High-performing teams are not found. They are built. And the first place most organizations feel the difference is hiring. For small and growing businesses, one mis-hire does not just slow things down. It changes how leaders spend their time. Instead of building the business, they compensate. They coach basic expectations, fix errors, redistribute work, and quietly lower standards just to keep momentum. The stress does not come from one person. It comes from the ripple effect

Welcome to our column, Dear Toby. We take real life HR questions and give real HR advice. Have a question or topic you'd love covered in our column? Send us an email at info@aandaconsulting.ca   "Dear Toby,    We just had our company Christmas party and overall it was great - until it wasn’t.  One of my employees had way  too much to drink and started making comments that crossed several lines. They weren’t malicious, but they were absolutely inappropriate. A few people laugh

Dear Toby, I keep hearing about businesses switching to a 4-day work week, and I’m wondering if that’s something a small business like mine should consider. What are the real benefits, and how can I make sure it works without hurting operations? — Curious in Canmore Dear Curious, Fantastic question — and one a lot of small business owners are asking right now (usually around Thursday afternoon when the weekend still feels far away). The 4-day work week has gone from “interest

If I asked you to describe your workplace in one word, would “joyful” come to mind?  Most leaders wouldn’t say yes — not because they don’t want it, but because “joy” feels like something that belongs at a birthday party, not in a boardroom. After all, work is about performance, deadlines, and budgets… right?  Here’s the thing: joy isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a competitive advantage.  When people find joy at work — through purpose, connection, and belonging — they don’t just f

On May 28, 2025, the Ontario government introduced Bill 30: The Working for Workers Seven Act . If passed, it will make changes to three...

When was the last time you reviewed how your compensation stacks up against the market? If you can’t remember, you’re not alone. Many...

Firing someone “for cause” might sound like a straightforward way to end a difficult employment relationship without severance pay.  But...

It Depends on the Province When it comes to employment standards, IT professionals occupy a murky middle ground — sometimes exempt from...

Big changes are coming to employment law in Saskatchewan—and small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) need to get ready. As of May 13, 2025,...

Dear Toby, We just launched new project management software, and the team’s response has been… let’s just say underwhelming. Some are...

Let’s be real: change is hard. Not because people are stubborn or the change is a bad idea—but because humans are wired to stick with...

Dear Toby, I’ve got someone on my team who’s not doing anything wrong on paper, but their tone is harsh, they roll their eyes in...

Welcome to our column, Dear Toby. We take real life HR questions and give real HR advice. Have a question or topic you'd love covered in...

Hiring independent contractors can be a great way to bring in expertise without the overhead of a full-time employee. But what if that...

Incentive programs are meant to drive performance, boost morale, and keep employees engaged. But when they go wrong? Well, let’s just say...

Welcome to our column, Dear Toby. We take real life HR questions and give real HR advice. Have a question or topic you'd love covered in...

Welcome to our column, Dear Toby. We take real life HR questions and give real HR advice. Have a question or topic you'd love covered in...

This is part 4 of a 4 Part Mini-Series On Resistance to Change: What it Looks Like and How to Recognize it.  Implementing change in any...

This is part 3 of a 4 Part Mini-Series On Resistance to Change: What it Looks Like and How to Recognize it.  Implementing change in any...

This is part 2 of a 4 Part Mini-Series On Resistance to Change: What it Looks Like and How to Recognize it.  Implementing change in any...