The past six months have gone by quickly since I joined the ASPA team, and the experience has been both energizing and meaningful. Supporting members through difficult situations has shown me, time and again, the resilience, commitment, and strength that define our community. I’m grateful for the opportunity to do this work and have genuinely enjoyed my time so far.
Abstract
Shayne Meggs, ASPA’s Member Services Officer, shares highlights from his first few months in the role, supporting members through workplace challenges, labour relations issues, and collective bargaining preparations. His work includes attending meetings with the employer, participating in joint committees, and negotiating settlements on behalf of members and the union.
My First Few Months at ASPA
By Shayne Meggs, Member Services Officer
It’s been an amazing start to my time at ASPA. The Presidents, Executive, and members have all been incredibly welcoming and supportive. I want to extend a special thank you to Angeline, our Financial and Administrative Assistant, who has been instrumental in onboarding me to ASPA and helping me navigate the university more broadly.
Continue reading “ASPA Member Services Officer – Reflection”
By Glenn Billingsley, ASPA Member Services Officer
A Membership Services Officer (MSO) plays a crucial role in resolving workplace disputes and ensuring fair employment practices. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the responsibilities of the MSO.
Continue reading “What does a Membership Services Officer (MSO) do?”It’s time to think about your “use it or lose it!” benefits!
With the end of the calendar year fast approaching, please don’t forget about the various benefits available to you that may be expiring soon. These include:
Remember also that your choice of allocation for the Flexible Spending Program needs to be made before the end of the year. This will allow you to select to place money either towards the Health Spending Account (HAS, non-taxable) or the Personal Spending Account (PSA, taxable). More info on allocating funds to your Flexible Spending account.
Written by Karen E. Mosier
Personal and professional success depends on being able to receive criticism and deal with it in a calm way. Criticism in the workplace is unavoidable since we as humans are prone to make mistakes. The goal of constructive feedback is to improve your abilities and performance. Self reflection on your flaws or mistakes and acknowledgement of the areas needing improvement will help you handle criticisms at work.
Here are some key ways to handle criticism at work:
Continue reading “How to Handle Criticism in the Workplace”Written by Karen E. Mosier
Everyone knows the feeling that comes with making a mistake or failing to meet others’ expectations. These feelings can be heightened when we do not meet our own expectations and judge ourselves too harshly. When failures occur, this relentless self monitoring, behavior correction, negative self-talk and self-criticism can be counterproductive. We need to make room for self-compassion if we want to move beyond our mistakes and toward future successes.
Here are some key ways to practice self-compassion at work:
Continue reading “Practicing Self-Compassion at Work”Written by Karen E. Mosier
Employees seek autonomy to take action and make decisions within their organization. They want to feel valued and contribute in a meaningful way to the company goals. Empowering employees is a culture. There must be trust and understanding in place ensuring that their actions are in line with their organization’s mission and values.
Here are some key ways to empower employees:
Continue reading “How to Empower Others in the Workplace”Written by Karen E. Mosier
Having a job and pursuing a career are pretty much the same thing except for the difference in mindset. How passionate are you about what you do? Do you take into account the whole spectrum of experiences and life education that comes along with your job?
Here are some key differences between the mindset of having a job vs a career:
Continue reading “Job or Career: Mindset Makes a Difference”Written by Karen E. Mosier
Have you made a mistake at work and were worried to admit it or concerned that it might affect your relationships with colleagues or your career trajectory? We’ve all been there. What’s important is to recognize that mistakes can be a learning opportunity and, most often, you can recover from them.
Consider these three ways you can turn a mistake into a stepping stone for your career:
Continue reading “Learning From Your Mistakes”What are you passionate about? Living each moment to the fullest and savoring life along the path to your passion is what it is all about. To open the doorway to enlightenment you must take a proactive approach, become more engaged and take action to find your passion at work and have the career that you have always dreamed of having.
Here are some practical steps to find your passion at work:
Continue reading “Finding Your Passion at Work”