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Speak Up While Staying Connected: The Art of Empathetic Communication

By ellie

If you have trouble communicating with others at work in an effective way while maintaining collaborative relationships, you are not alone. A statistic on workplace communication showed that 86% of employees and senior leadership believed that a lack of effective collaboration and communication was the cause of most workplace failures.1 The Importance of Empathetic Communication … Continued

Bridging Differences in Values

By ellie

This resource is part of Safety Huddle: Navigating Differences in Values for those who work in community social services. Download the Navigating Differences in Values quick reference guide as a handy resource or watch the video. In the workplace, we often encounter individuals whose values differ significantly from our own, especially in social services where … Continued

Leading Through Differences in Values

By ellie

This resource is part of Safety Huddle: Navigating Differences in Values for those who work in community social services. Download the Leading Through Differences in Values quick reference guide or watch the video. As leaders in community social services, managers and employers face the dual challenge of supporting staff through values conflicts while maintaining high-quality … Continued

Holding Space for Grief: Healing Through The Loss of Community Members

By ellie

Grief is quite common and often an unspoken part of social service work. As the toxic drug crisis worsens, particularly with the increase of benzodiazepine-laced drugs that naloxone cannot reverse, frontline response efforts have grown more complex.1 Overdose-related loss is becoming more frequent and widespread, making it harder to keep grief unspoken.   The Hidden Cost … Continued

Psychological Detachment: Practical Strategies for Employees in Community Social Services

By ellie

In community social services, your ability to connect emotionally with clients is both your greatest strength and your greatest vulnerability. Each day, you listen to difficult stories, witness trauma, and support people through overwhelming challenges. While this empathetic connection is essential to your work, it can also lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and even secondary … Continued

Supporting Psychological Detachment: A Guide for Leaders in Community Social Services 

By ellie

As a leader in community social services, you play a pivotal role in creating an environment where your team can thrive while doing challenging emotional work. Your staff regularly absorb difficult stories and support people through trauma. While their empathy and dedication are invaluable assets, they can also lead to burnout without proper organizational support. … Continued

Clear Communication, Better Results: A Hospitality Employer’s Guide to Feedback

By ellie

Let’s face it: in hospitality today, what sets you apart isn’t just your property or your menu—it’s your people and how they treat your guests. Psychological safety—when your team feels safe to speak up without fear of being shut down or embarrassed—isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential for success. With today’s labour shortages, demanding … Continued

Thriving Through Feedback: A Hospitality Employee’s Guide

By ellie

In the fast-paced world of hospitality, feedback is inevitable. Whether it’s from guests, colleagues, or managers, how we give and receive feedback shapes our professional growth and workplace culture. There’s a challenge unique to our industry: most feedback happens in bustling, guest-facing environments where privacy is scarce, and time is limited. The Power of Psychological … Continued

Wellness Exchange in Action: Steps to Boost Your Well-Being

By ellie

Life can be stressful. These stressors can range from work issues, interpersonal conflicts, to the daily stressors such as sitting in traffic. Community social service workers face unique challenges by caring for others that can really impact their overall well-being. Having effective tools within your toolbox when life stressors pop up can be a protective … Continued

Foundations of Mental Health First Aid: Supporting Others 

By ellie

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where someone you care about is struggling with their mental health, but you weren’t sure what to say or how to help? As mental health issues continue to rise especially among youths, it’s becoming increasingly clear that having a solid understanding of mental health is crucial, not … Continued