7 HR Roles of the Future: What They Are and How to Land Them - Lattice

As a result of the pandemic, companies have started to change the way they operate and that includes the role of Human Resources. For instance, in the near future, we can expect to see a demand in new HR roles that cater to facilitating remote workers. The Remote Culture Manager’s role will be about building a sense of belonging and community in a virtual environment.

It’s also becoming increasingly important to ensure the workplace and internal processes are supportive of individuals' well-being and mental health. More attention will be given to mental health concerns and how their employees’ work is being affected because of it.

Janet Candido was interviewed in Lattice on the 7 HR Roles of the Future: What They Are and How to Land Them.

How to Manage in the 'New Normal' - Canadian HR Reporter

Employers can no longer pay lip service to collaboration, diversity, mental health.

From vaccine policies to new ways of measuring employee productivity, employers need to change their mindset and adapt to the new workplace "normal". Janet Candido discusses this and more in a recent interview, originally published in the Canadian HR Reporter.

Preparing For The Future Of Work: The Top Five Trends To Watch In The Future Of Work - Authority Magazine

Read the full interview in Authority Magazine.

Here are Janet Candido’s top 5 trends to watch out for in the future of work:

1. Remote work and virtual meetings are here to stay. The rise in virtual meeting technology like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, GoToMeeting, have facilitated the transition and we have all become more comfortable using these tools. Even though brainstorming, onboarding and negotiating are examples of things that do not work well remotely, the pros outweigh the cons. For employers, this means reduced office space requirements, reduced need for business travel, which saves the organization time and money. Employers will start to redefine productivity and redesign workspaces to accommodate the new styles of working. For employees, they benefit with a reduced commuting time and increased work-life balance.

2. Freelance and/or temporary contracts will become increasingly common. Employers and employees alike benefit from the flexibility such arrangements offer. Although the downside of freelance/temporary staff is that there are no afforded benefits, pension contributions or other traditional perks, I think we can expect to see increased innovation and uptick in individual benefit plans that are affordable and portable. I can also see more creative perks offered by employers to attract and reward temporary staff.

3. Diversity and inclusion are increasingly important considerations for talent management. Businesses are recognizing that having a workforce that better reflects our society makes connecting to our stakeholders more authentic and real. Competition for good employees will increase, as they can work from anywhere. Organizations will have to work harder and be more creative to recruit, attract and retain employees. Personal and corporate value alignment is more important as competition for employees increases.

4. Leaders will have to develop new skills to connect with their employees. Virtual leadership is very different and much harder than in-person leadership. Employees are less forgiving and leaders need to look for ways to support cross team collaboration, brainstorming and innovation. The future of work will need to focus more on monitoring performance and results rather than the process, meaning less about the hours you work and more about what you produced and accomplished.

5. Companies will continue to pay more attention to mental health. Mental health challenges will be destigmatized as people are more open to speaking about them and requiring their employers to support them whether it’s for depression, suicidal ideation, substance and domestic abuse. We will talk about mental health more and offer more resources and support available for employees. The traditional models of mental health support will be augmented by quicker, technology-driven solutions. Employers need to pay attention to mental health concerns and how they’re employees are feeling as it impacts their ability to work.

Misconceptions remain around returning to work during COVID-19

This article was originally published on TalentCanada.ca.

Employers should work with HR to implement, communicate clear steps that ensure safety measures are being followed

As many companies struggle to remain sustainable and competitive amid COVID-19, employers and employees are concerned they may need to reevaluate their current work situation yet again as case counts soar.

And as government regulations continue to evolve, both sides may have misconceptions about their rights and responsibilities.

In general, employers and managers have so far been great at being flexible and accommodating, whether allowing people to work from home or rotating workplace shifts.

And they should be — as far as is reasonably possible — since there is much to be gained; providing flexibility not only makes it easier for employees to complete their work, it also engenders loyalty.

In addition, with many Canadians working from home during the pandemic, a recent survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers shows that the majority of employees rate their productivity as either remaining the same or increasing during the pandemic.

Creative, hybrid solutions

While employers should strive to develop creative, hybrid solutions there are circumstances where accommodation may not make sense.

This includes when roles require on-site attendance or are time- or process-driven, when the accommodation may endanger someone else, when it is cost prohibitive or otherwise just not doable.

But what about accommodating employees who are still working from home and nervous about returning to work?

A good first step to easing concerns is to have an open conversation and actively listen to, and empathize with, their specific fears.

Show understanding that this is a stressful situation by providing mental health support, if necessary, via resources such as the Canadian Mental Health Association, or encouraging them to practice self-care activities even while on the job.

Be proactive about communicating plans and procedures that are in place to manage their safety and limit the risk of exposure.

Refusing unsafe work

An employee has the right to refuse unsafe work under the Canada Labour Code and provincial health and safety legislation if there is “reasonable cause to believe that the job presents a danger to themselves or another employee.”

However, as long as an employer has done their due diligence and is complying with provincial and federal health and safety regulations, a fear of catching the virus is not a reasonable concern for an employee to refuse returning to work.

In fact, employees bear responsibilities of their own concerning health and safety, particularly in the context of COVID-19, such as following management’s directions regarding reporting to work and workplace health procedures.

That said, employers should keep up to date on the regulations and make changes as needed.

For example, Ontario now requires employees to complete a self-declaration survey each day to determine if they may enter the workplace, leading to the development of self-screening apps that businesses can easily and quickly implement.

In addition, the Ontario government has made temporary amendments to the Employment Standards Act during COVID-19, though these are expected to change once again in January 2021.

While most provincial governments and municipalities have “snitch” lines for reporting public flouting of pandemic legislation, how should employees deal with this in the workplace?

While most Canadians respect COVID safety precautions, many employees and even managers may not have a defined playbook for how to handle rule-breakers at work.

A recent survey from O.C. Tanner suggests workers believe there should be consequences, including:

• verbal warnings from supervisors (61 per cent)

• written warnings from supervisors (59 per cent)

• job suspension (37 per cent)

• financial repercussions, such as paying a fine (34 per cent)

• mandatory return to working from home (24 per cent)

Employers should work with HR to implement and communicate clear steps that ensure safety measures are being followed, what to do if they are not, and outline the repercussions.

With a clear priority on health and safety, employers can continue to inspire confidence in their people to return to work as appropriate.

Globe and Mail: The benefits of an office holiday party shouldn’t be discounted

This article originally appeared in the Globe and Mail

With the holiday season just around the corner, the planning of office festivities is already well under way for many companies. But with everything from the #MeToo movement to legal cannabis to budget cuts, some business owners may be considering eliminating the holiday office party all together. Despite the potential pitfalls, there are good reasons why it’s important to keep to tradition and celebrate the season with employees.

Why it’s important

The most important reason to throw a holiday party is that it’s a tangible expression of appreciation for your employees. Everyone likes to feel that their efforts throughout the year are noticed and rewarded. Even if your employees are well compensated, it’s still a nice gesture to acknowledge their contributions to your success. A well-planned party can go a long way toward building loyalty and retaining top performers.

If done right, a holiday party goes beyond team building to one of culture building. It’s hard to care about the work we do every day if we don’t care about the team that surrounds us. The holiday party can be a good reminder of this and add social glue that helps keep teams motivated. Keep in mind that the party is an expression of your culture; as Richard Branson said, “The way you treat your employees is the way your employees will treat your customers.”

It’s also a good idea to occasionally just let people do something fun, despite the potential for social faux-pas or legal cautions. Employee engagement includes opportunities to relax, have fun and connect with each other in social settings. This is the one time of year when everyone expects to have a party – whether they celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or another holiday. Of course, that doesn’t mean employees (or executives) should treat it as a frat house crawl. Include a friendly (not policy-driven) message in the invitation about responsible use of alcohol or cannabis to establish your concern for safety of all employees and follow best practices such as providing taxi chits to and from the event. Be the first to abide by this message; executives should, under no circumstances, get drunk or otherwise partake in bad behaviour if they still want to be respected the next day.

Party planning: How to do it right

Don’t scrimp. The holiday party is a “thank you” for employees so – within your means – don’t be cheap. One of my larger clients plays to host to an extravagant four-course dinner at prime locations each year, where everyone is dressed in their finest. Another client – a small business – plays to host to a lovely late afternoon cocktail party in the office. In each case, the employees equally appreciate and look forward to the event because the gesture is authentic and generous, commensurate with the company’s size and financial performance for the year. Also, allow people to bring a spouse. If budget doesn’t allow it, do something at the office during working hours instead.

Gauge the situation. If you haven’t had a good year or had to lay people off, a glitzy party will be poorly received as employees will question money spent on a party rather than saving their co-workers’ jobs. In this case, a low-key lunch at the office is probably more appropriate. Use the opportunity to speak to the challenges the company has had but let employees know how much you appreciate their efforts and be positive about the year ahead.

Get feedback. Again, this event is about your employees, not you. Sometimes it can feel as if decisions are made in a vacuum by the higher-ups, and the holiday party feels more like a perk designed for executives. Create an employee social committee, preferably with a representative from each department, to get input on the location, decor, entertainment, food and drink. Give the committee parameters and a budget and have them come to you with ideas on what to do. You won’t make everyone happy, but you’ll increase the chances that it’s well received.

Be inclusive. One of the reasons my aforementioned client’s party is so successful is that the executives are not sequestered away, talking among themselves. Instead, they seat one executive at each table and then, between each course, mingle with everyone in the room.

Express genuine appreciation. Employees can see through a false thank you. And don’t grand-stand or make lengthy speeches; thank everyone for their hard work, encourage them to enjoy themselves and wish them a happy holiday. Then get out of the way and let people have a good time.

Salary transparency is more than a number-sharing exercise

A recent Workopolis article is one of many that argues the case for full transparency in compensation. The basic rationale is that full salary transparency can increase loyalty, improve productivity, and boost bottom lines.

But two questions remain: What exactly does one mean by transparency? And how transparent should you be?

There is a common misconception in discussions around transparency that all employees should know what others earn. This is unquestionably the wrong thing to do, as a person’s salary should be kept private. However, transparency around an individual’s own compensation – including salary, bonuses and benefits – and how that might change based on specific criteria, is critical. 

Organizations should be transparent about how they make compensation decisions, including salary ranges. But a critical, yet often overlooked aspect, is transparency around their methodology and who is involved in making the decisions. This is particularly important, as it not only instils respect for the employer, it helps employees judge the fairness of their own pay.

If an employee understands how salary decisions are made, and accepts the fairness of that methodology, they are more likely to accept that their compensation is equitable, rather than thinking decisions are arbitrary and biased. It stands to reason that when employees believe they are unfairly paid, performance can suffer, and they may end up looking for alternate employment.

Bonuses are also part of the transparency equation. In cases where bonuses are based on corporate performance, the company should provide regular (i.e. quarterly) updates on how the company is doing, relative to their goals. For example, if bonuses are paid out only if the company reaches a certain revenue or profit threshold, regular updates should include a statement of where the company stands in relation to that goal. This does not mean disclosing all financial data – only enough to keep employees informed and engaged.

Conversely if bonuses are based on individual performance, employees should be updated regularly on how they are tracking against it, and more importantly, what they need to do to earn their bonus. Otherwise, achieving their results will be, at best, hit or miss, and there will be no behaviour change. 

Organizations looking to benchmark their transparency practices can start by ensuring they have a defensible compensation program.  An assessment will reveal if they have a good program with a clear methodology, or have a tendency to make arbitrary pay decisions. Once a defensible methodology is in place, the next step is educating employees about the compensation program and its processes. 

Being transparent in compensation matters is key to a productive workplace. However, simply disclosing compensation numbers without explaining to employees what it means to them will not achieve the goals employers are seeking. Transparency has to be done properly, always keeping the employees’ needs in mind.

Globe and Mail: Leaders and HR need to step up their game to prevent sexual harassment

Original Published in the Globe and Mail

In Gandalf Group's recent C-Suite Survey, 94 per cent of respondents said that sexual harassment was not an issue in their workplace.

Notably, 95 per cent of these C-Suite executives in the survey were male. Even in the age of the #MeToo movement – particularly in small organizations that aren't in the spotlight – CEOs often don't want to hear about a sexual harassment issue, particularly if it has to do with a top performer behaving badly. All too often, they turn a blind eye to the situation and find any excuse not to deal with it.

The fact that such an overwhelming percentage of top-ranking executives don't believe it is an issue speaks volumes. Over the course of my career as a human resources professional, I can attest to plenty of situations when a C-Suite executive has refused to believe or act on sexual harassment claims. In one example, I took on a project with a mid-sized firm. When I started the project, the president's executive assistant warned me not to go into a meeting alone with the vice-president of sales. When I asked why this was tolerated, I was told that it was because he was responsible for 50 per cent of the sales revenue. He wasn't going anywhere.

Depending on how senior or how successful the alleged perpetrator is, or how much the company relies on that person, the CEO will either say they don't believe the complaint or aren't prepared to do anything about it. The HR professional then has to go back to the employee and deliver that message.

It's a difficult spot to be in. Employees think the role of HR is to be their advocate and become angry when HR can't resolve issues for them. With so many recent sexual-assault allegations making headlines, many have accused HR of not taking a strong enough position to advocate for the victim. Instead, they are seen as protecting the company and its image – or worse, as having no power to do anything.

In truth, HR's role is to facilitate a work environment in which both the employer and the employee are satisfied and engaged. Much like a mediator, an HR leader does not simply advocate for the employee or the company; he or she is also focused on making informed recommendations for the greater good that benefit both sides. And that role can become extremely challenging whenever those two outcomes are at odds with one another, or when it's the boss himself who is perpetrating the harassment.

Policies only go so far

The Gandalf study also found that leadership is one of the most important factors in preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Indeed, while probably every company can point to its long list of policies on appropriate conduct and other issues, the reality is that all the policies in the world will not impact harassment. A piece of paper does not alter behaviour on its own. It is the leadership behind the policies, and the fortitude to enforce them, that moves the needle.

The CEO and HR leader each have important roles to play, especially when it comes to allegations of sexual harassment. They need an open and honest relationship with each other that enables frank discussion. Such relationships don't happen overnight or without effort, and both need to work at building trust. This relationship should be forged early on and should consider all employee-related matters, preferably before having to deal with a sexual harassment (or any other) complaint.

When these types of issues are raised, a CEO has these responsibilities:

• Listen to the HR leader. HR knows what is going on in the company. They hear things and understand the employees better than the CEO.

• Take it seriously. Don’t dismiss the allegations without exploring them. Make it a priority to find the truth.

• Disallow enabling. To say “he was just joking” is not a valid excuse. There is no justification for this type of behaviour.

For their part, HR must present issues credibly and demonstrate good judgment and critical thinking. What they need to do:

• Address the CEO in terms they understand. Listen to the CEO and the specific concerns raised. Ignoring or dismissing these concerns will result in losing credibility with him or her.

• Present the facts. Don’t bring up suppositions or gossip, and make no assumptions. Treat this with the seriousness it deserves.

• Recommend a plan of action. Anticipate what the CEO’s concerns and objections will be, and address them in your recommendation using a balanced approach.

Both CEOs and HR leaders must avoid drawing any conclusions before getting the full picture. They also need to be aware that their own personal relationships are impacted by how they handle such incidents – both internally with employees and externally with stakeholders.

And don't make the mistake of thinking there will be no consequences. There will be.

Left unaddressed, sexual harassment allegations can affect the business in a number of ways: lost revenue from employee disengagement, lost productivity, damage to the company's reputation, an inability to attract and retain top employees and even lawsuits.

Quite frankly, there can't be anyone who rationally believes that harassment is okay. The perpetrator of such behaviour feels entitled, confident they won't be caught or that nothing will happen to them.

I once told a president that I had reason to believe one of his executives was harassing one of the managers. He told me he had asked a couple of the other executives, and they told him that this individual was "just kidding" and that the manager needed to "loosen up." After further discussion, however, he begrudgingly acted on the allegation and fired the executive in question. As a result, employee engagement scores went up noticeably – both related to the company and to his leadership.

When HR professionals take a credible, fact-based approach with CEOs, and when CEOs are open to dialogue and action, they can work together to encourage a respectful culture, giving the problem of sexual harassment the gravitas it deserves. It's not an issue that will be changed overnight, or possibly even within our generation. But perhaps the movement we are witnessing across industries everywhere will finally hasten lasting change in order to stop sexual harassment both in, and outside of, the workforce.

National Post: Minimum-wage changes should spur full, concurrent HR policy reviews

Original published in the National Post

Like it or not, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act is here to stay in Ontario. The good news is, the act represents a shift towards a more equitable workforce where all can earn a living wage. On the down side, business owners will need to plan for higher wages, more sick days and higher staffing costs.

In light of the new Act, businesses that operate in Ontario will need to do a full review of all current human resources policies to determine where changes need to be made and updated to reflect the new legislation. A number of work products and processes may also need to be revised, ranging from pay grids to scheduling.

Before making any changes however, it is important to look beyond the surface level, and be strategic in how you adapt your human resource policies. Rather than taking a “knee jerk” approach, it is essential to take the time to look at your policies holistically in order to avoid any unintended consequences. One major question that you need to consider from the outset is what the potential impact - positive and negative - on employees will be.

Here are some practical tips for addressing these latest legislative changes.

Consider the trickle-up effect

Employers in Ontario have until January 2018 to increase minimum wage to $14 an hour; and up to January 2019 to raise it to $15 per hour. This change will mean more than just an increase for employees currently making minimum wage. Employees earning three to five dollars more than minimum wage will also expect an increase in order to maintain some sort of reasonable gap between their level and a minimum wage role to confirm their status. Not factoring in the needs of those workers could be demoralizing for them, as they will feel unappreciated.

Another important point to consider is that raising the minimum wage  may consume a large portion of salary increase budgets over the near term, leaving little to offer other employees not affected by the mandated increase. This discrepancy may not be well received by employees who . Who will get a smaller increase (if any) as a consequence.

Therefore, pay attention to any resentment among employees.  You will want to maintain employee job satisfaction and engagement. Employees at the lower end of the pay grid will be pleased with the increase, but others we have mentioned will not. Acceptance will very much depend on how well the increases are implemented and communicated.

Don’t let extended leave blindside you

While minimum wage has been the main topic of discussion, there is another aspect of the Fair Workplaces Act that employers need to consider. First is the extension of the Personal Emergency Leave provision to all employers, including those with fewer than 50 employees (who were previously exempt). 

All employees will be eligible for 10 days (two paid + eight unpaid) in the event of a personal emergency per year. Small businesses will be hit the hardest by the provision as they have less staffing flexibility.

Similarly, the Family Caregiver Leave has been extended from eight to 27 weeks. This is an obvious benefit to anyone caring for a family member who is ill, and is especially important as our population ages and more people in the workforce will be caring for elderly parents. Employers for their part need to make sure they have a plan in place when an employee needs to take leave.

In both cases, employers will be faced with having to make arrangements for someone to cover the work (either by distributing the tasks to other employees or bringing in a temporary employee). At the same time, employers will need to take steps to ensure those employees asked to step in don’t end up resenting the added burden and/or the individual on leave. 

Other important considerations:

In addition to making provisions for the increase to minimum wage and vacation days, there are some other notable considerations for employers in Ontario, such as:

• The Act states that any employee on call must be paid a minimum of three hours, even if they are not actually called in. For example, It is common to have a member of the IT team on call after work hours.

• If an employee is scheduled to work a shift, and that shift is cancelled within 48 hours of the starting time, the employer must pay them three hours of wages.

• Part-time or casual employees must be paid at the same rate as full time employees for doing the same job. In other words, employment status is no longer a valid reason for pay differentials.

While the Fair Workplaces Act presents a number of financial and administrative burdens for employers, there is a silver lining. If executed properly, it affords companies the opportunity to perform a review and update their current policies and work practices holistically to ensure they align with the modern workplace. 

Globe and Mail: Evaluating leadership performance beyond profitability

Originally Published in the Globe and Mail

Anyone who has worked for someone else can usually distinguish between good and bad leadership skills. The reality is that most leaders fall somewhere in between, striking some balance between doing certain things right but often getting others wrong. While nobody is perfect, if you're an entrepreneur, job seeker or middle manager aspiring to climb the career ladder, developing the right leadership skills will be key to your success.

While financial results are often used to evaluate performance, there's a need for leadership metrics beyond just managing a spreadsheet. A cursory read of the recent woes at big companies such as Uber and Google point to the fallout of corporate leaders' shortcomings.

But do you really know what aspects of your performance are being evaluated? Delivering on your quotas or the bottom line may be a given, but beyond profitability it's critical that employees in leadership positions focus on doing what's right, rather than simply doing it right. When you're evaluating yourself or the management team of a prospective employer, you'll need to objectively assess skills and abilities in leadership, strategy and people management – and identify areas that need improvement.

Leadership lessons: Great leaders don't just happen. Most have had the benefit of a good mentor, but also invest plenty of time reading, learning and absorbing the experience of other successful leaders who they admire. While the perfect mix of skills and traits may be arguable, there are several abilities that every leader should have or develop.

Commitment: This is a basic requirement, especially for entrepreneurs. How committed are you to achieving the business's goals? Do you have the perseverance and resolve to carry through with and mobilize others in the pursuit of your or the company's vision? Are you able to effectively sell that vision and keep the momentum going?

Communication: While public speaking and persuasiveness are important, active listening is key to being in touch with what's really going on, especially the higher up you are. You need to be engaged enough to read people and gain their trust. If you have a good person in the right role, but they don't seem to be thriving, take a deeper look at yourself to make sure you're effectively communicating your vision and listen to feedback on how you could improve.

Making decisions: Leaders often possess qualified expertise in one or several areas, but also need the courage to push forward despite uncertainty. Do you have the confidence to take risks and make sound decisions? If you don't have sufficient knowledge or skills required, do you learn them or find others who can provide it?

Developing talent: As the leader of an organization, one of the most important mirrors to your company's success is how the people under your leadership are developing. Are you actively developing and motivating staff? Do you encourage coaching and mentoring among the team? Are you seeing progress and growth in their roles?

Managing people: Employees take their cues from the top, so make sure you're setting the right example and culture. If a leader is authentic, and demonstrates interest in employees' and customers' well being, while encouraging open communication, that is how employees will behave – toward each other and toward customers. A leader who is rude and dismissive will only foster a culture of similar behaviour. Look at turnover rates, success of internal initiatives, employee involvement and other culture indicators. If there is a culture issue, employees either leave or they aren't engaged. If you identify an issue, it likely means you haven't been making workplace culture a priority.

Future strategy: The first question to ask here is, do you have a strategy? To be a leader, you'll need to plan for the way forward. Initially, this may simply be a plan for your own career trajectory, but once in a senior leadership role you'll need to articulate and sell your strategy for the company to the executive team and the company at large. Take a hard look at what you have in place. Can you show progress? Do you have everyone's buy-in or merely lip service? Is there a succession plan, and is it realistic?

Being good at your job does not necessarily translate into a promotion or invitation to the president's club. Many people are effective in their role but don't have, or perhaps aren't interested in learning the necessary leadership skills that can catapult them up the career ladder. By taking an honest and objective look at yourself in these and other areas, you'll be better able to hone the leadership skills that will help you stand out no matter what your position – to employers, staff or customers. Even if your ascent is already under way, there's always something more to learn on the path to leadership greatness.

CEOs: Do you really know how you’re being evaluated?

Uber’s scandals over the past year among the top echelons – along with those of other companies ­– points to a slew of failings at the CEO level. From allegations of sexual harassment and gender/racial bias to legal violations and general bad behavior, the company’s actions have revealed critical gaps in its leadership evaluation, whether that evaluation was self-imposed or external. If it isn’t already, this should a wakeup call for leaders and boards across companies everywhere.

Most businesses ultimately exist to create a profit, yes, but businesses are built on people. Leaders have a clear understanding of the financial metrics that they need to meet, often focusing on these as the primary indicator of the company’s health. But with a single mindedness on the numbers, you might not be giving enough thought to the other aspects of your performance that your stakeholders, board or advisory committee are taking into consideration. In an era of fraud, ‘bro culture’ and persistent gender or racial inequality, there are critical performance metrics beyond finances that must be measured if a company aims to succeed in the long run. And for a CEO to truly define what great leadership is.

So do you really know what aspects of your performance are being evaluated? It’s not uncommon for a CEO to feel blindsided when they are evaluated beyond the financial metrics. But beyond profitability, a critical role for the board of directors is also to determine the values to be promoted throughout the company, as well as act in the interest of the employees.  Here are some of the other aspects of performance that a good board is – or should be – evaluating for:

•  Developing Talent: Are the members of your executive team being developed?  Are you seeing progress and growth in their roles? Are they being encouraged to coach and mentor their staff? As the leader of an organization, one of the most important mirrors to your company’s success is how the people under your leadership are developing. Communication is important, but so is listening. You need to be engaged enough to read people and gain their trust. If you have a good person in the right role, but they don’t seem to be thriving, take a deeper look at your own leadership to make sure you’re effectively communicating your own vision.

•  People Management: Look at turnover rates, success of internal initiatives, employee involvement and other culture indicators. If there is a culture issue, employees are either leaving or they aren’t engaged. Culture starts with you at the top. If you identify an issue, it likely means you haven’t been making workplace culture a priority. Turnover and low productivity will cost you in the end, so make changes now to keep your organization running smoothly.

•  Future Strategy: First question to ask: do you have one? As the senior leader in your organization, having a plan for the way forward, and communicating it effectively is your primary goal. Take a hard look at what you have in place, and whether your people know about it.

Without these performance metrics a CEO, and the board, are not doing their job with due diligence. And ironically, with an eye focused solely on the finances, profits will soon take a dive, as Uber learned, ending Q1 with a $700 million loss. And it doesn’t take a lot of evaluation to know that’s not a good thing.

Globe and Mail: The Shifting Landscape of Human Resources

The following article was originally published in the Globe and Mail

When I network with young people who are considering a career in human resources, I always ask them why they are interested in HR. What attracts them? What do they hope to accomplish? The answer is, most often, “Because I want to help people.” At the other end of the hierarchy, I was once told by the chief executive of a global firm that, after having been encouraged to add a woman to his all-male leadership team, he decided to create a vice-president of human resources role, because “that’s a nice job for a woman.”

A woman’s role?

The perception of HR as a woman’s profession persists. This image that it is people-based, soft and empathetic, and all about helping employees work through issues leaves it largely populated by women as the stereotypical nurturer. Even today, these “softer” skills are seen as less appealing – or intuitive – to men who may gravitate to perceived strategic, analytical roles, and away from employee relations.

On the upside, the propensity to equate female attributes to human resources has made it the only profession where women have outpaced men in the upper ranks – at least in number. According to an HR study in the United States, women represent 73 per cent of HR manager roles, and 55 per cent of C-suite HR executives – just edging out men. But that may be the closest to gender parity we’ll get, given 2014 statistics from the U.S. Department of Labour that reveal men earn up to 40 per cent more than their female counterparts in HR, for similar roles across both junior and senior levels.

Radical shift

The downside is that the HR profession has suffered from a lack of credibility – until now, that is. The times are changing, something both women and men studying or working in HR need to understand. As with nearly every other industry, HR is not immune to disruption. Business needs are changing radically, as are expectations of HR from within the top ranks at large, well-run companies. This change has created an opportunity that places HR in a valuable, new leadership position. As the 2017 Deloitte Global Capital Human Trends survey highlights, thanks to the digital age and an agile mindset, employers are demanding new skills from HR professionals, through the leveraging of technology for more data-driven insights and talent analytics, and employment experiences. These skills are imperative for HR to deliver value to the business – and across the organization.

A quick scan of recruitment ads for senior HR roles already reveals this shift. Reskilling the stock of HR talent is critical and may be why an earlier Deloitte report found an increasing trend for CEOs to bring in non-HR professionals to fill the role of chief human resource officer. This supports my own experience that often when a male executive is responsible for HR, he didn’t get there through the HR ranks and may in fact have no HR background, but got there because of his business acumen.

While these new skill requirements will surely appeal to a wider male audience, the reality is that HR professionals will need to combine both those “softer” people skills with “harder” business and analytical skills, not one or the other. Men and women in HR need to elevate their performance if they are to succeed moving forward. For example, performance management, including coaching and developing top talent for leadership roles, is more important than ever. Balancing intuitive ability with strong analytical skills and fluency in business strategy will be key in making recommendations at the board level.

So how can we attract more men and women to the profession who possess the necessary business and analytical skills, in addition to people skills, and who are interested in contributing at a strategic level in order to effect change? How can we support women on the path to the C-Suite? And how do we reposition the role of HR in many organizations to be more strategic?

Raising expectations

Companies of all sizes would benefit from education and direction on how to use and maximize their HR employees, from the junior level up. Start by putting an HR consultant on the board and an HR person at the leadership table. Demand strategic vision from both and the use of hard metrics to provide relevant insights to the business.

Now is the time to change your expectations of HR and begin to include it in discussions early – and often. HR needs to be seen and positioned as integral to the business, and employers must set expectations – from women and men – to be strategic businesses leaders, not just coaches or party planners. Employers need to underscore and promote diversity on the path to the top. Men need to feel greater acceptance in a traditionally female environment, but both men and women equally need to be trained and supported in their transition, with executive mentors to follow, in order to be successful.

Workplace Today: Troubled skies: Airlines may have important HR issues to resolve

This article originally appeared in the July 2017 issue of Workplace Today

The airline industry has suffered a spate of negative issues lately, notably the two passenger confrontations on United and American Airlines flights, followed by a seemingly sharp increase of customer complaints against other airlines for similarly poor experiences. While this resulted in a public relations nightmare for those organizations, it may likely point to a deeper, underlying HR issue. What is going on in companies where employees go to extreme measures to enforce company rules and in the process, mishandle customers?

There could be several reasons and, no doubt, there’s always the outliers, from the otherwise good employee who just has a one-off, really bad day, to one with a possible mental health issue or simply a random employee who decides this will be their ultimate form of resignation. But more often, poor behaviour can be indicative of a dysfunctional culture within the organization.

Corporate culture is usually established at the top, and the responsibility lies with senior leaders to ensure that any problems are quickly addressed and resolved. But often CEOs may be so removed from the day-to-day environment, and they may not have the particular skill set personally – or on the board – to anticipate or identify HR issues, let alone how to solve them. Blame is often placed elsewhere and trickles down, which only reinforces a systemic culture problem. Too many policies, procedures or useless evaluations, a lack of candid communication and transparency, or not listening to employee feedback are only some things that can create toxic environments. When it comes to understanding whether you may have HR issues that need to be addressed, consider the following:

Classic conditioning. We repeat the behaviours for which we are rewarded. Whether implicit or explicit, if the corporate culture prizes rules and adherence to them, and those employees who enforce the rules are generally rewarded, then they will more readily apply this to others as well. Rigid rules result in a lack of autonomy and ability to think flexibly. On the other hand, if the culture promotes an inclusive and shared vision of success where employees are valued, they will be more motivated to go the extra mile to ensure happy customers.

Doing unto others. Conversely, if employees are routinely treated harshly or feel that supervisors don’t care about them, most often their resentment may cause them to treat coworkers or customers in the same manner. A focus on rules, process and efficiency that is prioritized above employee and customer wellbeing can result a toxic corporate culture. Managers who focus on supervising rather than coaching or mentoring, and leave little or no room for feedback and discussion, will not foster positive relationships with their staff. Nor do they set a good example for the employee.

Don’t pay lip service. Especially in hospitality, good customer service needs to be seen as a clear priority by the executive team, not just something that’s paid lip service. If you want to ensure your employees provide good customer service, involve them in defining what those service standards are. They are the ones closest to the front line and in the best position to know what matters to your customers and what their pain points are. Through their direct experience, the may know how to best address your customers concerns. Invite them to share their learnings with others on the team.

Prioritize training. Don’t just set an expectation of excellence without supporting it. Ongoing training and support of employees on how to appropriately handle frustrated customers and diffuse charged situations is important. As with anything, practice makes perfect. Establish a regular training program with role-playing, brainstorming, and case studies, so that these skills are constantly honed and updated. A company-wide email reminding employees of the customer service standards doesn’t cut it. Set a standard internally for how mistakes are handled by providing supportive, calm assistance. Berating or throwing an employee under the bus to please a customer will not likely yield a positive result – or display problem solving best practice.

Pay attention. To how your employees are behaving. We live in a world of increased demand, stress and expectation, with an inverse proportion of time, patience and reward. This paradigm is perhaps felt most by those in customer-facing roles, who may deal with hundreds or even thousands of different people, and personalities, each day. Check in with them regularly and when they start showing signs of stress, pull them off the front line and let them diffuse their stress with non-customer facing tasks.

As with anything, you can’t get to the heart of a problem and fix it without talking about it and addressing it truthfully. Culture problems can usually be resolved when management has the courage to face issues openly and provide the right tools, and environment, that will foster real and positive change.

Globe and Mail: How businesses can handle provincial changes to minimum wage

This article was originally published in the Globe and Mail

 Following Alberta’s lead, the Ontario government has committed to raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour within the next few years and, in addition, is upgrading the mandatory minimum vacation allowance for employees. Business owners now need to make a plan for how they will absorb these costs and determine what the impact will be on their business.

While the change to minimum wage is only targeted at those workers earning less than $15 per hour, the overall impact is scalable as the implications for compensation are far wider than simply bumping up the pay. In addition to forking over more for items calculated as a percentage of pay, such as payroll taxes, CPP, EI, benefits and company pension contributions, many business owners will also have to address pay increases for workers who are already earning more than $15 per hour to remain competitive while ensuring that pay is based on value to the organization.

A solid compensation plan ensures that employees are paid fairly, based on that role’s market value and worth to the organization. If those employees who are currently earning less than $15 per hour are bumped up, this will likely create a ripple effect on the entire pay grid necessitating salary increases for those who were already near the new minimum wage as well. 

A holistic review of the company’s compensation policy may be necessary – particularly if the bulk of your employees are paid hourly, or earning a salary of around $30K - $40K per year.

If this is your company’s situation, here are the steps you should take now to make sure you’re ready when the minimum wage policies come into effect:

Start with an audit. It may come as a surprise, but many owners may are not actually aware of the specifics of individual jobs or contract entitlements, and it’s important to make sure you have all the facts before making the necessary changes. Now is the time to review all positions and contracts to determine pay scale, current vacation allowances and job responsibilities. If you haven’t already done so, an audit will help reveal whether the pay structure is aligned with your business structure and plan or if the pay is not being distributed effectively, among other things.

Determine the scope. Depending on your business, if you only have a few employees earning less than $15 per hour, it may not be a huge burden to simply increase those salaries. But if you have many employees and your salaries are spread from minimum wage upwards, you need to consider the compression issue identified above.

Determine job worth. Consider how you evaluate the roles within your organization. How do you establish the worth of each role to the business, especially as it relates to other roles? Does it have a direct impact on sales or new business? Is it integral to customer service or satisfaction? Does it require a higher level of critical thinking?  By asking these types of questions you can determine whether your current system of evaluation is still appropriate. Review each job role to help identify whether any changes to responsibility are required.   

Create a new pay grid. Based on your findings, you’ll now need to establish a new pay grid. In addition to accommodating government regulations, you may wish to increase the salary ranges to give you greater flexibility to absorb the minimum wage increases over the next couple of years.

Communicate changes clearly. Compensation sends a value message to employees as well as external customers who deal with your business. It goes without saying that any changes to compensation can affect employee morale and need to be communicated clearly and early. Yet it’s a step that’s often overlooked – or even mishandled. While an increase in wages is usually good news, it’s an important change that always requires a communication plan. This should happen before rumours can skew expectations, and include consistent messaging, personal interaction and the opportunity for employees to ask questions.

The good news is that both the Ontario and Alberta governments have given substantial notice before the wage increases need to take effect. Use that time to review your full compensation program to make sure that any actions taken are best for your business, rather than a knee jerk reaction to government policies. By acting now, you can hopefully mitigate the impact the reforms will have to your bottom line.

Globe and Mail: Why HR expertise is a critical addition to your Board

This article was originally published in the Globe and Mail's Leadership Lab

For most public companies, the board of directors is usually comprised of experienced, senior leaders who focus on high-level issues such as finance and strategy, believing these two functions, specifically, to be the foremost way to protect the interests of the shareholder. But an often-overlooked – yet equally important – role among Boards is that of HR leadership, an increasingly popular point of view that’s also widely advocated by Richard Leblanc, professor at York University and expert on corporate governance.

As an example, I was recently approached by the Chair of a Board of Directors to review the results of an employee engagement survey they had undertaken, which was prompted by a number of emails from senior employees. The emails were disparaging of the company’s CEO, and the issues raised in the survey were devastating to the Chair, as they pointed to a complete lack of confidence in the CEO’s leadership.  These issues, which included being dismissive of employee complaints, expecting unpaid overtime (so his budget looked good) and an unwillingness to accept accountability while blaming others were unknown to the Board, and the Chair felt they should have been more aware.

In fact, they should have been more aware.  While the directors are all very competent professionals, well versed in their areas of specialty, they had never thought to question issues of human capital. They focused on the business side of things, believing that the CEO was on top of the people issues. There was no HR expertise on this Board, a mistake that led to some costly missteps. Had an independent HR leader been involved, he/she would have seen the signs: increased turnover, difficulty hiring top talent, an apathetic leadership team, and missed deadlines. Eventually, this resulted in lost productivity and revenue, as well as damage to the company’s reputation, a situation that is much harder to fix – and takes more time.

If the board is there to protect the interests of the stakeholders, part of doing so requires an understanding of the culture, and the depth of talent within the organization. Attention must be paid to employee engagement factors. In their course of duty, boards discuss issues and make decisions, but understanding the impact that these decisions will have on the culture is critical.

Board members may not know exactly what information they should be getting and discussing when it comes to people issues, or even how to evaluate that information once received, but the best way to change this is to stop assuming and start asking questions. Are they comfortable with the depth of talent in the organization as relates to the ongoing operations, as well as specific initiatives that the board is considering? Are there enough skilled people in place? Is the leadership engaged and committed?  Do they have the confidence of the employees? Do employees understand the objectives of the company and do they feel good about where they are working?

Without this information, any board debates around strategy cannot be complete.  The strategy being discussed and proposed can succeed or fail on the strength of the human capital, so this must be a consideration.  And the Board needs to understand where the organization is vulnerable.

It is easy to assume the CEO has the operations well in hand.  In most cases, they likely do, but it can be disastrous if not. Even a CEO may not have the specific depth of skills or knowledge to accurately predict or interpret the impact certain strategies may have when it comes to human capital. And the board is not doing its job if it doesn’t take this into consideration.

While an internal CHRO can provide some input, they cannot replace the independent oversight role of a board member or advisor.  An HR leader who does not report to the CEO is not beholden, first and foremost; they will understand the impact of the information provided and the risks, if any, that exist. He or she can identify gaps in the information provided, and any areas of vulnerability. This will result in a more robust debate that provides greater insight to a well-designed, well-executed process and plan.