Message from the President & CEO
I was reminded recently by an article in Municipal World, of Futurist Alvin Toffler’s prophecy; “the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” 

Learn: Sometimes I think my brain won’t hold anything new but we all know, thanks to neuroplasticity, there is lots of room in our brains to learn more.

Unlearn: We also know that our behaviours, actions and habits become hardwired. This is what makes “unlearning” difficult to do. Our brains automatically want us to do things the way we have always done them. Sometimes we have to unlearn what we have always known to be true in order to move forward. 

Relearn: We have to look for different ways of doing things. We have to find different solutions to old problems. We have to find solutions to problems that didn’t exist even a few years ago. We have to think differently and apply new techniques and sometimes new technologies. 

Enter digital literacy: Big Data, Cyber Security, IoT, Robotics and Blockchain. 

If a marketing brochure for any or all of these topics found its way to my Inbox, I might be tempted to delete it. Honestly, technology is not my thing. We have IT departments for that. And yet I am a perfect example of the reason why we are offering these sessions. These technologies exist today. They aren’t futuristic. More and more organizations like Walmart are using them in supply chain management. The Town of Innisfil recently announced a pilot project using Blockchain for paying tax bills. They will impact your business, if they haven’t already. As a leader, I need to at the very least, understand the terminology and the basics of how these technologies will disrupt or enhance our business. 
  
All levels in organizations need to learn about what’s happening; need to unlearn the old way of doing things and then relearn techniques and implement new technologies in order to remain sustainable.



Audie McCarthy
President & CEO
What You Tell Us. Your Testimonial Stands Out!
"For me the FRL training provided new ways for me to approach challenges at work, as well as the confidence to put theory into practice. Sandra and Jack created an exceptional environment for learning and I looked forward to each session. Following the program I enjoyed watching my coworkers use their new skills in their day to day responsibilities. I have also maintained the contacts and network created with the participants from other municipalities who were in the same cohort."

Karen Dropko, Director of HR, County of Brant
Announcements
The City of Hamilton Planning and Economic Development Department (PEDD) is committed to leadership and development. PEDD has partnered with MCE to design and deliver an exciting new learning program called PEDD Open For Business Future Ready Leadership that started Thursday, April 4th. The program is a compilation of the ten interactive in-class sessions.
The Thrive Group and MCE teamed up with two Mohawk College instructional doctorates, Dr. Anne-Marie DePape and Dr. Krissy Doyle-Thomas, to deliver a session on ‘Learning About Dementia Through Experiential Learning’. To get a sense of the experiential learning activities participants engaged in, check out the online gallery for the Hamilton session here.
Mohawk College, in partnership with IBM, is pleased to offer the IBM Skills Academy. Seven new courses will provide professionals with knowledge, case studies and innovations in a practical, blended learning environment. Customization of these courses can be done through MCE. 

HR Corner:
Effective Onboarding
If you remember, last month we talked about 5 tried and true tips for recruitment. While ensuring candidates have a great recruitment experience, it is also critical to have a solid onboarding process.  One study found that organizations can lose up to 17% of new hires in the first few months if there isn’t a positive onboarding process. Onboarding is designed to retain employees by helping them engage, integrate into the team, relieve stress and stay on track. There are 5 ways to accomplish this:

  1. Reach out before the start date: Let the new hire know what to expect not only their first day but their first week. Set out a calendar and assign a buddy that is available to do introductions, guide the process and answer questions. Make sure they are aware of expectations around dress code and options around parking and meal selections. Let them know what they should bring with them on the first day, i.e. do they require their own laptop or other devices? There should be no unexpected surprises that might cause discomfort.
  2. Communicate clear expectations and outline position responsibilities: The first day should be about introductions, getting documentation signed, setting up payroll and ensuring the new hire is settled at their workstation. The first week should be about reviewing HR policies, getting the new hire familiar with technology, outlining workplace expectations and job responsibilities.  
  3. Include the manager: Meeting and getting used to a new manager can cause some uneasiness and nerves for some. Having the new hire spend time with the manager allows an opportunity to get to know them on a personal and professional level, gives a heads up on the management style and will provide an opportunity to have any questions answered or initial concerns addressed.
  4. Ask for ongoing feedback: Everyone responds to onboarding in a different way. While you should ensure that a checklist is followed one person may require more assistance than another. For example, one new hire may have lots of questions while another may require more training. Asking the employee how things are going allows you an opportunity to adjust and respond to better meet the needs of the new hire. This will result in a comprehensive and more positive experience. 
  5. Use a checklist or guide: This will ensure that nothing gets missed! At MCE, we have a detailed Onboarding Guide the outlines all the tasks, who is responsible, check boxes and initials of who completed each component. The guide includes an explanation of the process, calendar of tasks and the responsibilities of the Manager, Human Resources and the new hire. 

If you currently don’t have an onboarding process and would like to implement one or if your process needs updating, please contact me about our HR Consulting Services

Carrie Deon
Human Resources Generalist
Celebrating Our Trainers: Bob Jones
Bob is an executive with extensive experience in Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership Development, and Human Resources leadership within both privately and publicly held companies. He is an outcomes focused leader with a strong and diverse network of working relationships within business, education, and government. Experienced in a wide range of significant business and community - based organizations, he has demonstrated his ability to enhance the financial and program performance of these groups while effectively representing them in various communities. 

A skilled and experienced presenter and facilitator he has served as an emcee, knowledge expert panelist, trainer, facilitator and coach. He brings insight, humour, positive energy, intelligence and experience to these roles.

Bob has recently facilitated leadership training on behalf of MCE at Algoma Steel and is the lead facilitator for the City of Hamilton's PEDD "Open for Business" leadership training pilot program that kicked-off on April 4th.
Course of the Month:
Executive Digital Literacy Series
MCE, in partnership with McMaster University and Mohawk College Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, and Next Generation Manufacturing Canada, is introducing a series of talks on Digital Literacy for executives in mid-size manufacturing companies. We encourage you to Save the Dates and register for these upcoming Innovative Technology Sessions. Find out from the experts what you should be doing to prepare your organization.

Big Data: The New Oil | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | 8:30am - 12pm
Presented By: Jason Wilson, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Samuel, Son & Co., Limited

Cyber Security | Tuesday, May 28, 2019 | 8:30am - 12pm
Presented By: Angela McAllister, Academic Outreach and Engagement Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and Dr. Ali Ghorbani, Professor of Computer Science University of New Brunswick & Director of Canadian Institute for Cyber Security

Internet of Things & Robotics | Tuesday, June 11, 2019 | 8:30am - 12pm
Presented By: Asif Sharif, Senior Data Scientist in IoT / Machine Learning Practice at IBM 

Blockchain | Tuesday, June 25, 2019 | 8:30am - 12pm
Presented By: Zachary Skeith, Vice President Strategy, Three Lefts

Don't miss your opportunity to learn about practical, leading-edge examples and applications of the newest technology from leading industry experts. To find more information and to register, visit our Executive Digital Literacy Series page. All sessions held at TechPlace, 5500 North Service Road in Burlington.
For more information about our programs, contact:
Lorraine MacDonald
905-575-2534
Mohawk College Enterprise | 905-575-2534 | info@mcecor.com | www.mcecor.com