Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Spring · 1
SPRING 2020
Resource
Shaping Organizational Excellence
RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK
About This Issue...........................................2
Ask a Legal Expert......................................12
Message from the Chair................................3
HRPA Award Nominations Now Open.........14
Workplace Relationships and HR...................4
By the Numbers..........................................15
Impactful Volunteer Relationships................6
Photo Gallery.............................................18
Member Highlight: Award Winners................8
Upcoming Events.......................................20
HR Professional Perspective......................10
2 Relationships at Work
About This Issue Gladys Saenz, Editor Shaping Organizational Excellence
Board of Directors CHAIR Catherine Claridge, CHRL PAST CHAIR Ernest Ogunleye, MSc, Chartered MCIPD, CPHR, SHRM-SCP, FRGS SECRETARY/TREASURER Jenn Janca, CHRL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR Tisha Lorincz, CHRL COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR Gladys Saenz STUDENT RELATIONS CHAIR Licinia Neves, CHRL MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR Leyland Muss, CHRL
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTORS Rosanna Keys, CHRL Lori McLellan Lucy Melvin, CHRP Ernest Mistica, MIR, CHRP
Resource Magazine - HRPA Durham Chapter Mailing Address: 105 Consumers Drive, Whitby, ON L1N 1C4 Fax: 647-689-2264 Circulation: 900 electronic copies circulated three times per year with limited press run. Articles may not be reproduced without prior written permission. Statements, opinions and points of view expressed by contributing writers do not necessarily represent those of HRPA. While care is taken, Resource Magazine assumes no responsibility for errors or the return of unsolicited materials. Resource Magazine is not responsible for advertising claims made in its pages or inserts; however, we will not knowingly accept for publication, ads, articles, or inserts that contain false statements or defame others. Resource Magazine reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement limited to space error occupies. The information contained in this publication is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice. Design: SMillerArt.com Editing: LynneYryku@gmail.com
For many of us, the start of a new year brings new beginnings. On a personal level, we may decide to spend more time with family, eat healthy and exercise. On a professional level, we review successes and challenges from the previous year and prioritize our upcoming projects. As we all know, our roles now include developing strategies to recruit the best candidates, implementing effective incentive programs, creating flexible work schedules, developing inclusive work practices, building strong work cultures, and dealing with complex issues. In this edition, we provide valuable information to help you navigate one of those issues: relationships at work. Our employees spend a great deal of their time with each other and there is a good chance romance will blossom. Although employees may feel these relationships should be kept private, some may be problematic. For instance, a manager dating a subordinate could constitute a conflict of interest and create a negative work environment. In the first of our feature articles, Cindy MacDonald, MHRM, Director of HR and Office Services at the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, shares her insights related to workplace relationships, with a special focus on romantic ones. In the legal article, Ashley Mulrooney, a lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz LLP, discusses a manager-subordinate relationship, emphasizing the importance of implementing a workplace romance policy.
A different type of relationship organizations build is with volunteers. In the second of our feature articles, James Meloche, Chief Executive Officer at Community Care Durham, provides his organization’s best practices to recruit and engage volunteers, and explains the role HR plays in this. In HR Professional Perspective, three members share their thoughts regarding romantic, volunteer and employee relationships. In Member Highlight, we celebrate this year’s recipients of the HRPA Award of Distinction. We are very proud that three Durham Chapter members were winners: Leland Davies, Tanya Sinclair and Ronald Alexandrowich. As you will read, each are well deserving of these awards, and we congratulate them. In News from the Board, you will find the eligibility criteria set out for the three Chapter awards. The subcommittee encourages nominations of others/peers and self-nominations to recognize members who exemplify excellence in the field of HR. Lastly, Upcoming Events lists the seminars and networking opportunities scheduled over the coming months. However, for the most up-to-date information about postponements and cancellations due to the COVID-19 situation, please check our website. We hope you find Resource Magazine a great tool to face challenging situations at work, like relationships. As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions for future releases. Email us at communications@hrpadurham.ca.
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Message from the Chair Catherine Claridge, CHRL
People are central to everything we do in HR. They are at the heart of every policy we write, every piece of legislation we enforce and every strategic conversation we lead. Without people, we wouldn’t be able to conduct business or maintain viable organizations. People are our company’s lifeblood and can be a key determining factor in how well our company performs in the market. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we humans crave that sense of belonging from our social circles even before we seek respect, self-esteem and recognition from them. It’s no wonder then that we’ll suffer through negative relationships like micromanaging bosses or toxic coworkers for years at a stretch, leaning on our employee assistance programs for psychological support to keep from burning out. To put things in perspective, we’re all tasked with spending 40 hours each week with people we aren’t related to (and some we don’t even like) as a way of supporting ourselves and our families. Issues such as nepotism, cronyism and bullying can run rampant in organizations without formal HR structures in place. When we explore and leverage our relationships at work, they can galvanize our teams while minimizing negative outcomes. When we’ve made our workforce relationships a cultural priority, we can see fantastic results: we are happier going to work, are more willing to accept change, and demonstrate increased creativity and innovation. As HR professionals, many of us must manage negative outcomes of poor working relationships when we could be focusing our time on more positive and proactive endeavours.
When relationships are carefully cultivated at work, it facilitates success all around. When we remove barriers to effective communication and team dynamics, people can rise to amazing levels of achievement. Employees are in a much better position to achieve that highest echelon in Mr. Maslow’s pyramid: self-actualization. At the annual conference in January, I was humbled to witness the HRPA Awards of Distinction bestowed on our own Durham Chapter members. The winners of these awards have many admirable accomplishments and extensive volunteer experience pursuing projects they felt strongly about. However, they couldn’t have wound up on an awards stage without interaction with others. We can’t achieve any level of success without frequent positive collaboration. One of the reasons I chose to join the Durham Chapter Board of Directors was to help our team achieve a form of self-actualization in our roles. To help influence the direction of the Chapter is an exciting opportunity as well as a privilege. We’re an enthusiastic group of individuals who contribute our collective time and insights to this
common goal, and we have to pool our efforts and facilitate respectful dialogue in order to accomplish our mandate. It would be impossible to succeed otherwise. I’m proud of our team and what we’ve accomplished together, and for this year’s election, we’re seeking more members to come forward and join the cause. As our Chapter thrives when we have a diverse group of individuals on our leadership team, we are seeking to build a team with an open mind and a willingness to develop meaningful working relationships with our Board and members—and I hope I can count on your vote! I encourage you to visit our elections page to learn more about the candidates who are pursuing a leadership role with the Durham Chapter this year, This is your chance to help shape the future of our Chapter. Please reach out to me directly at chair@hrpadurham.ca with any questions. I’d be delighted to hear from you. To your continued success!
4 Relationships at Work
These days, people spend the bulk of their time at work. Strong workplace relationships between colleagues and with management are an important component of a healthy organizational culture. However, when those relationships become too competitive or develop into romances, what is an HR professional to do? Resource Magazine spoke with Cindy MacDonald, MHRM, Director of HR and Office Services at the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, about the implications of workplace relationships for employees, employers and HR professionals.
What advice can you provide HR professionals to help guide staff in building strong relationships at work? Building solid relationships is fundamental to succeeding in the workplace. To build effective work relationships, it’s important for managers and supervisors to know their staff. Building relationships with co-workers is equally important, as it give us a sense of belonging. As a leader of a group, it is important to encourage staff to bring solutions to problems they identify. It demonstrates to the group that you are open to ideas and changes. If there is a problem with an employee, always discuss the problem directly with the employee first. Together, you can find a solution that works while building trust and loyalty.
As managers, it is vital that we express our appreciation to employees who are constantly going beyond the call of duty. It is also a best practice to share the credit publicly for the accomplishments achieved by the department and not take credit alone. Having a healthy, respectful relationship with your manager, co-workers and subordinates can improve work morale, teamwork, productivity and loyalty. Taking initiative, sharing your innovative approach to manage an issue, and having open and safe communication will help build strong working relationships. If employees feel connected, it creates a sense of family, which decreases turnover and increases dependability.
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Although our organizations encourage collaboration and camaraderie, how do we help employees who are overly competitive with colleagues? Competitiveness is inherent in all workplaces, as everyone wants to be the “shining star.” While we are constantly encouraging collaboration and teamwork, it is also good to have healthy competition at work to strive for excellence. Co-workers who are overly competitive may feel insecure and threatened by others in the department. Demonstrate your willingness to work with them, not against them. Leading a collaborative team and setting expectations early in the employment relationship will help minimize the overly competitive behaviour of a co-worker. Look at the employee’s competitiveness as a positive attribute and keep the employee motivated by assigning challenging and impactful work for the organization. Work with, not against, their competitive edge. Be civil, respectful and polite in your approach, praising them for work well done. Maintaining a healthy competitive workplace ensures an environment of respect toward each other. What are your thoughts on romance at work? Having friendships at work help us when moral support is required or make us happy because we can celebrate with someone when something good has happened at work. However, there are risks associated with personal relationships at work, and the level of risk depends on the type or nature of the relationship. In cases where a supervisor and subordinates are romantically involved, it can give rise to an allegation of sexual harassment and discrimination, perceived favouritism, gossip, rumours and envy. Co-workers may think that a romance with an individual
in a position of responsibility will influence promotions and pay increases, creating a sense of mistrust.
banning romance at work would only limit disclosure of such relationships and not deter employees from dating.
If the relationship does not work, the fallout could have a serious impact on employee morale and risk retaliatory measure, creating a hostile work environment, decreasing productivity and negatively impacting business operations.
Since we spend a significant amount of time at work, relationships are bound to happen, more so with the erosion of traditional dating/courtship and many people being sceptic about online dating. Organizations need to be more vigilant about creating policies and training staff on acceptable behaviours at work to limit liability.
When does a consensual romantic workplace relationship become an employer’s business? It would be naïve not to recognize that romance and love affairs are happening at work. Employers are creating policies to manage consensual workplace relationships to minimize liability. I don’t believe that employers should forbid these relationships, but they should have mechanisms in place to protect employees when involved in a consensual relationship. Although workplace romances are not against the law, participants’ behaviours could cross an ethical and professional line that will require discipline. Dealing with these issues can be challenging, more so if the organization does not have adequate resources to deal with inappropriate behaviours. Can the employer (through HR policies) ban relationships at work? I don’t believe this would be beneficial, as it conveys the message that you are not a good “corporate citizen.” Since romance at work is not against the law, employees are engaging in romantic relationships at work. Many organizations have created policies that restrict office romance mainly between employees at different levels of an organizational hierarchy. Fully
As banning romance/affairs at work is not recommended, what are some good policies or approaches? Organizations are creating more reasonable policies, and implementing guidelines and procedures that help mitigate the risks associated with these relationships at work, and aim to create a legal and ethical workplace. Employees must be aware of these policies on romance, dating and other types of relationships between employees. The organization requires a strong nepotism policy, a sexual violence and harassment policy (Bill 132), a violence and harassment in the workplace policy (Bill 168), and a code of conduct/civility policy that addresses all areas to manage romance and/or affairs at work. Many organizations are also now creating and implementing office romance policies to ensure employees are aware of all the rules regarding romance in the workplace. What would you recommend if the romance is between and manager and a subordinate? Although policies may ban this type of romance because there is a power Continued on page 16...
6 Relationships at Work
Volunteer Relationships that Make an Impact Volunteers are essential to Community Care Durham (CCD), a multi-service registered charitable organization that provides support for Durham Region adults and their caregivers who have needs related to aging, physical or mental health. They generously give of the time and expertise to help the organization provide services that enable our clients to remain independent, in their own homes, for as long as possible. It is therefore of utmost importance that CCD focuses on maintaining and strengthening its volunteer program. What can all HR professionals learn from its practices? Resource Magazine spoke with James Meloche, Chief Executive Officer, CCD, Durham Region, to find out. In your opinion, what role does HR play in developing, maintaining and implementing an effective volunteer program? Volunteers are a huge component of our human capital. They are responsible for delivering services to our residents in our community, attending programs and facilitating dialogue between people needing mental health support. Their contributions are just as important as any human capital, regardless if paid or unpaid. We have roughly 2,000 volunteers and just over 350 staff. Under the HR lens, we look at our volunteers in the same manner as
You must have sufficient resources behind the volunteer program. The program must also provide flexibility for volunteers to expand and grow. Ideally, a volunteer is provided with a range of options to choose from, as long as they have the required training to do the job, and are given the ability to set their own schedule.
staff, creating a disciplined volunteer management process that standardizes the recruitment process, training, rewards and recognition. What is the current HR structure at CCD and how is Volunteer Management part of it? CCD operates over multiple sites across the region, from the north to the populous areas in Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Pickering, Clarington and Bowmanville. The cultural dynamics of volunteerism are different in every one of those communities. The roles volunteers play and how they are seen in their communities are also different. To ensure processes are standardized, we found that some critical components of managing volunteers must be under the HR umbrella. HR and Volunteer Coordinators work as client relationship managers to the various sites and programs, minimizing duplication of roles and maximizing services. Our staffing pool has actually increased exponentially in the last 10 years, as we have brought in new programs. Currently, our 350 employees are delivering different types of programs that volunteers cannot do. Our employees also work very closely with volunteers in providing our services to our clients. What best practices should be considered in the recruitment and engagement of volunteers?
Another best practice I learned from CCD is the reward and recognition program. We present volunteers with provincial awards as well as CCD awards at our annual AGM. What do you see as the biggest challenges in volunteer recruitment and management? Volunteers typically come to us because they know about our programs and are interested in CCD. We are finding that volunteers are changing and are offering non-traditional volunteer work, such as project work. The younger volunteers want flexibility and choices. They want to know that they are doing something of value. We are going to be looking for volunteers who have an interest in a “go-green� strategy across the region. It is a non-traditional volunteer job, in the hopes of getting young people to bring new perspectives to the table. In many cases, volunteers are aging so we have to recognize their needs. I think is important to understand their needs, although reaching them may be a challenge. They are not all prepared to work 9 to 5, as they may have other commitments, so we need to be flexible with their schedules. What tips would you give to other non-profit organizations on how to start their volunteer engagement journey? Start slow. Having a volunteer alone is not a magic solution to things. It is a significant undertaking and all the components must be taken into
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account: onboarding, certifying, quality assurance, engagement, recognition. I would suggest looking for partnership opportunities with other agencies with similar missions and visions or purposes that have volunteer services to help recruit and train as part of a social cooperative. I think at CCD we have developed a large capacity to do volunteer management in comparison with smaller or similar sized healthcare/social service organizations that don’t have or aren’t doing it. If you are starting a volunteer program, you need to look at the bigger picture. Volunteers will be attracted to something that feeds their values, not just the organizational values, for them to stay. Where do you see the future of volunteer management in terms of HR involvement? It all depends on the size of the organization, but certainly with regards to ours, I think we will continue to interlay HR with volunteer management. The same kind of staff engagement and retention approaches will be used with volunteers.
Also, since our workforce is so largely made up of volunteers, it makes sense that this group is managed under the HR umbrella. Our obligations are set out in regulations and legislation that requires us to do the same type of training for volunteers. If a volunteer does something in our workplace that is unsafe or deemed inappropriate, we own the liability. We have to ensure that they are properly managed and, if necessary, disciplined similarly to employees. Our first obligation is ensuring our client safety. How do you embed organizational values into a volunteer population? We recently implemented an orientation program as part of our volunteer onboarding. We are looking to offer educational opportunities and in-services for our existing volunteers. We provide regular communication and give them flexibility to do their training at their convenience at home, instead of having to come into the office. We have to continue to be a little more creative; since they are not onsite, it is hard to communicate with them. What risks have you considered before moving forward with a robust volunteer program?
In this modern age, building a robust program would include the use of technology as a way of engaging volunteers. The program would allow them to self-direct while providing an open environment and ensuring they have the right skill sets for the job. The issue around risk management is important because, as volunteers for the organization, they do bring risk and we often don’t necessarily pay attention to that. In our world, where we take care of a vulnerable population, our clients come first, so having a good risk management plan is important. Any final thoughts for our readers? We are looking to partner; we have done this in the past with local businesses around volunteerism. Some organizations help their staff volunteer in places like CCD because we are building a social impact for our communities. We encourage people to be active citizens, not simply employees. It is just a different environment. The more we can build a relationship with the corporate side to build social responsibility, the more it will have a positive impact to our community making it more sustainable and healthier.
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Member Highlight: Announcing the 2020 Winners of the HRPA Awards of Distinction • Tanya Sinclair, CHRE: Distinguished Human Resources Professional Award for her lifelong commitment to learning and her leadership in building healthy workplaces that centered around increased learning opportunities and wellness initiatives for employees. • Ronald Alexandrowich, M.Ed: Distinguished Human Resources Professional Award for his development and facilitation of the Certified Knowledge Exam preparation sessions for the Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) and Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designations, and his commitment to teaching the next generation of HR leaders. Leland (Lee) Davies: Honorary Life Award
Each year, the HRPA Award of Distinction is given to HR professionals who have demonstrated excellence within their field. On January 24, we had the pleasure of recognizing the following three incredible individuals, who are all proud members of the Durham Chapter, at the HRPA 2020 Annual Conference and Trade Show in Toronto: • Leland Davies: Honorary Life Award for his commitment to building relationships between people, among organizations and within communities for his entire professional career, and his extensive history of community involvement, going well beyond the 20 years that he has been involved at various capacities with HRPA.
Throughout his career, Lee has been committed to building relationships between people, among organizations and within communities. His success stems from the value he places on diversity and growing through change. Over the years, his career has spanned from teaching in the health field to adult education in a wide range of settings to organization development and people building. Each of these stages, coupled with his volunteer work, have the goal of relationship building at their core. His work history has provided abundant and varied situations where relationship building has been key. For instance, his final HR position was Chief Human Resources Officer at Kerry’s Place Autism Services, an organization servicing people on the autism spectrum. People with autism see the world differently from much of society, and staff need to know how to find what works for each person they are serving. HR must connect to those needs. That is why his biggest accomplishment was creating HR nodes in each
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region, decentralizing the service to improve relationships. In another role, as Manager, Contracts and Quality, at the Scarborough Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), Lee focused on enhancing the quality of service through formal relationships with service providers. The CCAC is an important organization generating health services for people in their homes, and there was much training on applying quality principles and building staff capabilities. A valuable project was building an ethics committee that used many HR values. This work involved creating partnerships with other providers and organizations in community. As a consultant with Tycoed Consulting and the E21 group, he was involved in many projects underpinned by diversity and change. For example, performance management systems were developed for Durham Police Services and the University of Calgary, an organization development project for the Region of Durham created a new structure for the HR department, and an evaluation of a labour adjustment program in Egypt made a huge impact. In addition, developing performance standards with a consortium of CCACs led to the establishment of the RFP for services template. As Manager of Organization and Staff Development at the Region of Durham, Lee helped establish a training program built on the needs identified through the performance management system. He helped build relationships with the over 2,000 employees participating, strengthening the skills of those employees. Finally, as Director of Hospital Education at Victoria Hospital with a staff of over 4,000, one of his biggest impacts was an organization development project with the service workers in the plant department, which reduced administrative costs by 10 per cent. The resultant savings went into a project for improving service responsiveness. Another aspect of Lee’s career has been teaching courses such as organization development at York University and management at Fanshawe College and the Canadian Hospital Association. In each, he built strong student relationships to enhance learning. Congratulations, Lee, on your leadership and this welldeserved award! Tanya Sinclair, CHRE: Distinguished Human Resources Professional Award Tanya Sinclair is an award-winning HR professional who has provided HR leadership to various public libraries and big box retailers throughout her career. Currently, she is Vice President, People and Culture, for Artscape, where she provides strategic guidance as a member of the executive leadership team. Prior to joining Artscape, Tanya worked at Pickering Public Library as the
Director of HR, where she had the opportunity to also serve as Chief Engagement Officer and host the Prime Minister for a tour of the library’s new makerspace and sound recording studio, which she helped to inspire. She is passionate about community and has volunteered for the Pan Am Games, Invictus, Congress of Black Women of Canada and Peel Police Victim’s Services. She has served on the Board of Telecare Spectra Distress Centre and Taibu Health Care Centre in Malvern, and has volunteered for many years with the HRPA’s Peel and Durham Chapters. She is a firm believer in the value of diversity and inclusion, and especially enjoys mentoring culturally diverse HR professionals. Tanya is also a lifelong learner and has taught HR management courses and written HRM course outlines for Centennial College and Durham College, helping support the next generation of HR professionals. Her ongoing work experience as an HR practitioner enabled her to share valuable and relevant lived experience in the classroom and when participating in research activities. In addition, she is an advocate for workplace mental health. As an early adopter of The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard), she championed and participated in the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s three-year national workplace mental health case study with researchers from Simon Fraser University. During that time, she worked with a motivated group of colleagues at Pickering Public Library to implement the Standard. These efforts led to the Library receiving a national safety award for its workplace mental health program from Canadian Occupational Safety. In 2014, she was awarded Outstanding CHRP of the Year by the Durham Chapter. She was also nominated by her University’s Dean for a Governor General’s Gold Medal award for outstanding academic research in the area of organizational learning. In 2017, Tanya was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 HR professionals by Canadian HR Reporter for her leadership in building healthy workplaces that centered around increased learning opportunities and wellness initiatives for employees. She has been invited to speak about workplace mental health and organizational learning at conferences across North America. “I am humbled and honoured to have been nominated by my peers and selected for this award,” she says as she thanks all of her current and former colleagues, mentors and friends. “I am flattered and will continue to pay it forward by contributing to the Durham Chapter and to the HR profession.” Congratulations, Tanya, on this award and thank you for your ongoing commitment to HR! Continued on page 15...
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HR Professional Perspective: Relationships at Work We all look for relationships at work to feel engaged and connected. However, as these relationships can range from professional to personal, with positive and negative outcomes, the implications for the individuals in those relationships and their organizations can be significant. Here are three perspectives from HR professionals on what we can do to mitigate risks and promote a healthy organization culture. Romance in the Workplace By Jana Baca, J.D., CHRL Workplace romance is a reality. People spend more time at work than they do at home and many consider work their second home. Being in the same industry also often means that coworkers share similar passions, goals and interests. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many people develop a romantic interest in their colleagues and start relationships. For instance, Barack and Michelle Obama met in the workplace when Michelle was assigned to be his mentor at her law firm.1 While employers may not want to interfere with personal relationships, 1 Collman, Ashley. (2018). “Michelle Obama reveals that Barack showed up late the first time he met her, and she was determined not to date him.” https://www. businessinsider.com.au/michelle-obamameeting-barack-first-kiss-2018-11
they have a legal duty to create a safe working environment free from discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment. As romantic relationships in the workplace are to be expected, employers need to be proactive and prepared to manage any potential impact on the workplace. Aside from having clear policies and guidelines in place regarding workplace harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination, conflict of interest and code of conduct, employers should also consider creating specific policies and guidelines on romantic relationships in the workplace, paying particular attention to power imbalances in the workplace, such as supervisor-employee relationships, disclosure requirements and consequences for violating the policy. Note that policies that strictly prohibit romantic relationships or dating in the workplace can be difficult to enforce and can actually lead to more trouble, such as stealth dating. Employees should receive comprehensive training to make sure they understand what is considered appropriate behaviour in the workplace and what will lead to discipline or termination, and the policies need to be enforced fairly and consistently.
Many companies have also implemented “love contracts,” where the parties involved confirm that the relationship is consensual, outline the expectations of the workplace relationship and agree to abide by workplace policies, including the harassment policy. This gives the employer something to fall back on should the relationship go sour. Lastly, organizations should ensure that the organizational culture does not inhibit or create any unintentional barriers. For example, if you require disclosure of romantic relationships, make sure all employees feel free to come forward without fear of negative consequences. In terms of all employees, consider that “despite great progress in the last decade, homophobia and transphobia still exist in the workplace and remain underrepresented in diversity and inclusion conversations.”2 If you plan ahead and put reasonable measures in place, you can maintain a professional and harmonious environment at work, protect yourself from legal liability, and empower employees to be the champions of their wellness and 2 Pride at Work. (2017). “Beyond Diversity: An LGBT Best Practice Guide for Employers.” https://prideatwork.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2017/09/Beyond-DiversityLGBT-Guide.pdf
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workplace morale and ethics. As with everything, it all boils down to promoting a healthy organizational culture. Relationships with Volunteers By Rosanna Keys, CHRL, Vice President, Human Capital, Community Care Durham Recruiting and engaging with volunteers in the workplace can be a very rewarding experience for both our organizations and our volunteer workforce. It can also be a challenge if not properly managed. As volunteers are recognized as human capital, we need to manage them the same way we manage our paid workforce. This includes proper recruitment and screening practices, orientation and onboarding, training and education, and performance management. Whether you have a volunteer workforce or you are looking to build volunteer relationships within your organization, here are a few items to consider. First, it is important to focus on inclusivity and the diversity of the communities we serve, as well as the overall needs of our clients. The primary goal is to build an engaged volunteer workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. As communities continue to change, ensure the volunteer workforce continues to be reflective of those changing population demographics, including language, culture, age, occupation and sex, to name a few. See the following link for information specific to Durham Region: www.durham.ca/ en/health-and-wellness/resources/ Documents/HealthInformationServices/ HealthStatisticsReports/Population-ata-Glance.pdf Getting to know our volunteers is also important. By providing opportunities that recognize their skills, knowledge
and passion, we can offer rewarding and meaningful opportunities that keep them engaged. In addition, when reviewing current or anticipated needs of our clients, we can consider what other services we can offer based on volunteer knowledge and experience. Building community partnerships is equally important. This may involve community outreach to local Durham Region employers looking to promote volunteerism within their workplaces or connecting with local municipalities to educate and inform leaders within our communities. Recruiting volunteers can be a challenge. Proper communication through appropriate channels is required, such as social media, volunteer associations, corporate employers and word of mouth. We can also leverage our current volunteer workforce to recruit new volunteers. Selection of new volunteers should include pre-screening measures that confirm their experience and expertise, such as credentials. Tools include the application form, interview questionnaire and references. Further screening may include Vulnerable Sector Checks when providing care and services to vulnerable individuals. Flexibility is key. As organizations, we have specific service delivery requirements, but when working with volunteers, we must consider their availability, positioning opportunities to fit their schedule, such as project work or participation on task forces or working groups. Another important group in many organizations is the board of directors, typically made up of volunteers who commit to serving a specific term with a specific number of meetings.
These positions are key to an organization’s success. As a best practice, the organization should complete regular skills assessments of board members to plan for skills gaps and anticipate recruitment needs. For recruitment, preparation should include descriptions for each board position, including bylaw and board mandate implications, as well as establishing a formal recruitment or nominating committee. In addition, an orientation process that includes an ongoing mentoring plan should be formalized; liability insurance should be available; and governance, HR and operational policies and procedures should be clearly documented. Finally, once our volunteer workforce is established, the relationships need to be nurtured to ensure engagement. This can be done through rewards, incentives, awards, appreciation events and other performance management tools. Given the above, more and more organizations see the role of volunteer management as an HR function. To be prepared and ensure success, check out these not-for-profit and volunteer management resources: • Volunteer Durham: durham.cioc.ca/ volunteer • Charity Village: charityvillage.com • Volunteer Canada: volunteer.ca Continued on page 17...
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Ask a Legal Expert: Is a Workplace Romance Cause for Discipline? Question: One of our managers is dating a co-op student. Can we discipline him for this indiscretion? We don’t currently have a policy on dating in the office. If we decide to implement one, what are the ground rules? Answer: Can the manager be disciplined? The short answer is yes. The longer answer requires a discussion. A written policy dealing with workplace romance is not as common as one might think. The prevailing view is that an employer has no business in the bedrooms of its employees. That said, few would dispute an employer’s legitimate interest in preserving a safe, orderly and productive workplace, and in taking reasonable steps to protect itself from liability. In this scenario, the employer does not have a written policy and discovers that one of its managers is dating a co-op student. Assuming the relationship has not been condoned by the employer, the question is whether the employer has cause to discipline. The factors to consider include the following: • Has the student attained age of consent? In Canada, the age of consent is 16. If the student has not reached age of consent, not only is discipline justifiable, but so too is reporting to the authorities. • Is the relationship consensual? In a situation where there may be a significant disparity in the relative authority of the manager and student, the employer should take steps to determine whether the
student is being taken advantage of and/or harassed. That can be difficult to discern; however, questions should be asked to determine whether promises were made, or actions suggest the student was or would be “rewarded” for participation in the relationship. If there is evidence the relationship is not consensual, discipline is appropriate, up to and including dismissal. • Has the relationship placed the manager in a conflict of interest? If there is evidence the relationship has impacted the manager’s decision-making regarding job scheduling, performance reviews, etc., discipline is appropriate, up to and including dismissal. • Has sexual activity taken place in the workplace? If so, discipline is appropriate, up to and including dismissal. • Does this relationship violate any contractual terms between the employee and co-op program? If the manager’s conduct causes the employer to be in breach of any term of an agreement with the co-op program, this would support the need for discipline. For example, the actions of the manager might lead the sponsoring institution to question whether the employer has met its obligation to provide an appropriate working environment with adequate supervision. How to Implement a Workplace Romance Policy Workplace expectations can be created through a written policy, past practice or verbal communication. However, a
written policy is almost always best. It provides a clear indication to employees that certain conduct is prohibited. Dictating an outright prohibition on romantic relationships between employees is not likely to be successful. A relationship between consenting adults where there is no favouritism, no conflict of interest and no abuse of power or impact on workplace morale may not be a concern for the employer. As well, a strict prohibition is likely to drive office relationships underground or, worse, cause the departure of otherwise good employees. For those reasons, it is advisable a policy target the potential adverse results of the relationship as opposed to the relationship itself. In terms of best practices, a policy should address the following: • That any behaviour that could be considered to be sexual harassment or discrimination is strictly prohibited. This addresses the key objective of the policy, which is to preclude harassing or discriminatory behaviour. • That workplace romance does not vitiate an employee’s professional obligation to maintain confidentiality and avoid conflicts of interest.
Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Spring · 13
• That a relationship between employees in a reporting relationship is strictly prohibited. This seeks to eliminate the existence or appearance of favouritism, etc.
• That employees are expected and required to maintain a business-like approach to their work at all times and conduct themselves discretely and professionally.
• What may occur should two employees in a reporting relationship wish to commence a romantic relationship (e.g., reassignment of employee or removal of reporting relationship).
An important note about constructive dismissal: If there was a previously condoned existing, open relationship between employees, that would now violate a workplace romance policy, the employer should consider whether bringing the relationship into compliance with the policy could constitute a constructive dismissal. For example, if the employees are in a reporting relationship, consider whether reassigning one could give rise to an allegation of a constructive dismissal.
• That any intimate relationship between employees be disclosed to HR and/or management. This ensures management is informed and able to take appropriate steps, where necessary. • That the breakdown of a workplace romance be disclosed to HR and/or management, so management can prepare for any issue that may arise.
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To learn more and/or for assistance, contact Sherrard Kuzz LLP.
Ashley Mulrooney is a lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz LLP, one of C anada’s leading employment a n d l ab o u r l aw firms, representing employers. Ashley can be reached at 416-603-0700 (main) or 416-4200738 (24-hour), or by visiting www.sherrardkuzz.com. The information contained in this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice, nor does accessing this information create a lawyer-client relationship. This article is current as of March 2020 and applies only to Ontario, Canada, or such other laws of Canada as expressly indicated. Information about the law is checked for legal accuracy as at the date the article is prepared, but may become outdated as laws or policies change. For clarification or for legal or other professional assistance, please contact Sherrard Kuzz LLP.
14 Relationships at Work
News from the Board
HRPA Award Nominations Now Open for 2020
Recognizing Outstanding Achievements in the HR Profession to the Durham Region HRPA Durham Chapter is pleased to present three awards within the HR profession to celebrate and confer prestige on the recipients, recognize contributions to the profession and successful workplaces, and elevate the practice of HR management. The breadth and depth of the achievements are demonstrated through the unique eligibility criteria set out for the awards. 1. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD This award will be presented to a Durham Chapter member who is a CHRL in good standing with a minimum of 10 years’ membership with HRPA, and has: a. Advocated excellence in the leadership of HR. b. Provided opportunities for professional development and the advancement of others in the HR profession. c. Demonstrated significant contribution to the advancement of the Durham Chapter. d. Served as a committee and/or board member in good standing with a minimum of five years’ commitment to the HRPA Durham Chapter. e. Demonstrated influence or achievement in the workplace or private practice. f. Demonstrated a positive influence in the HRPA at the chapter or provincial level. g. Demonstrated a contribution to the community at large. h. Demonstrated personal integrity. 2. MEMBER OF EXCELLENCE AWARD This award will be presented to a Durham Chapter member in good standing who has: a. Received recognition and/or an award from their place of employment or private practice. b. Demonstrated an ongoing commitment to professional development. c. Actively demonstrated civic engagement through volunteering in their community. d. Demonstrated leadership and integrity. 3. OUTSTANDING CHRL AWARD This award will be presented to a Durham Chapter member who is a CHRL in good standing with a minimum of five years’ membership with HRPA, and has:
a. Received recognition and/or award from their place of employment or private practice (introduction of a new program in the workplace that promotes a healthy work environment, organizational initiative, employee engagement). b. Demonstrated an ongoing commitment and professional development (attended HR programs, events, workshops, teaching in related HR programs, active member of an HR board or a committee, mentoring initiative or program). c. Demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the HRPA Durham Chapter and the local HR industry by volunteering and/or making valuable contributions by way of teaching or leading HR programs, or as an active member of the chapter board or committee. Nominations for these awards are now open to HR professionals who exemplify such excellence in the field. We rely on you, our members, to nominate those worthy of recognition. The Awards and Recognition Subcommittee encourages nominations of others/peers and self-nominations. Completed forms can be submitted via email to mentorship@hrpadurham.ca at or before 11:59 pm on April 6, 2020. Winners will be presented with the award in front of their peers at the HRPA Durham Chapter’s Awards and Recognition Event as part of the Annual Business Member (ABM) on May 13, 2020, at the Oshawa Golf and Curling Club. This is a free event for HRPA Durham Members, with dinner included. Register on Durham Chapter’s website at www.hrpa.ca/HRPAChapters/durham, in the Chapter Events section. Recipients’ names will also be forwarded to the HRPA Awards Committee for consideration for an HRPA Award. Find more information and nominations forms on the Durham Chapter’s website at www.hrpa.ca/HRPAChapters/ durham/volunteering.
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By the Numbers Canadians are finding love at work—but many are hiding it from coworkers. According to Vault’s 2017 Office Romance Survey: • 57% of those surveyed have participated in some kind of office romance. • 10% found their spouse/partner at work. • 59% of men have had an office romance compared to 54% of women. • The most common way for an office romance to begin is by working in the same department (36%). • 34% think social media have made it easier to have an office romance. Sources: www.hrreporter.com/opinion/canadian-hr-law/dealing-withromance-in-the-workplace/297716 & www.vault.com/blogs/workplaceissues/work-is-for-lovers-vaults-2017-office-romance-survey-results According to ADP Canada’s Romance in the Workplace Survey: • One-third of working Canadians are or have previously been romantically involved with a co-worker. • 45% of those in a work relationship kept it a secret from someone and 27% kept it a secret from everyone at work. • Canadians are more likely to hide a relationship from HR (37%) or management (40%) than from colleagues. • 49% of those surveyed said their company does not have a formal policy that addresses workplace relationships, while 31% are aware of a policy or code of conduct outlining what is and not acceptable in terms of an office relationship. • 83% are open to relationships at work and think that these relationships should be allowed. • 19% of those who were in a relationship at work said they felt pressure to be part of a romantic relationship at work, whether it be to be considered for favourable projects, progress in their career, keep in good standing with the company or with a senior member of the organization, or keep their current role. Sources: www.hrreporter.com/employment-law/news/one-third-of-workersfinding-romance-at-work-survey/304607 & www.adp.ca/-/media/adpca/ redesign2019/pdf/klc_adp_q4_workplaceromance_infographic_en_final. ashx?la=en&hash=17EF6FB57DCC63E49E1FADF8DA0CEF0E76F6AF3B
Ronald (Ron) Alexandrowich, M.Ed: Distinguished Human Resources Professional Award Ron has over 25 years’ experience in the HR management field. He has held positions and worked with various private and public corporations and the non-profit sector in leadership and organization development, where the focus has been on cultural transformation and organizational effectiveness. For the past 17 years, Ron has been a Course Director and Professor at the School of Human Resource Management at York University, where he has taught more than 8,000 students. He also currently teaches at Durham College and Ontario Tech University. In 2014, he received a Teaching Excellence Award within York’s School of Administrative Studies. In 2015, he was selected as a finalist within York’s School of Human Resource Management. Both awards are determined by student selection. In addition, Ron is the Disaster Response Team Lead for Durham Region and a Certified Disaster Management Instructor for the Canadian Red Cross, through which he has been involved in multiple large-scale disaster responses across Canada. These include being responsible for the HR function in High River during the Calgary floods in 2013, and managing site operations for the 3,000 Haitian refugees who crossed the U.S.–Canada border in 2017 and the 500 Nigerian refugees who came to Canada in 2018. In 2019, he received the Canadian Red Cross Service Award. Finally, Ron developed and continues to facilitate the in-class and live webcast exam preparation sessions for the CHRP and CHRL designations for the HRPA.
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Congratulations, Ron, on being recognized for your great dedication and contributions to HR!
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The best way to address a conflict is by working it out with all parties. Allowing both parties to hear each other, and ensuring no breakdown of communication, will help when the relationship ends. Also, a good mediation session to assist the parties in resolving conflict is one of the best approaches. How can HR support employees who are going through separation and divorce? According to M.J. O’Nions Lawyers & Mediators, 38% of Canadian marriage end in divorce.1 Best scenario: the divorce or separation is amicable. However, that is not always the case.
imbalance that can have serious implications with the participants and other employees, such romances are still happening. I would recommend that employees in this type of relationship fully disclose their relationships to HR in order to maintain respect and dignity in the workplace. I would also recommend that the reporting lines be changed immediately to be proactive in resolving potential issues, such perceived favouritism, cronyism and, in a case of a break-up down the road, claims of retaliation or bullying. It is important that the relationship does not have a negative impact on productivity. Do you think that the #MeToo movement has caused organizations to make changes in their policies regarding romance? The #MeToo movement is new and evolving in workplaces, and it is still in the early infancy stages. Organizations are talking about the whole concept; however, it seems that it needs to be championed for this movement to be at the forefront of all discussions. Policies on romance at work need to align with the #MeToo movement and protect employees.
Although the laws on sexual harassment are very clear, the organization’s culture needs re-adjusting so that no sexual misbehaviour is accepted or ignored. Organizations are focusing their efforts on providing training to managers so they have a better understanding of how the power dynamics between manager and subordinate affect the organizational culture. If a romantic relationship fails and there is conflict, like a complaint made to HR about sexual harassment or retaliation, how can HR support both employees while investigating the complaint? Going through a break-up is very difficult, more so if both parties see each other frequently every day, creating a rollercoaster of emotions. Co-workers are also impacted by a romance breakdown, as the dynamics of the team are changed. It can become divisive. If possible, you should enable the employees to have some distance from each other. Remind them about the culture and standards of behaviours expected from them inside and outside the workplace.
Employees may approach HR, as they may need assistance or information on health benefit coverage, retirement, pension, and life and disability insurance. Going through divorce may also have a negative impact on employee performance, their mood and concentration, and their general wellbeing. Having an employee assistance program is a benefit that can help employees going through divorce. Most programs offer tailored relationship services that are geared towards providing legal advice and assistance dealing with their well-being. It may also be a good idea for those employees to take time to be away from work to deal with their emotions, whether it be a vacation or an extended leave of absence. These situations are difficult for employees to deal with, and employers need to be fully equipped with resources to help them get through this difficult time.
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1 O’Nions, M. J. (2018). “What percentages of marriage end in divorce in Canada? www.mjonions.com/divorce-ratesin-canada/
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• DRAVA: www.drava.org • Honours and Awards: www.ontario. ca/page/honours-and-awardsvolunteering HR’s Complicated Relationships at Work By Ernest Kevin Mistica, MIR, CHRL, B.Comm Business partner. Employee champion. Trusted advisor. Investigator. Enforcer. As HR professionals, we play many roles for our organizations to provide operational and strategic value for different stakeholders. It is well researched and documented that HR as a function has evolved from its early days of scientific management to the evolved models of human capital that exist today in organizations. As a result, the relationships that we have with employees, managers, the senior management team, executives and the public have also changed. Which relationships should we prioritize? Every day, we face diverse business and people challenges, which can require several skills and perspectives to effectively problem solve while
maintaining positive relationships. In the HRPA’s Professional Competency Framework, several functional areas are outlined that require a broad range of competencies. Within the organizational skills that we must have, relationship management is specifically outlined. Relationship management is defined as “building networks, establishing effective working relationships, and working productively with others.”3 Challenges can involve a wide variety of stakeholders and face junior and senior HR professionals, with increasing complexity to manage trade-offs. For those of us who are junior HR professionals, how we interpret and apply policies or answer employee questions may not always be positively received. For those of us who are senior HR professionals, our changes to a policy due to market changes or competitor pressure may bring substantial costs to the organization and employees, and HR may be the face of such unpopular decisions to many. You can see how managing 3 Human Resources Professionals Association. (2014). Human Resources Professional Competency Framework. www.hrpa.ca/Documents/Designations/ Professional-Competency-Framework.pdf
relationships can be straining given the daily challenges we have to face. So how do we continue to build our networks and establish productive working relationships while still pushing our organization, workforce and stakeholders forward? The HRPA has published some guiding principles to help. Claude Balthazard, Registrar and VP Regulation at the HRPA, suggests that HR professionals should consider the impact of their decisions to “society as a whole” in his article, “Who are we protecting anyway?”4 We are in the unique position to analyze, communicate and consider the broader impact of decisions on our employees, managers, executives and, ultimately, society. When viewing the societal impact and opportunity, the answer of prioritizing the public and society is simple. However, like many relationships at work and life, the execution is always complicated.
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4 Claude Balthazard, PhD., C.Psych., CHRL. (2017). “Who are we protecting anyway?” www.hrpa.ca/Documents/ Regulation/LinkedIn-Articles/26-Who-arewe-protecting-anyway.pdf
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e strive to provide informative, interesting and useful information in Resource Magazine. Please take a moment to let us know your comments, suggestions and ideas for our next release. We value your opinion and would like to hear from you! Contact us at: communications@hrpadurham.ca. We look forward to continuing to be an excellent resource for our Durham Chapter members. Thank you for your help!
18 Relationships at Work
PHOTO GALLERY December 2019 Social
Career Transition Network Group: February 2020 Event
Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Spring · 19
Artificial Intelligence & the HR Profession: January 2020 Breakfast Session
AI and HR: February 2020 Breakfast Session
20 Relationships at Work
Upcoming Events The COVID-19 situation in Canada is continuously evolving. In light of federal and provincial government recommendations regarding large events and public gatherings, many events are being postponed or cancelled. Below are some of the upcoming events that are scheduled over the coming months. However, for the most up-to-date information about postponements and cancellations as we continue to reassess the situation, please check our website: www.hrpa.ca/HRPAChapters/durham/programs
April 15
Containing the Impact of Conduct that Derails EDI in the Workplace • Dinner Meeting • Bella Note Ristorante, 3570 Brock Street
April 22
Volunteer Appreciation • Evening Event • Complimentary for Chapter Volunteers
April 29
Career Transition Network Group: Interviewing with Technology • Evening Event • 105 Consumers Drive, Whitby
May 13
Annual Business Meeting (ABM) • Dinner Meeting • Oshawa Golf and Curling Club
June 5
Employment Law Conference • Full Day Event • Ajax Convention Centre
June 18
Career Transition Network Group: Career and Industry Symposium • Evening Event • Location TBD
Check the website regularly for the most up-to-date information!
