Perspectives

Prolonged Sitting is a Workplace Hazard

Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein

Sitting is a health risk similar to smoking.   

It wasn`t that long ago that employees smoked while working but today smoking is prohibited in the most Ontario workplaces.   Employers must now acknowledge the potential health problems related to sedentary jobs.  

There is extensive medical evidence showing that being inactive for extended periods of time by sitting  at a desk, on the couch, or in a car is hazardous to your health.  A good daily workout is not enough to correct the problem.  Employees, who sit extensively at work, need to stand up and stretch for a few minutes at least every half hour. The incidence of musculoskeletal disorders, heart disease, cancer and diabetes increase significantly for sedentary people.

To prevent injuries and disease, employers must recognize this job hazard and implement strategies to reduce prolonged seated time by workers.  Employees often stay seated continuously at their desks for hours.  They need to feel comfortable standing up, stretching and even working in a standing position.  The attitude that “Sitting quietly at one’s desk is the proper way to work” must change.

Examining work processes and workplace attitudes can help employers identify how to get employees to stand up and move more often during the work day.   To get employees out of their chairs, they may need:

  • more information about the health benefits of stretching and changing positions frequently
  • training about how to incorporate more movement into their work day
  • acceptance by supervisors and colleagues during frequent standing sessions 
  • modelling by supervisors and colleagues who also stand and stretch often
  • adaptive equipment or workspace re-design (standing desks or tables, telephone headsets,  etc.)
  • reminders to take scheduled breaks.

Senior Managers need to acknowledge that prolonged sitting is a workplace hazard.  Commitment to helping workers become more active during the work day can prevent employee health problems and optimize productivity.

There are many resources available to get employees more active at work.  

Working in a Sitting Position

Sitting and standing at Work

 

Snail: Don't get caught in the slow lane

Will the Pan Am Games Impact Your Workplace this Summer?

George Sayn-Wittgenstein

Don’t Get Caught in the Slow Lane

The excitement is building in the GTA as Toronto prepares to host the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games this July and August! The games will bring over 7000 athletes from across the Caribbean, Latin, South and North American to compete in 36 sports.

The influx of visitors to our city this summer will impact traffic and public transit in and around the sport venues and beyond.

Employers should take the time to review the location of the event venues and the temporary traffic plans put in place during the games, including the addition of HOV lanes. Being prepared, planning alternate routes and delivery times, scheduling summer shutdowns and vacations are some ways employers can reduce impact on their employee’s commute and the transit of goods and services. 

Key HOV Traffic Information:

  • 235 km of HOV lanes in GTA
  • Beginning June 29 until August 15, 2015
  • You will need at least 3 people in your vehicle to use these lanes
  • Hwy 404 and DVP
  • Hwy 401 east from Hwy 404 to Oshawa
  • Hwy 401 west from Hwy 427 to Milton
  • Hwy 403, QEW, Jane, Lakeshore, Jarvis, and College Street

Find out more about Pan Am / Parapan Am Games transit, driving and traffic routes. 

How to Hire Right the First Time

Michael Caicco

Anyone with responsibility for hiring or promoting employees knows how frustrating it can be to choose a candidate that seemed right only to later find out that they weren’t a good fit for the job.

In the staffing world, it’s commonly known that a poor job fit results in lost productivity and excessive attrition – both costly issues for today’s lean organizations.

Choosing the right person amongst a pool of highly qualified candidates is not an exact science, but an art where the interviewer has to weigh the pros and cons of each individual. The first step in selecting the right candidate is to ensure that the job posting fully reflects the needs and requirements of the position.

A typical job ad focuses on what the employer wants from the applicant such as the academic degrees, specific skills and a strong work ethic. However, various studies confirm that ads focusing on what employers can offer to job seekers – like work autonomy, career advancement and inclusion in major decisions – result in better employee matches. It’s these types of ads that produce a larger number of better qualified applicants. One study by a Canadian consulting firm revealed that postings that focused on what the organization can do to meet the needs of the applicant received three times as many highly rated applicants as ads with that demanded specific traits from the applicants.

With the constant ebb and flow of the work force, with fragmenting, reorganizing and changes due to market fluctuations, another very important step in the selection process is asking the right interview questions. Having a good set of pertinent questions during the interview to see if the candidate has the attributes you need to grow your business and adapt to constant change is very important.

During the interview, you will be able to learn the answers to these highly valuable questions. Is the candidate highly adaptive? Are they team players? Do they see learning as pleasure? Discovering the answers to these questions will help in selecting the best candidate.

At the end of the interview process, if there does not seem to be a suitable candidate, then consider doing one of the following:

  • Reconfigure the job so that the nature of the required skills and training are somewhat similar and so that the overall nature of the job becomes more common.
  • Hire the candidate who most closely matched the requirements of the job and then plan for dedicated training to bring that person’s skills up to needed levels.
  • Re-advertise the position.

The best tool at your disposal is to seek advice from a staffing firm or human resource professional. Hiring an HR consultant to assist you in staffing the position may seem costly at first, but choosing the wrong candidate will definitely cost you more.

Benefits of Using a Smaller Staffing Firm

Michael Caicco

When deciding which staffing firm to use, there is a multitude of factors to consider – not the least of which is the size of the firm.

In many cases a small firm slightly outweighs the glitz that a larger firm may offer. Here are the main reasons why teaming up with a small staffing firm is one of the best decisions you can make in 2015.

Adaptability

A small staffing firm has the advantage of being able to change on the fly, and to easily adapt to the needs of their clients. Every client has different requirements and a small firm can change plans or tactics much faster than the larger organizations.

A larger company must involve many people and procedures, slowing the process of onboarding and acquiring new talent. A small firm can adapt quickly based on customer feedback, much more easily than larger competition. While they are studying options and gaining approvals, a small company can be ready to take the next steps without dealing with the paperwork or the endless series of approvals.

Stay Close to the Client

Remaining close to your client is a very important aspect of any business, not just staffing firms. A small business is much closer to the client than a large one. Small firms can meet with the client more frequently and develop a better personal working relationship than a large firm. As well, client issues can be dealt with faster and on a more personal level, making long-term relations easier and more profitable.

Lean Structure

By nature, a small business is very lean; with fewer employees and fewer layers of management than a larger company. Having fewer layers of management makes decision times much quicker, allowing for flexibility and adaptability that a larger company does not have. A lean structure means that every employee can be much closer to the business and the customer, allowing for both a broader understanding of how your company works and increased customer satisfaction.

Cost Savings

This is ultimately, the best reason to choose a small firm over a larger firm. Smaller firms offer a great costs savings simply because they don’t have the large overhead of a bigger firm that staffs hundreds of people.

Above all, the needs of the client will dictate the requirement for using a small staffing firm or a larger one. However, there is no denying the financial and personal benefits that come along with using a small staffing firm.

Canadian Staffing Industry Forecast 2015

Michael Caicco

2014 was a year of steady ups and downs, an oxymoron if you will, that saw the status of the staffing industry remain steady and healthy.

It should be no surprise that the future of any industry depends on the economic growth. In Canada, the forecast isn’t glum but it isn’t showing massive spikes either. For the staffing industry, this is a good thing.

Steady Economic Growth = Employment Growth = Increased Staffing Demand

With a steady, consistent and slowly growing economy the staffing industry will feel the benefits throughout the entire year. Of course the usual ebbs and flows will be evident, but the overall outlook is definitely positive. Here are two key themes the staffing world can look forward to seeing in 2015:

1) Diversity of Clients

For at least the past ten years, small startups that are grounded in technology and innovation have led economic growth around the world. We have seen Facebook rise up to become a publicly traded company valued at more than $200 billion. Other newer and smaller companies like WhatsApp and Uber are also a part of that elite club that have risen from being a minor operation to a global brand worth millions.

But what does the rise in startups mean for the staffing industry? Well, quite a bit. Organizations that are still finding their footing require experts of all varieties to build a foundation that will not only ride the current wave, but take them to the next level. For many startups, once the path has been paved for growth, building a reputable team of professionals is the first step – a step that is ideal for an established staffing company.

2) Steady Need for Back Office Support

Whether it’s a startup or an established company, back office support will always be a requirement. Defined as administration and support personnel, the back office of many institutions is the spine of the entire operation. Growth and general turnover in this area will always require a steady need for capable professionals.

At Fusion, we welcome smaller organizations that allow us to build on our expertise with the established Fortune 500 companies. Bridging the gap between these two distinct forces is a skill that leverages our reputation and the reputation and growth of our clients.

As we move into a new year, embrace the changes that are sure to come, and rely on us to deliver the quality staffing services that your organization depends on.