2022 CEO Year End Message

21
Dec 2022
157
A woman wearing glasses and a black jacket is smiling in a circle.

Author: Ioana Giurca, CEO, CPHR Alberta

Click here to watch or listen to the CEO message on video.

What an incredible year 2022 has been for the association and I am honoured to be sharing this year’s CEO message with our stakeholder community. As the new CEO of CPHR Alberta, I have seen the association in a different light the past several months and I am inspired by our members and team daily.

Our member first philosophy continues to be our driving force as an operational team, and with that philosophy in the forefront of our minds we have been able to deliver some truly unique opportunities this year.

For a full year now, we have continually rolled out improved process for members through our new member portal. The increased activity we have seen within the portal in recent months has reafirmed the hard work that was required to launch the system. There are still some areas that require attention and work to ensure we attain the seamless, easy and all-inclusive experience we are seeking for our members. Please note that our team is working hard to complete these.

In February of 2022, we launched the CPHR Alberta Career Center. This new platform has allowed us to increase our reach, bringing in job opportunities from around the country as organizations seek hybrid and remote workers along with our provincial hires. We have increased our number of job postings and as a result increased our revenue allowing us to better support association programs and learning opportunities. The career planning services, and resume uploading have also been an added benefit for members.  We are eager to see the growth of the Career Center into 2023 and the opportunities it brings our membership.

Moving back to in-person meetings and events has been an exciting process and one our team has managed with grace as they consider logistics, pricing and safety of our members. This year we were able to bring our members together in-person for our mingles and smaller group professional development sessions including our Executive Breakfasts. Our capstone event of the year, our annual conference, was a large success as we brought members together both in-person and virtually for our first hybrid event. With over 500 combined attendees we delivered a two-day experience that included the presentation of our 2022 Excellence Awards, networking opportunities, concurrent sessions, keynotes speakers, a meeting  with the Board of Directors and more. We look forward to delivering another hybrid event next year in Edmonton.

To ensure we are protecting the best interest of the public, members are required to focus on continuous education amongst other areas such as ethical standards. To support this initiative and prepare our members for successful careers in human resources, CPHR Alberta delivered eight certificate programs in 2022 including Workplace Investigations, Executive Compensation, Organizational Change Management, Negotiations and Conflict Resolution and Project Management. In addition, we introduced new PD offerings for our members in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.  

Our regulatory competencies and ethical standards have also seen a review the past year with changes to both our competency framework and EVA. The updated CPHR Canada Competency Framework was announced in late 2021 and was used as the basis for the National Knowledge Exam in 2022. In 2023, the Experience Validation Assessment will follow the updated framework and the number of competency examples required to pass the EVA will be changed from 12 to 8.

To ensure we are meeting these standards and the needs of our members we administered five short member survey’s throughout 2022.  I want to thank all of our members who participated, your feedback supports us with offering the right services. We had 867 individual members respond over the five part survey with the highest engagement on professional development and membership value sections. When asked what one word would be to describe CPHR Alberta, our two most popular answers were Professional and Informative! In 2023, we look forward to continuing to deliver in those same ways while ensure we gain ground in being educational, cost-inclusive and community centred.

An important strategic priority for the association and the CPHR Alberta Board in 2022 was our continued pursuit of self-regulation. Our journey thus far has led us to a point of review and as such, feedback from our membership. In the fall, our Board of Directors held an open event for members at the annual conference to learn more about the status of our application and the impact self-regulation  would have on the association and you as members. The development of our Self-Regulation Brochure and Petition were created to support awareness of the importance of self-regulation. We continue to ask for your assistance by signing our petition and completing the self-regulation question during your dues renewal through our Good Character Attestation form. Please take a moment to read our message from the Board, available now on our blog for more details.

As we continue to build awareness for the association and the designation amongst government and the private sector within our jurisdiction, our membership numbers continue to grow. As of December 5, 2022, CPHR Alberta has 6,073 members and 2,996 designates, an increase of 2% from 2021. The increases in members have also been impacted by the 2022 CPHR Canada Awareness Campaign and  CPHR Alberta’s Accredited Student Member Growth Campaign. It is through this campaign that we look to brighten the future of the profession by investing in the next generation of HR professionals, and building a pipeline of success for the association and supporting the growth of the CPHR designation.

With the continued growth of the association and our healthy financial situation, I am happy to share that membership dues have not increased since 2019 and they will remain the same in 2023.

Planning for 2023 has already begun, and as we continue to support our members with our regular programs and learning opportunities we will also turn our efforts towards our continued pursuit of self-regulation, growing our membership and bringing awareness for CPHR Alberta and the designation to the business community within our jurisdiction.  

Thank you to the CPHR Alberta Board for their support and guidance this year. Our board chair, Lisa Watson has shared a message for our members now available on our news blog. And thank you so much to all our volunteers!

On behalf of CPHR Alberta, I wish all of you a very joyful holiday season and a happy new year.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.



Mental Health in the Agriculture Industry

By Jessica Jaithoo • August 8, 2025
Author : Nicole Mahieux, Nick Canning & Kendal Tremblay Mental health is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of employee well-being, business resilience and community strength. For HR professionals, supporting mental health is no longer optional—it’s imperative. While conversations around mental health have gained traction in many industries, one critical sector still faces unique and persistent challenges: agriculture. Farmers and agricultural workers play a vital role in food production and national food security. Yet they are among the most vulnerable when it comes to mental health struggles. In fact, they experience some of the highest rates of stress, anxiety, depression—and even suicide. This is not just a personal issue. It's a workforce issue. It's a public health issue. It's a business issue. There are a range of compounding pressures makes farming one of the most mentally taxing professions.  These include: 1.Financial Stress & Unpredictability Unstable markets, weather-dependent outcomes, and shifting government policies contribute to a constant sense of economic uncertainty. 2. Isolation Many farmers work alone and live in rural areas where access to social support is limited. Social isolation increases vulnerability to mental health concerns. 3. Stigma Although mental health stigma is slowly decreasing, it remains a barrier—especially among men, who represent 74% of the agricultural workforce. Traditional gender norms often discourage open conversations or help-seeking.

CPHR Alberta’s Commitment to Supporting Reservists

By Jessica Jaithoo • August 7, 2025
As a proud participant in the Glowing Hearts program , CPHR Alberta continues to champion the value that Canadian Armed Forces reservists bring to our workplaces. Since joining the program, we’ve seen firsthand how supporting reservists not only strengthens our communities but also enhances organizational resilience and leadership. The Value of Reservists in the Workplace Reservists are more than military personnel—they are strategic thinkers, adaptable leaders, and skilled collaborators. Their training equips them with discipline, problem-solving abilities, and a mission-focused mindset that translates seamlessly into civilian roles. Captain McKenzie Kibler of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment exemplifies this. In a recent deployment on Operation REASSURANCE, he developed leadership and operational skills that now enrich his civilian career. Watch his story here. Support, Recognition, and Incentives for Employers Supporting reservists doesn’t mean sacrificing business continuity—in fact, it opens the door to meaningful recognition and financial support. Through the Compensation for Employers of Reservists Program (CERP) , employers can receive grants to help offset operational costs when a reservist-employee is away for 30 days or more. At the same time, organizations that register their reservist leave policies with the Glowing Hearts program are publicly recognized on the Canadian Forces Liaison Council website and receive a certificate of support and digital badge. These benefits not only ease the logistical challenges of supporting reservists but also position your organization as a leader in community engagement and national service. Tools and Templates for HR Leaders To make it easier for organizations to support reservists, CPHR Alberta offers a Reservist Leave Policy Template. This resource outlines eligibility, leave procedures, compensation, and compliance with federal and provincial legislation—making it simple to implement a supportive policy. Access the template through the Member Portal.

Leadership Risk Isn't Just a C-Suite Concern

By Marina Perkovic • July 29, 2025
Companies that invest in leadership development see real returns. According to Brandon Hall Group, organizations with strong leadership development programs are 1.5 times more likely to be financially high-performing, reinforcing the clear connection between leadership strength and business success (Brandon Hall Group, 2015). For small to mid-sized businesses, this risk can be especially high. As teams expand and complexity increases, the informal leadership structures that worked early on can start to crack. That’s where proactive leadership development and risk mitigation go hand-in-hand. The Leadership Gap Is a Hidden Business Risk According to a recent CPHR Alberta report, talent development and leadership gaps remain one of the top five organizational risks (CPHR Alberta, 2023). The consequences are rarely immediate, but they compound over time: • Missed growth opportunities • High-potential employees leaving due to lack of career clarity • Poor team morale when unprepared managers struggle to lead • Strategic drift from lack of alignment at the top A growing company without a leadership pipeline is like a car without a spare tire, it might keep rolling, but one unexpected bump can send the whole operation into a tailspin. Risk Mitigation Starts with Leadership Insight The first step in mitigating leadership risk is to move from guesswork to clarity. That means using structured tools like leadership assessments, succession planning frameworks, and targeted coaching to surface the actual capabilities of current and emerging leaders. In professional services firms, for example, it’s common to see technically strong employees promoted into management roles. While they excel in their areas of expertise, they often lack key leadership capabilities like delegation, feedback, and emotional intelligence (Gallo, 2016). Without proper development, this can lead to stalled projects, disengaged teams, and higher turnover. Leadership assessments and focused coaching are essential to identify these gaps early and build the skills needed to lead effectively. Common Leadership Risks in SMBs Every organization faces different risks, but these are some of the most common leadership vulnerabilities seen in growth-stage companies (SHRM, 2022): • Lack of succession planning: Only one person knows how to run a key function, creating bottlenecks and burnout. • Unclear decision-making authority: Teams waste time waiting for approvals or duplicating efforts due to ambiguous roles. • Promotion without preparation: High performers are promoted into leadership roles without training, leading to micromanagement or misalignment. • Poor feedback culture: A lack of honest dialogue means small issues snowball into bigger people problems. • Leadership misfit: A leader’s natural style may clash with the culture or needs of a specific team or situation. Mitigating these risks requires more than a one-time workshop. It takes intentional development, structured tools, and reinforcement over time (SHRM, 2022). What Effective Mitigation Looks Like The most successful companies don’t wait for a leadership crisis to take action. They build leadership strength proactively. Here’s what that looks like: • Leadership assessments are used during hiring and promotions to identify fit, style, and potential blind spots. • Customized coaching programs help leaders build the exact skills they need in real time, tied to their actual challenges (International Coaching Federation, 2022). • Leadership training cohorts (such as PowerUp Leadership’s “Coaching Skills for Managers” or “Authentic Leadership” programs) create a shared foundation across the organization. • Succession maps identify who is ready or could be ready for key roles in 12–24 months, creating a proactive development plan (SHRM, 2022). As companies grow, the complexity of people management increases exponentially. Systems, tools, and strategy all matter but none of them work without effective leadership behind them (McKinsey & Company, 2018). Investing in leadership development isn’t a “nice to have” for big companies, it’s a risk management strategy for every business serious about sustainable growth. 
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