Monthly Archives: April 2017

source: University of British Columbia

 “Canada’s best employer to work for in 2017”or “Best places to work in Canada in 2017,” every year you may come across these corporate sponsored rankings, but have you actually thought of what kind of criteria these evaluations use? Today, I want to analyze these criteria and provide a metric for its overall effectiveness as well as limitations.

Interestingly, the University of British Columbia was actually ranked one of the best employers in British Columbia for 2017, coming in at 53 in all of Canada. The method that Forbes used to rank companies was based on an employee’s willingness to make a recommendation as well as their rankings on good or bad employers in sectors other than their own. In a ranking done by Glassdoor, the company took in criteria like company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary, interview questions and benefits which were all verified with employees of the respective company. This data was collected from their own website where they collect testimonials and ratings on workplace environments.

I believe that the criteria used by Forbes was very limited and therefore skewed in the sense where there was clear under coverage bias. However, I believe that all rankings should include employee satisfaction or team member happiness, this criteria should be vital in determining whether one would want to work somewhere. Referring to Darren Chang’s blog post, he believes that motivation should be an effective indicator in the workplace as well as a strong tool for self-reflection. I agree to this point in the sense that if an employee were motivated to improve and advance the company’s mission they would be providing simultaneous growth to themselves and the workplace. Furthermore, I think that criteria like communication standards, workplace politics and a company’s decision-making process should be included in these rankings as metrics for freedom and creativity. Overall, my piece of advice is to always evaluate the criteria of these rankings before making a judgment, never take them for face value. (329)

Donald Trump, a textbook full of ethical violations. Not even two months in office and we have witnessed a record amount of precedents and protocols broken. This blog post will primarily focus on the ethics and personality behind Donald Trump’s toxic workplace environment, the White House.

One of the main controversies behind ethical violations in the White House is the nepotism with the appointment of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the President’s daughter and daughter in law to an unpaid advisory role in the executive branch of government. In reference to Nathan Yip’s blog his management style is forcing, Trump has no regard for rules or protocols that are set in place to prevent violations like this. His perception is skewed in that he believes he is an exception, making judgment shortcuts to become an anomaly. However, having family in the workplace? Illegal and unethical. Continued ties with his family and business violate US anti nepotism laws that were placed during the Kennedy administration. Therefore, we must come together to lobby and petition our politicians to enforce these checks and balances.

source: Business Insider

Another issue that I noticed with Donald Trump is his personality and beliefs, specifically his temperament. Evidenced through walking out on scheduled bill signing ceremonies, refusing to shake German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s hand in front of the press, and further tweet rampages on his enemies. It almost seems as if he was a child wanting to be in a constant state of competition with everyone; having no regard for conflict resolution, cultural values and politics. In my last blog post, I wanted to remain hopeful, believing that Donald Trump’s government was only at the forming stage, however now it is past due. Through analysis, I believe that Trump’s government is currently storming and have yet to overcome the respective hurdles in the 5-stage model. (305)

Black lives matter. Hearing this phrase instantly reminds you of the connotations and controversy surrounding the movement. However, the protest is valid. In today’s world there should never be a disparity between race, gender or culture. Everyone is born and made equal. Today, I want to analyze why this happens? Why are the police the enemy? What kind of workforce would allow for this develop?               

source: Time

               The police force is heavily influenced by traditions like brotherhood and fraternity, everyone is in a unspoken union that emphasizes loyalty and teamwork, however, simultaneously sacrificing important values like ethics and a positive team culture. This comradeship stems from officers risking their lives together on the job, unfortunately facing some stereotypes while working; nonetheless, law enforcement should be the last to succumb to discrimination. In a satirical piece, Issac Bailey sarcastically points out “Because cops are good men doing impossible jobs, nothing is more important than shielding them from unfair criticism. ” His tone clearly highlights that cops must be held accountable for their own decisions. The fact that brotherhood would allow covering up each other’s mistakes is illegal; respective checks and balances must be implemented to ensure ethical and proper decision-making. A police officer should not be afraid to expose those above them in the hierarchy, they should communicate freely and keep those in power in check and in balance.

Honestly, I am personally afraid of law enforcement officers, whenever I see someone in uniform I get nervous; this should not be the case. I get a feeling that I have done something wrong if I get a question, getting a dissenting impression or perhaps feeling insulted and personally attacked. However, I know it is their job to do so, for our own safety and security. In hindsight, officers should build relationships with the community and defeat this horrible and unnecessary stereotype, otherwise the reality may become: the people versus police. (317)