to give to co-workers, or lose. As employees accumulate points, they can use them to purchase items ranging from movie tickets to deluxe barbecue sets. “It’s been very well-received,” says senior HR director Cynthia Ewanchyna, at least in part because it is completely employee-driven and unfiltered by management.

“When you listen and act on their ideas, people feel like they are contributing,” says Greg Kopchuk, the Edmonton-based CEO of small-business consulting network ActionCoach Canada. That can go a long way to making up for a pay freeze. In fact, he says, “Salary is a dissatisfier, never a satisfier. People will never be satisfied with the amount of money they make.” But if you enlist employees in an effort to overcome external challenges, make the effort transparent – even opening up the company books – and demonstrate the sacrifice that the owners are making (as Vista Projects’ partners did), most will come on board.

Bouchard agrees. Even in the presence of painful cutbacks, she says, “People will pull together to get work done when you go through a difficult period.”

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