Halogen Software's Leadership Development Programs Named 2014 HR Initiative of the Year

Ottawa business community recognizes Halogen for innovation in leadership development

OTTAWA, Oct. 28, 2014 /CNW/ - Halogen Software (TSX: HGN) has been recognized with the 2014 HR Initiative of the Year by the Best Ottawa Business Awards (BOBs) selection committee for its innovative leadership development programs, which focus on the ongoing development of the company's current and future leaders.

"Employee and leadership development is a critical area of investment for our region's top employers, and for any organization that wants to compete and grow in today's economy," said Michael Curran, Publisher, Ottawa Business Journal, and member of the BOBs award selection committee. "The Best Ottawa Business Awards have recognized Halogen with HR Initiative of the Year, not only for the company's commitment to this type of development, but for the results that their programs have delivered."

Halogen Software's leadership development programs were also recognized this past spring in the 2014 Top 500 Leadership Excellence Awards by Leadership Excellence Magazine and HR.com. Halogen placed 4th among more than 100 nominees in the mid-market category in North America.

Based on core leadership competencies, these programs emphasize peer- and self-directed learning and include activities and program areas such as:

• Peer-to-peer learning pods — self-directed groups of leaders work together with and without facilitation, to advance their leadership skills, discuss challenges and support one another
• Individual leadership development plans which all leaders work on with support from an external leadership coach
• Mandatory multi-rater assessments are included in all leader performance reviews
• A formal 360-degree feedback process conducted every two years to benchmark leadership strengths and weaknesses and track developmental progress
• An annual leadership conference where leaders share personal development stories and the leadership imperatives

Other leadership development programs include:

Emerging Leaders' Program Builds Bench Strength

Halogen's Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is unique because the participants are developed to assume increasing leadership responsibility across any area of the organization, not simply within their own department or business unit. The program has achieved marked success with 80 percent of participants having assumed leadership roles within Halogen, including many outside of their previous functional area.

"Leadership development is an integral part of our corporate culture and we believe it is a driving force behind our success. We're very pleased to be recognized with this award," said Dominique Jones, VP of Human Resources, Halogen Software. "We believe that everyone deserves to work for a great leader and deserves the opportunity to develop his or her own leadership skills."

New Grad Program Attracts Top Talent and Builds On-the-Job Business Skills

Halogen's New Grad program gives new graduates the opportunity to explore first-time career opportunities while benefiting from structured training and development, mentorship from leaders across the organization, and exposure to a variety of business functions.

"What attracted me to Halogen from the start was its stellar New Graduate program," said Thomas Kenny, Web Developer, Halogen Software. "The company sets high expectations for all employees and provides new grads with an amazing experience to learn about all facets of the business and start contributing right away to its success. The program has been very rewarding and I'm really proud that it's being recognized within the Ottawa community."

About the BOBs

The BOBs recognize innovative companies and leaders that demonstrate great customer service and corporate social responsibility standards in the Ottawa area. The awards are decided by a special selection committee from the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa Business Journal.

Halogen Software will receive the HR Initiative of the Year award at a special BOBs gala on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at the Ottawa Convention Centre. For more information on the BOBs gala, visit http://bestottawabusiness.ca/.

About Halogen Software

Halogen Software (TSX: HGN) offers an organically built cloud-based talent management suite that reinforces and drives higher employee performance across all talent programs – whether that is recruiting, performance management, learning and development, succession planning or compensation. With 2,000 customers worldwide, Halogen Software has been recognized as a market leader by major business analysts and has garnered the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. Halogen Software's powerful, yet simple-to-use solutions, which also include industry-vertical editions, are used by organizations that want to build a world-class workforce that is aligned, inspired and focused on delivering exceptional results. For more information, visit: http://www.halogensoftware.com. Subscribe to Halogen Software's Exploring Talent Management blog: http://www.halogensoftware.com/blog/  or follow Halogen Software on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HalogenSoftware.

SOURCE Halogen Software