HRdownloads Blog

While days are getting longer, we aren’t quite out of the woods yet, which means employees may be experiencing a type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Ongoing and changing restrictions have already caused a major shift in our mental health, which may be affecting workplaces more than we realize. Symptoms will likely be amplified by anxiety and isolation arising from “stay home” recommendations and may last beyond the winter months.

Employers may notice that employees are less ambitious or productive this time of year and may shrug it off as them adjusting to getting back into the swing of things. However, employers should be aware that their employees may be experiencing deeper mental health issues.

Creating a supportive environment can help decrease gender inequality and repair a toxic workplace culture. Diversity, including gender diversity, contributes to improved decision-making and reduces conflicts among groups. Fostering diverse viewpoints and strengthening workplace equality improves collaboration and integrates different perspectives and problem-solving approaches.

As expectations around social responsibility become more widespread, organizations that advocate for gender equality and women’s rights, that provide a safe, supportive work environment for women, and that make efforts to improve diversity are recognized for their efforts with a better company image and customer loyalty among those who share their values and beliefs.

The message is clear: “Stay home if you’re sick. Don’t go to work.” All levels of government and public health officials across the country require Canadians to stay home if they show symptoms of COVID-19. But for many Canadians, even some on your own team, this is easier said than done. So how do you encourage employees who are sick to stay home? 

It’s the beginning of a new year, which means it’s time to reflect on the past and prepare for the year ahead. 2020 was a tough year for all of us as we navigated the challenges of a global pandemic. Together, employers and employees faced many challenges, including business closures, layoffs, strict health and safety measures, changing business models, remote work, and mental health struggles. It is no surprise that our experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic were a driving factor for the HR trends we will see this year. While there are numerous HR trends to explore, we have chosen to highlight people-based trends this year. 

Most workers are either employees or independent contractors, and which category a person belongs to has profound implications for every part of their work, and severe consequences for employers who get the distinction wrong. 

The reason the penalties for worker misclassification can be so severe owes a lot to how different the two classes are. 

The appeal of virtual onboarding during the pandemic is obvious. In the early stages of lockdowns and quarantines, it was unavoidable that new employees would be introduced to your organization virtually. Even now as organizations reopen, many people are still under temporary isolation or are joining companies that have restrictions on who can be onsite, meaning that many employees are still working from home at least some of the time. 

This pandemic will end eventually, but as that ‘eventually’ retreats further into the future, we can’t lose sight of our present responsibilities. Our organizations still have work to do, and that includes recruitment and onboarding. But how can you be sure that new hires you onboard virtually can still succeed and contribute quickly to your organization?

Trust is a two-way street; employers must trust their employees and earn their trust in return. It is an essential component of a healthy and successful workplace. Studies have shown that workplaces where strong trust is present have higher levels of employee engagement, productivity, and innovation, with lower turnover rates than competitors.

By now, you may be asking yourself, “Is there trust in my organization?”

When the country is experiencing record high unemployment and layoffs due to the pandemic, it’s unsettling to hear that nearly half of employees still want to quit their jobs despite the economic downturn.

A recent survey from Hays reported that 49 percent of employees are seriously considering leaving their current role. The main reasons cited include compensation, lack of growth opportunity, and company benefits; however, a deeper look reveals that how the company has acted and responded (or failed to respond) to employee concerns during the pandemic has also influenced employees to leave their jobs.

2020 was, well, challenging to say the least. Even if the COVID-19 pandemic hadn’t occurred and shut down the world’s economies, there were still widespread natural disasters and profound civil unrest. Consequently, many of us were counting the days to January 1, 2021, eager to finally call an end to the hectic, frustrating, bewildering, and occasionally desperate year.

While a new year sounds promising, you may want to brace yourself for disappointment. Many of the stressors that made 2020 so exhausting and endless will continue well into 2021. But don’t give up hope yet! Managing your expectations for yourself and your team is the first step towards a successful new year.

Violence and harassment must not be tolerated in any workplace, and most jurisdictions have laws that outline an employer’s responsibility to prevent them. Violence and harassment affect employee well-being, mental health, job tenure, absenteeism, and workplace satisfaction. They can cause high turnover, and in some cases be considered discrimination. So where do you begin your efforts to reduce or eliminate violence and harassment in your workplace? Your culture.