Article de HR pros publié à la page 19 de l’édition Hiver 2009-2010 de la revue Progrès.

Progrès Hiver 2009-2010 (format pdf)

PARS GLASS is currently recruiting a Sales & Marketing Advisor for the Atlantic Region.  This is a self directed role.  There is a competitive base salary, solid commission opportunity and generous car allowance.  See the details in the Job Opportunities page.

In 2008, 29 Nova Scotia workers died on the job.  The incidence of death in 2009 has not improved.  Accordingly, on September 20, 2009 the Nova Scotia Government took decisive action and passed new regulations intended to deter ongoing and unnecessary injuries, deaths and unsafe work practices in the workplace. 

The Safety Administrative Penalties Regulations come into effect January 15, 2010.  There is no grace period or phase-in to the legislation.  As of January 15, whenever an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Officer issues an Order for non-compliance an Administrator at the OHS Division may issue an accompanying monetary penalty (fine). 

Penalties may be levied against employees and supervisors as well as employers.  Penalties are within a range.  Employees may receive a penalty of no less than $100 and up-to $1000.  Supervisors may receive a penalty of no less than $250 and up-to $2000.  Employers may receive a penalty of no less than $500 and up-to $4000. 

There are approximately 4,000 Orders issued each year by OHS Officers.  Orders are a result of any number non-compliance issues.  Examples of non-compliance issues include, but is certainly not limited to:  failure to post orders or minutes in the workplace; failure to provide respiratory equipment; failure to train staff on safety procedures; failure to properly guard or lock-out equipment; failure to prevent workplace violence; failure to have an established Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee or a designated Safety Representative; etc, etc.

Safety programming and compliance is a complex environment.  If in doubt as to whether you are in compliance contact a safety professional.  HR pros would be pleased to be of assistance to you and your organization. 

Do you believe these new Regulations will deter unsafe work practices or do you feel this is an attempt by the NS government to self-fund the OHS Division?  Give us your opinion by leaving a comment.

Long, long ago, in a fiscally confident time, employers would share the company good fortune and offer their employees Holiday Bonuses.  But, considering the impact of the economy, what will employers do this year?  Can they afford to give Holiday Bonuses?  Is it even a good idea?  Why exactly do companies continue to give, or even contemplate giving, these year-end Bonuses?

It is probably a fair assumption that employees know only too well not to count on getting a Holiday Bonus this year.  Times are tough and keeping their jobs is really their priority.  But what are employers thinking?   And, what should employers be thinking?

The fact is that Holiday Bonuses are not always the most motivating.  If you give a bonus out of obligation, employees will know it. I once worked at a place that gave turkeys each year for no other reason than that was what had been done for the last 50 years.  Each employee had to pick up their turkey from the main office on the day of delivery, from the back of the delivery truck, whether they were scheduled to work that day or not.  Employees could not stop talking about how insulting the whole process was, kind of like a food bank feeling for many of them.  Given how the bonus turkeys were received by the employees, the company would have been better off giving nothing.

Giving Holiday Bonuses doesn’t sound like it should be a difficult process, but a lot of companies get it wrong.  In reality the Holiday Bonus is one perk that should be handled very carefully and with some extra thought.  If you’re going to give a bonus, think through the whole process.  Which isn’t to say you have to give what you don’t have!

Industry at large is strapped for cash.  Bonuses that are small can be appreciated, or at least, understood for what they are.  Employees can feel grateful for even the most modest of bonuses.  Having said this, if you’re going to give your employees an inexpensive bonus, there’s a good argument for being clever and thoughtful about it.

By putting some thought into a Holiday Bonus, you can avoid a lot of problems. Don’t give anything too personal, anything that contradicts the receiver’s value system (such as giving alcohol to a non-drinker), or anything that could be misinterpreted (for instance, giving female employees beauty kits and male employees jumper cables, thereby reinforcing stereotypes).  Most importantly, should your company provide a year-end bonus, be fair about it. You may like one employee better than another, but don’t give $10 to one and $200 to another if they’re both performing the same basic functions.

But do employers even have to give a bonus?  And, what about non-monetary bonuses? 

The fact is that many companies stopped their Holiday Bonus programs in the early 2000s.  Besides the obvious economic rationale for discontinuing year-end bonus programs, other reasons employers ended bonus programs include switching to performance-related compensation plans, rising corporate sensitivity to workplace diversity, and serious issues of entitlement that arise when providing an obligatory bonus.

Still some employers see the Holiday Bonus as a company’s chance to say thanks and to offer their employees something extra along with their December paycheque. Their experience is that Holiday Bonuses do positively impact morale and company loyalty. 

One of the biggest fallacies of the year-end bonus is the method by which the bonus is determined.  The senior management teams sits, sequestered, in a boardroom.  They look at how much money they have at their disposal and try to match the bonus to the fiscal reality.  What is missing in this approach?  The employees’ voice and preference!

The need to be transparent about the standing of the company is a whole other article.  Having said this, sharing the fiscal realities and how these relate to the year-end bonus is imperative.  Building an employee team to help match the fiscal reality to the Bonus is just good common sense.  Having that team conduct and interpret a quick survey of employees’ and their preferences is just plain and simply a best practice!

Whether the bonus will be more of a symbolic gesture this year or something significant, employees know best what will create that elusive motivation and loyalty-  they might surprise you!  More often than not, it is not the financials of the bonus but rather the impact.  Employees might well prefer a day off with pay than a $50 gift certificate to the local grocery store.  They might prefer a personalized and framed letter from the company CEO, acknowledging their contributions, over a pen and pencil set.  They might prefer a well thought-out, no-cost-to-the-employer Employee Discount Program over a basket of fruit.  Or, employees might prefer a holiday party, with good food and time away from the office with friends and new friends rather than the obligatory turkey. 

To bonus or not to bonus is the question.  Well thought-out bonuses might very well increase employee motivation and loyalty.  There are creative ways to give your employees bonuses that don’t necessarily need to break the bank.  Involving existing employees, educating them about the financial realities and tasking them with advising what the best Holiday Bonus is might well be the best practice of the year.

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Article about HR pros on the Nova Scotia Comes to Life website and in the new magazine Mingle.

Remembrance Day is a solemn occasion to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifices so that we might enjoy our freedom.  In Nova Scotia, Remembrance Day is legislated by the Remembrance Day Act. 

The Remembrance Day Act requires all companies to suspend operations, for three full minutes, starting at one minute before eleven o’clock in the forenoon on Remembrance Day.

Remembrance Day is not a Holiday in Nova Scotia but commercial activities are curtailed.  Having said this, there are a number of industries where it is not possible to cease operations, for example health care, police services, transport, service stations.  Section 4 of the Act provides the list of exemptions.

It is worth noting that employees who do not work on Remembrance Day do not get paid unless the employer gratuitously offered to add Remembrance Day as a benefit.  For employees required to work on Remembrance Day, the employer will grant a holiday with pay with their annual vacation or at another time mutually agreed between the employee and the employer.

For more information visit the Nova Scotia Government webpage: http://www.gov.ns.ca/lwd/legislation/

Visit the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

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minimum key requirements:
4 -5 years of software development experience
Extensive knowledge of C++, C# and .NET programming
Knowledge of Agile methodologies
Must be professional, dedicated to task and have a strong eye for detail.  Strong communication and interpersonal skills are a must.

Send resume to info@hr-pros.ca

Diversity and inclusion are principles which enrich our lives.  But, as I recently told a colleague, diversity is much more than a mere concept or set of obligations. 

Most workplaces today include diverse social, economic, ethnic, religious and other cultural backgrounds.  An employee’s diverse background largely frames that employee’s perspective on authority, communication and decision making styles, gender roles, responsibility, assertiveness and other traits that deeply affect and determine the success of an organisation. 

Business analysts and leaders agree that, when harnessed and managed properly, diversity and inclusion in the workplace contributes to creativity, productivity and, ultimately, the prosperity of an organisation.  As I recently told that business colleague, diversity and inclusion programs are competitive business strategies. 

Consider three teams of 10 people tasked with problem solving and idea generating:

Team 1:  Everyone has a similar social, educational and ethnic background.

Team 2:  All ten members are socially, educationally and ethnically diverse.

Team 3:  All ten members are socially, educationally and ethnically diverse and have been trained on how these differences affect decision making and communication styles.

In the beginning Team 1 will out perform Teams 2 and 3.  Team 2 will be chaotic.  And, Team 3 will generate few ideas or solve few problems in the short term.

Over a relatively short time, however, Team 1 will be stagnant.  While it is comfortable to work with like people homogenous teams become stagnant fast.  Team 2 will continue to be chaotic.  The real winner will be Team 3.  Team 3 members have been educated on their differences and will capitalize upon these differences.  They will learn what they each have to offer, what others on their team have to offer and how to blend their different approaches to fill any performance gaps. 

The facts are that, over time, Team 3 will out perform Team 1 by more than 50%.  That, my friends, is a competitive advantage. 

To learn more about building strategic teams, capitalizing upon differences and positively impacting organisational prosperity consider attending “Building a Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion”, October 21 at the Halifax Club.  We guarantee it will be time and money well spent and you will walk away with real tools and strategy, not mere concepts.

HR pros is a full-service Human Resources Management company.  For more information on how HR pros can help you grow your business, comply with legislation and develop an HR framework to meet your business’ mandate call today!

We have an amazing opportunity with excellent compensation within a global company. The perfect candidate for this position will be an experienced Bilingual Operations Manager with excellent administrative and computer skills within the Mortgage Industry.

You will be reporting to Senior Management or the VP of Operations and undertaking all of the following responsibilities:

• Identify processing, control, and risk gaps for functions and services relating to the delivery of lender programs (general & provincially-specific)

• Investigate tools, methods, information, and costs to support new initiatives or changes

• Monitor SLA reports to ensure Service Levels are maintained and appropriate training is conducted

• Identify, document and/or consult on requirements for new reporting/methods

• Participate/initiate meetings with operational contacts for lender programs (internal & external)

• Formulate the operating budget and report on variances

• Communicate changes and train staff on new methods, when required

• Analyze workflow, volumes, and business needs of the office to determine staffing requirements

• Provide coaching and direction to Manager, Atlantic Operations

• Conduct annual performance reviews of employees

Requirements:

• 5-7 years related experience in a lending environment

• Fluent in both English and French

• Strong, people-oriented manager with a hands-on style (includes leading, managing, motivating, staff development and performance management)

Submit your resume and cover letter to info@hr-pros.ca.

A Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion

October 1, 2009
For Immediate Release

Halifax, NS  –  Today’s most successful businesses are in tune with one major change in the workforce- more than 64 per cent of those entering are women or people of ethnic minorities.

On Wednesday, October 21, Tanya Sieliakus of HR pros incorporated will share her secrets with Atlantic Canadian business professionals to help them benefit from the changing workforce and positively impact their bottom line. The event, titled: A Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion, will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Halifax Club.

“Human Resources (HR) is the number one challenge facing North American companies,” says Sieliakus. “It’s about having the right people, at the right time, with the right skills and knowing how to motivate and engage people to get the most from your workforce.  Sound human resources management strategies are a competitive advantage that tangibly impact the bottom line.”

During this interactive training session, Sieliakus will speak about the importance of diversity and inclusion. Her session will demonstrate how perception and stereotypes, which are often subconscious, impact personal effectiveness and reveal how values, communication styles and non-verbal behaviors can create misunderstanding and conflicts in the workplace.

“Being different isn’t a judgment call, it just means not the same,” she adds.

Sieliakus has been dubbed one of the most technically-astute and competent human resources management practitioners in the Atlantic region. She has delivered diversity training to more than 1000 participants in five countries, and is the recipient of a number of awards including: the national John T. Ryan Safety Award, the ACCESS Nova Scotia award for creating an environment of inclusion, and the USG Award of Excellence.