bad behaviour work

Workplace Bad Behaviour – Tips for Managers

How to Manage Workplace Bad Behaviour

Most of us have experienced working with a co-worker who displayed one or more of the following workplace bad behaviours:

  • Gossiping
  • Showing up late
  • Spending too much time on personal business
  • Taking extra long breaks
  • Backstabbing
  • Telling lies

These bad work behaviours rarely go unnoticed. Eventually they will lead to resentment, poor morale and conflict. It is best to address these problem work behaviours quickly. As a manager or business owner you need to take action. If you do not, you risk losing the respect of your employees. In the worst case scenario, your best employees may seek out other job opportunities.

Tips for Correcting Behaviour Problems:

  1. Gather and document the facts.
  2. Start with an informal approach.
  3. Meet privately with the employee.
  4. Focus on the work related behaviour and how it impacts co-workers and performance.
  5. Be specific about what the employee needs to improve.
  6. Be professional. Don’t use language that is judgmental or critical. Don’t comment on the employee’s personality.
  7. Be positive in your message about the employee improving their behaviour.
  8. Follow up.
  9. If the situation improves, provide positive feedback.
  10. If the situation does not improve use a more formal approach – a formal warning; transfer this person to another location or position that may be more suitable; or eventual termination of employment. Make sure to discuss the consequences of failing to improve at your next meeting.  

Problems like those listed above rarely resolve themselves. Make sure you react swiftly when bad behaviour occurs in your workplace.

Pension Plan Reform Ontario Canada

Pension Plan Reform

Pension Plan Reform Ontario Canada

Pension plan reform is being introduced by both the Ontario Government and the Federal Government this year.

  1. Ontario Introduces New Mandatory Pension Plan – New Law
  2. Ontario Introduces Voluntary Retirement Savings Tool – New Law is awaiting Royal Assent
  3. Federal Government Proposes Expansion of Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

Ontario Introduces New Mandatory Pension Plan

At the end of April the Ontario Government introduced the budget and reinforced their commitment to establish a new, mandatory Ontario Pension Plan. Bill 56, the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act (ORPP)  received royal assent on May 5, 2015.

The new law will come into force on January 1, 2017.  The new Pension Plan will require Ontario employers and employees to make equal contributions up to 1.9% of an employee’s annual earnings up to $90,000. 

As outlined in the preamble to Bill 56, a significant portion of Ontario workers are not saving enough to maintain their standard of living when they retire.  The new pension plan is expected to cover about half of Ontario’s six million workers – excluding those workers who already participate in a pension plan and self employed workers. The provincial plan is the first of its kind in Canada and will top up benefits already in place under the Canada Pension Plan.

The ORPP has been criticized as just another payroll tax for employers. The Government has attempted to minimize the impact for employers by pairing the introduction of the plan in 2017 to coincide with the expected reductions in Employment Insurance premiums. The plan will be phased in over 2 years beginning with large employers.

Read more about Ontario’s new pension plan.

Ontario Introduces New Pooled Registered Pension Plans

On May 26, Bill 57, the Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act (PRPP) passed 3rd reading and is awaiting royal assent. The Ontario PRPP is modeled after the Federal Government plan introduced in 2012. The PRPP is a new voluntary retirement savings tool. The plan is designed to operate like a defined contribution pension plan where resources are pooled from employees and employers.

Federal Government Proposes Expansion of CPP

On May 26 the Federal Government announced they will undertake public consultations on the expansion of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). The proposed changes would allow Canadians to voluntarily increase contributions to CPP.

staff training

Invest in Staff Training

An Investment in Staff Training will Help your Business

A common phrase when starting a new business is “You can’t make money without spending money”. This is very true no matter what business you are launching, but it does not only apply to tangible, brick and mortar investments, but also to people investment.  Having highly trained staff to sell, develop or repair your product is one of the most important factors in success.

Training staff can be essential for specific tasks related to your business such as first aid training, food handling or starting a new inventory program. More important is training that incorporates the development of employee’s long-term career goals – something that can foster and promote greater job satisfaction. A more satisfied employee is likely to stay longer and be more productive while on your team.

One of the biggest reasons to invest in your people is the high cost of turnover. Many studies have revealed that employees who receive poor or little job training are more likely to leave within a year of starting. Having to on board and train new staff constantly, will have a big effect on productivity and overall staff morale. Current staff members are required to work more hours, sales may decline and the time it takes to screen and interview potential new candidates all results in a loss of productivity that would normally be contributing to the growth of the business.

Bottom-line, the cost of staff turnover adds up. This is why managers have to invest in their staff. Although the initial costs may be high, staff training pays back your investment. Here are the top four reasons why you should be investing in your employees:

  1. Training helps your business run better. Trained employees will be better equipped to handle customer inquiries, make a sale or use computer systems.
  2. Training is a recruiting tool. Today’s young workers want more than a weekly pay. They are more attracted to employment that teaches them new skills or develops their existing skills.
  3. Training promotes job satisfaction. Encouraging employees to develop well-rounded skill sets will help them be more engaged and involved.
  4. Training is a retention tool and instills loyalty and commitment. Employees are more likely to stay if you offer them new and better ways to grow and learn with the company.

Another item to take note of is the type of investment you put in your staff. Most employees, especially new millennials, seek training in areas that go beyond learning a new computer program. Some of the areas of training that are most sought after are transferrable skills and skills that assist the company as a whole such as:

  • Leadership development
  • Communication and negotiation
  • Team-building
  • Customer service
  • Project management
  • Workload and time management
  • Sales and marketing, including social media
  • Sustainable business practices
  • Human resources and employee engagement
  • Health and Safety management

Overall, staff investment is one expense that no company should skimp on. Learning and upgrading employee skills makes business sense and the long-term gain will always be a benefit to the organization.

Keep Young Workers Safe

Young workers … energetic, eager and at increased risk of workplace injuries

Young workers are a unique group of employees who get injured frequently at work.  This recognized statistic is the reason why the Ontario Ministry of Labour conducts its May to August New and Young Worker Safety Blitz.

WHY are young workers at increased risk of getting hurt at work?

Unlike older individuals who have been previously employed, younger workers often have minimal knowledge of workplace expectations and routines.   Young people want to successfully complete assigned tasks but may be hesitant to ask for instruction. This combination of lack of experience and unwillingness to ask questions is dangerous.

HOW can employers keep young workers safe?

In depth orientation & training and competent supervision is the best way to keep young workers safe at a new job. It takes time and resources to properly train new employees. Repetition and extra supervision may be necessary until an inexperienced worker demonstrates good understanding of the safety requirements of a job. Employers should use training strategies that accommodate a young adult’s learning style and limited employment experience.

Tips to keep new and young workers safe at work include:

  • Provide an orientation with detailed information about the workplace routines, hazards and job requirements.
  • Be sure all workplace safety measures required by law are in place and the young worker is fully trained.  (Material handling, ergonomics, machine guarding, lifting, PPE, working from heights, workplace violence and harassment, etc.)
  • Properly supervise the young worker. Establishing a mentoring or buddy system with an experienced employee can be helpful.
  • Remind the worker to work safely and report anything unsafe.
  • Encourage the worker to ask questions.
  • Comply with minimum workplace age requirements (14 for industrial settings, 15 for factories, 16 for logging operations)
  • Ensure the Workplace Health & Safety Committee considers new worker issues.

This is the time of year that many young people start new jobs. Employers need to protect younger workers, as they would their own adult children, by providing adequate information and support. The result will be a well-trained, productive employee and a safer workplace for all.

Resources

New and young workers in your workplace, Ontario Ministry of Labour

Protect New and Young Workers, podcast by CCOHS with Steve Horvath

Bill 18 Temporary Workers

New – Shared Liability between Employers and Temporary Help Agencies – Learn More about Bill 18 Temporary Workers

Do you use temporary workers? Your company’s exposure to liability will change in 2015!

The Ontario Government has passed new legislation – Bill 18, The Stronger Workplaces for Stronger Economy Act. Among other changes, employers are now liable for the unpaid wages of their temporary employees.

The intent of the legislation is to protect workers who perform precarious work – temporary, casual, seasonal, and part-time workers – by implementing changes encouraging employers to follow the law.

Some temporary help agencies and the employers who use their services are not following the law. These agencies do not follow minimum standards for the payment of wages, premiums, overtime, vacation or holiday pay and in many cases the agency is not paying government payroll taxes.

The changes related to shared liability come into effect in November 2015.

What can you do to protect your company and reduce the risk for dual payment of labour expenses? Make sure your temporary help service provider complies with employment laws and is financially stable.

Read more in the Fusion Guide to Bill 18. Talk to a Fusion Advisor to find out how we can help mitigate your liability. We have been protecting our clients for nearly 20 years.

mol esa poster

MOL ESA Poster

Ministry of Labour Releases Version 6.0 of Employment Standards Act Poster

MOL ESA Poster now available. On May 1, 2015 the Ministry of Labour (MOL) released an updated version of the Employment Standards Act (ESA) Poster – What You Should Know about the Employment Standards Act. Workplaces in Ontario must post a copy of the poster on their employee bulletin board.

The MOL ESA poster provides basic information on employee rights regarding hours of work, rest periods, overtime pay, minimum wage, vacation and holiday pay, leaves of absence and termination.

New! Starting May 20, 2015, all workers in Ontario must be given a copy of the ESA poster.

To download the MOL ESA poster go to the MOL website.