A mature worker is not always a first choice when hiring new staff. Some people managers admit that they will think twice before hiring someone who is considered a mature worker. Some studies show that employers assume older applicants are less creative, less productive, slower mentally and more expensive to employ. Companies assume they won’t last long because their retirement years are looming or because they don’t have up to date skills to perform the job well. However, although older workers may not have the same tech –savvy skills as some of their younger colleagues, they do have years of experience that can be a huge benefit to the organization. Today we will outline why you should be considering older workers when hiring.

A Mature Worker has Years of Experience

Most mature workers come with a wealth of experience and knowledge. They had long, successful careers while also acquiring a diverse and unique skill set. A mature worker will require less training which saves time and potential billable hours. Travel and frequent absences also lessens as their families have grown up and require less attention. 

The Hiring Risk is Lower

When on-boarding new talent, most companies will have spent countless hours and resources screening, interviewing and training a new employee. No company wants to spend all this time and effort on a hire that may leave in six months or a year. A mature worker will usually choose to stay on the  job longer. This will save time and money finding, hiring and training new staff. The likelihood of a mature employee leaving for a new job with better perks or pay is substantially less.  At this point in their career they are often more focused on stability rather than career growth. These are qualities worth considering when you look for workers.

Strong Leadership Skills

The majority of mature workers are also good leaders. They usually have strong communication skills and recall when communication was not dominated by email and instant messaging. They have great people skills especially when it comes to face-to-face communication. This is an essential skill in the business world and a skill that junior staff sometimes struggles with. They also serve as great mentors to younger staff moving their way up in the organization.

Service with Experience

Another great quality that most mature workers have is excellent customer-service skills. They have years of experience dealing with people and tend to be great problem solvers. They  use the knowledge they have acquired over the years to create positive solutions.  Their experience can also help them identify and rectify inefficiencies within your business, making them a valuable asset.

A Mature Worker knows what they want

Mature workers know what they want and will not beat around the bush. Considering a mature worker has worked a majority of their lives, they are not searching for the next opportunity like junior staff.  An older worker is more interested in stability, whereas a recent college graduate is more concerned about moving up the corporate ladder as quickly as possible.

 

The Canadian Federal Government is introducing changes to Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits to offer enhanced flexibility for new parents. 

The Federal Budget 2017 proposes to make EI parental benefits more flexible.  Canadians can expect to see a new 18 month maternity leave option available soon. 

Parental leave will be extended up to 18 months for new parents who wish to take a longer leave of absence from work. Total EI payments will not increase. Under the proposed changes, parents can choose to receive the EI parental benefits over an extended period of up to 18 months at a lower rate. The lower rate will be 33% of average weekly earnings.

For those parents who choose to receive payments over a period up to 12 months, the EI parental benefits will continue to be available at the existing rate of 55 per cent.  

Employers who offer parental leave top up benefits should review and amend their policies. Employers will need to decide whether or not to offer top up benefits beyond the 12 month period. Many small and medium sized businesses do not have parental leave top up programs. Uptake on the extended leave may be limited as parents could find the lower EI benefit unmanageable. 

Women may also claim EI maternity benefits up to 12 weeks before their due date. This feature is a change from the current standard of 8 weeks. 

Summary of changes to Employment Insurance Maternity and Parental Benefits

• Parental leave extended from 12 months to up to 18 months. 
• Total EI benefit payments remain the same.
• EI benefit rate 33% of earnings, for new extended parental leave up to 18 months.
• EI benefit rate 55% of earnings, for parental leave up to 12 months.
• Maternity benefits available up to 12 weeks before due date.
• Employment insurance premiums are expected to increase slightly in 2018.

To implement these measures, the Federal Government proposes to amend the Employment Insurance Act. Provincial legislation will also require amendments to match these changes. Learn more about the new 18 month maternity leave and the Federal Budget 2017. 

The Canadian Federal Government is introducing a new Employment Insurance (EI) caregiving benefit for Canadian workers. This new 15 week EI benefit will support Canadian workers caring for a critically ill or injured family member. 

Balancing work and family caregiving responsibilities is a challenge, especially when a family member is suffering from a very serious illness.

The proposed new EI benefit will give eligible caregivers up to 15 weeks of EI benefits while they are temporarily away from work. The benefit is intended for caregivers looking after a critically ill or injured family member.

Under the current program, EI benefits are available to caregivers only in cases where a loved one is gravely ill and at significant risk of death, or where a child is critically ill or injured. The new benefit provides support for a broader range of caregiver situations. 

To implement these measures, the Federal Government proposes to amend the Employment Insurance Act. Provincial legislation will also require amendments to match these changes. Learn more about the new 15 week caregiver benefit and the Federal Budget 2017. 

The New Normal – Why Employers Should Expect and Plan for Employee Turnover?

Among other things, millennials have been labelled as “job hoppers”, but even before this group entered the work force patterns of employment were changing. For the baby boomer generation, people expected to maintain a career at one company for 25 plus years. Today this employment model is outdated. The three generations of workers since the boomers have been paving their own path in the working world. “Job hopping” has shed its’ negative stigma. The new normal is an environment where loyalty to oneself comes before loyalty to the employer.

Although this change has slowly evolved over the years, employers and people managers are having a hard time adjusting to this new normal. The expectation that employees will stay on for 10+ years still exists. People managers need to change their talent management strategy, hiring methods and mindset. Managers should embrace and cultivate this new group of workers who truly want a career that allows them to grow and succeed.

Top Five Reasons Why Employees Look to Move On

After researching leading magazines and online resources like Fast Company and Forbes, here are the top five reasons why employees look to move on:

• Their current employer has a lack of vision
• Lack of opportunities for professional development
• Poor work environment – lack of friendliness, trust, and mutual respect
• Lack of good communication within organizational units
• Lack of information about business performance

Without a doubt, the most common reason for employee job hopping is lack of vision and opportunity. Employees want a clear vision of the company’s future and how they fit into it. They need to  know where the organization is going, it’s goals and to believe there is opportunity for professional development. An employer with a concise strategy for the future is a place people want to work. 

Not so obvious is the need for consistent and relevant communication about the status of the organization. People spend more than half of their day in the workplace. It is natural to expect the working environment to be governed by relations of trust, mutual respect and understanding. This expectation is delivered simply by having good communication. Equally important is timely information about events and business performance. When employees are well-informed about the business, there tends to be a reduction in employee dissatisfaction behavior such as gossip and misinformation.

Embrace New Talent 

Managers need to build systems and programs that address the main reasons why employees leave. Talent Management programs should be designed to ensure promising employees are not exiting prematurely. At the same time, programs should factor in the reality that employees will move on to new roles every 2 to 3 years. 

Embracing new talent with renewed vision regularly is a benefit to the organization. Employers should always be looking to replace employees who have run their course. New employees offer a wealth of experience across different avenues, new ideas and perspectives. At the end of the day it is the “job hoppers” who are known to be adaptable, creative thinkers, higher performers, and even to be more dedicated to achievement.

To learn more about how to plan for employee turnover and manage job hopping, take a look through our library of resources and at past articles that dive right into the topic!

• Secrets Behind Employee Retention and
• Succession Planning – You Need a Talent Management Strategy

Ontario Minimum Wage goes up to $11.60 on October 1, 2017.

Minimum wage in Ontario will rise from $11.40 to $11.60 per hour on October 1, 2107. This wage will be in effect for 1 year from October 1, 2107 to September 30, 2018.

Ontario Minimum Wage Rates

General Minimum Wage

• current wage $11.40
• new wage effective October 1, 2017 – $11.60 per hour

Student Minimum Wage

• current wage $10.70
• new wage effective October 1, 2017 – $10.90 per hour

The Ontario Minimum Wage is now linked to the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI). Each year on, or before April 1 minimum wage will be announced. Learn more about Ontario minimum wage increase 2017 at the Ministry of Labour – Ontario Employment Standards Act.

A well-developed on-boarding plan will help employees fit in, learn how your company does business and shorten the time frame for new-hire productivity.

Starting a new job is stressful. The first day and often the first few weeks can be uncomfortable for new employees. New team members may experience doubt and decision regret about their job change. The success or failure of a new hire often depends on their experience in the first three months of work.  In fact, some stats show turnover as high as 20% in the first 45 days of work. As a manager you can do a lot in the first day, week, month and beyond to help your new employee fit in, understand their role, and have some fun! 

You have invested time and money to find the best new hire for your company, so it only makes good business sense to have an on-boarding plan in place to help your new hire succeed. A quality on-boarding program will help you welcome new employees and assist them to quickly become an engaged and efficient member of your team.

On-Boarding Goals

Your on-boarding program should help new employees:

• Understand your company culture,
• Develop positive relationships with other members of your team,
• Be productive, and
• Deliver high-quality work. 

On-Boarding Tips for the first day, week month and beyond…

• Put a plan in place for your new hire before their first day of work.
• The first day is very important – make a good impression.
• Plan to have coffee or lunch with your new employee on their first day of work.
• Welcome your employee and encourage others to make them feel welcome.
• Pair new hires with a mentor.
• To keep compliant with workplace legislation and best practices, orientation involves completing paper work, participating in mandatory training and reviewing company policies, rules, and standards.
• Avoid information overload and spread out the necessary paper work.
• Develop a training plan for the first day, first week, first month, and beyond.
• Training may include:
  • Mandatory legislation training (health and safety, accessibility, human rights, employment standards…) 
  • Technical training on company systems, software, equipment or processes, 
  • Culture, values, and ethics, 
  • Common jargon and acronyms,
  • FAQs – How we do business around here… 
  • On the job training
• Check in regularly to see how things are going, offer support, and help new employees connect with your team. 
• Managers should review performance at the end of the first week, at one month, at three months, at six months and beyond for more senior roles.

Interested in more information on what goes into a quality on-boarding program? Check out the Fusion Managers’ guide to on-boarding