New Agreement in Principle – CPP Expansion

The Liberal Government is moving forward on their election promise regarding CPP expansion. The Federal Government and the majority of the Provinces and Territories reached an agreement in principle on June 20, 2016 to expand the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). 

The CPP is based on a worker’s earnings over their lifetime. If you earn more, you pay more premiums and receive a larger pension benefit when you retire. The current CPP program replaces approximately 25% of earnings up to a maximum limit. The proposed expansion will increase replacement income from 25% to 33% of earnings up to a new increased maximum limit. To pay for the new benefit, workers and employers will be required to pay higher premiums. For most workers the premiums are expected to increase by approximately 1%.

The proposed plan will be phased in between now and 2025.

The deadline to formalize the agreement is July 15, 2016.

Ontario to cancel ORPP

Going forward Ontario will halt all progress related to the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP). If the CPP expansion is finalized, Ontario will not implement the ORPP.

Additional details and reading regarding the proposed agreement in principal on expansion of CPP. 

You probably know someone who met their partner at work. If workplace dating is common, why do managers cringe when asked their opinion on office romance?

Ask employees their thoughts on workplace dating and you will find the majority of people are ok with consenting coworkers dating. In fact, studies show that people often meet long term partners through friends, work or social activities. A workplace is a community. People tend to share similar values, interests and goals when they work closely together. People spend a significant portion of their waking hours at work with their colleagues. Add to these factors, the collaborative setting of many workplaces today and the potential for personal relationships to flourish seems natural.

So, if workplace dating is natural, why do managers cringe when asked their opinion on office romance? Typically, managers’ negative reaction is due to fear. Fear of liability. Managers have legitimate concerns about workplace dating. Some possible negative consequences include: Complaints from coworkers about favoritism. Toxic impacts of office gossip. Potential for conflict of interest. Loss of productivity due to distraction. Relationships broadcast on social media reflecting poorly on the company. Then there are more significant worries over what might be the fallout from a relationship ending badly including: Concerns about sexual harassment, violence or media scandal. Managers may even worry about losing good employees. Regardless of whether a relationship results in a long-term partnership or ends, one of the employees may choose to find work somewhere else.

There are no laws prohibiting dating or relationships in the workplace. But many companies opt for policies that ban or prohibit certain relationships. As we have discussed in this blog before, bans can be difficult to enforce. Setting  guidelines for relationships in the workplace is a good business practice. This can be done through workplace policies. Some examples include requiring employees to disclose workplace relationships to management and prohibiting supervisor subordinate relationships.  Another practical option is to manage situations on a case by case basis and use the workplace code of conduct to guide behavior in the workplace. The workplace code of conduct may cover issues such as conflict of interest, behavior in the workplace, social media activity and more.  

Does your office have guidelines on workplace relationships? Share your thoughts below about managing an office romance.

This month’s topic is an interesting one, as we look at identifying the characteristics of a top performing employee. Working in this industry for so many years, our consultants have developed a checklist to help us identify potential top performers. 

However, before we can venture into that, we must first decide on a clear definition of what a top performing employee is. Is it someone who shows up on time, excels at communication, or is a natural leader? All of these are great skills to have, but certain skills are valued more depending on the role of the employee.

For our purposes, let’s agree that a top performer is an ideal combination of the aforementioned indicators – equally smart, capable and enthusiastic, with the ability to become an influential leader. Working in this industry for so many years, our consultants have developed a checklist to help us identify potential top performers. That list includes a variety of traits that easily define a top performer; and here they are:

Four Traits Top Performing Employees Share

Work Ethic:

Having a strong work ethic is a characteristic that every employer would want in a future employee. A valued employee is not simply the person who is willing to work hard; they are the employee who searches out ways to contribute most. A person with a great work ethic would have a history of demonstrating their willingness to contribute, as well as a desire to lead and come up with ideas on their own.

Skills development:

A clear sign of a good employee and one you can identify simply by looking at their resume is someone who has and continues to improve their skills to become even better. These employees continually look for ways to learn and grow personally and professionally, in a way that helps the growth of the organization.

Cool under pressure:

Confidence is a great trait that translates positively into any potential role or career path. Having confidence gives top performers the ability to clearly analyze situations and solve problems – especially in roles that involve tight deadlines. Having the ability to be cool as a cucumber even in the stickiest of situations – is a quality someone on your team should always possess.

Good people skills:

Top performers tend to have larger professional networks than your typical workers. They realize the importance of “who you know” and how it can often help advance a career. When necessary, they will call on their contacts inside and outside the company for knowledge and insight into how to approach a problem or for general support. They don’t necessarily have to be an extrovert, but they should understand the value of nurturing professional relationships.

These four traits top performing employees share are just a few of the traits we look for when seeking out candidates, however, it’s not always easy to identify these traits simply by looking at a resume or conducting an interview. So it’s very important to have the ability to pick up clues from a resume, such as length of service, and to craft your interview questions accordingly. Working with a seasoned human resources consultant to develop a strategy will give you the advantage and knowledge you need to recruit top performers for your team.

Summer is almost here and so is the season for weddings, cottages, camping, golf, outdoor patios, concerts and more!  Follow these Manager Tips for avoiding Vacation Scheduling Headaches.

We all look forward to the summer and taking a break from work. Time away from work is important for everyone. Vacations can contribute to stress relief, make us happier, healthier and even more productive when we return to work.

If you are in charge of scheduling staff vacations, you may wish you could just cancel the summer vacation. Juggling multiple requests for vacation time and extra long weekends can be difficult. As a manager you want to keep your employees happy, but you also have a business to run. Here are a few tips to help avoid vacation scheduling headaches.

• Vacation Policy – Have a written vacation policy with information on how and when to request time off.
• Communicate – Make sure you communicate the vacation policy to all staff. Each year you should send out a reminder about the vacation policy well in advance of the busy vacation times – summer, before and after Statutory Holidays, and Christmas or other faith holidays.
• Deadline for Vacation Requests – To avoid last minute requests, some companies set a deadline for vacation requests.
• Minimum Staffing – Each area of your business should establish the minimum staffing level needed to operate.
• Back ups and Cross Training – Make sure your staff can fill each others roles to cover vacation and illness.
• Production Peaks – You know your business and if you have production peaks during the summer or other popular vacation times, you may need to establish black out periods where vacation requests will not be accepted.
• Vacation Calendar – Set up a master vacation calendar so you and your employees can view approved vacation, pending requests, black out periods, Statutory Holidays, Faith holidays, etc.
• Vacation Day Tracker – Set up a system that tracks vacation days earned and used, so that managers and employees always have up to date information. Many Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and / or payroll systems automatically track vacation time and pay.
• Requests in Writing – Set up a system where employees request vacation time in writing. Managers are busy with many tasks and a verbal request for vacation time months in advance can easily be forgotten and create havoc down the road. Insist everyone use the vacation calendar and request vacation time in writing.
• 1 week block of vacation – Taking vacation in 1 week blocks is preferred to taking single days off work. The Ontario Ministry of Labour suggests employees take their vacation in 1 week periods. A balanced approach could involve asking employees to take at least 1 yearly vacation break that is 1 full week. 

Managers and staff should work together to make sure production and service levels are maintained over the summer. Be flexible and book vacations early in the year. Good luck avoiding vacation scheduling headaches! Learn about the minimum requirements for vacation pay and vacation time at the MOL website.

If you have employees, your workplace will experience situations where employees request time away from work. Make sure you are up to date on Family Friendly Leaves Ontario Legislation.

New parents take time off to care for children, employees may need time off to recover from an illness or injury, care for a family member, or attend a funeral, and sometimes employees request time off for an extended holiday beyond their normal vacation. It is important to understand the law and be aware of the variety of leaves of absence available under the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA).

Ontario Employment Standard Act – Leaves of Absence

Under the ESA, employees may be entitled to a number of different unpaid leaves of absence depending on their individual circumstances. Each provision has different eligibility requirements. Job protected leave of absence may be available for full-time, part-time, permanent or term contract employees.

• Pregnancy and Parental Leave
  • Must be employed for at least 13 weeks to be eligible.
  • 17 weeks pregnancy leave / 35 to 37 weeks parental leave.
  • Unpaid; Federal Employment Insurance benefits available.
• Personal Emergency Leave
  • Workplaces with 50 or more employees.
  • Up to 10 days per year for urgent personal or family matter.
  • Unpaid.
• Family Medical Leave
  • All employees are eligible.
  • Up to 8 weeks leave where there is a significant risk of death.
  • Unpaid; Federal Employment Insurance, compassionate care benefits available.
• Family Caregiver Leave
  • All employees are eligible.
  • Up to 8 weeks leave where there is a serious medical condition.
  • Unpaid.
• Critically ill Childcare Leave 
  • Must be employed for at least 6 months.
  • Up to 37 weeks per year where there is a serious medical condition. Extension is possible.
  • Unpaid; Federal Employment Insurance, parents of critically ill children benefits available.
• Crime Related Death or Disappearance of Child Leave 
  • Must be employed for at least 6 months.
  • Up to 104 weeks for crime related death of child / 52 weeks for disappearance of child.
  • Unpaid. Federal Employment Insurance grants available.
• Other Leaves – Organ Donation and Reservist Leave.  

Employer Benefit Plan – Leaves of Absence

As an employer, you may offer your employees additional leave of absence benefits, paid or unpaid, beyond the minimum required under the ESA:

• Sick leave,
• Short term / Long term Disability,
• Bereavement leave,
• Personal days and
• Sabbatical (extended leave of absence for educational, vacation or personal reasons).

Managing an Employee Request for Leave

Is the leave covered by the ESA or employer benefit plan?

Carefully review your employee’s request to determine if it is covered by the ESA or your benefit plan. In some situations your employee may need to provide medical documentation to support their request, to apply for insurance coverage, or to apply for federal Employment Insurance  benefits.

Consider the Request

Each request should be considered based on your employee’s individual circumstances.

Accommodation

Even where the leave is not covered, under the Ontario Human Rights Code you may have a duty to accommodate your employee’s request. Read more from the Fusion Blog about accommodation.

Decision

Consider all available options before making a final decision. Treat your employee fairly and respectfully at all times.

The information provided here is an overview of Family Friendly Leaves Ontario. Refer to the Ministry of Labour for detailed information on the Ontario Employment Standards Act leaves of absence and to the Government of Canada for information on Employment Insurance Benefits.

Ask managers about workplace pet peeves and you will likely hear complaints about employee texting on the job. Is a Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette Policy the answer? What about banning cell phones?

Many employers have legitimate concerns about employee personal cell phone use at work. Texting can be a real drain on worker productivity. Before writing up a policy on Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette or implementing a cell phone “ban” it is important to consider a number of factors.

Most employees use their cell phones respectfully at work. People take short breaks through out the day to respond to friends or family and follow up on personal issues. These short breaks are actually good for us and can improve productivity and morale. These breaks are no different than water cooler chats, coffee breaks or other short breaks to get up from your desk and stretch your legs.

Many employees use their cell phones to conduct business. They set up client appointments and follow up with colleagues. Texting is a very efficient way to connect. It is also fast and the preferred method of communication for many workers.

Unfortunately there are some people who have difficulty limiting their texting time to a short break once every hour or two. An employee who engages in hour long texting sessions with a large group of friends is clearly not being productive at work. This behavior is unprofessional and impacts coworkers who witness this employee not working for extended periods of time.

Typically a “ban” on cell phone use at work will backfire. People don’t like bans. They don’t like being treated like children. The reality is, employees who waste time texting will find other ways to waste time at work.

If you focus on the work, your employees and productivity you will not need to implement bans or other draconian workplace rules.

The Type of Work

Some workplaces and jobs will require limiting cell phone use. People who operate vehicles, machinery or equipment and call center or customer service workers are some examples of jobs that demand limiting the use of cell phones while on the job. The use of cell phones while working may violate traffic laws or workplace safety rules. If jobs in your workplace require limiting cell phone use then a policy on Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette may be appropriate. 

Your Employees

The younger the workforce the more cell phone use you will encounter. Does this mean you should accept cell phone misuse? Not at all. You set the standards for performance and productivity at your workplace. You may have noticed that some high end retail customer service jobs have highly trained staff who would not consider pulling out their phone in front of a customer, while other organizations have had less success trying to enforce standards around cell phones.

Talk to your clients, customers and employees. Most employees will agree that it is unprofessional to be excessively texting at work. Work together to set standards that make sense for your workplace and your employees. 

Productivity

Managing productivity is the answer to many workplace issues – including cell phone misuse. An employee who is wasting time texting, may also waste time making personal calls, take extra long breaks, spend excessive time chatting, and engage in other time wasting activities. As a manager, if you focus on productivity you should be able to identify those people who are not working at a satisfactory level. Set expectations, clearly communicate, provide training and the tools to do the job and follow through after a reasonable time. If people can’t meet your expectations it is time to let them go.

You may find some interesting facts arise from the productivity approach to managing this workplace issue. You may discover that the worst texting offenders in your group are in fact very productive employees. Don’t assume that there is a problem before first checking your facts. 

You may wish to develop a policy on Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette or simply reinforce your workplace code of conduct. Read more on this workplace issue at Canadian HR Reporter – Is Cell Phone Use an Employee Right?