Happy New Year! As we enter 2019 we’re left to reflect on all of the adventures we’ve had here at InspireHUB in 2018. Of course, we couldn’t have done any of this without our amazing support of family, friends, and clients alike!

Enjoy our 2018 InspireHUB Recap!

How do you cultivate meaningful moments of celebration in the workplace in a way that respects the diversity of cultures and traditions that make up the beautiful tapestry of your people? At one point or another, most of us have done the potlucks, the ugly Christmas sweaters and the Secret Santa gift exchanges. But the celebrations that pack in the most meaning and fun are the ones built around "experiences" not more "stuff."

At a time of year when budgets are already stretched thin, here are a handful of ways to reinvent holiday celebrations in the workplace, including the virtual ones, with a focus on inspiring experiences and "presence" not "presents."

Here's how to kick it "InspireHUB" style ...

“Hands up! baby, hands up! Gimme your heart! gimme, gimme your heart! Gimme gimme!” My favourite part of the day on the line had just arrived because Brenda had just put on our two o’clock song as we worked.  It always made me laugh because the line (which was made up entirely of women) would all pump their hands in the air at the same time every time the singer said: “Hands up!”

I’m from a manufacturing community where “working on the line” is a right of passage for many and I was no different.  As a teenager, my time spent here would be critical in shaping my views on work and also my character. The reality is that this small manufacturer was way ahead of their time.  I remember the leaders were very concerned with creating a positive culture. They worked hard to create a team environment and to protect the workplace.

The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation enacted this May came packed with some serious headaches for corporate gatekeepers responsible for protecting users' personal information and unprecedented penalties for those who don't adhere to it.  And it's not just impacting organizations in the 28 countries of the EU.  If you track, hold and manage data for anyone that lives in them, you're on the hook.

While there's no magic bullet to get you on the right side of this sweeping legislation fast, there are a handful of things to help your marketing and IT departments make the changes needed now.

Here’s what you need to know about keeping the user data you are entrusted with safe and in compliance.

How important is a morale booster to your team?  Many communicators are stuck in ancient protocols that leave their internal communications boring and dry.  As research points out, employee engagement leads to both a happier workforce and a significantly healthier bottom line.

An increasing number of organizations are finding interesting lessons in the art of play, and more specifically in "gamification." Gamification recognizes that human behaviour revolves around the need for "validation" and "rewards" so finding what things are most meaningful to your employees in those areas and simple ways of "making it so" can be game-changers.

Here are 6 games you can adapt right now...

In the most recent blog from Convene titled More People Feel a Sense of Belonging at Work Than Their Neighborhood or Place of Worship - they look at the recent statistics from EY on how people view the workplace:

According to a new study from professional services firm EY, more people get that sense of belonging from their jobs than any other source, outside of their own homes. 

The survey, which looked at    over 1,000 employed adults in the U.S. , found that 34% feel the greatest sense of belonging at work. While this is behind home (62%), it was significantly more than physical neighborhood (19%) and place of worship (17%).

The corporate Intranet plays an important role in internal communications.  Intranet 2.0 is the "social intranet."

While the types of tools and the way they are used widely varies, studies offer insight into the communications barriers and boosts for productivity and employee engagement.

Here are 10 opportunities to up your game ...

Internal communications are essential to a company's growth and success. It impacts morale, productivity and revenue.

You might be surprised to learn the numbers behind the way businesses are using technology to boost employee engagement and the bottom line.

Here's where to lean in ...