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What Not To Do When Downsizing

3/20/2013

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Imagine showing up to work one morning to a locked door and a notice on the window announcing that your location had been closed down. This is exactly what happened to 900 Best Buy and Future Shop employees earlier this year. On January 31st, over a dozen retail outlets across Canada were closed unexpectedly and hundreds of employees were suddenly left jobless.

The move was based on a need to downsize to reduce costs. However, it is not the decision to close the locations that is being called into question –
it is the manner by which employees were notified of the closing. Catching an entire employee population by surprise with something of this nature is never best practice.

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In a similar case earlier this month, the CEO ofThe Daily Voice emailed his employees about his resignation and promised that “good news would follow.” However, a few days later they received a notice that several locations were being closed and that many staff were being laid off.

By not providing employees sufficient warning or explanation it is clear that both organizations did not handle their downsizing appropriately. In doing so, they made themselves vulnerable towards having resentful employees, a damaged public reputation, and the potential inability to recruit top talent in the future.

As employers, there are still valid concerns tied to informing employees of the need to downsize and reduce the number of employees. The well known HMV fiasco from a couple months ago serves as a prime example. In this case, an employee began making public announcements on the company twitter feed that people were being let go using the hash-tag #HmvXFactorFiring. So how can companies avoid this negative impact? Here is a list of some HR best practices to keep in mind.
What experts say they should have done:
  1. Constant and Consistent Communication: HRM Online states that creating a communications plan is important to ensure that various parties hear about the news at the right time and in the right way. For instance, people whose positions are impacted directly will need to hear the news first. Ensure that communication is on-going in order to reassure staff that you are listening and care about the process.
  2. Information, Information, Information! To avoid catching employees off-guard, aim to provide them with as much information as you can about the reasons and goals behind the cuts. This transparency helps to eliminate any misunderstanding or feelings of resentment and can help employees understand why the cuts need to happen and what the process is.
  3. Help Employees Understand Process Behind Terminations: It is important to reassure employees that there is a reason behind every decision made and to be clear about what those reasons are. This also helps to prevent "Survivor's Guilt" among the employees that are left behind.
  4. Give Departing Staff Good Severance Packages: Showing respect and compassion to those being laid off will help generate goodwill among remaining employees. In addition to providing a good severance package, look to offer additional training and career transition services to prepare employees for the job market. Sometimes it is even appropriate to provide counseling for these employees.
“If you’re outsourcing, changing focus or trying to cut costs, let employees know. They’re also more likely to be committed to help turn around the company if they understand the reasons – and if you take the power out of the rumour mill.”    - Dr. Nita Chhinzer from the University of Guelph

Need help resolving challenging employee issues, including terminations? Clear Path offers immediate access to experienced, local HR professionals with our HR “On Demand” service. Simply pick up the phone and talk to an expert in HR best practices. You can expect clear, concise, and simple explanations that will expedite resolution of your issue and protect your company from liability.

Contact Anna at anna@clearpathemployer.com or (519) 624-0800.

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Dealing with Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

3/14/2013

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PictureSarah Thomson and Rob Ford
Sexual Harassment. As employers, this is an issue we never want to see arise in our workplace. In recent news, allegations of sexual harassment were made against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. Former mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson posted on social media that Ford had touched her inappropriately and made suggestive comments at a function earlier last week. Ford immediately denied this claim saying it was “absolutely, completely false.”
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Since these allegations were made, a raging discussion has exploded over the news story and the “he-said, she-said” argument continues. Objectively, it’s impossible to know which person is telling the truth just based on the statements from the affected parties. So, instead of playing the blame-game, let’s take a look at how this situation was handled and the do’s and don’ts of dealing with a sexual harassment complaint in your workplace. To this end, we have enlisted the expertise of HR Consultant Josie Martiniello to help us out.

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What should you do as an employer?

The Canada Labour Code defines sexual harassment as any conduct, comment, gesture, or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation. According to the Federal Labour Program, employers must make every reasonable effort to ensure that no employee is subjected to sexual harassment. This includes issuing a relevant policy that contains at least the following elements:
  • A definition of sexual harassment (SH)
  • A statement explaining how complaints can be brought to the employer
  • A statement informing employees of their right to make a complaint
  • A statement that every worker is entitled to work free of sexual harassment
  • A statement that employer will make every reasonable effort to prevent SH
  • A statement regarding the privacy of the complainant

In a study done by the University of South Australia, it was found that employees who lodge sexual harassment complaints are several times more likely to leave companies than their alleged perpetrators. The study has also shown that women who complain about sexual harassment often suffer more unjust treatment in the workplace. Because of these negative consequences that seem to fall on the person who issues the complaint, many incidents of sexual harassment are going unreported. This further emphasizes the importance of being prepared as an organization and having established policies that deal with sexual harassment complaints appropriately and effectively.

As with any established policy, it is important to ensure that you have the proper procedures in place to support what is written. Unfortunately, Josie notes, many organizations do not have good complaint procedures for dealing with cases of sexual harassment in the workplace.

What Does a Good Complaint Procedure Look Like?

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Josie Martiniello, Clear Path HR Consultant and Claims Manager
"I recommend that employers handle sexual harassment complaints immediately and advise the complainant of the investigation procedure. To avoid memory lapses or changes in the original story, getting documentation of the complaint is key in any investigation procedure.

Depending on the current employment relationship between the complainant and accuser, ask if the complainant is comfortable continuing to work with the accuser and, when possible, make arrangements for the complainant to work remotely to avoid further escalation of the issue.

Throughout the process, ensure you document all your meetings and, once a decision is rendered, summarize your findings in a report. Though this is a time consuming process, when completed properly it will save you from future financial hardship. In addition, your staff will feel that you are an employer who is committed to ensuring their health and safety." 
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Although sexual harassment is a serious issue and requires immediate action from the employer, it is also necessary to guard against workers lodging false allegations. Deliberately laying a false charge against another person should be clearly identified in your policy as a disciplinary offence with the expectation that this will be dealt with accordingly. The case of Ford and Thomson serves as an example of how quickly these situations can escalate in a social context. Not only was the complaint made via social media and for the public eye, it was also followed by a round of accusations and name-calling by both parties. Having the proper policies and complaint procedures in place can help to create a workplace environment that deals with sexual harassment appropriately and can also prevent issues like these from escalating out of control.

Need help developing the proper policies and procedures for your company? Clear Path can help you develop both individual policies, such as those dealing with sexual harassment, or full employee policy manuals. We can also help you become compliant with the requirements of Bill 168 (Workplace Violence and Harassment Legislation). Visit our website to find out more: www.clearpathemployer.com

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Celebrating International Women's Day

3/8/2013

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International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated across the globe each year on March 8th to mark the economic, political, and social achievements of women - past, present and future. Thousands of events are held all over the world that aim to inspire women and celebrate their many achievements.

The idea of having a worldwide celebration for women began at the beginning of this century in America and Europe and was motivated by a desire to put women and women’s rights to equality on the global agenda. Since those early years, International Women’s Day has become an official holiday for over 25 countries including Afghanistan, China, Russia, and Uganda.

How is your workplace celebrating International Women's Day?

International Women’s Day is an opportunity for companies to celebrate the talented and inspirational women in their workplace. It also serves as a reminder that there is still much to be done to support the cause of women in our communities.

Here are some examples of what some companies have done in the past to celebrate IWD:
  • HSBC showed their commitment to helping women start and grow their own businesses by hosting an annual networking event for business women with inspirational women speakers.
  • Nortel sponsored activities in over 20 countries and thousands of women participated.
  • Accenture supports more than 2000 of its employees to participate in its International Women’s Day activities that include leadership development sessions, career workshops, and corporate citizenship events held across 6 continents.

What are some ways you can celebrate IWD in your workplace? Here are some ideas:
  • Organize company-wide events that support local women’s charities
  • Send out a memo that recognizes and celebrates the contributions women have made in your company
  • Provide employees with materials about the day and the reasons for celebrating
  • Create a team to brainstorm ideas that would support women in your workplace and on a larger scale
Contest

In honour of International Women's Day, we want to hear from you about what your company does to mark the event and/or what impact women have made on your organization. Submit your responses to info@clearpathemployer.com     or post them on our Facebook page! This month's prize is a $25 gift certificate to Chapters.  A winner will be chosen at random from all the responses and announced in our next newsletter.

PictureAnna Aceto-Guerin, CHRP
The women of Clear Path

Here at Clear Path, International Women’s Day is something to be celebrated as our company was founded by a woman and is also largely staffed by women. We are proud to be celebrating our 10th year in business in 2013.

With over 100 combined years of experience in Human Resources and Occupational Health, our team is dedicated to providing customized and cost-effective services to meet all of your HR, Disability Management, and Safety needs.  We encourage you to learn more about each of our team members here.

International Women's Day and Bill 168

This year, the United Nations theme for International Women’s Day is “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women.” The International Labour Organization (ILO) added to this statement saying, “Stop violence against women at work.”

Though not limited only to women, Ontario's workplace violence and harassment legislation (Bill 168) aims to reduce the likelihood of violence against all workers. One of its requirements is that employers take steps to reduce the likelihood of domestic violence in the workplace.  One of the landmark cases that inspired the legislation was the tragic murder of nurse Lori Dupont in a Windsor hospital by a former boyfriend (a doctor at the hospital).
Next steps

If you are struggling in the process of becoming compliant with Bill 168, Clear Path has many resources available to you including risk assessment, policy development, and employee training. Click here for more information.

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Working From Home - Productivity Killer or Booster?

3/1/2013

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There is no denying that advances in technology have dramatically changed the workplace environment. From laptops to visual conference calls, many workers are no longer confined to working in the office. In response to this, many major corporations are allowing employees to work from home as a way to improve the overall work‐life balance. But with this increase in flexibility comes an increase in responsibility for employers. According to an article from HR Council, the key to designing a flexible work arrangement is to make sure that work gets done in the most effective way, from the most effective location. Marissa Mayer (right), CEO of Yahoo Inc., believes that the most effective location is in the office.
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Marissa Mayer of Yahoo
“Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo!, and that starts with physically being together.”   Marissa Mayer
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Earlier this week, Yahoo released a memo announcing that it is banning its employees from working remotely. The memo read, “To become the   absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices.” Mayer supported this new shift in workplace flexibility by claiming that teleworking does not foster an environment conducive to productivity and creativity. But does this mean that the ability to work from home should be completely eliminated?
Whether working from home is a legitimate possibility is largely  dependent on an individual’s work responsibilities. Instituting a company‐wide policy against this type of work arrangement puts you at risk of losing some of the employer benefits that come with being more flexible. According to an article by HRM Online, these benefits include a reduced level of absenteeism, lower office expenses, and an increase in productivity and employee morale. For larger corporations, having this kind of policy in place may also impair your ability to attract top talent that is looking for those kinds of incentives.
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Making it work: Guidelines for working from home 

The reaction to Mayer's memo has been intense, from those stating it is a huge step backward and an anti-parent policy to those who agree there are benefits to having a team that can collaborate and thrive when they are physically together. It is clear that there are both pros and cons to following employees to work from home. So, how can you make it work for your company? Clear Path offers you a few suggestions:
Introduce technology that helps to enhance remote collaboration – programs such as GoogleDocs, Skype, and Instant Messenger are great low‐cost options  for smaller businesses.
 
Ensure that all remote employees are able to maintain a high level of communication with the office.

Develop clear policies that outline your expectations for working from home. Flexible start and end times in the office is also another alternative to increasing workplace flexibility.
       
Implement programs that help to increase work‐life balance such as EAP or childcare assistance.

Provide ongoing feedback to employees regarding their performance and productivity levels.
       
Establish an in-office team meeting at least once per month and require all employees who typically work from home to attend to increase personal connectedness to the team.
Striking a balance

Scott Schieman, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto who studies work, stress, and health, has this to say on the topic: “It comes down to everything in moderation. Rather than have somebody always work from home, have some arrangement where there’s an effort to understand and negate any of the downsides. So if you believe interaction and decision‐making happens best when people are together, make sure there are opportunities to make that happen.”
Clear Path can help 

Need help developing your employee policies to find the right balance between productivity and work‐life balance? Our experts are here to provide the training, policy development and expertise you need to succeed. Visit our website to learn more at www.clearpathemployer.com or contact Anna at (519) 624-0800.

We'd love to connect with you! 
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