HRdownloads Blog

We’ve all been there; it’s Friday afternoon, you haven’t been back to your desk in hours and can just imagine how many e-mails and phone calls need responding to before you can leave. You walk past your team and overhear them discussing the upcoming potluck and pulling up food photos on their computers. They should be working, but how big of a deal is it, really? They’re hard workers, and you’re happy that they are excited about this company event, so what do you do? Or, more specifically, how do you decide what to do?

Managers constantly run into these grey-area situations where they don’t want to rule with an iron fist, but also don’t want to encourage bad behaviour. How can you decide if it’s worth it?

Implementing organizational change can be a difficult task for employers because employees don’t always welcome change. When implementing change, employers can use various approaches to help smooth the transition. These approaches often involve employees participating in the process, either by asking for their input or having them provide feedback. But what should employers do if the change is motivated by external factors?

Legislation influences all facets of HR: recruitment and selection, compensation, health and safety, labour relations, and so forth. It’s important for employers to be aware of the existing laws that govern the company, as well as proposed amendments and new legislation, as these can be significant external drivers for organizational change.

You likely know the signs. An employee showing up to your business casual office in a suit, then taking the afternoon off. A sudden surge in sick days, although they seem fine and healthy. A new reluctance to take on any long-term projects. You might not observe anything at all, but hear the news through the company rumour mill that so-and-so has been taking calls from recruiters or was seen visiting one of your competitors’ workplaces.

Turnover is a fact of any organization. Sometimes you have plenty of warning; an employee may be open about looking elsewhere. On other occasions, though, a departure catches you completely by surprise and you are left scrambling to cover the sudden gap in your staff. And sometimes the employee hasn’t said anything about departing, but you suspect they already have one foot out the door. Is there anything you can do?

We’ve all been there. You have a tough talk with an employee, then they’re overcome with emotions and begin to cry. For some managers, this display of emotions can make a difficult situation even more uncomfortable. So what do you do with an ‘over-sensitive’ employee?

As an employer or HR manager, you are tasked with managing a wide variety of employee personalities every day. It’s likely that you have worked with highly sensitive employees, and there are many challenges and opportunities associated with developing strong working relationships with these workers. Sensitivity means being aware of others’ needs and emotions, as well as understanding that how others behave affects how we think and feel. What are the first things that come to mind when you think about a sensitive employee?

Canadians worry about money. More than two fifths of Canadians consider money to be their biggest stressor, and stories abound of people struggling under mortgages, bank loans, and student debts, or failing to save money for their future. Commentators ascribe some of this worry to problems of ‘financial literacy,’ the understanding people have (or lack) about money, especially about saving, spending responsibly, and investing.

Many Canadians now find themselves living from paycheque to paycheque, their financial situation so precarious that one emergency could be disastrous. A survey in the United States found that 47 percent of respondents would not be able to cover a $400 emergency, or would have to borrow money or sell something to cover it; another study found that more than a quarter of participants could not come up with $2,000 for an emergency in 30 days, and a further 19% could only come up with that much money in time if they pawned possessions or took out payday loans.

Jim’s the best. Everyone loves working with him and he does fantastic work. He is always happy, friendly, and seems to thoroughly enjoy his work. People often remark that Jim is the only one who knows how everything works around the office. As his manager, you feel so lucky to have Jim on your team and wish all of your employees could be a little more like him. You know Jim has a bright future at the company—until one day Jim walks into your office, hands in his resignation, and there is no convincing him to stay.

This scenario has likely played out for every manager or business owner at some point in their career. Employers have an employee who fits in great with the organization and may even play a big role in a current project or the company’s future plans, but then resigns seemingly out of the blue. These types of resignations can be very disruptive to the workplace.

Stress: an inevitable, ever-present fact of workplace life. Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. It affects people of all ages, genders, and circumstances.

While it has a negative connotation, stress can be a useful motivator that helps you meet daily tasks and overcome challenges. Stress becomes a problem when there’s too much of it present in one’s life. When this happens, negative effects can arise, such as a weakened immune system, depression, anxiety, and even heart disease. With all the time people spend at work, it’s unsurprising that people name work the greatest stressor in their life.

On November 21, 2018, Ontario’s Bill 47 received Royal Assent, becoming law. Many of the provisions under the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 will not come into force until January 1, 2019, but that’s coming up quick, and some provisions are already in effect. These tight timelines mean that it’s crucial for organizations to have the right information on what policies need to change.

Having difficult, and sometimes awkward, conversations with employees is part of a manager’s role. Often these conversations are about sensitive matters and are uncomfortable for both parties. Good leaders address sensitive issues rather than avoiding them. But how an issue is communicated to an employee can greatly affect the outcome of the situation.

Part of the challenge with having these conversations is getting over the fear or discomfort with having to do it. Some of the hardest conversations can be those regarding personal hygiene, performance issues, or very specific situations relating to a person’s habits. While these conversations can be difficult, they have to happen in order for the issue to be corrected.

With the recent legalization of cannabis, questions may begin to arise around your office this holiday season. You are likely aware of the benefits and drawbacks of planning and hosting a company event. Many employers and HR professionals are also aware of the liability issues and dangers of serving alcohol to employees. As a responsible and forward-thinking company, you may already have policies in place regarding company events. However, employers will need to evaluate whether and how cannabis will be incorporated into their company event policies.

For the first time, recreational cannabis is legal for this year’s holiday festivities, company events, and parties. The challenge for employers will be to identify the unique ways that cannabis may factor into these company events. The legislation is still new, but this article helps guide HR professionals in the right direction toward handling legalized cannabis at company events.