Work. Made Better. Series
Alan Kearns, Founder, CareerJoy
Charlottetown is more than Canada’s smallest provincial capital; it’s a growing hub for government, healthcare, education, tourism, and agri-business. With a population of just over 38,000 in the city and more than 80,000 in the greater metro area, it’s a community where personal and professional networks overlap daily.
In Charlottetown, layoffs are rarely anonymous. They ripple through neighbourhoods, workplaces, and even social events. For HR leaders, CFOs, and executives, outplacement here is about much more than compliance, it’s about maintaining trust in a place where your reputation is one of your most valuable assets.
Employers in Prince Edward Island face a unique set of workforce transition challenges:
PEI employers who invest in structured, human-first career transition programs see measurable benefits:
Employers in Charlottetown operate under the Employment Standards Act of Prince Edward Island, but precedent shows that fair treatment beyond the statutory minimum can influence legal and reputational outcomes.
In MacDonald v. Health PEI (2022), an arbitration panel noted that providing career transition services supported the employer’s position in a disputed termination. While not legally required, outplacement was cited as evidence of procedural fairness.
For Charlottetown employers, especially in healthcare, government, and tourism, outplacement can act as both a legal risk mitigator and a public relations safeguard.
Local employers benefit from a partner who can provide:
✔️ Do your exits reflect your organization’s values and community commitments?
✔️ Can your provider serve both bilingual and culturally diverse employee groups?
✔️ Are you protecting your legal standing and your brand reputation?
✔️ Are your leaders trained to deliver difficult news with empathy?
✔️ Are retained employees engaged and supported after layoffs?
1. CareerJoy
Human-First. AI-Smart. 100 Percent Canadian.
CareerJoy is a national people and culture firm, not a recruiter, delivering personalized career transition programs that integrate ethical AI tools with deep human care.
What we bring to Charlottetown:
Local Leadership Insight:
“CareerJoy’s thoughtful, bilingual approach helped us manage a sensitive transition while maintaining our good standing in the community.”
HR Manager, Charlottetown-based healthcare organization
Case Study: Healthcare Sector Restructure, Charlottetown
In 2024, a major healthcare provider restructured operations, impacting 20 roles in clinical and administrative positions.
Challenges included:
CareerJoy provided:
Results:
2. Gallagher (formerly Optimum Talent)
National capacity
Consideration: Standardized programming; less flexibility for seasonal and small-market contexts
3. RiseSmart (Randstad)
Global tech-enabled platform
Consideration: Primarily U.S.-based coaching; limited local labour market expertise
4. CareerMinds
Digital-first, lower-cost model
Consideration: Minimal in-person bilingual delivery in PEI
Our clients choose us because we bring national reach with deep local understanding:
From the Government of Canada to World Vision, BMW, and leading Atlantic Canada employers, we help organizations navigate change with dignity and precision.
CareerJoy supports Charlottetown’s most respected employers in delivering career transitions that protect brand, relationships, and compliance.
We are an official learning partner of APEX and proudly hold a 4.7-star Google rating.
📧 Contact Alan.Kearns, Founder: alan.kearns@careerjoy.com
📞 1-877-256-2569
Human-first. AI-smart. 100 Percent Canadian. Global reach. Proven results.
Work. Made Better. Series
By Alan Kearns, Founder, CareerJoy
Montreal is one of the most dynamic and globally connected cities in North America. With over 4 million residents in the metropolitan area, it is a centre for aerospace, technology, finance, arts, manufacturing, and higher education. As one of the most bilingual cities in the world, it combines deep cultural roots with global business influence.
In Montreal, layoffs are rarely low-profile. The city’s strong unions, active media, and close professional networks mean terminations must be handled with precision, empathy, and cultural fluency. For HR leaders, CFOs, and executives, outplacement here is both a strategic and reputational imperative.
Montreal’s business and labour environment raises the stakes for how terminations are managed:
Montreal employers that invest in human-first, structured outplacement programs see measurable results:
Employers in Montreal must comply with the Act Respecting Labour Standards (ARLS) and, in many cases, collective agreements. Quebec’s CNESST and labour tribunals consider not only whether legal minimums were met, but also whether terminations were handled fairly.
In Gagnon v. Ville de Montréal (2022), the Administrative Labour Tribunal noted that offering outplacement services contributed to the employer’s demonstration of good faith, helping reduce the scope of potential damages.
For Montreal employers, particularly in high-profile sectors, outplacement is both a compliance-aligned measure and a reputation-protecting practice.
Given its complexity, Montreal employers seek outplacement providers who can:
✔️ Do your exits meet both legal and cultural fairness standards?
✔️ Can your provider deliver services in French, English, and additional languages as needed?
✔️ Are your managers trained to deliver difficult news with empathy?
✔️ Are you protecting your legal standing, your brand, and your talent pipeline?
✔️ Are retained employees confident in leadership after layoffs?
1. CareerJoy
Human-First. AI-Smart. 100 Percent Canadian.
CareerJoy is a national people and culture firm, not a recruiter, offering personalized career transition services that combine ethical AI technology with deep human care.
What we bring to Montreal:
Local Leadership Insight:
“CareerJoy’s bilingual, culturally intelligent approach allowed us to meet union requirements while protecting our brand across multiple markets.”
VP, People & Culture, Montreal-based global manufacturer
Case Study: Aerospace Sector Restructure, Montreal
In 2024, a major aerospace company reduced 55 roles across engineering, supply chain, and corporate functions due to market shifts.
Challenges included:
CareerJoy provided:
Results:
1. Gallagher (formerly Optimum Talent)
Large-scale national delivery capability
Consideration: Standardized program models; less tailoring for multilingual needs beyond French and English
2. RiseSmart (Randstad)
Global tech-enabled platform
Consideration: Primarily U.S.-based coaching; limited understanding of Quebec-specific employment law and union context
3. CareerMinds
Digital-first, lower-cost model
Consideration: Minimal in-person bilingual delivery in Montreal
Our clients in Montreal choose us because we combine national capacity with deep local expertise:
From the A@Government of Canada to BMW, World Vision, and leading Quebec employers, we support leaders in managing change with dignity and precision.
CareerJoy supports Montreal’s most respected employers in delivering career transitions that protect brand, relationships, and compliance.
We are an official learning partner of APEX and proudly hold a 4.7-star Google rating.
📧 Contact Alan Kearns, founder: alan.kearns@careerjoy.com
📞 1-877-256-2569
Human-first. AI-smart. 100 Percent Canadian. Global reach. Proven results.
Happy Friday,
This week, the story that mattered most for Canada’s leadership and economic future was not about the Toronto Blue Jays. It was about the first federal budget presented by Prime Minister Mark Carney. This significant event sets the country’s financial direction and has profound implications for leadership and organizational strategies.
On Wednesday morning, I attended a breakfast session where local MPs, the Mayor, and an economist from MNP, a leading financial advisory firm, walked through the key elements and implications of the new budget. The discussion went beyond numbers. It was about direction, confidence, and what this budget signals for how the federal government will lead Canada’s next chapter.
For those of us working closely with leaders across the public service and broader public sector, this was a pivotal conversation. CareerJoy has a large national leadership and career transition practice serving departments, crown corporations, and agencies coast-to-coast.
We sought to understand the ripple effects, how government priorities are shifting, where investments are being allocated, and how roles are being restructured, as well as how these changes will impact leadership and organizational strategies.
Early estimates suggest that, as part of this transformation, roughly 40 000 public servants will transition out of the federal public service over the next several years. At the same time, significant new investments are being made in national defence, infrastructure renewal, advanced manufacturing, and green energy. The combination reflects both a recalibration of government and a redefinition of how Canada plans to compete in a changing world.
One of the early comments at the session struck a chord: uncertainty. It was used to describe our trade relationship with the United States—still our largest and most complex economic partnership—but it could just as easily describe the state of leadership across every sector right now.
Uncertainty is the defining characteristic of modern leadership. Economic cycles are shorter, technology is accelerating, and maintaining public trust is becoming increasingly challenging. According to a 2025 Conference Board of Canada survey, 62 percent of Canadian executives identified “policy uncertainty” as their top barrier to long-term planning. Among public sector leaders, that number rises to 71 percent.
The economist from MNP summarized it well: “We have clarity on our priorities, but uncertainty in the environment.” That duality captures the challenge leaders face every day.
Later that morning, I had a conversation with a Vice-President we’ve supported through several leadership transitions in different departments. She now works in a national not-for-profit organization, facing significant funding changes and shifting expectations from federal partners. As we talked about the uncertainty ahead for her team, she reflected on a familiar human reaction—the instinct to seek more control.
We all know that feeling. When the ground shifts, our first impulse is to tighten our grip. We look for stability in process, structure, or data. The question is not whether we should respond, but what we can actually control.
As our Mayor said at the breakfast, “We cannot control what our largest trading partner will do. What we can do is understand our levers, our assets, and our strategies to lead Canada forward.”
It was a reminder that the most effective leaders do not chase control; they build clarity. They invest in understanding what is within their influence and then act decisively in that space.
In uncertain environments, leadership maturity is defined by how we balance those two forces: control and acceptance. Research by the ICF (International Coaching Federation) shows that leaders who can distinguish between what they can and cannot control report 31 percent higher levels of engagement among their teams. Their organizations also experience 20 percent less turnover during times of restructuring.
This is not accidental. When leaders model focus and calmness, others tend to mirror it. When leaders overreact, uncertainty amplifies.
Many of the public sector leaders we support find themselves caught between political cycles and operational realities. They are asked to make long-term workforce or program decisions while the direction of policy, funding, and governance can shift overnight.
That is where “strategic patience” becomes essential. It is not passive waiting. It is an active form of leadership grounded in understanding timing, pacing, and context.
It means asking:
In the case of the Carney budget, many deputy ministers and senior leaders will now be tasked with aligning their departments with new priorities. That will involve difficult choices—redeploying people, sunsetting programs, and building new capabilities in areas like clean tech and cybersecurity.
From our work with multiple federal departments, we know that these moments can either fracture or strengthen a team. The difference lies in how leaders communicate, engage, and support their people through change.
Behind every number in the budget, there is a person whose role, livelihood, or career direction will change. Public service transitions are not simply operational adjustments—they are deeply human moments.
Statistics Canada data shows that during previous major federal restructurings, such as the 2012 Deficit Reduction Action Plan, approximately 65 percent of impacted employees found new roles within six months through career transition support. Those who received structured outplacement and leadership coaching were twice as likely to secure roles aligned with their skills and values compared to those who did not receive support.
This is why thoughtful career transition programs are not an afterthought—they are a strategic investment in organizational continuity and brand trust. When governments and agencies handle change humanely, they protect institutional knowledge, reduce legal risk, and strengthen morale among those who remain.
The lessons from this first Carney budget reach far beyond Ottawa. Whether you lead a team in government, business, or the nonprofit sector, the themes are universal:
Prime Minister Carney’s first budget represents more than fiscal policy. It is a signal of a generational shift in how Canada intends to strike a balance between stability and transformation. For leaders across the country, it offers a reminder: the future will always contain uncertainty, but leadership is about guiding people through it with clarity, confidence, and care.
As we left the breakfast, one of the MPs said, “Budgets are not just about spending. They are about priorities.” The same is true for leadership. Every choice reflects what we value most—control or trust, reaction or strategy, fear or confidence.
Uncertainty may define the context. Leadership defines the outcome.
At CareerJoy, we work with leaders and organizations navigating uncertainty, restructuring, and renewal across Canada’s public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Whether you are managing workforce adjustments or planning for your next chapter, our team can help you lead with confidence and clarity.
Along the road with you,
Alan
|
Happy Friday,
We were fortunate to attend Game 3 of the World Series in Toronto this week. What an incredible experience. The energy in the stadium was unforgettable. The sound of nearly 50,000 fans standing shoulder to shoulder, singing, cheering, and believing again reminded me that leadership is as much about emotion as it is about execution.
I have to admit, I am a fan, just not an 18-inning game until 3 a.m. kind of fan. But being there in person brought back memories of those early championship years when an entire city seemed to rise and fall together with every pitch.
As Game 6 happens tonight, it is worth remembering how far this team has come. Less than a year ago, the Toronto Blue Jays finished last in the American League East.
What followed was one of the most significant cultural resets in professional sports and a leadership story worth studying.
In September 2024, after one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, the organization had a choice. It could make cosmetic changes and move on, or it could face the more profound truth.
President Mark Shapiro and General Manager Ross Atkins chose the more challenging path. They retained John Schneider as manager, even after a 74-88 finish, a decision that many fans questioned.
They also made significant coaching changes, letting go of Guillermo Martinez, Gil Kim, and Jeff Ware while bringing Don Mattingly back into a more traditional bench coach role.
At the time, Schneider’s calm response to media pressure, “Things are normal,” struck many as defensive. However, looking back, it may have been a signal that the team was resetting, rather than reacting.
In leadership, the difference between panic and poise is often measured in tone.
Schneider and his team chose to face the challenge with steady hands and a willingness to look inward.
After the season ended, Shapiro admitted that the organization had experienced what he called “the biggest disconnect between expectation and outcome” in his entire tenure.
That kind of honesty is not easy to come by. It requires a mix of humility and courage. In Canadian workplaces, similar honesty gaps often show up after difficult years.
The Conference Board of Canada’s 2024 Workplace Insights Report found that 62 percent of executives identified cultural misalignment as the top barrier to performance.
More than half said they underestimated how long it would take to rebuild trust and engagement after a poor year.
In leadership, naming the problem is often the first step to solving it.
At the end of that difficult season, players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer spoke openly about their disappointment. Guerrero said, “Everything. We have to get better at everything.”
That may sound harsh, but it is also hopeful. Because ownership always starts with acceptance.
The Human Resources Professionals Association found in its 2025 Workplace Leadership Survey that organizations with a strong culture of accountability were three times more likely to report above-average retention and engagement.
The same principle applies in sports. When people stop explaining away failure and start owning it, performance begins to shift.
The Blue Jays entered the offseason with a new sense of humility and hunger. They did not just hire differently; they decided to behave differently.
Keeping the same manager while rebuilding the coaching team was a lesson in leadership judgment. Too much continuity can breed complacency. Too much change can create chaos. The art lies in knowing what to preserve and what to renew.
In our own 2025 Work. Made Better Report. Research indicates that nearly 70 percent of Canadian people and culture leaders identified their most significant challenge during transformation as deciding what not to change.
The Blue Jays did not abandon their core identity. They kept what mattered, a belief in development, teamwork, and character, while reshaping the environment around it.
By spring 2025, the difference was visible. Reporters described a more connected, more focused team. Players were laughing together again. There was structure without tension.
Focus without fear.
That is what culture repair looks like when it is done right.
The real test of any team’s culture is not at home but on the road. During their 2024 collapse, the Blue Jays struggled when away from Toronto. They looked disconnected, isolated, and tired. But in 2025, something shifted.
Reporters noticed the small things. Team meals were back. Players spent more time together. The dugout energy felt lighter. It was not about slogans or big speeches. It was about reconnecting through small, consistent actions.
A study by Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business found that teams with strong off-site connection scores, measured by how often members interact informally or travel together, perform 23 percent better than those that only focus on structured collaboration.
Culture travels. It does not stay in the office or the clubhouse. It shows up in how people treat each other when no one is watching.
In today’s hybrid workplaces across Canada, that matters more than ever. Culture is not built by memos; it is built in the small moments between meetings, during travel, and in how leaders show up when pressure hits.
By the time the 2025 season began, the Blue Jays looked more human, grounded, and connected. Players spoke with clarity and humility. There was less talk of hype and more focus on habits.
That shift mirrors what we are seeing across Canadian workplaces. According to Statistics Canada’s 2025 Labour Force Survey, while 81 percent of workers say career growth matters to them, more than half now rank feeling part of something that matters as their top motivator at work.
That represents a significant shift from pre-pandemic data, when compensation and promotion were the primary factors.
The takeaway is simple. Whether in a corporate boardroom or a baseball clubhouse, people do not just want to perform; they want to excel. They want to belong.
Standing in the stadium last weekend, I was struck by the sound of belief returning. When the crowd roared in the bottom of the eighth inning, it was not just for a hit or a run. It was for redemption.
It was for a team that refused to define itself by a single season. For leaders who stayed steady under scrutiny. For players who owned their failures and rebuilt from within.
And tonight, as Game 6 unfolds, whatever the outcome, the Blue Jays have already achieved something far more lasting than a trophy. They have rebuilt culture.
Every leader faces their own version of September 2024, that moment when expectations collapse, trust wavers, and everyone looks to you for direction.
What you choose to do next defines everything. Do you replace or renew? React or reflect?
The Blue Jays chose renewal. They doubled down on character and connection. They proved that leadership is not about perfection but persistence.
Culture repair takes courage. It requires honest reflection, consistent communication, and a commitment to time.
When done right, it can turn last place into a championship mindset.
If your organization is in a moment of renewal, we can help you rebuild with purpose. At CareerJoy, we help leaders and teams design human-first, data-smart strategies that restore confidence, strengthen culture, and build long-term performance.
Along the road with you,
Alan
P.S. Great leadership starts with trust in your team and in yourself. Our EmpowerHER LeadHERship Program helps women leaders strengthen that belief and lead with confidence. Join an info session, learn more, and get started.
P.P.S.Change tests trust. Our Career Transition & Outplacement Solutions help leaders guide teams through uncertainty with confidence, care, and dignity. Connect with Matt Goff , VP Professional Services, at 1-877-256-2569 or explore CareerJoy’s Outplacement Solutions.
Happy Friday,
I have to say, the Toronto Blue Jays have impressed me so much this season. I don’t think anyone expected them to perform at such a high level. It will be thrilling to see them in the World Series this weekend.
I remember when they were in their first World Series. In fact, I went to one of the games and attended the parade. The energy in the city was electric. You could feel what it meant to people across Canada, that rare combination of talent, teamwork, and belief.
Taking a solid team and turning it into an outstanding team always comes down to leadership. It is about the ability of those at the top, the managers and coaches, to choose the right people, motivate them, know when to push and when to pull back, and take risks on players who might change the game.
This year, the Blue Jays are showing all of that. They are playing with trust and resilience. And nowhere was that more clear than when John Schneider walked toward the mound in Game 4 of the ALCS, ready to pull Max Scherzer, and then stopped.
Scherzer, the 41-year-old veteran known for his intensity, wasn’t having it. He barked, “No way!” across the diamond. Schneider paused. The two exchanged words that were equal parts strategy, emotion, and mutual respect. Then Schneider turned around, leaving his pitcher in the game.
Scherzer struck out the next batter.
After the game, Schneider said something every leader should write down: “At that point, there are numbers, there are projections, there is strategy, and there are people. So I was trusting people.”
That one sentence could be a masterclass in modern leadership.
Leadership is often portrayed as decisive action, stepping in, correcting, guiding, and fixing. But sometimes the harder and wiser move is to step back.
At that moment, Schneider chose trust over control. He had data, models, and instincts. Yet he also had a human being on the mound, one who had earned the right to decide how far he could go.
This wasn’t blind faith. It was an informed trust, the kind built over countless small moments of consistency and courage.
Great leaders know that trust is not the opposite of accountability. It is what accountability makes possible.
In Canadian workplaces, this principle also holds. Research from the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) found that 79 percent of employees who report high trust in their leaders also describe their teams as more innovative and agile. When trust is low, engagement and performance drop by nearly half.
Trust is a national performance advantage.
Trust doesn’t happen in the heat of the sixth inning. It occurs in the months before, in conversations, feedback, and small choices made when no one is watching.
Schneider talked about “reliving every conversation I’ve had with him over the course of the year.” That’s what authentic leadership looks like.
By the time a leader has to make a high-stakes call, whether it’s pulling a pitcher, approving a new business strategy, or promoting someone into a leadership role, the groundwork of trust has already been laid.
It’s the difference between a transactional relationship and a transformative one.
And when trust is mutual, both leader and team member rise. Scherzer didn’t just pitch for himself; he validated the belief placed in him. That’s the power of being believed in.
A 2024 Gallup Canada report found that employees who strongly agree that their manager trusts them are 12 times more likely to feel engaged at work and five times more likely to recommend their organization to others.
In an age where analytics dominate both business and sports, Schneider’s choice stood out precisely because it was human.
Every manager now has access to reams of data: pitch counts, velocity drops, matchup probabilities. In business, it’s KPIs, dashboards, and predictive models.
Data is powerful, but data cannot feel the pulse of a locker room or read the look in someone’s eyes. It doesn’t make sense when a team is emotionally charged or when an individual is fighting for something more profound than the numbers.
As Schneider said, “There’s numbers, there’s projections, there’s strategy, and there’s people.”
The leaders who excel in this new era are those who integrate both, who use analytics as a compass, not a leash.
In Canadian companies navigating AI transformation, that balance is becoming essential. According to Statistics Canada, nearly 29 percent of mid-sized Canadian firms adopted AI or advanced analytics tools in 2024. Still, only 41 percent of employees said they felt confident their leaders understood how to integrate technology ethically and effectively.
Leaders who can blend intelligence with intuition will set the standard for trust in the digital age.
Every leader faces the temptation to over-manage. It often stems from good intentions: a desire to help, protect outcomes, and ensure success.
But over time, control erodes confidence. It signals that the leader doesn’t fully trust their people to deliver.
Schneider’s decision to walk away from the mound didn’t just affirm his belief in Scherzer. It sent a message to the entire team: I trust you to do your job.
That message multiplies.
Trust begets ownership. Ownership fuels performance.
A recent Angus Reid study found that when Canadian employees feel empowered to make decisions, 84 percent report higher job satisfaction, and 68 percent say they’re more likely to stay with their organization.
Leadership is not about being the most intelligent person in the room. It’s about creating a room where others can bring their best selves.
Max Scherzer is not a quiet presence. He’s known for his intensity, competitiveness, and at times, volatility. Yet great leaders don’t shy away from strong personalities. They learn how to channel them.
Schneider understood that “fire” is part of what makes Scherzer great. He didn’t see defiance as disrespect. He saw it as a commitment.
That’s an important lesson for managers and executives alike. Passionate people can be challenging to lead, but they are also the ones who elevate the game.
The challenge is not to contain them but to align them. To turn that energy into performance rather than conflict.
When handled well, those moments become catalytic, the turning points where trust deepens and potential is unlocked.
It’s easy to romanticize sports moments. But the truth is, they mirror the same tensions leaders face daily: pressure, accountability, limited information, and competing priorities.
Every organization has its version of the sixth inning, a project at risk, a key decision, a high performer on edge. The leader’s role is to sense when to intervene and when to empower.
1. Here’s what Schneider modelled that applies anywhere leadership happens:
2. Preparation builds trust. You can’t trust what you haven’t invested in.
3. Data guides, but humans decide. Use analytics as input, not instruction.
4. Courage is reciprocal. When you trust your team, they rise to meet it.
5. Emotion isn’t weakness. It’s a sign that people still care deeply.
Leadership happens in moments. You don’t get to schedule them.
Scherzer’s story is one of resilience, from a broken nose to a black eye to pitching through pain in the World Series. He’s 41 years old and still showing what commitment looks like when it’s lived out over decades.
That kind of longevity doesn’t come from chasing perfection. It comes from leaders and teammates who know when to push and when to believe.
When Schneider slapped Scherzer on the back after the game and said, “All right, you [expletive] psycho, get in there,” it wasn’t just locker-room banter. It was camaraderie, respect, and mutual understanding.
That’s the heartbeat of any great team.
The Blue Jays may or may not win it all this year. But what they’ve already shown is that success is not just about performance. It’s about connection, trust, and shared belief.
It’s a reminder that the best teams, in sport or business, are built not only by analytics and skill, but by leaders who know when to let their people lead.
In leadership, as in baseball, you don’t control every pitch. You prepare, you read the field, and you trust the people who’ve earned their place on it.
That’s what makes the difference between a solid team and a great one, between managers and leaders.
The Blue Jays’ run this year isn’t just about baseball. It’s about belief, in the team, in the process, and in the power of trust.
Why?
We want it all….
Along the road with you,
Alan
P.S. Great leadership starts with trust in your team and in yourself. Our EmpowerHER LeadHERship Program helps women leaders strengthen that belief and lead with confidence. Join an info session to learn more. Join an info session, learn more, and get started.
P.P.S.Change tests trust. Our Career Transition & Outplacement Solutions help leaders guide teams through uncertainty with confidence, care, and dignity. Connect with Matt Goff, VP Professional Services, at 1-877-256-2569 or explore CareerJoy’s Outplacement Solutions.
Work. Made Better. Series
By Alan Kearns, Founder, CareerJoy
In Canada’s evolving world of work, the right outplacement partner isn’t just a box to check. It’s a reflection of how your organization treats people in moments of transition. For years, many HR leaders have defaulted to large firms like Optimum Talent, now operating under Gallagher, based on name recognition or bundled service agreements.
But as economic uncertainty grows and the expectations of employees rise, the questions are changing:
At CareerJoy, outplacement should be about more than resume tweaks and webinars. It should be about leading people forward — with dignity, clarity, and confidence.
Optimum Talent, now fully integrated under Gallagher, has been a fixture in the Canadian talent space for decades. With services across executive search, leadership assessment, and coaching, they’re a known entity, particularly in Quebec and Ontario.
Their outplacement services, however, are often bundled within a broader HR offering. While this can be efficient for procurement, it can also dilute the depth and personalization that transitioning employees need most.
Their model leans on:
What’s missing? In many cases, a dedicated, human-first approach to career transition is grounded in Canadian realities.
CareerJoy is 100% Canadian-owned, with a national bilingual team focused solely on people and culture. Outplacement and career transition are not sidelines for us — they’re core to our purpose.
Our model blends:
We don’t treat people like cases. We treat them like leaders in transition — because that’s what they are.
1. Employee Experience
Optimum Talent’s services are often structured around package tiers, with varying levels of access to senior coaching depending on the plan. CareerJoy delivers:
2. Canadian Context
Gallagher is a global U.S.-based firm. CareerJoy is deeply embedded in:
3. Brand Risk & Employer Trust
According to HRPA (2024):
CareerJoy’s white-glove transition protects your employer brand by:
Canadian labour rulings increasingly support the idea that outplacement — especially in government or unionized settings — is part of an employer’s duty of fairness.
CareerJoy helps reduce:
And we increase:
A prominent federal agency had long relied on Optimum Talent for executive search and talent services. However, when a reorganization necessitated outplacement for over 40 professionals, they reevaluated.
Their key needs:
CareerJoy was selected because:
“CareerJoy made our people feel respected, heard, and supported — even in a tough transition. They understood the culture, the complexity, and the stakes.” — S.C., Director of Talent, Government Agency
“With CareerJoy, I wasn’t just sent a link. I had a coach who listened to my story and helped me rebuild my confidence.”
— David Mathers, Outplacement Recipient
“I’d worked with others before. This was different. CareerJoy made me feel human again — not like I was being managed out.”
— Émilie Chen, Former Executive, Healthcare Sector
“They helped me explore entrepreneurship, not just apply for jobs. It changed everything.”
— Omar Bhatia, Career Transition Client
If your outplacement partner treats people like numbers, it’s time to rethink the model.
Let’s do it differently — with support that’s human-first, AI-smart, and built for Canadian workplaces.
CareerJoy is Canada’s national people & culture firm — trusted by the Government of Canada, Shopify, World Vision, BMW, YMCA, BGC Canada, and more. As an APEX partner with a 4.7 Google rating, we support career transitions, leadership development, and hybrid coaching across all sectors.
Human-first. AI-smart. 100% Canadian. Global reach. Proven results.
alan.kearns@careerjoy.com | 1-877-256-2569
Happy Friday,
October carries its own quiet wisdom. The air turns crisp, the light softens, and trees across Canada begin their annual transformation. It is a reminder that change, when timed right, can be both natural and beautiful.
After Thanksgiving, there is a distinct shift in rhythm. The long weekend marks more than a holiday; it is a collective pause before the final stretch of the year. Gratitude gives way to renewed focus. Leaders and teams alike begin looking ahead, ready to finish the year with intention.
Every fall, nature models what many organizations strive for: graceful, cyclical change. Trees do not resist transition; they prepare for it. They let go of what is no longer serving them to make room for what is next.
The same principle applies to leadership. Successful change does not just depend on the decision to act. It depends on the timing and readiness of people to embrace it. As leaves turn, teams often do too, recalibrating after the early rush of September. This makes October one of the most fertile periods for reflection, coaching, and cultural renewal.
Behavioural economist Katy Milkman, in How to Change, studies one of the most pressing questions in leadership: why do people change and why do they resist? Her research highlights something simple yet profound. Change is easier at moments that feel like fresh starts. Psychologists refer to this as the “fresh start effect.” Whether it is the beginning of a week, a birthday, a new job, or the turn of a season, people are more willing to adopt new behaviours when they sense they are at a new beginning.
Milkman shares a powerful example from public health. For decades, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) claimed the lives of thousands of infants each year. In the 1990s, research revealed that placing babies on their backs to sleep, rather than on their stomachs, dramatically reduced the risk. The recommendation spread quickly, and parents embraced it.
Why did this shift take hold so effectively? Because new parents are in uncharted territory. With no old habits to unlearn, they are open to new information and new routines. Compare that to adults attempting to change established habits, like improving diet or exercise. Experience and routine often make people less adaptable.
The lesson is clear. People are most open to change, not when they have mastered something, but when they are beginning something new.
October captures this idea perfectly. It is a continuation moment, a bridge between starting and sustaining. The period after Thanksgiving offers leaders a natural inflection point, a moment to re-center priorities, reinforce new habits, and prepare for the final months of the year.
So what does this mean in practice? Here are a few leadership applications of Milkman’s insights:
In the age of AI and rapid transformation, timing has never been more critical. According to HRPA’s 2025 report, more than seventy percent of CHROs say employee readiness, not technology, is the biggest challenge to transformation.
That insight reinforces what October teaches us. Sustainable change requires leaders to match initiative with season. It is not enough to introduce something new; success depends on when and how it is absorbed.
Timing is not only about efficiency or strategy. It is also about empathy. Leaders who align change with moments when people are naturally more open are less likely to meet resistance and more likely to build trust.
It is wise to meet people when they are ready to begin, rather than trying to push change when they are already in the midst of something. October is a time when many people are open to renewal. Good leaders respect that rhythm.
Leadership, like the seasons, follows patterns of growth, letting go, and renewal. The weeks following Thanksgiving remind us that gratitude and reflection can be the fuel for progress. October invites us to look ahead, not with urgency, but with purpose, as we prepare for the final chapters of the year.
As you watch the leaves turn this month, ask yourself:
Sometimes, the best leadership move is not to start something new. It is to honour the timing of change that is already unfolding.
Along the road with you,
Alan
P.S. This season of change is the perfect time to invest in your next step. Our EmpowerHER LeadHERship Program has upcoming info sessions designed to help women leaders strengthen confidence, clarity, and impact. Join an info session, learn more, and get started.
P.P.S. If your organization is preparing for transitions this fall or winter, explore our Career Transition and Outplacement Solutions to ensure every change is handled with care and dignity. Connect with Matt Goff, VP Professional Services, at 1-877-256-2569 or explore CareerJoy’s Outplacement Solutions.
Work. Made Better. Series
By Alan Kearns, Founder, CareerJoy
In a year where AI is reshaping roles, hybrid work is still testing norms, and Canadian employees are more vocal about organizational values, companies’ handling of layoffs is under sharper scrutiny than ever before.
When an organization chooses an outplacement partner, it’s not just selecting a service — it’s making a statement about how it treats people, how it manages risk, and what kind of employer it intends to be in the future.
For many HR leaders, the choice comes down to two broad options: a multinational brand with a vast global footprint, or a purpose-built Canadian firm with deep local roots. In this article, we examine the practical, legal, and cultural implications of selecting between CareerJoy and one of the industry’s best-known players, LHH.
Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) is a global name in outplacement. Backed by the Adecco Group, it offers standardized transition programs in dozens of countries. For organizations with operations in the U.S., Europe, or Asia, this level of infrastructure is reassuring.
But in practice, Canadian HR leaders often face real trade-offs with global firms:
While these challenges may be acceptable in specific enterprise environments, they become liabilities in high-stakes transitions, particularly when supporting senior leaders, public sector teams, or culturally specific populations.
CareerJoy operates from a different starting point. As a 100% Canadian-owned and operated firm, our approach to outplacement is shaped by:
In an era where values alignment, DEI integrity, and psychological safety are part of the employer brand, choosing a Canadian partner is not just a patriotic decision — it’s a strategic one.
Outplacement doesn’t just influence how employees find new roles; it also impacts their overall career trajectory. It also affects how they leave and how they feel about their former employer afterward.
In Canadian legal contexts, especially in Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec, offering tailored, culturally competent, and language-appropriate outplacement can significantly reduce exposure to wrongful dismissal claims or reputational backlash. For example:
By contrast, Canadian firms with regional depth and legal literacy offer more than just empathy — they provide insulation. Properly delivered outplacement is a form of risk management.
Both LHH and CareerJoy offer testimonials. Both publish case studies. But in Canada, there’s a distinct tone shift when reading what clients say about working with a firm like CareerJoy.
“They were with me the whole way — from the moment I got the news to the first day of my new role. It wasn’t just about finding a job; it was about finding a fulfilling career. It was about finding my confidence again.”
— Mark L., Calgary (from Google Reviews)
“I never felt like a number. They got who I was and what I wanted next. It made all the difference.”
— Fatima A., Toronto
These aren’t scripted lines from slide decks. They’re real reflections on human experience — something that’s harder to come by when coaching is fragmented across continents.
In our experience, the real differentiator isn’t just service quality — it’s fit.
CareerJoy’s structure allows us to adapt quickly:
By contrast, global firms often prioritize process over personalization. What works in New Jersey may not work in Newfoundland. And while the platform may be polished, the coaching may feel distant.
One of the most overlooked yet critical elements of outplacement success is coach continuity.
When an employee opens up to a career coach — especially in moments of grief, self-doubt, or significant life change — that trust needs to be nurtured. Being transferred mid-process or bounced between rotating consultants can undermine progress and stall recovery.
CareerJoy’s coaching model is built around one consistent relationship, supported by a national team, and enhanced — not replaced — by technology. It’s not about scaling people out. It’s about keeping people connected.
LHH has invested heavily in digital platforms — some impressive in scope, others reliant on generic content. CareerJoy has invested, too — but with a different goal. Not to reduce human involvement, but to amplify its effectiveness.
Our clients benefit from:
But the core of our model remains human. And it’s the combination — smart AI, stronger humans — that delivers the best results.
If your organization is facing layoffs, restructuring, or role eliminations — and you’re deciding how best to support transitioning employees — the decision you make about your outplacement provider will shape not just exits, but perceptions.
Every departure is an opportunity to protect your brand, reinforce your values, and minimize legal risk. It’s also a moment that your employees, past and present, will remember.
If your goal is to handle layoffs with empathy, professionalism, and Canadian integrity, it may be time to rethink defaulting to a global vendor.
Choosing an outplacement partner isn’t just about contracts; it’s also about finding the right fit. It’s about trust, continuity, and context. It’s about who understands your people — and your values — in a uniquely Canadian environment.
Let’s talk about what works here. And what truly supports the people who’ve helped build your organization?
CareerJoy is Canada’s national people & culture firm — trusted by organizations like The Government of Canada, Shopify, World Vision, BMW, YMCA, and BGC Canada. As an APEX partner with a 4.7 Google rating, we support career transitions, leadership development, and hybrid coaching across every sector.
Human-first. AI-smart. 100% Canadian. Global reach. Proven results.
Contact Alan Kearns, Founder at alan.kearns@careerjoy.com or 1-877-256-2569.
Happy Friday,
A few years ago, I woke up to find a strange rash across one side of my face and a painful, scratchy feeling in my right eye. At first, I thought it was allergies or fatigue, but something about the combination felt off. Within hours, I was sitting in the emergency room. The attending doctor looked concerned & perplexed, and mentioned the word “stroke.” That single word was enough to make my heart race.
Then another physician walked in, examined my eye, and said quietly, “I think we know what this is.” It turned out to be a rare virus that, if untreated, could lead to vision loss within forty-eight hours. The treatment plan was clear. Medication was started immediately.
Within minutes, I felt the shift from fear to relief.
Nothing about my physical condition had changed, but everything inside me did. When the problem had a name, I could stop imagining every worst-case scenario. I could see the path forward.
In that quiet hospital room, I realized something I’ve seen repeatedly in leadership: Fear fills the space between not knowing and knowing. Once you have language for what’s happening, the fog lifts, whether you’re a patient, a parent, or a leader trying to steady a team through change.
This idea recently resurfaced in a fascinating paper by Dr. Awais Aftab and philosopher Alan Levinovitz . They call it the “Rumpelstiltskin Effect”, borrowing from the Brothers Grimm story in which a young woman is freed from the power of a malicious spirit only after she learns his name.
Across centuries and cultures, humans have experienced relief and empowerment when a problem receives an official name. In medicine, a diagnosis brings direction. In leadership, naming a challenge clearly and without judgment often marks the turning point from anxiety to action.
Dr. Aftab describes it as a psychological counterpart to the placebo effect. Even before treatment begins, naming a condition gives a sense of meaning and control. It reframes confusion into understanding. It reminds us that what we face is not random or personal but identifiable and, therefore, manageable.
As Brené Brown puts it, “Language is our portal to meaning-making. Naming an experience doesn’t give it power; it gives us power over it.”
In organizational life, this is one of the most underappreciated leadership skills.
Many leaders feel pressure to fix things quickly: an underperforming project, a disengaged team, a sideways client relationship. The instinct is to act, to move, to show progress. But diagnosis always comes before prescription.
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report found that only 21 percent of employees strongly agree that their leaders communicate effectively about change. Yet when people feel their leaders truly understand the situation, the real problem behind the symptoms, engagement scores rise by nearly 30 percent.
Clarity is not a luxury. It is a performance driver.
Organizations often waste enormous energy treating symptoms without a precise diagnosis, resulting in more meetings, new software, and yet another reorganization. The core issue remains unnamed, and so the cycle continues. During a national restructuring project, one senior HR leader once told me, “We had all the right tools but were solving the wrong problem.”
A good diagnosis does not just identify what’s wrong; it helps everyone agree on what’s true. And that shared truth creates momentum.
The Rumpelstiltskin Effect is not limited to medicine or management; it also applies to other fields. It is deeply human.
At University College Dublin , researcher Cliodhna O’Connor and her team analyzed almost 1,900 accounts from adults with autism diagnoses. They found that most described the experience as a “revelation.” The word came up repeatedly. For many, the diagnosis reframed years of confusion. Instead of feeling “broken” or “wrong,” they felt recognized.
That sense of recognition, of having one’s experience named and understood, builds trust inside teams. When a leader listens carefully and says, “This isn’t about resistance, this is about fatigue,” or “This isn’t poor performance, it’s unclear priorities,” something shifts.
The team moves from defensiveness to dialogue.
It is not the same as solving the issue, but it opens the space for solutions.
The best leaders operate like skilled diagnostic thinkers. They don’t rush to treat. They listen, observe, and test their assumptions. They create psychological safety so others can share what they see without fear. They name patterns that others sense but cannot articulate.
In Canada, research from the Conference Board shows that one in three employees say the most significant barrier to their performance is “unclear expectations or leadership direction.” That is not a motivation problem. It is a diagnosis problem.
The ability to name what’s happening and put clear language to the fog of frustration separates reactive leadership from reflective leadership. It turns guesswork into insight.
I’ve seen it in countless organizations we partner with. A technology team struggling with burnout realizes that the real issue is not the workload itself, but rather the constant context switching that accompanies it. A nonprofit facing turnover discovers that the problem isn’t compensation, but rather a lack of role clarity. A government department under pressure to modernize discovers the friction is not resistance to AI but fear of being left behind.
One Canadian manufacturing firm we worked with had been struggling with chronic turnover on a specific production line. Leadership assumed it was about pay. But when we helped them listen and identify the real issue—unpredictable shift rotations disrupting family life—the solution shifted from compensation to stability. Within three months, retention improved by 24 percent.
Once those patterns have names, leaders can act with precision and effectiveness.
Psychological safety, the belief that one can speak up without fear, is built on this foundation. Trust grows when leaders are honest about what’s unclear and invite others to help define it. A 2024 Deloitte study found that teams with high psychological safety are 67 percent more likely to exceed performance targets.
In this sense, diagnosis is not just technical; it is relational. It tells people, “You can tell the truth here.”
When my own health scare was finally named, I remember the relief of thinking, Okay, now we know what we’re fighting. That sentence changed everything.
The same emotional transformation happens inside organizations when clarity replaces uncertainty. According to Gallup, employees who understand their purpose are 4.6 times more likely to feel engaged. Teams that report clear goals and transparent communication experience 70 percent fewer safety incidents and 20 percent higher profitability.
Behind every statistic is the same psychological mechanism. People can work effectively when they understand the problem at hand. Clarity reduces anxiety. Understanding builds trust. Naming builds focus.
And trust, once established, becomes the foundation for resilience.
The need for diagnostic leadership is growing in a world shaped by AI, hybrid work, and constant change. Algorithms can identify patterns faster than humans, but only leaders can name their meaning.
Data can tell you what is happening, but only human insight can interpret why. AI may flag a dip in engagement, but it takes a conversation to uncover that the real issue is burnout, confusion, or fear of irrelevance.
As AI systems surface more data about performance, engagement, and sentiment, the leaders who will stand out are those who can interpret that data with empathy and who see patterns and people. That is what being Human-First and AI-Smart truly means.
Leadership in this new era is not about being the expert with all the answers. It is about being the curious listener who asks the right questions and gives things their proper names.
From Naming to Healing
Dr. Levinovitz and Dr. Aftab noted that when people finally learn their condition, the emotional relief resembles the ancient moment in the Rumpelstiltskin tale: the power of the unknown breaks when the name is spoken aloud.
That moment of naming is often the first step in the healing process.
For teams, it can mean the end of months of miscommunication. For organizations, it can mean the beginning of a turnaround. For individuals, it can mean a shift from self-blame to self-awareness and understanding.
Every leader has the opportunity to create those moments. It starts by asking, “What is happening here?” and being willing to listen until the true answer emerges.
A Reflection for the Weekend
This weekend, consider where you might apply the Rumpelstiltskin Effect in your leadership.
Because once you can name it, you can understand it. Once you know it, you can act. And once you act, you can lead with confidence again.
Just as that doctor helped me name what was happening so my healing could begin, leaders who help others find the right name for what they’re facing create the same shift, from fear to focus, from uncertainty to hope.
That is the quiet magic of leadership.
Along the road with you,
P.S. Discover what’s shaping Canadian workplaces in the 2025 Work. Made Better. Report: Download the Work Made Better Report
P.P.S. Support transitions with dignity. Connect with Matt Goff , VP Professional Services, at 1-877-256-2569 or explore CareerJoy’s Outplacement Solutions.
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