First off, it is very important to establish the distinction between the stay interview and the more commonly known exit interview. The stay interview entails gathering information pertaining to the factors and reasons behind an employee’s desire to stay with an organization. On the other hand, the exit interview consists of gathering information relevant to the employee’s decision to leave the organization. These two distinct methods have two very different objectives; the first is a useful tool that can help management guide employees throughout the organization with more ease while the other is aimed at improving the organization from a more general perspective.

The stay interview should be considered for the potential is has to gather information that provides managers with a valuable basis for motivating and engaging their workforce. It also helps favour employees’ professional development and can ultimately help retain qualified employees. In order to do so, stay interviews should be conducted by managers themselves, in person, on a one-on-one basis. As the emphasis is really placed on the individual in the case of this method, it is particularly important to meet directly with each employee in a context where the term ‘’interview’’ resembles much more of a discussion. Following the interview, the manager will want to take it upon himself to forward any relevant information to HR seeing as they can utilize this valuable source of organizational intelligence in an effort to increase engagement and employee satisfaction.

In an ideal world, managers would conduct a stay interview with each employee on an annual basis. This is actually more important in the case of organizations facing a shortage of qualified personnel and in instances where the concerned employees have been identified as ‘rising stars’ within the organization. In light of the ‘talent war’ era, organizations cannot afford to lose quality employees. Additionally, it can be interesting to plan these interviews according to the normal turnover cycle. For example, if employees tend to quit a specific job after six months on average, managers should meet people in this position as early as the third month.

When it comes to the stay interview, HR specialists are required to take on the role of a trainer. In effect, these professionals are in the best position to provide managers with the necessary training in areas such as interviewing best practices and can help them determine the questions that should be asked in order to collect only the most valuable information. One might consider asking such questions as: ‘’How can I support you more adequately?’’, ‘’What skills do you wish to develop or learn here?’’, ‘’What makes you excited about coming to work each day?’’, etc.

Of course, the stay interview will prove to be more beneficial if managers and HR specialists ensure that a follow up is undertaken with respect to the information that each employee has provided. That being said, the collected information can in itself help assess the effectiveness of the interview process as well as of other methods that are mobilized in an effort to nurture engagement internally.

All in all, the concept of the stay interview does not guarantee that your most performing employees will stay with your organization eternally; however, it can very well help identify those factors that are important to your best employees. Furthermore, it can provide managers and HR consultants with the necessary information for implementing a more proactive approach to managing turnover, retention, and performance issues. Some food for thought…

[1] Tyler, K. (2011). Who will stay and who wil go? HR Magazine, December, 101-103. Society for Human resource management.

Philippe Longpré, Ph.D. (cdt)

I/O Psychology Consultant

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There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.”
— Edward de Bono

Rather than create an inspirational environment for employees, workplaces are typically designed to make the most efficient use of space. Although cubicles may have their advantages in terms of saving space, they tend not to foster creativity because they can make employees feel isolated. This may potentially discourage employees to go above and beyond what is asked of them.

Companies can create a more inspiring workplace by encouraging a positive social climate, in which discussion and idea sharing is valued. Employees should also be provided regular feedback, and good performance should be recognized and rewarded. Employees should be given a certain level of freedom within their work, and be expected to demonstrate initiative. Furthermore, employees should be given clear and challenging goals, provided with the necessary tools and training, communication with employees should be done in an honest and respectful manner, employees should be placed in positions that are right for them, and humour and creativity should be allowed to thrive. Once these basic elements of a healthy workplace have been realized, there is room to explore new ways of inspiring employees.

Additionally, creating an esthetically pleasing workspace can positively influence employee morale, thus creating an atmosphere that is more conducive to creativity and inspiration. Choosing the right furniture and equipment or installing workstations where multiple employees can sit and collaborate together may seem simple but these changes can go a long way. These changes can also be beneficial in terms of increasing employee retention and reducing costs.

When employees are truly inspired, many of the usual human resource management problems disappear. It is important to recognize that a company’s success is built upon people and how they treat one another. Knowing where your company is going and how it will get there, while considering the human, social, and financial costs of an uninspiring work environment is key to a successful business.

Sarah Coutts

Assessment and Evaluation Consultant

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Our catalogue currently consists of five training workshops that touch upon the following topics; the use Structured Interviews in personnel assessment, the competency-based approach to Talent Management, Diversity in the Workplace, Organizational Values ​​and the use of the widely-used Compmetrica personality test, the TACT. In addition, we will be adding new sessions that cover topics such as the use of psychometric assessment tools in personnel selection and how to provide feedback effectively. You won’t want to miss these so visit us often to stay abreast of all the latest news and HR trends at EPSI. Contact us for more information on our training workshops, to let us know what your other training needs might be, or better yet, register today for one of our upcoming workshops!

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On Saturday, we attended the skills competition where I was able to witness Team Alfredsson compete against Team Chara for the title. My favourite part, as I assume would be the case for most hockey fans, was the shootout competition. Team Chara put on a great show, using such props as sunglasses, superman capes, and mini-sticks. It was a display not only of hockey skills, but also of creativity!

Sunday, the last day of the festivities, was also the most exciting. Even though the players wanted to play safe to make sure no one was injured; hockey fans were treated to a great game. I witnessed great passes, creative stick work and a variety of candid moments. Watching the players out on the ice with a wide grin on their faces reminded me of the family skating events we used to organize back in our hometown of Hearst, Ontario. While Marian Gaborik finished the game with an impressive hat trick and was awarded the MVP award, Ottawa’s fans made it quite clear that Daniel Alfredsson was the true star of the night.

In general, besides the amazing people I met and the lasting memories I will cherish, the one thing that I appreciated most was spending time with my family watching good hockey and participating in the various family events. The NHL put on a great event and I commend Ottawa for exceeding all expectations as this year’s host!

Isabelle Giroux
Assessment and Evaluation Consultant

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Ashley Bourque

Assessment and Evaluation Consultant

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EPSI was first invited on Grecosize in May to discuss the benefits and added value of using this sports personality profiler as we were preparing the product launch for the GPS. From its inception, Tony has been a strong supporter and user of the GPS as he understands that working the mental aspect of an athlete’s game is the perfect complement to the rigorous physical program he has developed. Tony Greco and his team work with elite athletes and professionals such as Dan Boyle of the San Jose Sharks, Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers and Mike Fisher of the Nashville Predators and have surrounded these athletes with the best possible resources in order to constantly push their performances to new levels.

Along with Mathieu Durivage, I headed down to the studio on George Street in Ottawa in anticipation of our segment that would focus on the latest developments concerning the GPS. Of course, we left a little earlier in order to be able to grab a quick espresso right across the street at one of our favourite places in Ottawa, La Bottega Nicastro!

As we entered the studio, we were quickly greeted by Tony and his co-host, Steve Warne. We were quickly made to feel welcome and as usual, conversation rapidly turned to sports. During our segment, Mathieu and I spoke about recent developments concerning the GPS and the prominent organizations that have used it, such as the Ottawa Senators and Baseball Canada. However, upon listening to the segment, you will quickly note that we are also quite proud of having worked with numerous elite amateur organizations and the role the GPS has had in developing players in those organizations. We take great pride in this aspect of the test and we encourage you to listen to the clip (see below) or read more at our website (gps.epsi-inc.com) in order to learn more on how to use the GPS in sports recruitment and player development.

We once again had a great time talking sports and the GPS with Tony and Steve and many thanks for inviting us on their show.

Click here to listen to the audio file of our segment on Grecosize.

Franco Maimone
Director, Consulting Services and Business Development

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See you on the Champs-Élysées!

Meaghan Huet
Assessment and Evaluation Consultant

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Thank you for your continuing loyalty, make sure to stay connected with us throughout 2012! Stay tuned for regular updates, news, and upcoming events on our blog; or join our social media movement on Twitter (@epsisocialmedia), Facebook (EPSI Inc.), and LinkedIn.

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In line with IHRM, we asked our readers: of the following, which area do you think requires the most effort?

• Managing Diversity;
• Managing Effective Communication ;
• Managing Talent; or
• Maintaining Uniformity and Fairness.

Well ladies and gentleman, the results are in! Managing diversity scored 54 percent of this month’s votes proving that the issue is truly one of great concern amidst organizations out there. I think that the subject itself is complex in nature given that it entails not only managing people; but rather diversity in all its forms, be it the social system(s), legal requirements, wages, or other. Thankfully, the HR realm has made enormous strides of progress in this respect. Assessments, training sessions, awareness activities, policy development… The integration of a combined strategy is proving to be quite effective in dealing with diversity matters despite that much still remains to be mastered.

That being said, while the management of diversity may have evoked the most responses from our community this month, the other elements of our poll are far from insignificant. Managing effective communication, effective resourcing, and maintaining uniformity and fairness also merit thoughtful consideration. Within a global environment, these seemingly mundane elements can become detrimental to a company’s success.

On that note, I’d like to invite our readers to share with us their thoughts or experiences on the topic; we’re always very happy to hear from you! Stay tuned for our next HR poll… Until then, stay connected with us via the blog, Twitter (@epsisocialmedia), Facebook (EPSI Inc.), and LinkedIn.

Ashley

Assessment and Evaluation Consultant

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Greco Sparks Street franchise owner, Phil Scalvo, was the gracious host of the evening’s grand opening party. I was accompanied by Mathieu Durivage and Isabelle Giroux from EPSI and we had the chance to visit the amenities at Greco Sparks Street, enjoy a few hors d’oeuvres and a glass of wine while surrounded by local celebrities, politicians and athletes.

We would like to thank Phil as well as Tony Greco for the invitation as we thoroughly enjoyed the conversations, mingling and meeting new people who all share a passion for sports and fitness. We encourage you to visit this newest location and even try out a class as we guarantee you will be won over by their innovative fitness programs and excellent staff who will help get you in the shape you want to be in!

Franco Maimone

Director, Consulting Services and Business Development

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