Blog - Tech Talent North : Tech Talent North

Konstantin Tskhay Connects The Measures & Mindset That Matter Most For HR

With AI poised to leap onto desktops everywhere, the time has come for HR to take the reins of people analytics—beginning with cleaning house on the data they have. We sit down with Konstantin Tskhay, HR consultant, people analytics leader and managing partner and founder of Tskhay & Associates, to talk about the fundamental disconnects between HR, data and the C-suite—while exploring the metrics that matter, albeit in ways often previously unconsidered.

Fahd Alhattab Builds High-Performing Teams One Unicorn At A Time

Last month at Tech Talent North’s Eastern edition, Fahd Alhattab kicked off the conference with a powerful keynote on building high-performing teams and embracing disruptive leadership. Fahd’s insights challenge leaders to balance operational efficiency with a culture of exploration, empowering teams to innovate actively and adapt swiftly to industry disruptions.

A Business-First Framework for Designing High-Performance Startup Teams

In today’s feature article, our event chair, Michelle Brooks (Chief People & Culture Officer at Security Compass) shares strategies she uses to build teams that deliver exceptional results without relying on elusive “unicorn hires.” Her framework emphasizes the importance of growth mindsets, psychological safety, and a business-first approach to role design, providing actionable steps for startup leaders. We hope her perspective inspires you to rethink your team-building efforts!

Carolyn Lawrence Reveals Profitable Path of Putting Purpose First

While many DEI and ESG efforts languish, too often this is a matter of putting the cart before the proverbial horse—in this case, a unifying purpose that defines, measures and drives such efforts. This is the wisdom that Carolyn Lawrence, founder of CLEAR Path has been bringing home to some of the brightest minds in business, along with a single caveat—there is no magic bullet. Instead, as we sit down to discuss, Carolyn helps leaders get to the core of their latest hot button concern, address the underlying issues and build a strategy that not only answers those concerns, but reframes matters of DEI and ESG as twin drivers of future profitability today.

Ann Gomez Has Clear Concept for Productivity Boost

From the steam engine onwards, technological evolution has always been presented with the promise of greater productivity and a better quality of life for employees. How is it then that greater numbers than ever feel overwhelmed at work and in life despite a plethora of tools to boost efficiency, save time and help us connect? We sit down with bestselling author and speaker Ann Gomez to gain clarity around the present-day paradox of productivity. Ann is the founder and president of Clear Concept Inc. and her latest book, Workday Warrior, received an honourable mention for The Globe & Mail’s best management books.

phil di loreto Delights in What Makes Jane Run

What does a business grounded in delight look like like? Admittedly, it is not a word that pops up often in most leaders’ lexicons, but for Jane—an online platform for allied health and wellness practitioners based in North Vancouver—delight has been a foundation upon which the company was built. We sit down with phil di loreto, Director of People Operations at Jane, to explore the difference delight can make at work—for those who genuinely care about people, customers AND profits.

From HAL to PAL: Roald Harvey Puts AI to Work For

With AI feeling as though it arrived in the workplace overnight, opinions are still mixed— from visions of HAL to your next best pal—with fears ranging from obsolescence to legal and privacy concerns and its genuine effectiveness. According to recent studies, nowhere are those concerns more prevalent in the organizational picture than in the HR function—and for admittedly good reasons. We sit down with Roald Harvey, MBA, CHRL, Senior Director of People with Athennian, to learn more about the potential and perils of AI, as well as its ability to empower not just HR, but the people power in any business.

Jafar Owainati Helps Stack the Deck for Building HR Tech Business Case

Jafar Owainati, (co-founder and CEO of Barley) explains in this edition’s feature article how “The HR tech stack has evolved in the same way the HR mandate has evolved”. As talent markets grow more complex, HR professionals need to make full use of technology and know how to build a business case to show the value and ROI in investing in HR tech solutions to help contribute to the greater good of their organization.

Tess Collard Brings Micro-Moments of Meditation

In a world where the churn and change never seems to stop, what if there was a way to better buttress and better ourselves and our teams against the worst of it? What if it was as simple as breathing? We sit down with Tess Collard, founder of Chapter Two Meditation and co-founder of Eleven Eleven Talent Collective, to take a deep breath or two and explore how the superpowers of mindfulness are making major strides in business thanks to both the burgeoning science—and the indisputable results.

Jen Singhal Looks at ESG Framework as Future-Proofing Driver of Present Day Innovation

Aside from looming legislation and regulations, the push for Environmental Social Governance (ESG) has been accompanied by a growing realization among progressive companies that those three words can be distilled even further—smart business. As a prior corporate-commercial litigator who spent the past decade helping grow Benevity into a global, CSR success story before recently founding her own consultancy, few know how to put ESG to work like Jen Singhal. We sit down to talk about how to unlock ESG’s potential today, and why you likely already have, at least in part.

Amanda Mallow Helps HR Talk the Walk of Private Equity: Bringing ‘Pie in the Sky’ to the Table for Top Talent

For those focused on the hard tangibles in a total compensation package, too often private equity compensation pitches miss the plate entirely with talent and dismissed as pie in the sky. We sit down with Amanda Mallow, EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer of Sophos, a cybersecurity company with a large Vancouver presence, to talk about why, particularly in tough economic times, when it comes to private equity compensation, communications are as key as the offerings themselves.

Jarvis Sam Encourages Leaders to Explore the ‘Why’ of DEI (While Looking to Obstacles Within)

Over the past 2 years, many tech organizations have noticed the winds being taken out of their equity sails, and efforts and resources allocated to DEI initiatives may be causing polarization amongst employees and leaders alike. Tech Talent North keynote speaker, Jarvis Sam (Founder & CEO of Rainbow Disruption, Former DEI Officer for Nike) encourages leaders to identify obstacles within their organizations and explore the ‘why’ of DEI to keep the momentum going. Learn more in today’s feature article and see Jarvis live on June 6th.

QueerTech Breaks the Data Barrier with First-Of-Kind Research Report

While often touted as progressive, Canada’s tech industry has, until now, lacked the data to back up its claims – particularly in regards to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. With non-profit QueerTech’s release of Queering the Tech Ecosystem: Barriers and Opportunities—the first research report targeting the queer experience in Canadian tech—that progressive picture is largely questioned by the data compiled. We sat down with QueerTech’s Co-Founder Naoufel Testaouni to talk about not-so-ancient history, the impact of quantifying the queer experience in tech and finding the good news in hard numbers and first steps.

Shona McGlashan Offers Piece of Mind for Leaders Seeking Peace of Mind Around Mental Health at Work

Many leaders struggle to talk to employees about mental health than physical health issues– despite knowing BOTH impact their bottom line, corporate culture, and productivity. Shona McGlashan shares tactical tips and helps to define workplace responsibilities around mental wellbeing for team leaders and managers in today’s feature article. To learn more, join us in seeing Shona’s keynote session “Redefining Leadership: Prioritizing Your Mental Wellbeing”at the Tech Talent North conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre on June 6th.

Google’s Anna Baird Talks AI, EQ and Taking Ideation Into Action

While leaders of every industry will speak to the virtues of innovation, when asked to actually define it and point the way for others, most agree that would be a great idea. Fortunately, as one of the world’s largest employers, Google was built upon empowering innovation across a global talent base, which currently sits at about 180,000. We sit down with Google Culture and Innovation Evangelist, Anna Baird to talk about what really drives innovation at any scale—and why these very human traits are of even greater importance to unlock the full potential of the emerging AI and generative AI technologies.

Michael Timms Breaks the Blame Game for Better Result with Three Habits of Accountability

If you think every problem is someone else’s fault, Michael Timms, principal of Avail Leadership, would be the last person to blame you—but he does have a few handy habits to pass on that might change your life, as well as those looking to you at work. Both on the page and from the stage, Michael has been helping evolve the leadership dialogue and business results alike with the wisdom within his latest book, How Leaders Can Inspire Accountability. We sit down with Michael to sort through why breaking up with blame is key to resolving daily dilemmas and bottom lines alike.

Maturn Co-Founders Evolve Narrative Around Maternity Leave for Mothers and Organizations Alike

Calling all tech companies …. it’s time to review your maternity leave and return to work policies! Data shows that conditions for working mothers or women on mat leave may not be as good as companies think they are is causing invisible barriers to gender equality in the workplace. This week’s feature article explores data and strategies to help support mothers in tech with Maturn co-founders Jem Murtagh and Sonja Baikogli Foley.

Eric Franzo Brings Corporate Volunteering to Life (and Work) with Purposely.co

Volunteering has long proven its power to make the world a better place. That said, the greater reserve of people power—the working world itself—goes largely untapped. We sit down with Eric Franzo, founder of Purposely.co, a Vancouver-based company committed to building better corporate volunteering solutions, to talk about the traditional challenges, the network of non-profits in need and the true benefits for individuals and organizations alike.

TAP Network CEO Stephanie Hollingshead Talks Tech Sector Salary Survey Highlights: Pay Equity, Benefits and The Hungry Hippo

With the results of TAP Network’s 2023 Tech Sector Salary and Total Rewards Survey now shining through across the Canadian tech sector, we sit down with Stephanie Hollingshead, CEO of TAP Network, to talk about the changes and trends being tracked from last year’s survey results. From a renewed focus on incumbent talent to evolving benefits beyond compensation and steps forward for pay equity, Stephanie shares insights from this past year and notes some key areas to pay attention to in 2024.

Camille Dundas Takes Canadian Leaders ‘Beyond the Underground Railroad’ with Unique, Micro-Learning IDEA

Building better futures is only possible when we know our history, acknowledge its horrors and pledge to not only look within, but spread that learning throughout our communities. Unfortunately, while Canadians have learned that our history carries its own racist horrors, our curriculum has traditionally focused on the slavery and racism south of the border—devoid of the experience and accomplishments of non-white Canadians. We sit down with Camille Dundas, co-founder of ByBlacks.com and the driving force behind The IDEA Practice to talk about the importance of advancing the Black Canadian narrative beyond the Underground Railroad and into the realities of the modern workplace.

Lidia Pawlikowski Builds Better Organizational Mental Health By Keeping Strategy Before Tactics

Mental health in the workplace is a silent minefield that is speaking loudly in growing pools and stacks of organizational data. We sat down with Lidia Pawlikowski, Practice Lead, Health & Performance at HUB International, to discuss what myths and obstacles persist and why top tactics are secondary to organizational strategy in affecting mental health at work.

Steven Osiel Talks Importance of Taking Total Compensation Conversations Beyond the Numbers

When it comes to dollars and sense, the bigger picture of total compensation has changed so much in the post-pandemic world that many leaders in tech are still in transition. We sit down with 3rd Quartile Inc. founder Steven Osiel to talk about the state of total comp in a pay-focused present and why some leaders are struggling to strategically steer compensation conversations beyond hardcore numbers alone.

McKenzie Hunter Talks Cattle, Magic Beans and Top Tips for ESOPs

With chronic uncertainty taking up a lot of our post-pandemic mindset, the quest for balance and betterment continues for many—and it’s a quest more employers are backing and employees demanding for a bevy of reasons, ranging from personal choice to just plain, good business sense. We sit down with Norm Pure, VP of Organizational Consulting with The Energy Project, to talk the finer points of energy management and bust a few myths still holding back employers and employees alike.

Norm Pure Busts Wellness Myths in the Name of Healthy Business

Tonie Minhas Shares Core KPIs and Caveats for DEI Success

For Tonie Minhas, Neuroinclusion Services Project Manager with Auticon Canada Ltd., there is a clear business case to be made for DEI, but it can become one that serves everyone when approached through the lens of inclusive design—wherein grudging accommodations become individualized opportunities to fully contribute. Bearing in mind the need for due diligence in addition to data, we sit down to quantify the larger organizational opportunity by exploring four KPIs that drive and define the success of not only DEI efforts these days, but business itself.

Chi-Chi Egbo Helps Leaders ‘Workthrough’ Obstacles to Full Potential Professional Development

Despite an uptick in leadership recognition of the importance of career development, Chi-Chi Egbo, principal and founder of Workthrough, still finds low scores for professional development in engagement surveys to be a common trend—even within companies seeking to capitalize upon its potential. We sit down with Chi-Chi to discuss what it takes to make professional development thrive—and why it goes wrong so often.

Jay Kiew Shares Five Ways to Drive Transformational Change in Changing Times

Have you ever wondered why our organizations don’t prioritize effective change management when change itself is the only constant in the tech industry? If yes, you won’t want to miss Jay Kiew’s insights in today’s feature article or the opportunity to lean even more about AI and change management at Jay’s closing keynote session at Tech Talent North in Toronto on October 24th !

Bailey Parnell Drives Intergenerational Dynamics with a Call for Calibre Leadership in Tech-Driven Times

One of the greatest strengths an organization can draw upon lies within allying with the full spectrum of generational talent at play. Making the most of those intergenerational dynamics is far more than merely a matter of minding the gaps, but widening our minds, while ditching more than a few assumptions. We sit down to discuss with Bailey Parnell, founder and CEO of SkillsCamp, and internationally renowned for her intergenerational insights, to talk about the pace of change, latchkey kids and the need for calibre Elders.

Char Stark Delivers the Do’s, Don’ts and Due Diligence of Tech Layoffs

While layoffs have always been more prevalent in the tech sector, the past two years have seen a surge that has defied prior trends—with a nearly 650 percent increase in 2022 alone and 2023 tracking even higher rates so far. We sit down with Char Stark, a People Operations and Talent Strategist with Beacon HR to discuss the do’s and don’ts of layoffs, why the wave is pushing some into other industries and whether or not you really need to layoff at all.

East Side Games Group’s Josh Nilson on Changing the Game for Indigenous and Underrepresented Talent

Group co-founder and GM Josh Nilson had his career choices laid out for him early on in a small, Northern BC town. ”They didn’t include becoming a game designer, a sought after speaker or winning countless gaming and business accolades”. Since climbing to the top of the game though—from an indie, gaming studio in 2011 to being acquired for $159 million in February 2021 and now trading on the TSX as part of the East Side Games Group (TSX:EAGR-T)—Josh has taken a deeper look at the challenges of the colonial workplace. We sit down with Josh to talk about what is holding Indigenous and underrepresented talent back—and what leaders need to be doing to bring those colonial barriers down and people to thrive.

Lewisa Anciano Encourages HR Disruptors: Be Brave, Beware (and Follow the Five Cs)

Without a doubt, leaders’ perceptions of HR changed during the pandemic, as people issues flooded the forefront and HR rose to the occasion. Counted upon in countless ways throughout the chaos, the opportunity exists for HR to capitalize on their accomplishments, but is now the time? We sit down with the founder of Kickstart HR, Lewisa Anciano, a self-professed, passionate provocateur and veteran CHRO turned consultant, to talk about why HR’s role as a disruptor is so critical—as well as why being fired for doing the right thing is perfectly acceptable

Sandy Manj Builds Bench Strength Hiring for Culture Adds vs. Fits

After decades of talk about workplace culture, more employers are discovering the failures of seeking to find the perfect fit—homogeneity, stagnation and turnover among them. We sit down with equity proponent and presenter Sandy Manj, DEI manager with Bench accounting to dig deeper into the systemic roots of culture fit failure—and turn to the potential of building an enduring, organic culture grounded in adds versus fits.

Dr. Conrad Draws Strong Bond Between Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and Organizational Futures

With post-pandemic stress levels still running high in a world of continued uncertainties and traumas, the importance of leaders developing a new suite of skills—chief amongst them, emotional intelligence—has become paramount to survival. We sit down with author, presenter, and UKG’s VP of Human Insights, Dr. Jarik Conrad, to cast a light on the evolution of employee expectations and how emotionally intelligent leadership underpins any organizational hope for sustainable success in the remote/hybrid era.

Michelle Clayton Quells Quibbles of Quiet Hiring: Learning and Growth by Any Other Name

From quiet quitting to quiet firing, the latest buzzword confirmed a quiet hiring trend. Or is it? After all, smart companies have been leveraging internal talent for decades. We sit down with Michelle Clayton, director of talent and organizational effectiveness for Visier Inc., to get to the heart of the matter—and explore why quiet hiring has taken a bad rap recently.

Nuvyn Peters Reflects on Female Leadership Disparity, Departures and Need for Bold Conversation

In a world where the dividends of diversity are becoming more widely appreciated, how is that the gender imbalance at leadership levels in Canada not only remains, but appears to be worsening post-pandemic? We sit down with Nuvyn Peters, interim executive director with Axis Connects to explore both the why and the ways in which organizations can not only stem that tide but grow a better future for female leaders.

Carrie Lamb Blazes a Path for Leaders Looking to Recruit and Retain Indigenous Talent

With historic revelations in Canada leading to self-examination, collective education and calls for change, Carrie Lamb acknowledges that there has never been a better time for Indigenous People in the talent market. As an Indigenous coach and HR lead for retention and recruitment with the Fraser Health Authority, she also knows the many organizational stumbling blocks impeding real progress for those seeking to attract and retain Indigenous talent. Turning those existing blocks into firm employment foundations for Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees alike, Carrie is not only living beyond her prior dreams, but blazing a path for others to follow on her journey.

Camille Dundas Takes Canadian Leaders ‘Beyond the Underground Railroad’

Leah Carr Provides a tilr to Navigate Skills-Based Future

At a time when the pace of change exceeds many organizations’ ability to adapt, greater numbers of leaders are leaning towards skills-driven workplaces as the best means of future-proofing. We sit down with Leah Carr, CEO of tilr, to talk about the impact and importance of addressing the skills-driven workplace and why soft skills are now critical to organizational survival and employee satisfaction alike.

Joanna Kmiec Flexes the Elastic Path to Employee Experience

Since the pandemic, there has been a growing recognition of what HR has been espousing for some time—if you take care of your people, your people will take care of the business. We sit down with Joanna Kmiec, VP of People and Culture with Elastic Path, a composable, digital commerce solutions company, to discuss why any further evolution of the employee experience needs to be preceded by a shift in leadership mindset—grounded in trust, flexibility and a reciprocal commitment to communication.

David Allison Opens Minds and Hearts to Valuegraphics

In a world without prior metrics for values, David’s work within The Valuegraphics Project has opened a lot of eyes to what lies at heart of business—people. We sit down to discuss why the metrics we have been using via demographics and psychographics not only prove a poor meas-ure of human motivation, but keep us divided—and how valuegraphics can lead us to a better future for people and business worldwide.

Sean Burke is CheckingIn on Mental Health and EDI

Sean Burke, founder and CEO of Checkingin, has both an app and appetite for breaking down the stigmas surrounding mental health. Since 2019, he has worked with small to large companies including BDC, MNP, Earls, and Squamish Nation to create long-term holistic strategies and small steps to improve mental health and EDI in the workplace. We sit down to talk about the waning taboos of Western business thinking and how EDI plays an integral role in evolving workplace cultures that support mental health and the bottom line alike.

Anna Petosa Champions Human-Centred Leadership in a Hybrid World

While putting people first in the minds of decision-makers has been a mainstay of strategic HR for some time, the recent pandemic and waves of social revelation have put a renewed priority on human-centred leadership across the board. We sit down with Anna Petosa, VP of People Operations for Pelmorex—an international weather information and data management company. Pelmorex owns and operates the weather brands The Weather Network, MétéoMédia, Eltiempo.es, Clima, and Otempo.pt – to talk about the revolution in antiquated leadership and the toolkit required for human-centred leadership to thrive.

Life and Taxes: Jeff Waldman Talks Trends in Total Compensation

While the definition of total compensation has held steadfast, its focus as a key, strategic priority has exploded for employers of all sizes since the pandemic’s terra forming of the prior workplace. We sit down with Jeff Waldman, founder and CEO of ScaleHR—a company committed to helping small to medium-sized businesses scale their success with people in the priority lane—to discuss total compensation trends in an increasingly competitive market. Interestingly, while there is no one formula, the call for flexibility is greater than ever—as is the opportunity for savvy employers to strategically tailor for sustainable success.

Shradha Mittal Encourages Trust in Aligning Individual Development and Organizational Goals for Greater Good

A core commitment to aligning career development and growth with organizational objectives can prove an invaluable investment in competitive times. For Shradha Mittal, SVP of People and Culture for Trulioo, it is the keystone of a people-approach that takes a step beyond the talent wars to create strong bonds that surpass geographies and competitive offers alike. Applying that lens of people-first at a time of exponential growth has shone through in the figures and feedback alike.

Yiorgos Boudouris: Talking Tiny Mile and the Big Picture Drive for Transparent and Flexible Compensation Strategy

Taking the stage at our recent Tech Talent North, Yiorgos Boudouris, head of talent for Tiny Mile, helped us confront a common fear in the recruitment process—compensation strategy. We caught up with Yiorgos post conference to dig deeper into what has made pay strategy has become a primary concern for employers of all sizes—and why transparency and flexibility are key for candidates and employers alike.

Weaving D&I Into Job Posting DNA with Nikki Gore

Given the benefits of boosting the diversity of any given team, reaching beyond mainstream talent pools has become both a necessity and an elusive objective. Nikki Gore, director of business development and marketing for auticon Canada, swims in that pool daily, recruiting and representing a growing team of autistic consultants nationwide. We sit down to talk about the disconnects of D&I and how to connect those dots from the start with a few simple changes to job postings.

Location-based Pay Raises Questions (Near and Far)

With the pandemic proving the efficacy of remote work and hybrid options redefining the traditional office infrastructure, greater numbers of employers are looking to location-based pay, both to incentivize and of necessity. We sit down with Jafar Owainati, co-founder of the compensation management software company Barley to talk the pros, cons and things often unconsidered in the location-based pay realm.

Talking TAP 2022 Tech Salary Survey with Stephanie Hollingshead: Surging Salaries, Global Competition and the D&I Opportunity

With the numbers now in and TAP Network’s 2022 Tech Salary Survey now available, we sit down with TAP Network’s CEO Stephanie Hollingshead to talk about what sets this year apart from any other in the survey’s history. In short, it was a year of great movement, surreal pay increases and competition from all over the globe for Canadian tech. Digging into the data, Stephanie looks to the trends confirmed and the very real opportunity for greater equity and diversity that such volatile change presents for the industry.

Elevating the Candidate Experience with Uncommon Purpose

Given how often we hear about the tough competition for talent, particularly in the tech sector, how is it that so many businesses have yet to revisit their recruitment process? We sit down with Manu Varma, long-time people person and now external relations for Uncommon Purpose, to discuss the good, the bad and the lost opportunities of recruitment—and how playing that wisdom forward within their own client base is building better business scenarios from first contact onwards.

Blackbird Interactive Takes Wing with Four-day Work Week

In the fall of 2021, one Vancouver-based games developer went boldly where many may wish to venture, but few have gone before—the four-day work week. What began as a pair of pilot projects took wing and in April 2022, Blackbird Interactive moved the entirety of its 260-person team to the same abridged model. We sat down with Pam Lee, HR director for Blackbird Interactive to explore the impetus, results and unexpected learnings gained. What has happened since is testament to doing more with less and rediscovering the roots of true employee engagement.

Engaging The Empathic Art of Tough Talks (vs. Facing the Costs)

With mental health concerns at an all time high and remote work removing the opportunity for daily check-ins or even casual conversation, a lot is going unsaid that leaders know needs to be addressed. We check-in with resiliency and change expert Joe Roberts (a.k.a. The Skid Row CEO) to get to the heart and the art of tackling critical conversations—and how those tough talks can make a world of difference for organizations and individuals alike.

Why The Majority of Mergers Fail (And Why It Doesn’t Have to be This Way)

Buying, selling and merging tech companies is commonplace these days – but the successful management of post-merger integration continues to be a perpetual challenge. Unifying operations, building culture, and getting buy-in on new corporate goals and visions can be difficult work if not initiated early enough. Tim Morton shares his strategies in today’s PACT news article to help you get started on the right path to M&A.

Putting Our Trust in Hire Thinking: Leveraging Trust in Attraction and Retention

Trust is the tie that builds and bonds. For over 20 years, Dr. Darryl Stickel, founder of Trust Unlimited, has been helping individuals and organizations open themselves up to one of the most sustainable, but vulnerable, resources on the planet—trust. Grounding his work on a model developed for his PhD on “Building Trust in Hostile Environments” from Duke University, Darryl has since become one of the world’s leading experts on a topic that gets a lot of talk, but too little action.

Better Business Begins with Strategic HR Partnership at Heart

Julie DeBuhr, head of HR for 1Password, knows just how far the human resources profession has come—and how exhausting the last two years of the journey has been despite the exponential progress made on multiple fronts. From winning the respect of employers juggling people problems on every front to championing the success of remote workers, the ascendancy of HR as a key business partner has never been more apparent. That said, it has not come without burden—and more heavy lifting with a light touch lies ahead.

Virtual Workplace Confidential (Making a Practice of Privacy in the Remote Era)

Despite workplaces closing shop overnight in March 2020 to reopen the next day in home offices, kitchens and living rooms across B.C., nothing has actually changed in the laws governing confidentiality or privacy rights in the remote era. As Keri Bennett, a partner with Roper Greyell LLP explained to us, good faith has gone a long way to maintaining the balance of trust, but lax practices can settle in with the growing fatigue. Fortunately, she also had a few great tips.

VanHack Waives Placement Fees and Fuels Global Opportunities for Ukrainian Tech Talent

As the Russian invasion in the Ukraine continues to draw global condemnation and sanctions from world leaders, individuals and industries alike are looking for ways to make a positive impact. We sat down with Ilya Brotzky, CEO of VanHack to talk about how their team is helping wave a global talent flag, while waiving traditional fees.

Virtual Leadership Begins with Real Self-Awareness

With so many having risen to the surface in the past two years alone, naming the greatest challenge facing leaders in the virtual era is, well, challenging. In fact, as leadership expert, author and presenter Vanessa Judelman has discovered over the course of innumerable conversations and training sessions, the primary hurdle remains one of self awareness— accompanied by unprecedented shifts and ongoing, unpredictable change.

Great Mondays Still Begin With Good Relationships (Whether Near, Far or Fully Distributed)

While the physical workplace vanished overnight, along with the interactions that ‘happened to happen’ in shared proximity, relationships in asynchronous times remain invaluable. Speaking with Josh Levine, owner/author of Great Mondays: How to Design a Company Culture Employees Love and co-founder of Culture LabX, we get to the heart of relationship-building in changing times.

How to Create Cultural Belonging in the Workplace

Creating a sense of belonging in the workplace is every bit as important as finding where you belong personally. It’s a passion that has fuelled Jessie Sutherland — an international speaker, trainer, consultant and the founder of Intercultural Strategies — who has devoted her career helping organizations and communities to engage diversity, build belonging and ignite intercultural collaboration.

6 Competencies Every Remote Leader Needs to Cultivate

Remote work has been around for decades, but that’s still very new in the context of the working world. Speaking with PACT News, Candace Giesbrecht, the Director of the Teamit Remote Performance Academy, explained the foundational research behind remote leadership and the six competencies every remote leader needs to cultivate.

Behaviour Change is Easy (and Other Myths about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Work)

I don’t think any founder will tell you they don’t want an inclusive workplace where all employees can do their best work. Unfortunately though, intent is only half the battle. When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at work, we often think in terms of training and behaviour change. Speaking with Sharon Nyangweso, founder and CEO of QuakeLab, she explained why behaviour change being easy is a myth when it comes to DEI work – and what founders should do instead.

What Wave Does to Bring Humanity Into Talent Acquisition

You can theoretically forgive companies for not being totally honest about the bad parts of working there when it comes to talent acquisition. After all, they need talent in the door. But when you remember how much of your life you spend at work, suddenly the empathy fades away. Wave understands this reality, so the company is not interested in lying to people to get a signed employment agreement. Speaking with PACT, Wave’s VP of Organizational Effectiveness Joshua Siegal shared what the company does to bring humanity into their talent acquisition process.

Why Recruiters Should Think of Themselves Like Sport Scouts

There are a lot of analogies you can use about recruiting, but they all boil down to one thing: in a heated war for talent, companies need to work even harder (and get more innovative) to find the right talent at the right time. Speaking with PACT News, Dan Jacob, the Head of Partnership and Development for The Knowledge Society (TKS) shared why he thinks recruiting should be more like sports scouting than anything else.

The 4 Pillars of Emotional Intelligence for Startup Leaders

Emotional intelligence (or emotional quotient – EQ) isn’t about being the nicest person in the room, it’s about being the most effective person in the room. EQ is what allows us to get our intellectual and emotional resources working in concert so that we can be at our best, and in turn help others be at theirs. Dr. Leeno Karumanchery knows this conundrum well as co-founder and head of behavioural science at MESH/diversity. Speaking with PACT News, he shared the four pillars of emotional intelligence for startup leaders.

How To Take Your Meetings From Dull To Delightful

Aydin Mirzaee is a self-described tech-loving entrepreneur with a passion for building great products, leadership and people. He is CEO and co-founder of Fellow, an app that promises to help managers and their teams work better together—and one way they do that is by making every meeting a productive and delightful work session.

How to identify when an employee is about to quit (and what you can do)

Not all employee turnover is bad, but when they call it the “Great Resignation,” you’re forgiven for worrying. Thankfully, help is on the way. Debby Carreau has helped hundreds of companies with turnover and hiring through her company Inspired HR. Speaking with PACT, Debby shared her insights on how to identify when an employee is about to quit (and what you can do).

How To Embed DEI Into Your Corporate Culture

Sage Franch is the founder and CEO of Crescendo DEI, a company on a mission to advance equity for all in all workplaces. It is a platform combining software and the human touch to deliver micro-learning opportunities and organizational analytics, for a personalized learning journey of diversity, equity and inclusion training unique to each individual.

The Simple Processes CoLab Uses to Build Company Culture

As many startups grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, CoLab was just finding its footing. Over the past year, the St. John’s, Newfoundland startup scaled from 20 to 50 people and is continuing to hire. Speaking with Tech Talent North, co-founder and CEO Adam Keating explained the simple processes CoLab uses to scale their culture as they scale the team.

Thinkific’s Co-Founder Shares What President Obama Taught Her About Corporate Culture

Despite being in business nearly a decade, Thinkific is nowhere near done evolving its culture. In fact, it never will be done. In a conversation with Tech Talent North, Thinkific co-founder Miranda Lievers explained the foundation she built, the guard rails she put in place, and the process that the company uses to evolve its culture without losing its foundation.

How Rewind Scaled its Culture as it Scaled its Customer Base

Mike Potter, the CEO of Rewind, believes culture is the driving force behind startup growth. Yet he also doesn’t follow traditional advice to build a certain system when the company was small, and a different system as it grew. Speaking with Tech Talent North, Mike shared how he views culture and how he scaled up Rewind’s culture as the company scaled up its customer base. 

For Axonify, Culture Starts at the CEO Level

Waterloo-based Axonify, which provides a training and communication solution for frontline workers, has long prioritized culture as an important part of building the company. It’s why, every year since 2017, Axonify has been recognized as a Great Place to Work. Great Place to Work certifies workplaces based on internal benchmarks, and against other companies around the world with strong cultures.

Hopper CEO Fred Lalonde explains how to approach culture like a product

As CEO Fred Lalonde told us in the SAAS North newsletter, Hopper has a customer-obsessed culture. Among its leadership principles, working backwards based on customer feedback and learnings is key among them — and one that suits Hopper well as they’ve hired hundreds of people to expand their product.

The Power of Compassionate Leadership and What it Means for Your Employees

Workplace mental health is in the spotlight more than ever. As we begin to ease out of the pandemic, HR leaders are being asked to help lead meaningful conversations within their organizations and to help create a supportive culture for workplace wellness.

Paystone CEO Tarique Al-Ansari explains why you should include HR early in acquisitions

In our interview with Tarique Al-Ansari, CEO of London, Ontario-based Paystone, he detailed the important lessons learned after undergoing five acquisitions, including the importance of a corporate development team and how to align acquisitions with a company’s vision.

The difference between scaling from 0-50 and 50-100+, according to HiMama CEO Ron Spreeuwenberg

When a company is scaling, a lot changes about how to hire and retain the right talent. CEOs now have to think about the right processes that didn’t come to mind back in the scrappy startup days, and the question of seeking profitability or raising investment becomes an important one. In this wide-ranging interview, Ron Spreeuwenberg, CEO of HiMama, talks SAAS North about what changed when his company reached the 50+ employee milestone, and staying true to yourself as a founder.

How Jobber supports employees at every step: CPO Sara Cooper explains

When growing a company, it can be difficult to grow your talent alongside your values. That’s why Jobber is intentional about growth and equity at every step of the way. In this feature, chief people officer Sara Cooper explains how Jobber keeps employees engaged in their career development, and how they prevent bias in hiring practices.

Equity expert Camille Dundas explains why a focus on gender gap is leaving a big hole in your DEI strategy

Camille Dundas, one of Canada’s top diversity, equity and inclusion consultants, tells her story and explains the challenges racialized people face in the workplace. Learn of the responsiblities each of us must take on if we are ever to achieve a truly equitable and inclusive workplace.

VanHack CEO Ilya Brotzky shares tips to find the best tech talent in the world

For many HR professionals in the Canadian tech sector, recruitment and retention of highly qualified personnel has quickly become a top priority as the industry continues to grow. Ilya Brotzky, founder and CEO of VanHack, Canada’s largest international tech recruitment company, shares his expertise building strong culture in a remote office, tips for hiring globally and how to… Read More

Paul Rubenstein on the power of data to change workforce representation

One of the biggest topics in HR for 2021 is workforce representation and Paul Rubenstein, Chief People Officer with Visier, shares how people analytics offers a powerful solution. Organizations are using people analytics to collect and analyze data in ways that we’ve not seen before.

P A C T People and Culture in Tech Newsletter #1

Hello!Welcome to our first edition of P | A | C | T! Your bi-weekly newsletter about People And Culture in Tech! I’ll be sharing exclusive interviews on topics affecting you and your teams, in addition to compiling tactical tips, hot news stories, and my favourite content from other leading publications, books, and podcasts.We want this newsletter to be valuable for you… Read More

Closing the Pay Parity Gap is Top of Mind for HR Tech Professionals in 2021

HR professionals working in the tech sector have spent the last year navigating pandemic-driven challenges, and now a new recruitment challenge is surfacing. Leslie Collin, CPHR, VP People & Culture at Unbounce, explains how closing the pay parity gap will ensure competitive recruitment for your company.

New Tech Talent North Helps Tech Companies Navigate Unique Human Resource Challenges

Leaders in Canadian tech are rallying online May 12-13, 2021 to learn, share, network and grow at Tech Talent North. The producers behind SAAS NORTH, Canada’s largest gathering of SaaS entrepreneurs, are excited to announce the launch of sister event Tech Talent North, presented by HR Tech Group.

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