HRD 3.01

2015 ANNUAL HR SALARY AND JOBS GUIDE CANADIAN HR AWARDS WINNERS REVEALED

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR WWW.HRMONLINE.CA ISSUE 3.1 | $9.99

MIND THE GAP TALENT MANAGEMENT IN 2015

EMERGING RISK GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL ACTION

BUILD, DEVELOP & ENGAGE 3M’s HR success story

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EDITOR’S LETTER

THE THINGS I’VE HEARD...

An insightful ‘truism,’ an interesting observation, and a ‘top tip,’ all gleaned from around the traps, kick off my first ed’s letter for 2015.

When change is boiled down to the human level, it’s never a single event; it’s ongoing and has distinct phases. Any HR professional knows that – yet there is a temptation to become anxious if we don’t have all the answers right now. This is never more clearly seen than during times of career transition.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” Steve Jobs spoke those words. They certainly ring true in cases where mature age workers find themselves out of a job, or indeed for any life-changing event. As human beings, our minds fill with ‘what if’ questions and recriminations over events that have come and gone.

COPY & FEATURES SENIOR EDITOR Vernon Clement Jones EDITOR Iain Hopkins SENIOR WRITER Jill Gregorie PRODUCTION EDITOR Clare Alexander

ART & PRODUCTION GRAPHIC DESIGNER Marla Morelos DESIGN MANAGER Daniel Williams

SALES & MARKETING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Sarah J. Fretz NATIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER Andrew Cowan GENERAL MANAGER, SALES John MacKenzie ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Trevor Biggs MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Claudine Ting PROJECT COORDINATOR Jessica Duce

When change is boiled down to the human level, it’s never a single event; it’s ongoing and has distinct phases

CORPORATE PRESIDENT & CEO Tim Duce OFFICE/TRAFFIC MANAGER Marni Parker EVENTS AND CONFERENCE MANAGER Chris Davis

Editorial inquiries jill.gregorie@keymedia.com tel: 1 720 3167 Ext: 373 Advertising inquiries sarah.fretz@kmimedia.ca tel: 416 644 8740 Ext: 241 Subscriptions tel: 416 644 8740 • fax: 416 203 8940 subscriptions@kmimedia.ca KMI Publishing 312 Adelaide Street West, Suite 800 Toronto, Ontario M5V 1R2 Human Resources Director is part of a international family of B2B publications and websites for the HR industry Offices in Toronto, Sydney, Auckland, Manila, Denver hrmonline.ca Copyright is reserved throughout. No part of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the editor. Contributions are invited, but copies of work should be kept, as HRD magazine can accept no responsibility for loss.

CONNECT

What we really should be doing is plotting the way forward. In a state of confusion and worry, that’s easier said than done – but to paraphrase one of the global leaders in mature age transition, Alison Monroe, the key for employers with an aging workforce, and employees themselves, is to start thinking about working longer but differently.

Now, an observation related to the above: I was surprised and alarmed by the number of people who said to me during research for one feature in this issue that they had seen or been a victim of age discrimination. Sadly, it seems that yet another ‘ism’ – in this case, ageism – is alive and well.

Finally, a tip. This comes from an experienced HR practitioner at an event I attended in November. It’s perhaps to be taken with tongue firmly in cheek: If you want to gauge the mood or sentiment of your employees, take a covert expedition out to wherever it is that smokers gather. You’ll get people talking honestly and candidly about work issues – and sometimes more than work issues. Just don’t inhale …

Contact the editorial team: vernon.jones@kmimedia.ca

Iain Hopkins, editor, HRD

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CONTENTS

REGULARS 04 | In brief HR insights

HOT JOBS, HOT PAY

06 | News analysis Global IR action 65 | Head to head Sexual discrimination

issue

3.1

2015 HR SALARY + JOBS GUIDE

14

2015 HR salary & jobs guide What’s in store for HR jobs and their accompanying remuneration in the next 12 months? Find out in HRD’s annual guide

FEATURES 24 | 2014 Canadian HR Awards commemorative guide See who took out the top honors at the industry’s leading HR event, the 2014 Canadian HR Awards

58 | Mind the (talent) gap A shortage of talent is the biggest challenge many organizations will face in the next decade. Here’s how HR can overcome it

56 | Money matters: cutting costs by optimizing payroll One frequently overlooked business function could be the key to saving money, reducing turnover and preventing litigation. Here’s what HR needs to know about payroll best practice

24

62

Cover story: HR at 3M During a time when most companies struggle to retain top talent, 3M boasts a mere 3% annual turnover rate. HR director Janette Batten shares the secret to achieving an empowered and engaged workforce

2 | JANUARY 2015

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INSIGHT / PRODUCTIVITY

HR PRODUCTIVITY K What’s keeping you from doing more strategic work? A recent survey of more than 1,300 HR professionals – the majority with 10+ years of experience – reveals where time is being wasted Top 10 productivity threats

1 EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT

6 REPORTING

2 RECRUITING

7 COMPLIANCE

3 MANAGING TIME CARDS

8 EVENT PLANNING

4 UPDATING EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

5 MANAGING BENEFITS

9 LEGAL ISSUES

10 TRACKING ANNUAL LEAVE AND PAID TIME OFF

Where is HR spending most of its time?

71% EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT (answering questions, resolving issues, recognition, discipline)

54%

54% COMPANY POLICIES

47% 37%

AND COMPLIANCE

(health benefits, workers comp)

42% RECRUITMENT (job fairs, listings and posts, reviewing resumes, reference and background checking, interviewing)

HR thinks they should spend more time on: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CONDUCTING TRAINING

MANAGING AND OVERSEEING COMPANY CULTURE

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Y KILLERS Professional development

Whose job is it?

2 out of 3 HR pros spend an hour or more educating themselves on HR updates weekly

82%

4 out of 5 HR pros attended HR-related training in the last 12 months

60% of HR pros spend an average 1.5 hours per week educating themselves on HR policy, procedure and compliance updates

of HR pros feel it’s primarily management’s responsibility to keep employees productive

65%

1.5 HOURS

of HR pros feel it’s primarily management’s responsibility to keep employees happy

In large companies, HR pros feel undertrained on:

However,

69%

WORKFORCE PLANNING

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MANAGING AND OVERSEEING CULTURE

of HR pros believe they understand the needs and issues of employees more than management

Source: HR software provider BambooHR

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NEWS ANALYSIS / GLOBAL IR

Global union action: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS? Global union federations – whose role used to be essentially symbolic – now have real power through their ability to negotiate global agreements with major employers. It’s a trend that’s likely to deepen as the world becomes ever more interconnected

“For far too long, Rio Tinto has systematically put profits before people, sometimes with fatal consequences like the recent deaths at the Grasberg mine in Papua New Guinea. Workers are saying enough is enough.”

While such a quote might come from the mouth of any union representative anywhere around the world, it holds extra weight in this instance because it comes from IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan.

IndustriALL Global Union represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors and brands itself as “a force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world.”

The words were followed by action. The global

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THE KEY PLAYERS Global Union Federations Global Union Federations bring together individual trade unions from around the world (with some overlap between them). They are funded by subscriptions from member unions.

union organized a global day of protests on October 7, 2014, as part of IndustriALL’s campaign to demand a new era at Rio Tinto. In a coordinated day of defiance, workers from Rio Tinto sites in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America demanded safer workplaces, secure jobs and respect for workers’ rights. Events included rallies, stop work meetings and other work-site actions.

The October 7 action against Rio Tinto also coincided with the World Day for Decent Work, when unions mobilized against precarious work – jobs that are temporary, casual, contracted out and often lowwage, low-benefit, unsafe and insecure.

GLOBAL IR ACTION: STATE OF PLAY Rio Tinto, who declined the opportunity to comment to HR Director, has been the target of action in this instance, yet it could just have easily been any number of employers with global operations. They might be wise to take note: Although union membership has declined in many Western countries, including Canada, they are still a force to be reckoned with in emerging countries such as Indonesia and Brazil.

“We’re seeing a spike in union presence and unionization in places such as Australia, Europe, and Africa,” says Dr. Carolin Rekar Munro, associate professor and intellectual lead, leadership and human resources, Royal Roads University.

Munro suggests that this latest example of global industrial action, while still relatively rare, is a sign that unions are perhaps redefining their position in society. “I’m hoping that instances like these protests will be a wake-up call for employers in unionized environments and management teams to collaborate and work with each other. If we don’t pay heed to that, I’m deeply concerned we may see more of this.”

NOT SO FAST...

And yet, the international trade union movement is problematic in terms of organizing for action, especially over traditional IR issues like wages and conditions. These issues literally need to cross borders and be quite visible between nations. Health and safety (as in the Rio case) is incredibly important for

Global Union Alliances Global Union Alliances bring together trade unions active within a company around the world, through a formal signed agreement. A common objective might be to sign an international framework agreement with the company.

Trade union density in OECD countries* 25.4

Australia

17 28 27.2

Canada

38.7

Ireland Japan Mexico New Zealand OECD countries

29.6 22.2 17.8 15.6 13.6 21.7 19.4 20.8 16.7 80.6

Sweden

67.7 30.1 25.4

UK US

13.4 10.8

1999 2013

Source: stats.oecd.org *Trade union density corresponds to the ratio of wage and salary earners that are trade union members, divided by the total number of wage and salary earners

unions in all nations, so it translates well. But when it comes down to issues like basic pay and conditions, it becomes more problematic, simply because these issues are more complex.

“The clearer the message – and the message of people dying in a mine is as clear as it gets – the easier it is to rally people behind a cause,” says Professor Paul J. Gollan, associate dean of research at the Faculty of Business and Economics, Macquarie University. “Other examples might be climate change or the issue around democracy in some European nations several years ago.”

However, what constitutes decent hours? Canada has a notion of what decent hours are, built up over a long period of time. That would be quite different for other countries going through different stages of industrialization. “The message becomes a whole lot more complex,” Gollan says. “The more complex the message becomes, the harder it is to get it across in any concerted way.”

Did you know?

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is the world’s largest trade union federation. It was formed on November 1, 2006, and represents 176 million workers through its 325 affiliated organizations within 161 countries and territories. Australian Sharon Burrow is the current general secretary.

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NEWS ANALYSIS / GLOBAL IR

“The more complex the message becomes, the harder it is to get it across in any concerted way” Paul Gollan There is also the underlying issue of competition between nations, not just in terms of wages, but also other touch points like unemployment. “Maybe a low-wage country is a low-wage country because it’s trying to compete with high-wage countries, and vice versa. It becomes much more complex when dealing with wages and shift work patterns and all sorts of other areas,” Gollan says.

Bradon Ellem, professor of employment relations at Sydney University and author of a report titled Rio Tinto and Direct Engagement – a damning view of Rio Tinto’s exclusion of unions from playing a meaningful role in its workplaces – suggests that the extent to which MNCs shape or are shaped by local practice needs further investigation. “My view is people too often concentrate on just the MNC – obviously the strength of local unions and the nature of the state are vital variables,” he says.

Regardless, it’s hard to ignore an entity that employs some 66,000 people worldwide. Indeed, Ellem notes that Rio has significant sway over other companies

– and often over government labour relations policies.

THE POWER OF VALUES To address this current industrial unrest, Gollan suggests it’s critical that Rio Tinto be clear on what the fundamental issue is. “It’s almost like ‘profits’ is a dirty word, but if there weren’t profits, we wouldn’t have companies developing resources and coming up with innovations. The issue here isn’t profits coming before basic wages and conditions, and in this case, safety, but rather it’s about the prime motivation of the company.”

Underlying all operations, regardless of location, are values. “Organizations must have a clear set of values that can be well articulated no matter what regime or jurisdiction you are in,” Gollan says. “Where companies are falling down is they haven’t articulated those values particularly well.”

He adds that while Rio would likely have “very good workplace policies” in many of these countries, the issue is about implementation. With operations in remote areas, it’s natural to expect variation in how policies are implemented.

In this instance, Gollan suggests Rio Tinto should be emphasizing that safety is their top priority, because they value their workers and recognize they are their most important asset – the idea being that, with a clear statement from the top, there’s at least some indication that all the strategies, processes and procedures fall under that clear vision.

It’s also critical that organizational leaders have a

GLOBAL POWER

Two recent wins achieved by global industrial action Unilever Unions alleged that Unilever used temporary and casual labour to keep wages low, deny employment protections and prevent unionization at factories in Pakistan and India. Unilever agreed to rehire workers on permanent contracts and to recognize trade unions affiliated with the global union federation International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF).

British American Tobacco Malaysian trade unions complained that this UK-based company failed to consult them before regrading posts, thus drastically reducing union membership at the company. UK authorities ruled that, although not required to by national law, the company should have set up a “permanent and regular process to consult and inform its employees” before key decisions were taken. As a result, the company agreed: »» to formalise its communications policy in guidelines »» to hold face-to-face meetings with employees or trade unions »» to respond within 14 days to any concern raised

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clear understanding and empathy for what’s happening on the ground. Gollan cites the BP oil disaster in the US as a good example of the disconnect that can occur between leaders and employees – and again, leaders’ actions need to be backed by values and some measure of truth.

“You can’t have a marketing campaign saying ‘we’re green,’ but all the processes and procedures on an oil rig point to the opposite. That can be catastrophic, not just for the workplace, but a whole geographic region. Those inconsistencies are problematic. All the marketing in the world will not rectify matters,” Gollan says.

NEUTRALIZING THE UNREST Rio Tinto senior leaders also may consider bringing in examples of best practice that have been applied successfully in their various operations throughout the world.

Second, they could bring together an international group of experts, preferably associated with some sort of international organization. In this case it could be the UN-affiliated International Labour Organization.

They would then conduct a thorough audit of the operations within the company and be totally transparent with the results.

“That would be a way to neutralize the union campaign,” Gollan suggests. “It’s not so much that these things happen – we all know accidents happen, and people don’t always do the right thing – but it’s the perception that a company a large company is covering up these issues.”

And while it’s largely reactive rather than proactive, it’s important that affected companies do take steps to mitigate the negative fallout. After years of contentious, highly publicized labour disputes at the CBC, the broadcaster finally took strides to rebuild its relationship with employees in a multi-tiered process that involved professional mediation and an HR-led ‘peace initiative.’

“These global companies might have real problems out there in the application of their policies, so they must be very visible and honest about where things haven’t worked,” Gollan says. “But they also should be demonstrating where something has worked and the benefits their actions have brought about – for example, for indigenous populations throughout the world. It’s really about a campaign to manage the good news as well as the bad news.”

FUTURE FORECAST Gollan, for one, would not be surprised if global industrial action increases in coming years.

With the rise of global federations and alliances, a shift has taken place in where and how unions campaign. At root, unions are still after the same rights and protection for their members, but now they coordinate action across national borders to win them.

Added to this, there have been strong links between union movements around the world, including the AFL-CIO in the US and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) in Canada. To this point, however, there has been limited willingness to band together in concerted industrial efforts. This might change with the rise of social media and the ease with which industrial action can be launched.

Still, Munro is optimistic that the next generation of executives will be better equipped to manage labour relations before grievances escalate to levels of heightened conflict. “This new breed of leaders is learning how to work well with employees and how to create an environment conducive to working efficiently, and as a result, they’re approaching problems in a different way.”

MITIGATING THE RISK: KEY ACTION

It’s important to understand the level of risk your organization faces. Here’s what you can do to prepare: 99 Conduct an audit – what is your risk and mitigation?

99 Tell your board members about the changes. They must be informed about any threats and have a confident strategy to deal with them. How will they handle an approach from a Global Union Federation? Who will deal with it? Do they have a response prepared?

99 Find out which GUFs the unions inside your company belong to. What have they said about your company in the past? Appoint someone to keep tabs on global trade union activity directed at your company and to monitor the media for company mentions of labour, corporate social responsibility or human rights issues.

99 Set up an early warning system of labour issues across all countries. Make sure local managers know what to look out for and what they need to do. Are local unions ‘talking global’? Aim for a ‘no surprises’ culture.

99 Make sure you’re up to date with union developments in your supply chain. Are your major business-to-business customers or suppliers unionized? Do they belong to the same alliance?

99 Decide on your internal and external communications. If there is a campaign against the company, what will you say to: yy employees yy shareholders yy customers yy the media Source: ‘Trade unions have gone global: A definitive guide for multinational employers and private equity houses’ by Marshall-James Global Solutions and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

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BIG DATA / ABSENCE & DISABILITY MANAGEMENT

CRUNCHING THE DATA HRD looks at one unexpected area where usage of big data and HR analytics is becoming increasingly sophisticated: absence & disability management. How can your organization stand to benefit?

Maria Vandenhurk, owner and CEO of Banyan Work Health Solutions, is no stranger to innovation that changes the way an industry operates. In 1995, she started Banyan with an uncommon philosophy: that work is healthy, and, given suitable opportunities, people collecting disability benefits would rather work. Since then, her vision and company have grown to challenge industry norms through unprecedented innovation and thought leadership. Today, Banyan is captivating Australian insurers and making a breakthrough into the Canadian market with integrated solutions in technology, predictive analytics and “work is good” services.

BIG DATA AND ABSENCE MANAGEMENT Long before big data became fashionable, Vandenhurk understood the power of metrics to tell underlying stories and build forward-thinking strategies to assist HR to better argue the value of preventive wellness programs and responsive and

informed disability practices.

Banyan knows that C-Suite discussions, fuelled by enriched data, evidence-based understanding and the identification of key trends, are the keys to understanding the real factors impacting the risk, cost and mitigation of employee absence. Through predictive analytics, organizations can be well-armed and have the potential to inform the right actions at the right time. Ultimately, this will decrease the instance of absence, costs, durations and reinstatements.

“One area of HR services experiencing large financial outlay is disability management,” Vandenhurk says. She believes that in this area, HR analytics can be crucial to returning employees to work more quickly and more effectively. “We work in an age where aggregating massive amounts of information pulling drug, employee health, rehabilitation and disability claims together – big data – can now be standard practice,” she says.

For Banyan, proactively distinguishing between

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cases that require simple – usually automated – responses versus those that require more ‘comprehensive care and handling’ can be enriched with greater study and integration of big data. Banyan is eager to work with clients who look to realize the opportunities of this approach. As for corporate ROI, without question, comprehensive care or complex cases represent a disproportionate amount of the overall return-to-work costs, and Banyan encourages HR decision-makers to seek out data-driven disability management approaches that ensure mitigation of absence cost to the organizational bottom line.

“Identifying complex cases early – and prescribing the right treatment at the right time by the right professionals – is key to getting your employees back to work,” Vandenhurk says. Banyan’s proprietary case management platform is one of a small but growing number of HR platforms that feature functionality to use predictive analytics to identify such cases. Far beyond simply reporting on legacy data, this technology can use advanced algorithms to segment or ‘cluster’ a caseload into different categories in order to expedite and streamline decision-making and actions on caseloads.

While case segmentation is not a new phenomenon, using big data to move beyond the traditional understanding of trends and patterns is. According to Vandenhurk, HR analytics, backed by big data, also can ensure that specific variables are exposed as key factors within each disability claim. This provides an objective rationale for segmenting cases, as opposed to a less systematic, arbitrary (and far less accurate) or even manual categorization of the caseload.

Big data identifies and verifies key sources of data to be analyzed, maximizing the practical application of the information gathered. Referring to Banyan’s partnership with SEB Analytics, a sister company specializing in the creation of bespoke algorithms and predictive models, Vandenhurk demonstrates how claims system data and demographics (age, gender, diagnosis, salary, benefit, occupation), data found by text mining important documents (claims application forms, attending physician statements, performance reviews), and prescription drug data can be aggregated and consolidated for the purposes of case segmentation.

Once segmented, a sophisticated ‘case triage’ occurs, which informs appropriate case management workflows, balancing critical factors such as the need for human intervention, automated response and granularity of action, as well as budgetary concerns and financial investment made at the case level.

“Identifying complex cases early – and prescribing the right treatment at the right time by the right professionals – is key to getting your employees back to work” Maria Vandenhurk A HOLISTIC APPROACH Drawing on her 20 years in the disability management industry, Vandenhurk knows that complex disability cases and particularly psychologically based cases – already inherently complex – typically result in long durations of workplace absence. These cases can represent 30% to 45% of an organization’s annual absence profile and a staggering 70% of overall disability costs burdening the HR budget. Complex cases usually demand a highly specialized style of case management with comprehensive handling that is best served with a holistic approach to identifying the variables posing a barrier to recovery. Banyan’s advanced software, using predictive analytics and leveraging big data, can quickly diagnose these cases and enable timely prescription of the necessary specialized solutions – including rehabilitation and vocational, behavioural and physical assessment/treatment services. Some advanced technologies, Banyan’s included, also can balance the cost of services with budgetary constraints, thus optimizing financial outlay.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT The future is filled with new insights and capabilities for HR teams choosing predictive analytics, big data and technology-driven service solutions. HR can champion tools that add real value to the organization. “It’s not unreasonable to assume that all organizations will eventually become reliant on technology that leverages big data to meet economic and business goals,” says Vandenhurk. “HR can lead the way on this trend by taking a good, hard look at case management technology that maps important criteria to case complexity.”

In all, these efforts are crucial to bringing employees back to health, improving the employment brand and delivering on the organization’s bottom line.

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BIG DATA / PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS

TRANSFORMING DATA INTO ANALYTICS GOLD The first step toward predictive analytics might come from an unexpected source. Gregg Gordon outlines how time and attendance data can be transformed into analytics gold Call it the case of the ‘workforce analytics haves and have nots.’ According to a recent report, 54% of organizations indicated that improving workforce analytics is their top concern (making it the number one issue), while just 32% reported that they were using analytics today.* Unfortunately for the ‘have nots,’ they are missing a significant opportunity. While the concept of workforce analytics and predictive analytics is still emerging, it is clear that they can be powerful business tools. With the ability to combine real-time insight into the workforce, current and future business conditions, and outliers, effective analytics solutions help business leaders make fact-based decisions that drive better bottom-line results.

Admittedly, many of these companies may be intimidated by the perceived notion of adding yet another technology that will require too much time, effort and budget. So the question remains: How can organizations start using workforce analytics and begin to reap their benefits? For many, the answer lies in a surprising area: time and attendance data.

START SIMPLE Why time and attendance? First, because it is at the core of most workforce management solutions, many

organizations will have easy access to this data. A majority of companies have automated their time and attendance processes as they sought to reduce manual efforts, minimize errors, improve compliance and boost productivity. Capturing actual time worked, rather than relying on schedule data alone, ensures accurate and real-time data.

But the second – and more compelling – answer is that these same companies can use this time and attendance data to provide detailed reporting on their most important metrics. The data can easily be integrated into scheduling, financial, production or other business systems, or it can be used as part of a stand-alone analytics solution.

All of this adds up to a significant opportunity.

Research has shown that organizations with automated time and attendance solutions enjoy 3.5 times greater year-over-year revenue growth over those that don’t. While time and attendance data is not the only factor, having visibility into how the workforce is deployed helps companies make better business decisions.* In this case, the data provides true transparency into workforce trends so managers in all industries can identify, predict and manage opportunities for cost savings and productivity. For example:

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• Retailers can use labour data to better correlate employee staffing to store promotions and sales.

• Manufacturers can minimize nonproductive paid time and maximize output per paid hour worked.

• Health care organizations can easily rationalize labour costs and increase effectiveness by staffing the right employee from the most cost-effective source to meet patient needs.

• Distribution and logistics providers can gain detailed insight into the root cause of labour cost and productivity issues to control costs, maximize efficiency and boost service quality.

MOVING TOWARD PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS Time and attendance data powering workforce analytics is just the beginning. The next logical step is predictive analytics – the use of historical data and information to predict future outcomes. In retail, predictive analytics are the next evolution in forecasting technology and can be extremely effective in supporting store managers and helping them make the best decisions possible related to staffing.

For example, it can be extremely difficult to aggregate all of the different patterns and unique events that must be factored in when scheduling an entire store. However, the day-of-the-week store volume is a repeatable pattern and can be predicted fairly easily. Traffic related to Black Friday is also consistent. So rather than forcing a store manager to take a guess at staffing levels, retailers are better off automating this effort using predictive analytics. Again, time and attendance data and scheduling information are key to success.

WORKFORCE ANALYTICS IN ACTION: HAWKESBURY AND DISTRICT GENERAL HOSPITAL Consider the case of Hawkesbury and District General Hospital, a hospital serving eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Hawkesbury once manually tracked employee time, leave requests, overtime and transfers, and implemented a workforce management solution to address these challenges. However, it quickly moved beyond the benefits gained from automating its time and attendance processes.

With ministry funding based on patient numbers and evidence-based quality care, Hawkesbury now has the analytics data to demonstrate the staffing needs to provide quality patient care.

For Hawkesbury, making sure that the right staff with the right skills is on a unit to care for patients

Research has shown that organizations with automated time and attendance solutions enjoy 3.5 times greater year-over-year revenue growth over those that don’t is critical to providing quality care. Managers now import time and attendance data into a workload management tool to create detailed unit productivity costs.

“We use the analytics data to determine staffing levels and analyze staffing patterns in conjunction with patient workloads in services,” says Diane Durocher, informatics coordinator, clinical services.

Since a hospital’s core funding from the ministry can comprise up to 60% of its budget, it is critical that Hawkesbury uses reporting to justify core staffing. When unit managers exceed core hours, it is flagged, and they must explain why they used additional staff.

With workforce analytics, the hospital can easily identify which nursing staff member was tending to patients requiring one-on-one care, isolation or ambulance transport. This data not only illustrates why a unit required more staffing, but also helps the hospital determine the right mix of skills and core staffing needed in the future based on patient acuity.

“With analytics, I’m also able to drill down into overtime hours to help managers see why they are exceeding core hours,” Durocher explains.

Identifying why employees are incurring overtime – union rules, reserve shortages or abuse – is helping Hawkesbury create the right strategy to reduce it.

WITH ANALYTICS, THE FUTURE STARTS NOW While the idea of attempting to implement a system- wide analytics solution may seem to be too difficult, many organizations are now deriving maximum value from existing time and attendance data. Moreover, by using this data to power workforce and predictive analytics, they are able to gain real-time insight into the metrics that matter most – and achieve their most pressing business objectives. *Source: The Brandon Hall Group, ‘Time and Attendance: The Core of Managing and Measuring Your Workforce,’ 2014

Gregg Gordon is the senior director of the big data practice at Kronos Incorporated

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ANNUAL REVIEW / HR SALARY AND JOBS GUIDE

HOT JOBS, HOT PAY

2015 HR SALARY + JOBS GUIDE Will 2015 drive Canadian HR professionals to rags or deliver long-awaited riches? Find out in HRD’s annual salary and jobs analysis Fuel prices are low, the stock market is up, and a renewed sense of optimism has pervaded Canadian business once again.

Although the market has been rebounding for some time, 2014 marked the point in economic recovery when confidence was restored and corporate leaders felt comfortable taking risks in exploring new avenues for development.

“In the previous three or four years, we’ve seen businesses stick to a single theme each year. One year everyone was looking at compensation; another year

it was retention,” says Rowan O’Grady, president of Hays Canada. “This year we reverted back to prerecession exploration of different opportunities in an array of categories.”

Paralleling this renewed investment in assorted business functions is the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups. In many industries, particularly the tech sector, firms have expanded to the point of requiring full-time HR staff to meet the needs of their rapidly evolving workforce.

“Rather than using consultants, part-time HR

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staff or outsourcing, these businesses are reaching a critical mass and bringing in someone solely for themselves,” O’Grady says.

These forces are all combining to make the outlook for HR professionals an extremely positive one. While regions such as Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area remain competitive, 2015 will bring many opportunities to those seeking either professional growth or the monetary gain that accompanies it.

Economic outlook for the next 6-12 months 4.5%

Weakening

40.4% Static

55.1%

Strengthening

AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK

HR salary increases in the last 12 months Source: Hays Salary Guide 2015

0%

7.1%

HR IN DEMAND

<3%

45.6% 3% to 6%

42.1% 6% to 10%

2% > 10%

1.5% Salary freeze

1.7% Source: Hays Salary Guide 2015

HR salary increases over next 12 months 0%

4.7% <3%

49.0% 3% to 6%

42.4% 6% to 10%

2.5% > 10%

0.7% Salary freeze

0.7% Source: Hays Salary Guide 2015

Although the economy still shows signs of stagnation, 2014 demonstrated that compensation within HR is at least making small gains, albeit slowly. According to Hays’ data, while the majority of Canadian employers have only marginally raised HR salaries, the percentage offering significant pay increases is on the rise. O’Grady explains: “For the first time in four years, we saw an increase in the percentage of companies willing to offer more than a 3% increase in salary. It’s a small movement, but a movement in the right direction.”

Moreover, a majority of employers feel that the economy is improving, and 39.2 % plan to hire additional full-time HR staff in the coming year.

Coupled with these strengthening market conditions, shifting Canadian demographics are accelerating the need for organizations to hire additional HR leaders. With the Baby Boomer generation set to retire en masse, areas such as government and public services are facing significant talent shortages in the near future. HR is needed to implement talent management solutions to manage this crisis.

“Much of the workforce in defined benefit pensions programs will be seeing waves of retirement in the next one to five years,” says Ian Cullwick, vice president of leadership and human resources research at the Conference Board of Canada. “This is really going to drive the need for business and workforce analytics, succession planning and workforce planning throughout the public sector.”

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ANNUAL REVIEW / HR SALARY AND JOBS GUIDE

2015 pay guide Generalist (CAD) Role

Vancouver

Calgary

GTA

Ottawa

Vice president

120-150

130-150

120-160

90-100

Director

110-130

100-130

100-120

100-120

Business partner

80-100

80-100

80-100

100-105

Manager

80-100

75-95

80-100

75-85

Generalist

65-76

55-75

60-80

64-70

Coordinator

50-60

45-55

50-60

50-55

Administrator/assistant

45-50

42-52

50-60

40-45

Vancouver

Calgary

GTA

Ottawa

Vice president

120-140

120-140

120-140

85-90

Change manager

80-90

80-100

80-100

65-75

Learning/training manager

60-70

60-70

60-70

60-65

Coordinator

50-55

50-55

45-55

60-70

Vancouver

Calgary

GTA

Ottawa

Vice president/director

110-120

130-150

120-140

85-90

Manager

90-100

100-120

100-120

80-85

Specialist

65-80

75-85

85-100

60-70

Analyst

60-70

70-80

70-85

60-65

Coordinator/administrator

55-65

50-60

55-65

35-45

Vancouver

Calgary

GTA

Ottawa

Director

100-120

105-120

100-120

80-85

Manager

80-100

90-110

80-100

75-80

Specialist

60-80

65-85

65-80

55-65

Administrator

45-55

50-60

55-65

45-55

Vancouver

Calgary

GTA

Ottawa

Manager

65-80

90-100

70-80

60-65

Specialist

55-70

70-80

60-70

45-55

Administrator

45-55

60-70

50-60

40-50

Organizational development (CAD) Role

Compensation and benefits (CAD) Role

Recruitment (CAD) Role

HRIS (CAD) Role

All figures are expressed in thousand Canadian dollars and as annual gross salaries; all figures are in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;typicalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or median bracket.

Source: Hays Salary Guide 2015. To see the full report, visit www.hays.ca/salaryguide/2015/index.htm

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Cullwick notes that this will require HR professionals to champion such core competencies as restructuring, downsizing, retirements, demographic profiles, and onboarding new skill sets.

Also as a result of the improving economy, compensation experts will similarly be in high demand.

In fact, analysts at Aon Hewitt found that at the director level, this position enjoyed the largest bonus in 2014 – about $40,000.

“It’s a highly technical area with many legal implications, huge cost implications and demonstrable savings that can be achieved, which makes it easy to argue for what you should get as a bonus,” says Rick Schubert, associate partner of executive compensation and governance at Aon Hewitt.

In addition, health, safety and wellness experts are fiercely sought after roles in HR. In fact, the base pay for these practitioners at the 50th percentile median was about $173,000, with a bonus of about

DID YOU KNOW? A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers report, ‘What are you really paying for? Improving return on reward investment,’ revealed that incentive pay such as bonuses only works if they are simply structured, have an element of certainty, and are closely tied to individual or small team performance.

The PwC report revealed: yy Employees require up to 18% higher pay if pay is uncertain or ambiguous yy Employees are not motivated by team bonuses if the team size exceeds five, or if team members are unfamiliar to them yy 41% of employees would stop working at or around a bonus cap yy 29% would work beyond bonus caps to get the job done, knowing they would not get extra reward The report concluded: “Rather than tinkering with last year’s bonus plan or throwing more money at employees, getting the design right will deliver greater return on investment.”

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“Rather than using consultants, part-time HR staff or outsourcing, [startup] businesses are reaching a critical mass and bringing in someone solely for themselves” Rowan O’Grady $35,000, making total cash compensation nearly $212,000, according to Aon Hewitt data.

Similar to compensation, these practitioners are highly trained, as laws can be intricate and vary by province and region. The upside, however, is that it’s easy for these specialists to demonstrate their value to an organization in measurable units.

“It’s easily quantifiable in terms of financial benefit. These specialists can claim that their programs saved the company X millions of dollars,” Schubert says. “Then there’s the whole worker’s comp side, knowing how to manage and file an appeal – all those sorts of things might fall under the director of health and safety.”

Last, finance and pharmaceuticals also had high pay rates, as these industries remained stable throughout the financial downturn.

CLIMBING THE LADDER With such technical areas in demand, it’s not surprising that one of the quickest ways for HR practitioners to become more appealing to employers is by developing a niche skill set.

“Going narrow and deep is the fastest route to higher compensation levels,” Schubert says.

He cites the nuances of globalized business processes and regulations as one of the reasons why technical expertise is highly valued, as well as the fact that CEOs and CFOs now expect HR leaders to bring accounting and finance expertise alongside human capital experience to the boardroom.

Furthermore, to supplement this business acumen, HR professionals seeking to gain credibility and influence are encouraged to develop functional knowledge in data analytics and HR information management.

“Cloud-based information management skills

and expertise are becoming huge, and that growth pattern will continue for the next three to five years,” Cullwick says.

However, while these highly focused areas are monetarily advantageous in the short-term, experts still recommend that HR professionals with their eye on the C-Suite gain experience in multiple facets of HR, and work to develop broad capabilities that can be quickly redeployed in new situations that may arise.

“People who are specialists in compensation or HRIS can expect to make more money after five years than a generalist, but at the same time, they cap out. If you want to be a senior VP or high-level leader, you virtually always have to come through a generalist path,” O’Grady says.

He notes that the ideal career path would consist of two to three years as recruiter, then two to three years as compensation expert, followed by two to three years in HRIS, and then finally a generalist route. While this is not likely possible in today’s job market, it highlights the need for contemporary HR leaders to develop a widespread, multi-tiered knowledge base.

UNEXPECTED PATH TO THE TOP In 2014, Harvard Business Review published the feature ‘Why chief human resources officers make great CEOs’ only a few months after Mary Barra, former HR chief for General Motors, was appointed CEO of the automaker.

It is no longer unheard of for HR executives to end up at the helm of an organization, but in order to get there, practitioners need to be flexible and acquire the same leadership competencies that are expected from other members of the senior executive team.

“Public speaking is a huge asset,” says Katie Bardaro, lead economist and analytics manager for PayScale.

“As HR is coming up and becoming more important among the leadership team, they are beginning to guide companies in policies and present to the company as a whole, as opposed to one direct supervisor.”

Average salaries by gender HR professionals - male

73,115

HR professionals - female

59,389

HR managers - male

94,199

HR managers - female

76,801

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Hot provinces for compensation Ontario

Alberta

British Columbia

Quebec

Canada

Human resource managers

85,757

94,038

80,415

78,252

82,929

Human resources and recruitment officers

50,561

57,052

52,962

46,925

50,157

Human resources professionals

67,099

71,011

63,589

57,668

63,251

Personnel clerks

39,802

46,637

41,194

42,009

41,025

Professional occupations in business management consulting

76,198

84,705

71,680

61,548

72,284

Source: Statistics Canada

In addition, many HR leaders find that acquiring a unique and differentiated job title outside of HR director or vice president of human resources helps to demonstrate a more meaningful value proposition to the boardroom.

“CEOs and boards now see the value proposition of organizational effectiveness, cultural effectiveness and people effectiveness, which is more nuanced than human resource management,” Cullwick says. “They can recognize the broader human capital proposition.”

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION For HR professionals looking to boost their earning potential, Alberta reigns supreme. Similar to prior years, the energy sector thrived in 2014. And although crude oil prices have been steadily falling, the field should remain prosperous well into the foreseeable future.

“I would argue that despite the decline in the price of oil, most progressive energy employers want to preserve their top talent, which has a very specialized skill set. So the HR agenda is still very strong,” O’Grady says.

A typical HR director in Alberta could expect to make $94,038, as opposed to $85,757 in Ontario, according to 2010 survey data from Statistics Canada.

It’s important to note, however, that money isn’t necessarily a major driving force for many HR professionals nationwide. Instead, many Canadians prefer valuable experiences in smaller, non-traditional firms to monotonous, high-paying roles in more prestige-driven firms.

“This is a sweeping generalization, but I have clients in many Canadian and US companies, and I’ve found Canadians to be far less fearful of going to smaller companies, whereas Americans want to stay within blue chip, Fortune 500 companies,” O’Grady says. “Canadians, on the other hand, place more value on responsibility and personal and pro-

fessional growth.”

PASS THE BUCK As with any time period when the economy is on the upswing, talented Canadian professionals have become more mobile in looking for more lucrative opportunities. While salary plays a big part in this, there are several non-financial incentives being offered in the recruitment of HR executives as well.

One of the biggest perks is vacation time.

“Especially in smaller companies and tech firms, we’re seeing more lax vacation policies, which can be granting more vacation time or offering an unlimited vacation policy,” Bardaro says.

Other companies are providing more tangible benefits. Schubert notes that these include allowances for a company car, fitness club memberships, golf club memberships, higher coverage for health and dental programs, and for the first time, personal coaches.

“They bring in someone who is a third party or independent outsider who will work with you to become a better manager, both in managing people and in managing time,” Schubert says. “I thought it was an interesting program, and I could see the results of it in the way executives approach situations.”

GOOD DAYS AHEAD All in all, the future for HR professionals in Canada seems bright – 2015 shows signs that prospects are improving, and with human capital now being recognized as the backbone of future success, this trend should continue for years to come.

“I was talking to a former president of an Australian mining company, and he told me this: Years ago, businesses were run by accountants. Now they’re run by lawyers, but in the future, they’re going to be run by HR professionals,” O’Grady says.

“He told me this four years ago, and we’re starting to see it come true.”

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•I

STRATEGY / INTERNATIONAL HR

A universal approach for HR – could it ever work?

Could there ever be a global best practice for HR managers? Would a global HR certification or a global HR conference ever be viable?

Stefanie Hornung outlines the opportunities and difficulties of international initiatives In October 2014, the HRM Expo (Zukunft Personal) again lived up to its reputation as Europe’s largest HR exhibition. More than 14,212 HR managers came to Cologne, Germany – from all over Germany and abroad – to network and exchange experiences. As one of the rare international initiatives, it showed perfectly how difficult a global approach still is in the HR space, despite our increasingly globalized working world.

THE WORLD IS STILL VAST Language differences aside, the disparity of HR practices around the world is huge, even from a European perspective. This became clear in Cologne when listening to a discussion between HR journalists from all over Europe. The specialist editors agreed that recruiting, retention, and attractive, flexible working conditions are currently among the most important challenges. Nevertheless, each country has its specific differences. In the UK, new legislation enables each employee to demand more flexible working hours. In Switzerland, there is a lively debate on the shortage of skilled labour due

to the referendum on limiting immigration. The Austrian government has reacted to the rising number of employees suffering from psychological problems and burnout by introducing a new law calling for psychologically stressful factors in the workplace to be measured.

Apart from different work legislation and labour market conditions in each country, the ‘maturity’ of HR varies widely. After the staff reduction phase, Spanish HR managers are now looking for strategic positioning with subjects such as diversity, flexible working or new leadership. But due to the economic crisis, they have naturally lost ground compared to countries such as Sweden, where the bar has been raised significantly higher. In Swedish companies with more than 200 employees, 90% of HR managers are on the board. Additionally, as in other Scandinavian countries, Sweden is quite well-known for its innovative methods, such as experimenting with leaderless environments, ultra-flat and completely transparent organizational structures.

Cultural differences are often mentioned as an argument against an international approach in HR.

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There are different policies for religious holidays, working days and hours, female and male disparity and team-building activities all around the world.

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES: ARE THEY WORTH IT? International HR initiatives are important, as they enable learning experiences to be shared. They motivate HR to innovate and try something new.

Professionals would certainly benefit from sharing knowledge on issues, such as best practices in technology, thought leadership and recruitment. Many best practice methods could be adopted even if the tools used for implementation and the precise details of the services are different, in line with the wellknown slogan “Think global, act local.”

For example, Monster launched various recruitment technologies at the HRM Expo. TalentBin, for example, is part of the career portal’s new look and is an online search engine for highly specialized professionals with job profiles in the technology and IT areas. In the search query, Monster accesses the relevant sources and communities that the potential candidates use themselves. In addition to industry-relevant resources such as Github, Stack­ Overflow, Meetup or Working with Rails, the search also includes social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. This service has already been in use in the US and has been transferred to Germany, focusing on the resources used by specialist employees in that country. It probably would not have worked for a German recruiter to simply use the US version because the database is different.

GLOBAL CERTIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS Another issue relating to HR globalization is the development of certifications and common standards. As already mentioned, there are many diffi-

Closer to home In December 2014, The Australian Human Resources Institute [AHRI] signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand [HRINZ] and the Human Resources Professionals Association [HRPA] in Canada. It is anticipated this will bring benefits for each organization, such as programs, product and resource sharing across geographies, exchanges and international study tours, joint research, and the mutual recognition of professional designations.

International HR initiatives are important as they enable learning experiences to be shared. They motivate HR to innovate and try something new culties to be overcome, but this approach would provide a long-term basis for comparable information on HR management to a company’s internal and external stakeholders and consequently add value with respect to internal control and investor assessment. Certification would provide HR practitioners with an instrument to measure competency specific to their regions and would make experience and expertise comparable.

The international Society for Human Resource Management [SHRM] began developing global HR standards as early as 2011. There are currently 23 countries working on this subject in a technical committee [TC260] at the ISO, and 18 countries are participating as guests.

At the HRM Expo, Harald Ackerschott, president of the German Mirror Committee at DIN, shed some light on the problems they are experiencing. The committee is currently concentrating on selecting which issues should be addressed. This largely depends on the interests of the individual participants. There is a colleague from Australia working on workforce management and planning. Other topics include recruiting standards, human governance, cost per hire and sustainable employability. It took some time for HR professionals to approach this initiative in Germany because the Confederation of German Employers [BDA] was against it. And this is not an exception – some national associations tend to resist global standards.

Visitors to the exhibition in Cologne mentioned that this could be because they fear that standards might be too prescriptive and based more on rules than on principles. But years have passed since SHRM first started this initiative, and companies around the world have seen that it will happen without them. They now have the choice of either staying away and avoiding the worst or providing their own serious contributions to the initiative.

The same is true for all events with an international perspective on HR.

Stefanie Hornung works as press officer for Europe’s largest HR exhibition, the HRM Expo (Zukunft Personal).

The former editor in chief of HRM.de, a German social network for HR practitioners, Stefanie now writes articles for various HR publications. Visit hrm-expo.com for details on the 2015 expo.

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HEAD TO HEAD

Q:

Views from the frontline Behind closed doors, is sexism still alive and well in boardrooms and executive teams in 2015?

AMANDA CHEW

VP of global talent and culture G ADVENTURES

While sexism still exists, it’s not as prevalent in the travel industry. The travel industry is a strong employer of women; however, previously this has been for entry-level or middle management positions, and not in senior management roles.

At G Adventures, we believe the best way to encourage women to fulfill their potential is by having strong female role models in our core team, as well as having programs in place to help women achieve their goals. G Adventures’ Women’s Leadership program, which has been running for three years, has been instrumental in helping female employees flourish through workshops, mentoring and networking.

We’ve seen some remarkable results from individuals, as well as a shift within the company culture.

This is something that I believe is starting to be reflected in the travel sector as a whole.

TOM DYCK

Executive vice president, community banking

DEEN MAHARAJ

Director of human resources

TD CANADA TRUST

G&K SERVICES CANADA

Undoubtedly there are still biases when it comes to true gender equality. Ten years ago, we set up a formal diversity initiative with the launch of our Diversity Leadership Council, with six areas of focus, including expanding leadership opportunities for women. We knew women comprised about two-thirds of our employees, but that wasn’t always reflected in our leadership group. We investigated why talented women weren’t always progressing to the executive level and put programs in place to identify and develop our high performers. We’ve since increased the number of women at the vicepresident level and above by 60%.

As leaders, it’s critical that we encourage open and honest conversation, especially around tougher topics, to understand and address the issues. That conversation needs to include men, who are often in the best position to lead the changes that will continue our progress.

Yes, in my opinion, corporations are missing out on the talents and ideas of many female employees with great potential because most companies haven’t adapted.

From the very top down, executives have failed to recognize the benefits an organization enjoys by putting together a diverse team of leaders. And, when companies do invite women into the executive ranks, they have insisted that it is the women who need to adapt to fit the male culture.

Companies have failed to recognize that women can be assets in the board room, not in spite of their gender, but because of it. Com­ panies that recognize the benefits of women on the team and flex quickly to adapt their culture will reap the rewards. At G&K, we have focused efforts to promote diversity and women in leadership, and have had success bringing women onto our board and executive team.

Got an opinion that counts? Email the team at vernon.jones@kmimedia.ca or join the debate at hrmonline.ca

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15/01/2015 4:07:09 AM

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE / BACKGROUND SCREENING

Background screening helps manage risks

How can background screening help you streamline hiring processes?

Background screening prospective employees is a key tool in any HR professional’s hiring toolkit – one that’s required to ensure you hire the candidate that is the best fit for your organization.

Tools work best when they’re used as they’re designed, and often they work best in the hands of an expert. For pre-employment screening, that means partnering with an experienced organization – one with the depth of service to meet all of your hiring needs.

Trusted by Canadian businesses for more than 85 years, Commissionaires delivers value to hundreds of companies and government departments across Canada. “We didn’t consider anyone else because Commissionaires offered everything we needed and was an obvious solution. We also knew that the cost was reasonable,” says Suzann Park Macleod of First Air. As the only screening provider with offices nationwide, Commissionaires focuses on providing personal service for all the screening options your business needs. Key to this is our network of

digital fingerprint services. No other screening company can provide nationwide fingerprint service as a backup to the name-based criminal record check.

Personal service, delivered by professional staff at more than 40 offices across Canada, means you can easily implement your screening checks at the local, regional and national level.

Commissionaires is a not-for-profit organization with a mandate to hire former military and police veterans. As a result, we have a reliable, expertly trained, professional workforce. This social mandate can help your organization achieve its corporate social responsibility goals related to hiring and community presence.

Contact Commissionaires for more information on how we can help your HR team strengthen and streamline your pre- and posthiring activities to reduce costs and save time. www.commissionaires.ca 1 877 322 6777

Commissionaires provides: Pre-employment Screening • Record Suspension • Fingerprinting •

www.commissionaires.ca 1 877 322 6777

JANUARY 2015 | 23

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14/01/2015 10:04:12 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

C A N A D I A N

As a prevailing force in the global travel industry, G Adventures has about 2,000 employees stationed in countries ranging from Canada and the US to India and China.

While workers’ ages and demographics vary substantially, all G Adventures employees have one thing in common: they passed an interview consisting of quirky questions such as ‘‘How would you describe your two years in the adult film industry?” an

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14/01/2015 10:59:46 AM

HRMONLINE.CA

O

n behalf of everyone at HRD magazine, HRMOnline.ca and KMI Publishing, I would like to congratulate all the well-deserved winners of the first annual HR Awards.

The goal of these awards is to ‘celebrate, reward and promote great HR’ via a strictly independent search, selection and judging process. We extend our congratulations to all of the winners for their hard work and dedication in creating better workplaces.

HRD magazine, along with HRMOnline.ca, is a leader in providing quality content to the HR community.

We would like to thank all of our sponsors whose ongoing support is a true testament to ‘supporting great HR.’ Without you, the HR Awards 2014 would have not been possible.

A big thank you also goes without saying to our panel of esteemed judges for bringing their expertise and knowledge to the fore once again – their gracious support and the valuable time they took to judge these awards are very much appreciated. We could not accomplish what we do without them.

Thank you all, and we encourage each and every one of you to carry on the good work in making your organization’s HR practices the best they can be.

Chris Davis Events and Conferences Manager KMI Publishing and Events Limited

JANUARY 2015 | 25

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14/01/2015 10:59:52 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE COTTON CANDY AWARD FOR BEST REWARD & RECOGNITION STRATEGY

This award recognizes excellence and innovation in employee reward and recognition programs and initiatives.

Finalists • Achievers Solutions Inc., Employee Success • CompuVision Systems Inc. • Great Little Box Company Ltd. • Nisga’a Lisims Government • Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

WINNER: NISGA’A LISIMS GOVERNMENT “It was such an honor to be a finalist, and the icing on the cake is to take home the award. The award is such validation that the programs we implement for our employees, and the work that we do on their behalf, is appreciated and recognized as being top notch. This highlights our position as being an employer of choice – able to attract and retain qualified talent in a highly competitive market in Northwest BC.” – Cheryl Pelletier human resources manager, Nisga’a Lisims Government

A really good employee recognition program helps to put a little extra spring in the step of everyone who goes into the workplace in the morning, knowing that that there they will be appreciated as valued contributors to the company’s success. Having facilitated this process on behalf of countless companies over the years, Cotton Candy Total Rewards is immensely proud to have been associated with the Award for the Best Employee Reward amd Recognition Program.

– Peter Monk marketing manager, Cotton Candy Inc.

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15/01/2015 6:03:46 AM

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14/01/2015 10:59:57 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE BEYOND BOARDROOMS AWARD FOR BEST HR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

This award recognizes the HR team that has delivered the most unique, compelling and relevant communication strategy. It may be in relation to a HR initiative, the rollout of a new program or inspirational employer branding.

Finalists • BlueShore Financial • BP Canada Energy Group ULC • County of Wellington • Human Resources Network Society • Hydro Ottawa • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc. (TCS Canada Inc.)

WINNER: BP CANADA ENERGY GROUP ULC “It’s a real honour to be recognized by the Canadian HR Awards with this award for communications strategy, and I’m really proud of all things our organization has done.”

– Laurie Dreger HR benefits advisor, BP Canada Energy Group ULC

As an employee recognition & reward company, we understand the importance and value of communication. We ourselves have incorporated features into our programs to improve communication channels, and we applaud those who share in this effort to engage employees through communication. It was an honour for us to be able to sponsor this category, as we strongly support its merits.

Our congratulations go out again to BP Canada for their efforts in this area and for being the recipients of this year’s Communication Strategy Award.

– Rick Patrick director, Beyond Boardrooms

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14/01/2015 11:00:04 AM

Be m is

Th po in pr ad

Th or

Beyond Boardrooms introduces My Rewards Unlimited (MRU) a professionally managed employee recognition & rewards program. With over 15,000 members, MRU is designed to meet the needs of businesses of any size or structure.

The program is an online points-based recognition program that works to create positive culture within an organization. It is interactive, engaging and promotes incentive and employee engagement which leads to higher morale and increased productivity. There are no contracts or minimum purchases. MRU requires minimal administration and provides an endless choice of reward options to your employees.

This cost-effective approach to employee recognition & rewards provides your organization with:

• Unique hiring advantages • Reduced staff turnover • Improved employee engagement, performance and loyalty www.beyondboardrooms.com info@beyondboardrooms.com 1.877.287.8596

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14/01/2015 11:00:07 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE HRMONLINE AWARD FOR CANADIAN HR RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

This award goes to the HR leader of the future, with at least five but no more than 10 years of HR experience, who must demonstrate the execution of progressive HR initiatives.

Finalists • Angie Poulsen, First Credit Union • Fiona Ho, Fortinet Technologies (Canada) Inc. • Delynn Eide, Kiewit • Michelle Sampson, Magna Seating • Alan Richardson, RBC • Athena Dimaras, Sherrard Kuzz LLP • Katie Grinton, St. Michael’s Hospital • Alice Lesmana, Sunrise Poultry Farms • Brett VanderHoek, Tolko Industries

WINNER: FIONA HO, FORTINET TECHNOLOGIES (CANADA) INC. “The Canadian HR Awards Gala was an unforgettable evening, celebrating the successes and achievements of the HR profession across the country. It is an incredible honour to receive this national recognition. It’s something that did not sink in until I was on my flight home. Seeing the best of the industry come together was an amazing experience, and the gala was certainly a first-class event.”

– Fiona Ho human resources generalist, Fortinet Technologies

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14/01/2015 11:01:25 AM

THE DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING AWARD FOR BEST LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

HRMONLINE.CA

This award recognizes and celebrates the HR team that has delivered the most outstanding organizational benefits by directly linking the training needs of their people to the business needs of their organization.

Finalists • Assurant Solutions, Learning Excellence and Performance Team (LEAP) • Bell Canada, Leadership Development Team • Ceridian Canada Ltd. • EllisDon Corporation • Halogen Software • L’Oréal Canada Inc.

WINNER: BELL CANADA “It’s a great validation to have our work recognized by our peers. Knowing our programs are making an impact is incredibly rewarding. We will continue to strive to produce best-in-class programs and ensure they meet the needs of our team and our business. There’s a special energy to the room when you have so many engaged professionals together at once. It has certainly made for an exciting night.”

– Warda Afzal manager of employee engagement, Bell Canada

Dale Carnegie Training had the great honour of presenting the Best Learning and Development Strategy to Bell Canada and their Leadership Development Team. Congratulations on your efforts to continually ignite workplace enthusiasm and performance.

– Kevin Crone president, Dale Carnegie Training

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14/01/2015 12:38:54 PM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE ACCLAIM ABILITY MANAGEMENT AWARD FOR BEST HR STRATEGIC PLAN

This award recognizes the HR team that has driven and implemented the most innovative and successful strategic plan.

Finalists • All Weather Windows Human Capital Department • BC Transit • Great Wolf Lodge • RBC Career Launch Team • Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

WINNER: RBC CAREER LAUNCH TEAM “It feels so exciting to win – we are thrilled, and our team is very grateful to have been recognized and acknowledged for our innovative program. We have so many people to thank – it took a village to actually create a program that really makes a difference in Canada in terms of focusing on the critical issue of youth employment and breaking the noexperience, no-job cycle.”

– Rehana Ciriani director of Career Launch Program, RBC

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14/01/2015 11:01:32 AM

acclaim

ABILITY MANAGEMENT INC.

NATIONAL PROVIDER OF ABILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES OUR MISSION to listen to our customerﾃ不 unique needs and provide ability management solutions that meet those needs. to follow up with measurable results. to adapt our programs and services as our clientﾃ不 grow and change allowing for continued success of all programs. to exceed our customerﾃ不 expectations.

Acclaim Ability Management is a national provider of ability management services.

- We offer comprehensive solutions for all your Disability Management needs - We believe in the importance of early intervention to maximize rehabilitation potential - Focus on an individualﾃ不 abilities rather than their disabilities - NIDMAR certified

OUR TEAM The strength of our services is dependent on the quality of individuals we hire to deliver them.

We hire fully accredited, multi-disciplinary rehabilitation professionals for all of our service delivery. Acclaim has aligned itself with NIDMAR (National Institute for Disability Management and Research), an internationally recognized organization committed to reducing the human, social and economic costs of disability.

As such we encourage all Ability Management Consultants to obtain certification through NIDMAR. OUR SERVICES ABILITY MANAGEMENT

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ACCLAIM ABILITY MANAGEMENT 901 King Street W., Toronto, M5V 3H5 416 . 486 . 9706 acclaimability.com

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WELLNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY ACCLAIMTRACK

14/01/2015 11:01:32 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE ROBERT HALF CANADA AWARD FOR MOST EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

This award recognizes excellence and innovation in recruiting and staffing initiatives. Entries could range from specific projects in key areas to the implementation of new policies covering all resourcing activities.

Finalists • Bell Canada, Recruitment Team • Hydro Ottawa, Algonquin Program • Northern Health • XNL HR, Summer Staffing Team, Canadian National Exhibition

WINNER: HYDRO OTTAWA “This is a great opportunity for our team to share successes with HR colleagues from around the country. Receiving the award for Most Effective Recruitment Strategy highlights a program and partnership that we are very proud of at Hydro Ottawa. This program has been a success due to the commitment and work of employees throughout our organization, as well as at Algonquin College. I’m proud that their dedication has been recognized with a Canadian HR Award.”

– Lyne Parent-Garvey chief human resources officer, Hydro Ottawa

Robert Half is a proud sponsor of the ‘Most Effective Recruiting Strategy’ Award. As the world’s leading specialized staffing firm, we work with thousands of HR professionals each year to help them find effective and competitive solutions in a rapidly changing recruiting landscape.

We understand the outstanding achievements and contributions of Canadian HR industry professionals and are proud to celebrate excellence in the field.

– Judi Preston regional manager, Robert Half

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14/01/2015 11:01:36 AM

HRMONLINE.CA

My AP Manager is sick – where can I find a replacement NOW?

How do I recruit the best employees?

What should I pay a senior-level Financial Analyst in Toronto?

What if I move, will my salary drop?

YOU ASK. WE ANSWER. For insight into financial salaries, trends and hiring from the industry ’s leading staffing firm, visit the Robert Half Salary Centre: roberthalf.ca/salary-centre.

Robert Half congratulates all Canadian HR Awards nominees for 2014.

1.800.803.8367 roberthalf.ca

JANUARY 2015 | 35

© 2014 Robert Half Canada Inc. 0914-9015g

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14/01/2015 11:01:38 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE AIRD & BERLIS LLP AWARD FOR HR CHAMPION / CEO OF THE YEAR

This award recognizes the CEO who has driven successful HR strategies from the top by putting people first and championing innovative HR values.

Finalists • Jean-René Halde, president & CEO, Business Development Bank of Canada • Mike Schmalz, president, Digital Extremes • Debby Carreau, CEO, founder, Inspired HR Ltd. • Rosemary McCarney, CEO, Plan Canada • Guy Labine, CEO, Science North • Peter Aceto, CEO, Tangerine • Jan Varner, CEO, United Way Kitchener Waterloo & Area

WINNER: PETER ACETO, TANGERINE “We’re incredibly proud to be here. We take our people and our culture very, very seriously, and we really feel it’s what differentiates us from our competition. This award is a testament to the hard work that our HR team and Peter, our CEO, are doing to make sure that we really are a truly different organization.”

– Brenda Rideout chief strategy officer, Tangerine

Aird & Berlis LLP understands the dedication and hard work that is necessary to create a workplace environment which encourages productivity, collegiality and fairness.

The award for Canadian HR Champion (CEO) is an important step in recognizing individuals who are committed to enhancing the daily work lives of employees and striving for excellence from a human resource perspective.

A&B is honoured to have presented this award.

– Lorenzo Lisi partner, Aird & Berlis LLP

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14/01/2015 11:01:42 AM

Aird & Berlis LLP invites you to join us for

Breakfast at Your Desk

Effective, Practical Advice

2015 Webinar Dates January 20 March 31 May 26 September 22 November 17

email rsvp@airdberlis.com to receive updates on upcoming webinars

airdberlis.com

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15/01/2015 5:36:01 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE VENNGO AWARD FOR BEST EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY

workpe

This award highlights the employee engagement strategy that has achieved the most impact to employee morale and performance across an organization.

Finalists

• Achievers Solutions Inc. • Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) • Great Little Box Company Ltd. • Great Wolf Lodge • Hughes Petroleum Ltd. • International Fitness Holdings Inc. • St. Michael’s Hospital

WINNER: HUGHES PETROLEUM LTD. “Words can’t explain it how it feels to win. We’re a company of just 225 employees, and companies of that size don’t have a massive budget to do things for your employees, so to get recognized for what we’ve done – it’s amazing; it’s awesome.”

– Melissa Fisher human resources manager, Hughes Petroleum

As Canada’s Original PERKS Company™, Venngo WorkPerks® helps Canada’s top employers improve employee engagement and quality of life with our exclusive branded group discount programs. Increased employee engagement drives performance and profitability and creates a sustainable competitive advantage. An exclusive and well-managed group discount program is an important element of any Employee Engagement Strategy.

Venngo is honoured to present the award for the Best Employee Engagement Strategy of 2014 to Hughes Petroleum.

– Paul Weissman president & CEO, VENNGO

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14/01/2015 11:01:50 AM

2015

workperks workperks perks by

by

The Original Perks Company

TM

Venngo is proud to have been a sponsor of the 2014 Canadian HR Awards. Congratulations to all the winners!

www.venngo.com

1.866.383.6646 ext.227 Venngo is one of Canada’s fastest growing technology companies.

Copyright 2015 Venngo Inc. All rights reserved. WorkPerks® is a registered trade-mark of Venngo Inc. All other trade-marks are the property of their respective owners. V1_20150112

©

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2015-01-12 6:13AM PM 14/01/2015 11:01:52

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE BLUELIME ENTERPRISES AWARD FOR BEST TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

This award highlights the talent management strategy that has achieved the most impact to employee performance across an organization.

Finalists • Cossette Communications • Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP • Halogen Software • Imason • Kruger Products • Navantis

WINNER: NAVANTIS “We’re thrilled to have been recognized for our talent management strategy at the Canadian HR Awards Gala.

We’ve recruited some of the most renowned experts in the industry and have armed our employees with some of the most sought-after skills in the market by following through with this strategy.

Winning an award like this only helps validate that what we are doing is right. Our people-centric approach to management and our ability to closely align our efforts with the needs of the business have seen tremendous success.

We are honoured to be recognized among some of the most talented HR professionals in the country and are thrilled to have been a part of such an exciting night for the industry.”

– Rosa Franzese VP of human resources, Navantis

As a company that knows better than most about the challenges of developing strong talent management strategies, being able to present this particular award for Best Talent Management was truly an honour for Bluelime Enterprises.

– Sean Dawson managing partner, Bluelime Enterprises

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14/01/2015 11:02:03 AM

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14/01/2015 11:02:11 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE KPMG CANADA AWARD FOR BEST HEALTH & WELLNESS STRATEGY

This award recognizes excellence in the area of corporate health and wellness, including demonstrated impact on employee productivity and retention as a result of these health and wellness strategies.

Finalists • City of Edmonton, Early Intervention Program • Community Living Oshawa/Clarington, Health & Wellness Committee • Co-operators Life Insurance, Co-operators Life and CUMIS Wellness Program • County of Wellington • Interior Health & Northern Health, Disability Management Team • Science North • TeraGo Networks • Town of Newmarket • Vancouver Police Department, VPD Employee Wellness Committee

WINNER: COUNTY OF WELLINGTON “It truly is the Oscars of the HR field – I could not be more pleased, more honored and more humbled by being able to receive this award tonight. Thank you.”

– Andrea Lawson director of human resources, County of Wellington

What a pleasure it was for KPMG to present such an important award and to highlight the successes of the County of Wellington. As workplaces continue to evolve, health and wellness will become more critical than ever, and those with good programs will be making a real impact to their organizations and their people. It is great to see this being celebrated.

– Sean Bartman senior manager of people & change, KPMG

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14/01/2015 12:58:57 PM

y

K C A

Saluting your success KPMG is proud to present the Canadian HR Leader of the Year Award and we salute all of the nominees on their accomplishments.

kpmg.ca/advisory 24-55_CHRAwards 2-SUBBED.indd 43

© 2015 KPMG LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. 7520 The KPMG name, logo and “cutting through complexity” are registered trademarks or trademarks of KPMG International.

14/01/2015 11:02:19 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE HRD MAGAZINE READERS’ CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST INDUSTRY SERVICE PROVIDER

This award acknowledges the contributions of a company or individual with a proven track record of providing HR professionals with the superior service and assistance needed to perform their duties.

Finalists • Adecco • Global Knowledge Canada • Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP • Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions • Predictive Success Corporation • SuccessFactors: An SAP Company • SunLife Financial

WINNER: SUNLIFE FINANCIAL “We take great pride in delivering an excellent customer experience. To be recognized with the 2014 HR Award for Best Industry Service Provider is not only an honour, but also a shining example of the hard work everyone on the SunLife team does every day for our sponsors and their members.”

– Stuart Monteith SVP, group benefits SunLife Canada

HRD magazine understands the significant support service providers lend HR professionals in the daily execution of their roles. Those adjuncts play an integral part in advancing the contribution of industry players to their organizations and in moving the Canadian workforce to new heights. That’s why HRD is proud to sponsor the HR Award for excellence in service provision.

– Andrew Cowan & Sarah Fretz KMI Media Events Team

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14/01/2015 1:17:57 PM

THE WILLIAMSON GROUP AWARD FOR BEST EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION

HRMONLINE.CA

This award recognizes the HR team that has delivered the most unique, compelling and relevant employee value proposition, with innovation in at least one aspect of EVP (benefits, health and wellness, child care, etc.), outstanding employer branding and communication of value proposition, and improvements in employee satisfaction/retention/recruitment.

Finalists • Bruce Power • EllisDon Corporation • McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ltd. • Medtronic of Canada Ltd. • University of Toronto

WINNER: ELLISDON CORPORATION “We are honoured to be nominated for the Williamson Group Award for Best Employee Value Proposition alongside such worthy competitors, and are very humbled to come out on top in the category. This marks a wonderful moment for our team, who are further motivated to produce stronger practices and results.”

– Liz Oak senior manager, people & culture EllisDon Corporation

The Williamson Group has the distinct pleasure of partnering with HR teams in the development and implementation of group benefits, pension, disability management, TPA and individual financial services. With a strong focus on our clients’ program success, we see the EVP as an extension of the employer brand and the embodiment of the corporate philosophy. The EVP has become a key communication tool for HR in recruiting and retaining top talent. We know how much time and energy goes into designing a comprehensive total rewards program, and the EVP is the reflection of that hard work. Our sincere congratulations go out to EllisDon Corporation for being at the forefront of this type of employee engagement and as the winner of the 2014 award for Best Employee Value Proposition.

– Faye Bulloch director, marketing communications, The Williamson Group

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15/01/2015 5:30:56 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE SUCCESSFACTORS AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HR INDUSTRY

This is the highest honour and most coveted award at the Canadian HR Awards. This award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole through visionary people management strategies and leadership.

WINNER: ROSE PATTEN, BMO FINANCIAL GROUP “I am personally humbled by the distinction that I have been given … let me congratulate the other finalists and winners of these distinguished awards. I think the mere fact that your achievements have been recognized through this distinction is a testimony to how important the work that you are doing is, and how your achievements are helping your organizations to thrive.”

– Rose Patten special advisor to the CEO, BMO Financial Group

SuccessFactors was delighted to honour Rose Patten, winner of the lifetime achievement award.

Rose has an obvious passion for employee engagement and the alignment of people to corporate strategy; this is exactly what we help organizations do through the use of technology.

– John Hiscox VP, SuccessFactors, an SAP Company

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14/01/2015 1:21:30 PM

Set your own pace.

HCM tools for moving forward – without going back to Square One.

Start anywhere.

Go everywhere.

Bring out the best in your workforce with SuccessFactors — the talent management suite with no gaps and no compromises. Top-rated by the industry’s most respected analysts for a complete suite that includes learning, recruiting, and integrates with your back-office systems.

www.successfactors.com

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14/01/2015 11:02:35 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE BANYAN WORK HEALTH SOLUTIONS AWARD FOR BEST CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

This award recognizes excellence in the area of shaping, managing and influencing organizational change, including mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, strategic or cultural change.

Finalists • BlueShore Financial • TeraGo Networks • University Health Network

WINNER: BLUESHORE FINANCIAL “It’s a huge honour to win this award, especially given the stature of the other nominees. It’s also very encouraging to have our efforts recognized. The commitment and engagement of our employees is the foundation of BlueShore Financial’s success, and this was demonstrated by our employees’ wholehearted support of our rename project.”

– Karol Koebernick human resources manager, BlueShore Financial

Banyan Work Health Solutions is pleased to acknowledge BlueShore Financial for its change management success in the employee engagement of the launch of their company’s new operating name. Vision, passion and dedication creates change, and with this spirit, Banyan works daily to change and innovate traditional views and approaches to disability and absence management services and technology.

Banyan applauds the BlueShore Financal team for its enormous change management efforts and accomplishments.

Congratulations!

– Maria Vandenhurk, CEO, Banyan Work Health Solutions

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14/01/2015 1:26:47 PM

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S !

Banyan Work Health Solutions Inc. is proud to be announcing the 2014 Best Change Management Strategy Award and would like to congratulate all the nominees on their accomplishments.

A N S E B C O M PA N Y Changing Attitudes Towards Disability www.banyanconsultants.com 24-55_CHRAwards 2-SUBBED.indd 49

14/01/2015 1:30:31 PM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE CISCO CANADA AWARD FOR BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY

This award recognizes excellence in the area of human capital technology used by an in-house HR team.

Finalists • Calgary Co-operative Association Limited • CompuVision Systems Inc. • Pareto Logic • PT Health • Rocky Mountain Equipment • Tata Consultancy Services Canada Inc. (TCS Canada Inc.)

WINNER: TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES CANADA INC. (TCS CANADA INC.) “This is wonderful. I think it’s a great event, and we’re very thankful to be here. To the organizers – it’s been fabulous, and we’re having a wonderful time enjoying ourselves.

We’re really, really happy to be part of it.”

– Vishwas Sharma talent engagement partner, Tata Consultancy Services

Cisco was a proud sponsor of the award for Best Use of Technology.

With our goal of connecting the unconnected to create extraordinary experiences, this award represents our desire to bring people together to collaborate, drive productivity that creates business outcomes and share experiences along the way.

– Trina Alexson Canadian vice president of advance services, Cisco Canada

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14/01/2015 11:02:50 AM

Technology Resources Technologyin inthe thehands handsofofinnovative innovativeHuman Human Resources professionals professionalscan canachieve achieveamazing amazingoutcomes. outcomes.

Cisco Use of of Cisco was was aaproud proudsponsor sponsorofofthe theAward AwardforforBest Best Use Technology. to to create Technology. With Withour ourgoal goalofofconnecting connectingthe theunconnected unconnected create extraordinary desire to to bring extraordinaryexperiences, experiences,this thisaward awardrepresents representsour our desire bring people people together togethertotocollaborate, collaborate,drive driveproductivity productivitythat thatcreate create business thethe way. business outcomes outcomes, ,and andshare shareexperiences experiencesalong along way.

Cisco.com/go/TomorrowStartsHere Cisco.com/go/TomorrowStartsHere

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15/01/2015 5:19:01 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE KPMG CANADA AWARD FOR CANADIAN HR LEADER OF THE YEAR

The Canadian HR Leader of the Year award recognizes the HR leader who has demonstrated outstanding leadership at the executive level. This award is restricted to HR leaders who manage the entire Canadian HR team for their organization.

Finalists • David Heather, Cisco Canada • Rosa Franzese, Navantis • Jennifer Vantuil, Platinum Investments • Jon Beatty, Rocky Mountain Equipment Co. • Krista-Lee Walters, TravelBrands Inc.

WINNER: DAVID HEATHER, CISCO CANADA “I am incredibly honoured and share this award with my team. This is a great recognition of the people strategy at Cisco Canada, and we will continue to aspire to have a compelling and inspiring environment for all our employees to thrive in and reach their potential.”

– David Heather VP of human resources, Cisco Canada

KPMG is pleased to be able to present the first Canadian HR Leader Award to David Heather from Cisco. The role of the HR leader continues to evolve, and the best HR leaders have significant impact on the business. KPMG is proud to be part of recognizing excellence.

– Laura Croucher partner, national lead, people & change services, KPMG Canada

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14/01/2015 1:36:41 PM

Time for a more holistic approach to talent risk

Organizations are competing for top talent on an unprecedented scale. Talent risks are set to increase as globalization and competitive pressures take hold across all sectors and industries. So what should organizations be doing to address this pressing issue before it’s too late? It may surprise you.

Read more at www.kpmg.com/ca/talentrisk or contact Global Lead for Talent Management Laura Croucher at lcroucher@kpmg.ca or 416 777 3417.

Connect with KPMG Canada on Twitter @kpmg_canada.

and follow us on

© 2015 KPMG LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. 8116 The KPMG name, logo and “cutting through complexity” are registered trademarks or trademarks of KPMG International.

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14/01/2015 11:02:59 AM

2014 CANADIAN HR AWARDS

THE HALOGEN SOFTWARE AWARD FOR CANADIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR

This award recognizes the year’s most outstanding HR team for their work within the function and their partnerships with other functions. This award focuses on the team’s collaborative approach to the HR function as a whole.

Finalists • Blue Mountain Resorts Ltd. • Camoplast Solideal • Digital Extremes • Platinum Investments • Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre • XNL HR, Summer Staffing Team, Canadian National Exhibition

WINNER: DIGITAL EXTREMES “Winning the HR Team Award is very rewarding, not only from a personal perspective, but from a team impact perspective in terms of working together in a collaborative manner. Everyone contributes and participates, which allows us to deliver incredible results, which drives not only our culture but ultimately our business results.”

– Heidi Flynn human resources leader, Digital Extremes

Halogen is very pleased to sponsor the Canadian HR Team of the Year award. As a talent management software provider, Halogen works with thousands of HR professionals worldwide on their talent programs. We get to see firsthand the positive impact and business results that these HR initiatives are having within their organizations.

– Pete Low CPA, CA, chief financial officer, Halogen Software

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14/01/2015 11:03:04 AM

Helping thousands of organizations implement effective talent management – with brilliant results.

It’s never been easier to transform your talent management processes from painful, administrative cycles to meaningful programs that help you build a high-performance culture and a workforce that is aligned, engaged and delivers exceptional results.

Halogen’s award-winning solutions make it simple for HR professionals like you to dramatically improve your talent management programs – from performance management to compensation, learning to succession planning, and everything in between – in a way that meets the unique needs of your business, so that you can start seeing results right away.

Learn more at www.halogensoftware.com

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14/01/2015 11:03:06 AM

BEST PRACTICE / PAYROLL

Money matters: cutting costs by optimizing payroll One frequently overlooked business function could be the key to saving money, reducing turnover and preventing litigation.

Here’s what HR needs to know about payroll best practice Several issues can cause irreparable harm to an employer: alleged wage disparities resulting from discriminatory practices, sustained turnover due to supervisors assigning desirable shifts to their favourite subordinates, employees illegally working ‘off the books’ and thereby inviting a host of potential liability risks to the company.

Fortunately, there’s one function within HR that can prevent or mitigate all of these potential catastrophes: payroll.

Although it isn’t often considered a business priority, effective payroll practices are crucial for a well-functioning organization. In addition to resolving issues that arise from poorly tracked time and attendance trends, strategic use of payroll and its data can have a direct, measurable impact on a company’s bottom line.

In order to do so, however, processes need to be up-to-date, grounded in technology and tailored to an organization’s needs. Two experts explain how to achieve this optimal state.

BEST-OF-BREED VS INTEGRATED SYSTEMS Many factors need to be evaluated when choosing a payroll system, including the contentious decision between a best-of-breed system or an integrated one. While each has its proponents and critics, business leaders need to assess their organization’s makeup in order to determine the best fit for their objectives.

In a best-of-breed solution, each payroll function – time tracking, reporting, financials, etc. – requires

a different vendor. For multinational organizations, this may be advisable, as local and regional compliance are ensured on a country-specific level.

While several payroll vendors provide payroll services across the globe, no one single vendor offers a truly ‘global’ solution in each country, as payroll delivery is heavily localized, and each region has specific considerations. Where there are processes or data that can be standardized across the globe, then you should globalize and identify what can be localized.

SYMPTOMS OF AN OUTDATED PAYROLL SYSTEM Inability to complete an audit during payroll close Unacceptable payroll error rates.

Companies should strive for 99.8% accuracy Excessive percentage of self-service processes input by hand. The average should be no more than 42% manually Payroll that requires more than one FTE per 1,000 workers. Three quarters of one FTE per 1,000 is average.

Payroll professionals spend more than 50% of time reporting – technology can provide reporting and enhanced analytics Accountants are necessary Source: Jayson Saba, Ceridian

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“If you build a solution for each country, your ability to be flexible and responsive decreases significantly,” says Katie Tyler, human capital partner at Deloitte. “You need to find a global/local model of your processes and data that will allow you to be compliant where necessary, but at the same time, allows you to be more efficient and successful as business requirements and processes change.”

However, there are many advantages to maintaining an integrated system, especially for smaller, less complex organizations. Under this arrangement, a sole supplier addresses each payroll requirement.

This allows for any member of the organization to access any part of the payroll process, and easily identify any discrepancies that may exist or make updates immediately.

“You have the payroll engine doing calculation, the tax engine taking out taxes, checks being printed and filing after that. If you’re dealing with multiple vendors and something goes wrong, you’ll have a hard time figuring out where the discrepancy lies,” says Jayson Saba, vice president of strategy and industry relations at Ceridian.

VALUE-ADDED FUNCTIONS While best-of-breed may be advisable for certain employers, it is still worthwhile to bundle services as much as possible so data can be gathered for strategic workforce management.

Payroll provides insight into workplace health checks such as overtime costs, absenteeism and turnover rates per manager. It also can help determine which shifts are working most efficiently and productively.

“If all of your data is standardized and is in one place, you can develop analytics that can help you be more proactive in avoiding payroll leakages,” Tyler says. “If you move to an analytics-driven model, you’ll be able to have more real-time information to see where employees are gaming the system, where absenteeism is causing significant productivity and overtime issues, and where policies need to be amended or standardized to reduce labour costs.”

In addition, this data can be used to resolve conflicts and potential litigious challenges that arise in labour relations. For example, Saba has witnessed instances of payroll data being used to settle wage disputes from alleged gender discrimination, as well as to identify nurses in a hospital who were assigning shifts to their favourite subordinates.

“You’d be surprised how much payroll can not only enable you, but also keep you out of trouble, just by having a good view of the data,” Saba says.

AÉROPOSTALE: A CASE STUDY IN SUCCESS Saba emphasizes the importance of inviting employees to assess whether payroll systems are easy to operate and suitable for worker demographics.

He points to the popular retail chain Aéropostale as an example of an industry leader in this. The clothing outfitter not only instituted self-service payroll on mobile, kiosk and desktop platforms, but also encouraged feedback from their employee base, which consists predominately of teenagers and millennials.

“During implementation, one of the things they did very effectively was bring in employees to look at the demo,” Saba says. “They asked them, ‘What do you think of the user experience? Is this something you could see yourself using? Will this help you rely less on HR and payroll to resolve issues?’”

This trial period had the added value of allowing HR to demonstrate how the cost savings of the payroll solution would be beneficial to the bottom line. Aéropostale found that as a result of increased compliance, reduced errors and the quicker speed of obtaining reports, it reached “management expense reductions well into the six digits.”

“Aéropostale did this very successfully,” Saba says. “They did a presentation at a customer event to show errors before and after implementation.

Not only did it decrease significantly, but it did so during a holiday period when 40,000-50,000 employees were working at its peak.”

MONEY’S WORTH While innovative payroll practices save companies time, money and legal troubles, 54% of organizations use their current solution primarily because it’s what the company has always used, according to a 2013 payroll study conducted by Ernst & Young.

The shift to a new system may seem daunting, but when the value added to an organization is considered, it’s often worthwhile.

“Don’t just look at the price, because often payroll is viewed as a commodity,” says Saba. “Instead, rely on a strong ROI analysis. If you opt for a cheap solution, you’ll end up back where you were. This puts your company at risk and possibly forces you to hire more people to serve the employee constituency.”

Best of the best Performance metrics of ‘best in class’ (top 20%) payroll systems* yy0.5% error rate yy0.5% error in time tracking yy6% unplanned overtime costs, compared with 8% of counterparts yy9% improved compliance yy70% engagement rate, versus 39% in peer organizations yy87% allow employees to access timesheets, and 50% provide selfservice access *From an analysis of 260+ worldwide organizations between February and May 2011 Source: Aberdeen Group

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HR STRATEGY / WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

Mind the (talent) gap

A shortage of talent is the biggest challenge many organizations will face in the next decade. Here’s how HR can overcome it Sean Junor oversees one of the most remote workforces of any organization in Canada. Though it’s headquartered in Saskatoon, uranium production company Cameco Corporation also employs workers in northern Saskatchewan, rural Wyoming and even Kazakhstan.

As a result, the talent management strategies he puts into place are critical. If large groups of employees decided to leave for a competitor, or if transitions in workforce demographics were to leave the talent

pool empty, it would be almost impossible to find mass replacements in these sparsely populated locales.

Luckily, he views this challenge not as an obstacle, but rather an excellent defence against complacency.

“I’d rather have a tight labour market than slack in the system,” says Junor, Cameco’s manager of workforce planning and talent acquisition. “It forces us to be on our toes and present the best package for our existing and potential employees.”

Like Cameco, many companies are beginning to realize that effective talent management is a vital precursor to future survival. In fact, BCG recently named it the “biggest blind spot” for businesses – referencing both the urgency of impending talent shortages and a distinct lack of preparedness to deal with them.

With strategic planning, however, employers can implement strategies today that will equip them for the evolving workforce of tomorrow.

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“I’d rather have a tight labour market than slack in the system”

RECOVERING FROM THE PAST One of the biggest challenges with talent management lies in recovering from actions taken in the wake of the 2007 global financial crisis.

“With growing signs of economic recovery, and in response to the organizations that didn’t treat employees well in times of cost-cutting, more and more people are aggressively looking outside for new career opportunities,” says Barbara Klein, VP and Canadian practice lead development solutions for Lee Hecht Harrison.

This talent pressure is exacerbated by the trend of retiring senior executives, as well as the fact that fiscal restraint now requires fewer managers to oversee increasingly large numbers of employees.

“More and more leaders with people management accountabilities have less time to support workers and drive engagement because their mandates and portfolios have become bigger and broader,” says Klein.

While these post-recessionary measures left many workers feeling frustrated, they also encouraged organizations to shift from a traditional hierarchy to a flatter and leaner structure. This presents new opportunities for companies to look outside customary reward structures in order to incentivize employees.

LOOKING HORIZONTALLY TO MOVE FORWARD While it seems intuitive that the best way to retain employees is through monetary rewards, many organizations are finding that workers now value personal

Sean Junor

growth over material gain and inconsequential promotions.

“What’s driving top talent to be engaged tends to revolve around long-term opportunities with the organization that allow for progression,” says Madeline Avedon, principal of talent business at Mercer. “Often these are less job-focused assignments, but provide for leadership opportunities in a cross-functional team or committee.”

Following the ‘lattice’ structure, which provides for growth in many directions instead of the strict upward mobility of a ladder, Avedon suggests moving employees throughout corporate functions, into the business line and globally on international assignments.

And if these horizontal opportunities do not exist, it’s important to be honest with employees and allow them to communicate how the company can keep them engaged.

“Being candid with people is critical – sometimes it’s necessary to say, ‘Realistically and barring some unforeseen event, there isn’t going to be a promotional

Q: WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS THE SINGLE MOST PRESSING TALENT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE FACING YOUR ORGANIZATION? 35

36

%

30 25 20

28

29

21

20

19 16

15

15 15

16 13

10

15

14 10

Asia Pacific

12

12 10 7

5 0

Global Americas Europe

24 22

8

9

7

9

7 4

Lack of skilled talent for key positions

Shortage of talent at all levels

Less than optimal employee engagement

Too few high-potential leaders in the organization

Loss of top talent to other organizations

Lagging productivity

1

1

Other Source: ‘Talent Management: Accelerating Business Performance,’ Right Management

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HR STRATEGY / WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

opportunity for you in the next 18 to 24 months. So what can we do to create opportunities for stimulation and challenge’?” says Hugh Arnold, professor of organizational behaviour and HR management at the Rotman School of Management.

HIGH RISK, HIGH REWARD In order to target which employees should be given ‘stretch’ assignments and horizontal opportunities, leaders need to be equipped with skills and tools to determine who shows potential. Unfortunately, many managers succumb to the pitfall of mistaking current or past performance for competency and potential.

“Virtually every organization has some process in place for performance management assessments,” says Arnold. “Talent management requires, in addition to that, an assessment of potential to identify not only who’s performing well in a current role, but who can handle significant additional responsibilities.”

Frequently, when asked why an employee shows promise, managers point to past measures of success – meeting targets, producing timely work, etc. But a thorough assessment of potential actually has a separate set of indicators than performance measures.

“You hear leaders saying, ‘So-and-so has the ability to take on more senior roles, but won’t be ready for a couple of years,’” says Arnold. “In my experience,

when you press that and ask what capability gaps exist now and also ask what will be substantially different three to five years from now, you don’t often get clear answers.”

Leadership expert Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, billed

by Businessweek as “one of the most influential executive search consultants in the world,” recommends that leaders strive to identify such indicators of high potential as: • Motivation – dedication to the selfless pursuit of team- and organization-minded goals • Curiosity – the desire to obtain new knowledge, and willingness to grow and change • Insight – the ability to collect new information and use it in strategic and unorthodox ways • Engagement – the ability to persuade others and connect them to the company vision • Determination – the ability to persevere through challenges and overcome obstacles

CAMECO: MINING FOR TALENT It’s also important to consider how the sentiment of an employee base is being assessed. While survey and exit interviews provide useful information about attitudes and why employees may be leaving an

Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANIZATION’S APPROACH TO INVESTING IN AND DEVELOPING TALENT? 45

44

40 35

%

30

42 37

38

37 34 32

33 30

25

24

23

20

Global Americas Europe

18

15 10

Asia Pacific

5 0

1

We seek to develop the skills of every employee

We seek at least to offer development opportunities to all interested employees

We seek to identify key contributors and target them for development efforts

1

1

0

Investment is limited or nonexistent

Source: ‘Talent Management: Accelerating Business Performance,’ Right Management

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organization, they primarily serve as a snapshot of months gone by. “It’s typically something that most organizations do, and like the turnover metric itself, it’s a lagging indicator that tells you something that already occurred,” says Junor.

As a supplement, Junor recommends looking at leading indicators such as demography, average age of retirement, workforce tenure and levels of engagement to assess what lies ahead.

This requires an exhaustive look at the talent situation within the organization.

“We meet with our business leaders on a people perspective annually, in time with the business cycle, and do a fairly deep dive of internal talent. This includes both our supply (the individuals we have) and demand (short- and long-term plans and projects). We then spend time with leaders to assess the groups and identify any gaps that may exist.”

If there are shortages, Cameco strives to fill them internally, but they occasionally look outside the company. This is where recruitment comes into play, and demonstrates the linkage between identifying talent needs and being able to fill the gaps by offering desirable packages of tangible and intangible benefits.

KEEPING IN TOUCH It’s important to note that talent management doesn’t end when employees leave an organization. In fact, some argue that former employees should still be made a priority in HR’s talent management strategies.

Since job mobility is the new norm, it’s not unusual for employees to explore opportunities in new ventures or depart for a new role and return later. As a result, supervisors should view each employee as a brand ambassador who may relay information about the organization to others or one day return with more expertise.

“When employees leave, they don’t necessarily walk away from the company. They might walk away because current opportunities just aren’t there, but LinkedIn, Glassdoor and other sites make it transparent and accessible to know what other jobs are out there,” Avedon says. “As a result, it’s more fluid for employees, and if it’s easy to leave, it has to be fluid for good ones to come back, should you want them.”

These workers are referred to as boomerang employees, and organizations that neglect their alumni are at risk of missing out on potential sources of exemplary leadership. Ernst & Young, an industry leader in re-recruiting former workers, maintains a

portal where this group can read about company news and keep past employees connected with current ones.

“Any organization that doesn’t take advantage of engaging alumni is missing out on a segment of a high-potential workforce. It’s much easier to onboard them, hit the ground faster, and from a basic cost perspective, it just makes good business sense to keep those folks close,” Avedon says.

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS Talent management stretches the entire employee life cycle, from recruitment to departure and beyond – but it’s critical it stays on top of all HR agendas.

“Organizations are never static, and basically, you can either grow or die,” Arnold says. “Success now depends on learning how to manage and lead larger, more complex organizations, and figuring out what type of talent got you to where we are now, what can get you to the next stage and what will allow you to

TALENT MANAGEMENT: A CHECKLIST Develop a common set of core competences required before promoting staff.

Examples may include expertise on the product market, team-building skills, experience in change management and analytical thinking.

Train line managers to assess job applicants’ potential by sharing best practice literature, simulating mock interviews and holding annual reviews to discuss how their newly hired candidates are performing.

Engage in extensive reference checks to obtain a full understanding of how candidates perform in a leadership, collaborative and reporting point of view.

Ask each reference how the person handled various situations.

At a minimum, involve three people when hiring senior leaders: the hiring manager, the candidate’s boss and an HR chief.

Prioritize emotional intelligence over experience and IQ. Although the latter are useful, leaders who can’t build relationships are ineffective and often end up being terminated.

Transition executives into senior positions through a well-executed process consisting of culture training, information sharing and discussion of planned initiatives. This integration is considered one of the areas of talent management with the highest ROI. Use a robust model to identify essential indicators of potential, such as relentless determination to meet goals, the ability to persuade others, a curious nature and forward-looking thinking.

Align desirable traits of senior executives with business objectives and the nature of the organization. A consulting firm will want different leadership traits than a for-profit enterprise.

Offer horizontal opportunities to senior leaders, such as stretch assignments and international projects. Aim for tasks that cause discomfort but are still achievable, as those offer the most valuable learning experiences.

Source: Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, Harvard Business Review

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PROFILE / 3M CANADA

MAKING EMPLOYEES STICK During a time when most companies struggle to retain top talent, 3M boasts a mere 3% annual turnover rate. HR director Janette Batten shares the secret to achieving an empowered and engaged workforce Janette Batten has always been a little restless when it comes to her professional pursuits.

As someone who has always appreciated a meaningful challenge, she obtained a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Western Ontario, hoping for a career that would allow her to solve complex problems in new and rapidly changing environments.

In fact, she always figured that this thirst for problem-solving and breaking new ground would result in her switching to a different employer every three to five years. So when she accepted a position with 3M after working as an engineer for a couple of years at General Motors, she let the diversified technology conglomerate know that she didn’t intend to stay much longer than she had with her predecessor.

That was 16 years ago.

Studies reveal that the average North American employee remains with a company for about four years, so Batten’s original mindset reflected that of the modern job hopper. But thanks to 3M’s pioneering engagement initiatives, she still feels fulfilled in her duties and continues to look forward to work each day.

As the current HRD, she’s working to ensure that these practices not only remain but are constantly improved upon, so the next generation of workers can enjoy long tenures with the organization as well.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Batten’s personal story serves as an excellent microcosm of the growth and development culture that exists at 3M. She started as an engineer in the manufacturing department, then, after requesting to work in research and development, became a product engineering manager and quality manager, and finally a lab manager.

Since she enjoyed tackling new challenges, the organization inquired whether she was interested in making the leap to HR. Although she always pictured herself on the technical side of the business, she knew it was too valuable an opportunity to cast aside.

“My analytical and process-oriented mindset has helped me put some governance around HR

GIVING BACK 3M Canada maintains a positive relationship with its community through such initiatives as: Hire a Veteran Program: When new positions are available in the company, priority hiring is given to military veterans through a partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada.

National Teaching Fellowship: In conjunction with the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), 3M recognizes university professors who demonstrate commitment to their academic field and a love of teaching.

The 3M Foundation recently committed to a $500,000 grant intended to restore caribou habitats and assist other high-need animal species in British Columbia. This donation amounts to the largest private land purchase for the purpose of conservation in Canadian history.

3M Canada Volunteer Recognition Awards pay tribute to exceptional employees and retirees who showcase altruistic efforts in their communities.

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processes, but I would say that what helped me more than my engineering background was the opportunity to work in different areas of the company,” says Batten. “It helped me build credibility and gave me the experiences to be able to relate to everyone in the company.”

In order to provide similar opportunities to current employees, HR maintains a strategy of ‘build, develop, and engage.’ This idea is cascaded to an individual level, where employees are encouraged to grow at speeds optimal for their capabilities.

“We try to offer different programs depending on where you are and your pace of development,” says Batten. “We promote having individual development plans. We want to track your progress, measure it, and make sure you’re moving the needle.”

FOOD AND FUN In addition to these formal opportunities for advancement, 3M also provides a range of lighthearted activities for employees and their families to be positively involved with the company.

One of the highlights of the year is the ‘Say Goodbye to Summer’ event, where the company

sets up a large screen in a public park, and employees bring lounge chairs to watch a movie. Also, in warm-weather months, 3M welcomes a food truck to campus on a regular basis and encourages workers to eat lunch outside and play games like badminton.

“One of the places where we excel is inclusivity, even extending that to family members by hosting such awesome events as picnics in the summer and a great children’s festive party at the end of the year,” says Batten.

This idea extends to international employees and the supervisors who oversee them. When someone is promoted to a leadership position, that new manager has to undergo training to understand diversity and learn to communicate across cultural barriers. Also, all employees can voluntarily enrol in English as a Second Language courses subsidized by 3M. “We also have a multicultural club, which is employee-run,” says Batten. “Someone from a different region of the globe will host a ‘lunch and learn’ to share food, show pictures and describe what it’s like to live there.”

2010 - 2014 GLOBAL HR/BUSINESS STRATEGY ALIGNMENT 3M strategies

HR business critical metrics

Grow the current core business

Engaged, productive and diverse 3M employees

Complimentary acquisitions

International growth

Build new businesses

HR vision HR partners with the business to drive growth through people

HR mission Provide workforce and organizational solutions to accelerate strategy execution and drive operational excellence

3M strategy acceleration through HR leadership and expertise

3M workforce and organizational readiness

HR strategies 1. Engage employees and strengthen employment brand 2. Enhance ability to acquire and retain the right workforce 3. Enable effective human capital planning and increased workforce productivity 4. Optimize HR administration, including global web and call centers

Operational excellence and productivity of global HR services

5. Accelerate the development of talent

Protect the corporation

6. Design compensation and benefits plans to meet evolving business needs Source: Adapted from ‘Engagement: A Multiyear Affair,’ 3M and CEB

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PROFILE / 3M CANADA

ROI

3M volunteers in action

3M: A COMPANY SNAPSHOT >> Global sales: $30.8 billion >> Non-US sales: $19.7 billion (64% of company’s total) >> Operations in more than 70 countries >> 3M products sold in nearly 200 countries >> 88,667 employees worldwide >> The average person interacts with more than 100 3M products every day >> In 2013, 3M gave cash and product donations totalling $60.2 million Source: 3m.com

SUPPORT The organization also has an extensive set of policies in place that allows employees to know that they’re considered an investment and supported by the organization.

The company also offers a cutting-edge benefits package that is customizable based on employee needs. Starting last year, all employees have the choice between individual and family plans, and have access to executive medical packages. Themed fitness goals to encourage wellness and group activity, such as walking competitions and bicycle challenges, are featured on 3M’s website. The company also partners with a provider called MedPoint, which specializes in preventative medical assessments, allowing employees to manage their health needs before they require serious treatment regimens.

“We get a lot of testimonials saying, ‘I didn’t know I had this or was at risk of it … I’m so glad I found out sooner than later because this could have been devastating had it not been detected,’” says Batten.

The company has found that its many engagement practices have a significant ROI in word-of-mouth alone. Heartfelt memories and anecdotes from former employees have proven to be one of HR’s most powerful recruiting tools.

“We have many, many interns, who come from fields such as science, engineering and organizational studies,” says Batten. “Every time we go to a university career fair, it turns into what almost feels like a family reunion. Students come up to us, give us hugs and reminisce about their time at 3M. We love that they’ve had such positive experiences, and it’s really great marketing for us.”

The company’s external reputation is also enhanced by the numerous accolades it receives every year in recognition of its exceptional people practices, including Canada’s Top 100 Employers and Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies.

These plaudits highlight such 3M initiatives as: • Retirement services such as a defined contribution pension plan and the possibility to reduce hours gradually and incrementally • On-site conveniences such as a fitness facility, meditation and reflection room, and employee lounge with a fireplace and ping-pong table • Three weeks of paid vacation at for every employee at their start date, with additional time allotted during the holiday season • A generous maternity leave, consisting of 100% salary for 17 weeks • Academic scholarships offered to employees’ children who are obtaining a post-secondary degree in Canada “What other company has a fond nickname for themselves? We call ourselves 3Mers, and we’re very proud of it,” says Batten. “When you talk to a 3Mer, you’re going to hear the employee use that term often. This always reminds me how committed, tenacious and united under one vision we are.”

“We promote having individual development plans. We want to track your progress, measure it, and make sure you’re moving the needle” Janette Batten

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Q:

HEAD TO HEAD

Views from the frontline Behind closed doors, is sexism still alive and well in boardrooms and executive teams in 2015?

AMANDA CHEW

VP of global talent and culture G ADVENTURES

While sexism still exists, it’s not as prevalent in the travel industry. The travel industry is a strong employer of women; however, previously this has been for entry-level or middle management positions, and not in senior management roles.

At G Adventures, we believe the best way to encourage women to fulfill their potential is by having strong female role models in our core team, as well as having programs in place to help women achieve their goals. G Adventures’ Women’s Leadership program, which has been running for three years, has been instrumental in helping female employees flourish through workshops, mentoring and networking.

We’ve seen some remarkable results from individuals, as well as a shift within the company culture.

This is something that I believe is starting to be reflected in the travel sector as a whole.

TOM DYCK

Executive vice president, community banking

DEEN MAHARAJ

Director of human resources

TD CANADA TRUST

G&K SERVICES CANADA

Undoubtedly there are still biases when it comes to true gender equality. Ten years ago, we set up a formal diversity initiative with the launch of our Diversity Leadership Council, with six areas of focus, including expanding leadership opportunities for women. We knew women comprised about two-thirds of our employees, but that wasn’t always reflected in our leadership group. We investigated why talented women weren’t always progressing to the executive level and put programs in place to identify and develop our high performers. We’ve since increased the number of women at the vicepresident level and above by 60%.

As leaders, it’s critical that we encourage open and honest conversation, especially around tougher topics, to understand and address the issues. That conversation needs to include men, who are often in the best position to lead the changes that will continue our progress.

Yes, in my opinion, corporations are missing out on the talents and ideas of many female employees with great potential because most companies haven’t adapted.

From the very top down, executives have failed to recognize the benefits an organization enjoys by putting together a diverse team of leaders. And, when companies do invite women into the executive ranks, they have insisted that it is the women who need to adapt to fit the male culture.

Companies have failed to recognize that women can be assets in the board room, not in spite of their gender, but because of it. Com­ panies that recognize the benefits of women on the team and flex quickly to adapt their culture will reap the rewards. At G&K, we have focused efforts to promote diversity and women in leadership, and have had success bringing women onto our board and executive team.

Got an opinion that counts? Email the team at vernon.jones@kmimedia.ca or join the debate at hrmonline.ca

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