No one wants to fall victim to fraudulent letters or scams and with today’s technologies, these cons can arrive in a number of ways, whether that be through direct mail or email. These letters sound convincing as they can impersonate an attorney, financial institution, or government agency. It is best to be cautious, especially when receiving unexpected communication, and learn how to detect warning signs. It is always a good practice to take a second look at an official letter or email and never click on the link provided or respond to a phone number included, even if your initial take is that the communication is real. If...

As summer comes to a close, employees are taking vacations to try to enjoy the last of the warm weather. But if they are leaving the country, they should be prepared and make sure that they are covered by travel insurance for any unforeseen accidents. There are many reasons to book travel insurance before planning a vacation. What if an emergency happens and flights needs to be cancelled? What if luggage is lost? What if there is a medical mishap and a visit to a hospital is required? What happens if you are pickpocketed? Luckily, most basic travel insurance policies cover these unexpected events and will help reimburse...

Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for our overall health, which is why most employers make sure to include dental plans in their employee benefits packages. Even if you follow a diligent oral hygiene routine, it is always good to take advantage of your dental benefits to be certain there are no surprises. Your dental hygienist is a professional doctor that is looking out for your health and you should visit them just as often as you would your family doctor. It is highly recommended that adults visit their dentist regularly at least once a year, however some people may go sooner if their benefits plan allow them...

If an employee is injured at work, there are responsibilities on both the employee and the employer when a claim is made through the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB). It is important to note that all workers have a right to make a WCB claim if they are hurt at work and that it is against the law for an employer or supervisor to ask an employee not to report an injury. The first step is to inform your employer of your injury. Try to give as much detail as possible if you are able to immediately. In the event your treatment requires more than basic first aid, you...

The very first email was sent in 1971, and since then the world has grown to use email as an effective means of communication in the workplace. Over 300 billion emails are sent daily, with the average worker receiving 121 emails per day. With so many emails going back and forth, its important that the message you are sending stands out from the rest so it can be noticed, read, and actioned as needed. Tailor you email to your audience – Before sitting down to write out your email, spend some time thinking about the recipient and what kind of communication they would expect. You might need a...

Customer service etiquette is one of the most fundamental aspects of any business. Doing it well defines how successful a company will be in the future. This applies to any and all industries, from entry-level to professional, especially in sales. While it might seem easy to always be cordial while speaking to customers, it can become easy to forgot to do so when problems arise between your team and a client. Below are a few tips and tricks to ensure your employees are on top of their customer service game: Smile: First impressions are the foundation of the tone of a conversation. Customers will be more at ease...

March is Nutrition Month in Canada, which is a great reminder to employers to take a look at promoting healthy eating in the workplace. Food has a direct impact on performance and productivity, and healthy foods will provide energy and happiness to employees – which in turns makes them more engaged, creative, and effective during the day.  There are many different ways to engage and empower your workforce to explore healthy eating in their daily routines: Start by offering opportunities for employees to educate themselves on healthy eating practices. Catered lunch-and-learn sessions, inviting a nutritionist onsite for a workshop, or even posting nutrition information and resources in a...

As we roll into February, many Canadians are starting to think about putting down their snow shovels and picking up their calculators. That’s right, it’s almost tax season! It might not be the most exciting thing in the world, but we can all agree that its an important and necessary part of the year – and a great excuse to stay inside on the colder nights to come!    The deadline to file your 2021 taxes with the Canada Revenue Agency is technically April 30, however you will have until May 2 this year as April 30 falls on a Saturday. If you or your spouse/common-law partner are...

Organizing a meeting with your team is a great way to problem-solve, collaborate, and make group-based decisions; however, the point of sitting down together may be moot if the meeting itself is ineffective or inefficient. If a meeting is to be the best use of everyone’s time, then it should be used to convey information, answer questions, brainstorm ideas/problem solve, network, or sell a product, idea, or service. Before gathering the team for a meeting, you should determine if it’s necessary to sit down together at all. Prior to scheduling and organizing, ask yourself the following questions: Why am I booking this meeting? What do I want to...

“Cold Calling”, or reaching out to a potential customer with no prior interaction, can be one of the most daunting aspects of sales. So much so that it often keeps good people away from the profession! The question almost everyone asks when diving into a sales role is “Do I have to do cold calling?” There is a wave of thought that believes the era of cold calling is dead. Networking seems to be the way to become successful in sales, as this is where all the big deals take place. Senior-level contacts will often not accept cold calls, and the only way to meet them, connect, and...