Salopek & Associates has some exciting news – we have hired a Consulting Services Manager/Senior Consultant!  Sharon Kolodychuk has joined the Salopek family business and team of Consultants as of February 26^th!  Sharon brings to our team a wide scope of experience that spans over 20 years across a variety of industries. She is passionate about HR, genuine about building relationships and has a sound sense of business.

Just like Salopek & Associates, Sharon previously worked for a family-owned Canadian company that, in its peak, had 28 branches and 350 employees across six provinces. In her capacity as HR Manager, Sharon supported all areas of HR – recruitment, onboarding, training, employee development, performance management, employee relations, management coaching, benefits, investigations, policies and procedures and employment legislation.  Sharon also provided support and advice to outside clients, and worked alongside the management team as they built the business across Canada. On a personal note, we think Sharon is going to love Salopek’s pet friendly office as she and her family are avid dog lovers and love spending time with their two Aussiedoodles along with her daughter’s two American Terriers!

Sharon has just completed her orientation and, as she reflects back on her first week and a half with Salopek & Associates, she shared the following reflections with us about her first impressions and how they “fit in” with the Salopek’s work culture:

I was in the “kitchen” today washing up my dishes from lunch when someone in the office building that I had never seen before … possibly because I’ve only been here for 8 days … opened the door and gave me the “once over” as she walked in. While it was subtle and merely seconds as we exchanged pleasantries in passing, it was noticeable. With the average person experiencing about 48 thoughts per minute, a number of things possibly raced through her mind … “Who is this person? I haven’t seen her before. Where is she working? Why is she carrying dishes and a scrub brush? What is she wearing? That’s an interesting hair style.” These are thoughts that I am sure many of us have when a new team member starts a new position within a company. Following a chance phone conversation in late January with Janet Salopek – founder and President of the award winning Human Resources consulting firm Salopek & Associates – it was three weeks later when I first met the Salopek family – the behind-the-scenes workforce of Salopek & Associates. I don’t doubt there were volumes of thoughts racing through their minds to make sure that not only did my skills and qualifications check out, but even more importantly, would there be the synergy. It was exactly one month to the day from when Janet and I first met at Café Beano for a cup of tea, to when I was welcomed onto the Salopek & Associates team and what a first week and a half it has been!

Even though companies continue to recognize that skills and qualifications are important to be able to “hit the ground running”, they more often look at a candidate’s cultural fit to ensure they are hiring the right person for the job. While it’s true a company can train for skills, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to make any given person fit a company’s culture … think “square peg, round hole” dilemma. Statistically speaking, candidates who mesh culturally are also more likely to stick around, saving employers costly turnover in staff. Since finding candidates with the right cultural fit isn’t simple, the best way to ensure success in hiring is to emphasize the company’s culture throughout the process. That being said, here are a few things about me that aligned with Salopek & Associates’ values and outstanding company culture.

• building strong, trusting relationships that support outside-the-box thinking and problem-solving
• giving back to the community … on my 3^rd day, I found myself volunteering alongside members of the Salopek team at the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank
• never take people for granted … love your family, value your friends and respect the people around you
• pets … we love pets, dogs in particular … “dogs aren’t my whole life – they make my life whole”
• yoga, walking, hiking, skiing … active employees make for a happier, healthier, stronger business
• open, honest, thoughtful communication … ask questions and take the time to understand
• teamwork … it takes a village … appreciate the talents and contributions of others
• always be learning … be open to new possibilities and points of view
• be your authentic self … be genuine … and never forget to smile

Finally, a note about onboarding … midway through my 2^nd week with Salopek & Associates, I have realized that onboarding can take on a life of its own depending on the company, its culture and the people involved. In a smaller company, the onboarding process has the opportunity to be more personally focused. In a large corporate environment, this may or may not be the case. No matter, orientating new hires to company-specific policies & procedures is only one component in the successful onboarding of new employees to help them feel welcomed and informed and knowledgeable that they have made the right career choice. Thank you to the Salopek & Associates team for the warm welcome and in particular to Janet Salopek – unicorns really do exist!

Contact Salopek & Associates if your organization is looking for support onboarding!