The automotive industry is currently firing on all cylinders, and you feel that you are performing well in your current position, although a feeling of insecurity has started to creep in lately. Is it just your imagination? Numerous factors lead us to believe that we are solidly entrenched in the organization, but several telltale signs are often associated with the beginning of the end of our employment situation. Whether valid or not (and we rarely agree that they are), these signs are usually easy to recognize.

While you must be careful not to slip into a state of total paranoia, take a look at the seven warning signs that may be signalling that it’s time to launch an active job search: Continue reading “7 Telltale signs that you may be fired” →

Traditionally, the majority of automotive industry employers put their recruitment efforts on hold during the summer vacation period, convinced that job offers will remain unnoticed. While it is true that the pool of candidates may be smaller, top candidates are always searching for better opportunities!

This time of year, most businesses are in ʺvacationʺ mode, as are their customers. So, while on the one hand, those looking for new challenges have more time to search for job offers and participate in interviews, on the other hand, competitors are taking things easy, so the market is less competitive.

In addition, recruitment professionals have more time to refine their selection process, so businesses can benefit from a unique opportunity to choose candidates that match their specific requirements and are more likely to fit in with the existing team. Continue reading “Recruiting and vacations…Be a Sly Fox!” →

Identifying psychological harassment in the workplace isn’t always easy, as its subtle and insidious nature often makes it hard to detect, but both employees and managers share equal responsibility in stopping it at all costs.

First, the distinction must be made between pressure and psychological harassment, as certain automotive industry positions come with their fair share of tension. In this case, we are talking about repeated, offensive attacks against an individual causing anxiety and stress while creating a tense work environment.

What can you do when an individual singles you out and takes out their frustrations on you? The first thing to keep in mind is the fact that jealousy is often the prime motivation for this behaviour, resulting from either a lack of confidence or even psychological problems. Continue reading “Dealing with psychological harassment at work” →

Managers dream of seeing their employees produce at maximum levels during every working hour, but motivation and efficiency tend to fluctuate, destroying this fantasy. Here are five handy tips to help optimize team performance without running your employees into the ground.

– Set objectives: Individualized professional development plans are amazingly efficient. They allow managers to create detailed, documented, short, medium and long-term paths for each employee.

– Provide continuous feedback: Plan at least one monthly meeting to follow up on the individual development plan. This is the ideal setting to make adjustments or provide the positive feedback that will virtually guarantee the success of the plan. Continue reading “Are Your Employees Always Productive?” →