CHangE - tap Strategy & HR Consulting...Marketing Liz Woods Tradeshows & Volunteers Karen Dumulong, CHRP Publications Robin Fraser, CHRP ... need to consider, and above all, to remember

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2

January 2010$5.50

What’s Inside:

• LeadingChange

• EasternOntarioHRConference&Tradeshow

• FutureHRleaders

JOinTHEHumanREsOuRCEsPROFEssiOnaLassOCiaTiOnOttawa Chapter magazinE

CHangE

2H R PA O T TAWA C H A P T E R

CALENDAR

2009-2010 Board of Directors

President Donna Hansen, CHRP

President-Elect Kathy Bedard, CHRP

Past-President & Brenda Clark, CHRPProfessional Development

Treasurer Claude Brunette, CGA, CHRP

Membership James Reid, CHRP

Student Liaison Kate Underhill, CHRP

Community Relations & Marketing Liz Woods

Tradeshows & Volunteers Karen Dumulong, CHRP

Publications Robin Fraser, CHRP

Government Affairs Liaison Steven Williams

Contact Us

Ottawa Chapter General Inquires & AccountingHRPA Ottawa Administrator – Annie PizzoPhone: 613-224-6477E-mail: [email protected]: www.hrpaottawa.ca

Membership ChangesHRPA 1902-2 Bloor Street, Toronto ON M4W 3E2Phone: 1 (800) 387-1311Fax: (416) 923-2324On-line: www.hrpa.ca

Publishing Submissions - articles, advertising, announcementsWebsite & Mailing Submissions – inserts, announcementsE-mail: [email protected]

Subscription to Up-Date MagazineContact: [email protected]

Layout & Design More In Typo Ltd & DesignPrinting & Distribution Performance Printing Up-Date magazine is a publication of the Human Resources Professionals Association Ottawa Chapter distributed to its members four times a year – September, January, March, and May. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of HRPA Ottawa Chapter.

Canada Post Publications Agreement No. 4718674

January 12, 2010

Personality Insights© SeminarSpeaker: Maria Sowden

January 14, 2010

Vision Awards Speaker SeriesPlease visit our website for more details.

January 20, 2010

Dinner MeetingSpeaker: Daphne Meredith, Chief HR Officer, Federal Public Service

January 27, 2010

Networking at the Toronto ConferenceLocation: Jump Café & Bar

January 27 – 29, 2010

HRPA’s Annual Conference & Trade show

March 4, 2010

Dealing with Difficult People and Situations SeminarSpeaker: Paula Connolly

March 11, 2010

Vision Award Speaker SeriesSpeaker: Ginette Champagne

March 24, 2010

Dinner MeetingSpeaker: Suzanne Schell, Business Excellence

April 28, 2010

The 9th Vision Awards Gala EveningHilton Lac LeamyVisit www.thevisionawards.org for more information

May 4, 2010

2009 Year In Review: What’s Hot, What’s New, in Labour and Employment Law

May 2010

PD in a BoxTopic: Employee EngagementPlease visit our website for more details.

May 26, 2010

HRPA Ottawa Chapter’s Annual General Meeting & DinnerSpeaker: Marion Grobb Finkelstein

Thursday June 10, 2010

HRPA Ottawa Chapter and L'Ordre des CRHA - Comité régional de l'OutaouaisNetworking Golf Day Pineview Golf Club

In the September 2009 issue of Up-Date, we failed to identify the author of the feature article about Canada Post’s Diversity program. Our sincere apologies for this oversight.

The bio should have read: Mélissa Léveillé works in Corporate Recruitment Strategy at Canada Post. She can be reached at (613) 734-3106 or [email protected]

*unless otherwise noted, register for these events at www.hrpaottawa.com

If you have a FREE training event you’d like to promote to HRPA Ottawa members, please send an email with details and contact

information to [email protected]

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2January 2010

Continued on page 6

Making Connections

20

Leading Change

As the popular saying goes, “Today, the only certainty is continuing uncertainty.” Virtually all organizations will at some point face a need to change, regardless of its nature, size or purpose. Regardless of why there is need for change, or who is driving

it, change will undoubtedly have an effect on one or more employees in your organization, and therefore HR needs to be actively engaged.

It is a credit to our profession that senior leaders look to HR for guidance through change initiatives. If HR is to play a key role as a change agent, the steps and fundamentals that will ensure organizational success need to be understood.

The Role HR Plays in Change

Our role as a change agent is multi-dimensional and should include being a trusted advisor on how the outcome of change could impact the human element of our organizations. We need to ensure we ask some of the critical questions that will encourage discussion on issues leaders need to consider, and above all, to remember that change is not managed from behind a desk, ensuring that we and other leaders are visible and vocal.

From the President 4 Life’s Next Steps 5 Succession Planning Seminar 7 Workforce Analytics: 9 Enabling HR Transformation Eastern Ontario HR Conference 10 and Trade Show Focus on Workplace Safety 11 and Insurance HR responding to the Needs of 12 Ottawa Area Employees Your Workplace Conference 2009 15 ADKAR© - A Model for Change 16 Meet Jeff Lucier, CHRP 16 A Short Review of a Very Short Book… 17 Change, Supply and Demand, 17 and Your Brain: Legislative Update 19 Our Future HR Leaders! 20 Bookmarks 22 Breaking the barriers between 23 HR and Finance Part 2 of 4 After the Dust Settles! 24 The Lighter Side of HR No Such Thing as a 25 Fair Weather Manager Changing Accommodation Standards 25 Fear of Change: Instinctive to human 27 nature or a result of human intervention? SPOTLIGHT ON… 28 Leeanne Pacquette Understanding and Managing Change: 29 The Human Factor

Update From the President

H R PA O T TAWA C H A P T E R

4

PRESIDENT

Donna Hansen, CHRP, President HRPA Ottawa Chapter

“Things do not change, we do.” Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau would have made a good Human Resources professional. He understood

that true change comes from within – and that externally imposed change cannot be effective unless the drive for change is internalized by the people who are expected to implement it.

Except for the small subset of folks who seem to thrive on constant change, change is scary and painful for most of us, even if we can intellectually understand why it is necessary. Not surprisingly, the transformational leaders who step up to the plate during difficult times tend to be change junkies. The challenge for HR leaders, then, is often to convince our results-driven CEOs and Board Chairs that change needs to be managed from an employee perspective, and that HR has a lead role to play in any change initiative.

But what about our own profession? How is it changing and how is HRPA both driving and responding to those changes? Perhaps the highest profile change initiative championed by HRPA is the professionalization of Human Resources though regulation and standardization. The evolution of certification standards for the CHRP and the introduction of the Senior designation (the SHRP) are critical elements of this initiative, and it is gratifying to see more and more employers support HRPA membership for their HR teams and value our professional certification.

From a personal perspective, we HR professionals have an obligation to push ourselves to learn and grow. We operate in a world governed by regulations and evolving social mores, which is further complicated by the complexity of human behaviour and motivation. If we stagnate, we quickly become ineffective as leaders and innovators.

Fortunately, the HRPA Ottawa Chapter and the Ontario HRPA are committed to offering a large range of professional development opportunities to our members. We offer trade shows and conferences, half day seminars and workshops, engaging guest speakers at dinner meetings and the Vision Award Speaker series, webinars, and networking opportunities.

And, of course, reading Update will help keep you current on fresh ideas and proven strategies developed by leading HR thought leaders. In this edition, you will find some very useful guidance from your colleagues who are experts on the art and science of change management:

• LearnfromSeniorHRConsultantBruceWeippert’s article “Leading Change” , on how HR can effectively lead large scale change management initiatives;

• Read a case study on how a LeeannePacquette stepped in as the first HR Manager at the Medical Council of Canada and made changes to pump up staff motivation and morale;

• Follow Jeffrey M. Hiatt’s ADKAR © Model for Change as he applies it to a local initiative – the controversial “green bin” programme;

• LetDarrenFleming’sexperienceguideyou on how to manage those powerful human territorial instincts when implementing office layout changes;

• Keep current on our ever changinglegislative environment, as Steve Williams of Emond Harnden, LLB, analyzes two developing pieces of legislation, Bill 168 governing violence and harassment and Bill 183 Ontario College of Trades, and discusses how the new “Distracted Driving” law may apply to your workplace;

• And finally, learn how to prepare forone of life’s biggest personal changes – retirement - in an article on Suzanne Armstrong’s well received popular dinner meeting presentation on “Life’s Next Steps”.

Watch for our next Update edition, coming in March, which will feature articles on “Recognition”. We will be highlighting local Awards programmes which recognize corporate and individual achievement, and exploring how organizations recognize superior performance and effort among their employees. Sounds like a great “feel good” topic to cheer up a blustery month! ■

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 / A N H R PA O T TAWA M A G A Z I N E

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Suzanne Armstrong, President of Life’s Next Steps, the speaker at our Chapter’s September dinner meeting, is an

organizational consultant with over 30 years’ experience working with corporations to enhance their productivity and effectiveness. Her keen understanding of corporate life and how to manage change successfully is the foundation of Life’s Next Steps.

Ms. Armstrong spoke primarily of the impending mass retirement of the Baby Boomers. The Boomers, as the largest cohort in history, will continue to make their mark on the workplace long after they have left it. They will redefine what it means to retire.

As the Boomers plan to retire, two major issues show up. The first is the potential “brain drain” as employers see the bulk of their talent walk out the door. Companies will want to focus on the transfer of knowledge, culture and history to the younger workers. Employers will need to have conversations with their employees to see who wants to stay and who wants to go.

The next issue is that the Boomers want a different sort of retirement than previous generations. Boomers are used to being successful but they are anxious about their future. They want the next stage in their lives to have the same relevance as the current stage. Many will continue to work well past traditional retirement age, some may never

retire, opting to either work part-time with their current employer, move to another company or do volunteer work.

Ms. Armstrong spoke about the ten reasons why Boomers “flunk” their retirement:

1. They retire for the wrong reasons2. They didn’t understand the emotional

side of retirement3. They didn’t know themselves well

enough4. They expected their retirement to

evolve “organically”5. They thought that golf/travel/

grandchildren would be enough6. They suffer from the loss of their social

network7. They expect that their partner will be

their total social life8. They are overcome by boredom9. Their financial resources don’t match

their aspirations10. They didn’t have a plan

There are also gender differences on three major issues: time, attitude and money.

Time: Men expect to spend their retirement primarily at home with their existing friends while women want to seek out new experiences and expand their circle of friends.

Attitude: Men suffer more from their loss of status while women look forward to creating a new life.

Money: Men are more confident managing financial decisions but their results are not always superior. Women lack confidence so tend to research their decisions more carefully, listen to advice and have better results.

The overriding message we heard was that Boomers want their employers to assist with planning for their retirement. And while many employers provide financial planning seminars for retirement, that’s not enough. Boomers want lifestyle planning coaching as well. As Life’s Next brochure states, “instead of just retiring from something, you’ll be retiring to something.”

At the end of the evening there was a draw to win free attendance at a Life’s Next Steps seminar. The winner was Gord Randall from Park Randall Management Consultants. ■

Submitted by: Barbara Blevis, CHRP

Life’s Next Steps

6H R PA O T TAWA C H A P T E R

Familiarize Ourselves

Change isn’t new; it happens every day in organizations around the world, so there really isn’t a need to re-invent the wheel. We need to do our homework beforehand, ask the advice of others in our organizations, and ask if change like this has been implemented or attempted before and what happened. Talking to fellow HR practitioners outside of our individual organizations and learn from their experiences, best practices, and road blocks. As well, there are many consultants who specialize in Change Management and can offer expert advice.

We need to familiarize ourselves with some of the basics of Change Theory, and the phases organizations typically experience as employees adapt. Concepts such as ‘ADKAR’, the ‘Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing Principle’, and Lewin’s Freeze Phases are all staples of Change Management. These models, and many others like them, can aid our understanding of group dynamics and behaviours when faced with change, thus helping to plan our strategy.

Develop a Strategy

Winging it is not an option; we must have a well thought-out strategy on how to get from here to there. Our strategy needs to be methodical, clear and committed to, in writing. Major stakeholders should agree on all plans, with objectives, resources, roles and risks clearly defined.

For larger scale change, many professionals use basic Project Management techniques and tools to help manage the many complexities involved.

Often, a phased approach is recommended so employees can experience change at a controlled rate, particularly if the changes are many and significant. This approach will also give an early insight into how the organization adapts to change. Conversely, if small but contentious change is being faced, it may be best to make the change in one stage and move on. Regardless of the overall timetable, importance is placed on ensuring employees know when different aspects of

the change are to be expected, and how it will affect them, good or bad.

Planning short-term wins in the strategy, introducing some early low impact, high gain changes will not only encourage employees to be more open to change, it will build trust and show them that they can benefit from change.

Give Support and Communicate Openly

We should communicate early and often, be honest, open, up front, and transparent. We should share both positives and negatives, keep nothing hidden, and involve employees in decision making when we can, giving them the sense that they own this too.

Managers facilitate and enable change; therefore they must understand the reasons behind it. They may not all agree on all aspects of the change, but at minimum, managers need to understand how to communicate change in a positive and consistent manner. Managers should never be expressing that ownership belongs to someone else; they are there to help employees understand and accept change.

Every circumstance is different. Celebrating successes and openly sharing outcomes will keep momentum high, particularly with a long term project.

Involve Employees

Stakeholders need to be engaged in genuine two-way dialogue in an atmosphere of openness, mutual respect and trust. What may seem like simple, clear and logical change can elicit strong reaction; but there are many differing points of view and personal styles that need to be respected. The more employees know, understand, and are consulted on, the greater the chance of them adapting. Be sure to address and realistically manage expectations, and deal with the fear that accompanies change head-on.

Hold workshops, town halls, and brown bag sessions to visibly share information and openly answer questions. Look for ways to engage informal leaders of the general employee population early on so that they become positive advocates of change.

What Can Possibly Go Wrong?

Change can bring out the best, and the worst in people. Be certain your strategy has an action plan to deal with resisters, potential work stoppages, slow downs, or otherwise poor performance.

At all times, we must remain mindful of legislation that governs employee rights, and look out for changes that could be deemed constructive dismissal.

The best way to avoid failure is to plan for it. Some of the most common reasons for change failure:• Poorlydefinedobjectivesandmeasures• Not having the right change champion or

one who is too junior in the organization• Nothavingsufficientorvocalexecutive

sponsorship• Onlyhavingone-dimensionalsolutions• Nothavingtrainingavailabletohelp

employees adapt• Program implementers and change

recipients are not given the resources and support systems they require before, during and after change implementation.

Measuring Success

How are we measuring success of our change initiative? Simply because we’ve reached the end point does not mean it was successful. If employees are not content, are angry, disengaged, or not understanding why the change was made, the organization is not going to truly benefit from the change initiative.

A well defined qualitative or quantitative measure against each change objective from the start is essential.

In closing, as an HR practitioner, we need to truly understand the impact change has on employees throughout the organization, not just on the bottom line. There is, unfortunately, no magic formula to see us through; but what will get us there is a solid recipe of sound HR practices, good common sense, an open door, and lots of patience. ■

Bruce Weippert, Managing Consultant at Weippert HR Solutions, he can be reached at (613) 620-2499 or by email at [email protected]

Leading ChangeContinued from page 3


7

Succession Planning SeminarSuccession Planning a “PD in a

Box” seminar was delivered by Tim McConnell on November 3rd. Tim

is a Senior HR Strategist with McConnell HR Consulting Inc. He has over 25 years experience in Human Resources management, both as a Director of HR and as a senior HR consultant. Tim provides strategic HR and OD guidance to senior executives and clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

Tim quickly brought home the realities of the need for succession planning by asking the group: what do the following people have in common?

• Donald Terner, President - BridgeHousing Corp.

• Claudio Elia, Chairman and ChiefExecutive Officer - Air & Water Technologies Corp

• Stuart Tholan, President - Bechtel-Europe/Africa/Middle East/Southwest Asia

• PaulCushmanIII,ChairmanandChiefExecutive Officer - Riggs International Banking Corp.

• WalterMurphy,SeniorVicePresident-AT&T Submarine Systems Inc.

• Robert A. Whittaker, Chairmanand Chief Executive Officer - Foster Wheeler Energy International

These and 6 other executives were killed in a plane crash while on an economic development mission to Bosnia and Croatia April 1996.

Succession planning is an actively managed process that identifies current and potential organizational needs and identifies and develops individuals with potential to fill mission critical positions –the organization would suffer if the function did not happen.

Hiring external candidates for key positions is expensive, has a low success rate and can shift a smaller organization’s culture in unpredictable ways.

PLAN TODAY TO GROW TOMORROW

The right people, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time

Getting Started

Project and anticipate future needs (think outside the organizational chart).

Prioritize roles: Which roles will become vacant due to predictable reasons (e.g., retirement)? Which roles need to be filled sooner than others based on organizational needs? Which roles are more difficult to fill based on specialization?

Determine required Competencies: Build a comprehensive Competencies Profile; include hard and soft skills, abilities, knowledge, attitudes needed now and in the future.

Identify High Potential Employees: Get line managers involved; avoid biases

and favoritism through objective analysis/measures; Measure potential leaders against potential future levels of responsibility

Manage your talent: Retain your top performers – take steps to accelerate their Development; Identify High Potentials – encourage them to accelerate their Development

Develop / Move High Potentials: Identify and act on developing individuals’ weak areas; Development plans must be clearly linked to organizational needs.

Communicate to all involved, but don’t make promises (implicit or explicit).

It’s about the current and future needs of the organization, not the individuals’ needs.

The program provided a pragmatic framework to assist HR professionals in designing a model for succession planning for most business models. Small and family run businesses will face unique challenges.

The group was fortunate to have the benefit of Tim’s experience in Organizational Design, presenting succession planning as a natural integration of Strategic HR Planning. ■

Submitted by: J Robertson, CHRP

TRANSITION RESOURCES GROUP INC.

We help individuals, teams and organizations purposefully transition into the future by designing and facilitating processes that enable them to pursue their personal and organizational goals. We achieve this in the following practice areas:

Leadership assessment, development and coaching Strategic alignment and change management Career planning and t Career planning and transition support

www.transitionresourcesgroup.com

9J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 / A N H R PA O T TAWA M A G A Z I N E

Beyond providing reliable data for current decision-making, Workforce Analytics (WFA) can also supply

crucial data for medium and long-term human resource planning. By imposing standard definitions for key metrics such as headcount, FTE, termination and retirement as well as providing a ready source of data, WFA supports downstream analysis of employment dynamics and productivity trends to facilitate broader workforce management, planning and optimization efforts.

WFA enables management to become more effective and efficient by making metrics visible and actionable for a broad set of people managers, expanding the return on a company’s total human capital investment rather than just HR administrative costs. These returns on investment require not only adoption of WFA technologies, but also significant enhancement of analytical skills and change management capabilities to ensure appropriate accountabilities and responsibilities are supported and accepted.

What is WFA?

Imagine driving a car with no dashboard. No gas gauge. No engine temperature indicators. This car could still get some places, but there would be great risk of running out of gas, overheating the engine, and getting lost. You could use a dipstick to test the oil level – hoping that the stick shows the ‘benchmark’ lines indicating when you are overfull or a quart low. Steam escaping from the radiator is your first indication of a crisis.

This car is a metaphor for the state of ‘instrumentation’ in many HR departments today. Crises can appear without warning. Hundreds of ‘dipstick solutions’ – spreadsheets, personal data bases, and other ad hoc tools proliferate throughout organizations to keep track of basic employee headcount, performance and compensation information but lack basic data and metric standards. People power continues to drive most organizations, but few have the

monitoring capacity to effectively manage the human element.

Workforce analytics comprises several key characteristics:

• Enterprise-wide(ideallyindustry-wide)accepted metrics definitions

• Integration of information from avariety of source systems in a single reporting engine

• Desktopdataaccessforawiderangeofline managers as well as HR specialists

• Standard reporting formats to allowfaster and easier interpretation of data

• Support tools to allow furtherinvestigation and analysis of critical issues

Where Do You Start?

An initial WFA solution supports the most basic information needs such as the following four key metrics types:

Headcount Terminations

Hires Base compensation

These may sound simple, but many of the largest organizations are challenged to provide a credible report on an apparently simple metric like headcount.

These metric types can be analyzed by combinations of five fundamental dimensions or analysis categories:

Time period Employee characteristics

Work location Job

Organization

With this base of information, managers can answer such questions as:

How has my employee population changed over the past year?

Are terminations in key areas increasing or decreasing?

What’s the net impact of terminations and hires on our total base compensation?Are we more likely to lose our highest performers than our underachievers?

“The database became one source of truth…they (the HR Business Partners) could be confident in the data…that had been an issue between HR and Finance.”

– Airline HR Executive

Without these basics, HR can spend considerable time, effort, and money gathering basic data. Because the answers to these basic questions come from a common, centralized repository, there is no more arguing about whose numbers are right, and the organization begins to trust the HR function to provide reliable data for key decisions. A more robust WFA solution provides more information, metrics, and analytic capabilities to a broader segment of the entire client workforce. Data is sourced from HRMS and Payroll systems to support measures, reporting and analysis of workforce deployment, characteristics, transitions, performance management and labor hours and actual compensation by many dimensions.

The key take away is that WFA is an inextricable part of a larger HR transformation program. WFA can only reach its full potential when driven by HR leadership that shares a strategic vision of the business and a commitment to providing the clearest information and insight possible. It’s a daunting challenge, but one that HR executives must take up if they want to deliver full value to their organizations. ■

Bruce T. Johnson and Bert Pereboom. Bert Pereboom is a senior managing consultant in the Human Capital Management practice of IBM Global Business Services.

Workforce Analytics: Enabling HR Transformation


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This year’s conference opened with the 2009-10 Employees’ Choice Awards. This year’s recipients, all

employers with highly engaged workforces, included: BitHeads, Brookstreet Hotel, Chipworks Inc., Classic Care Pharmacy, Collins Barrow LLP (Ottawa), Ernst & Young, Holiday Inn Select Hotel & Suites – Kanata, the Medical Council of Canada, McMillan & Associates Inc. and Protus.

The HR Law Update Panel Discussion chaired by Dan Palayew (Heenan Blaikie) kicked off the conference sessions with a jam-packed discussion addressing today’s many legal matters that affect HR. The Panelists were Caroline Richard (Bird and Richard), Melanie Polowin (Gowling Lafleur Henderson) and Steve Williams (Emond Harnden).

Ms. Richard addressed Violence in the workplace, warning that simply having a policy to address violence in the workplace (Bill 168) in place is not enough. It needs to posted, reviewed annually and must provide a mechanism for employees to summon help and report incidents of workplace violence; set up a system for dispute resolution; and making it clear to all employees that all incidents of workplace violence will be reported to the local police authority.

Ms. Polowin provided an informative discussion on Social Diseases of the Modern Workplace: Tips for dealing with Face-bookers, Tweeters, Porn-Surfers, Crackberries and Distracted Drivers. Melanie highlighted the importance of disclosing company policies regarding internet and email usage / monitoring to employees up front. She encouraged employers to have control mechanisms in place, and a policy with some flexibility allowing for reasonable use of social networking at work and fair enforcement for abusers. She also addressed Ontario’s Distracted Driving law by encouraging all work places without a formal policy to communicate the new law and its implications to employees and to create and

implement policies and procedures in order to mitigate liability.

Mr. Williams rounded out the session with pertinent information concerning attendance management. Steve warned against the pitfall of policies that are disciplinary as opposed to administrative, stressing the importance of having a plan that focuses on non-culpable absenteeism.

Chris Skerret and Neil Mikulsak of CareerBuilder Canada led the 2nd Session of the day: Leveraging Internet Trends and Social Media for Corporate Advantage. Canada is the biggest internet and social media user worldwide. This provides employers with an opportunity to capitalize on the internet and social media to achieve organizational objectives. The Broadcast Technique uses information, data and statements to transmit messages and the Engagement Technique provides questions to stimulate discussion.

Next, Evelyne Reid of Service Canada introduced delegates to the Service Canada programs designed to help to employers during an economic downturn. Evelyn provided a detailed benefit analysis of the agency’s Record of Employment (ROE) Web program. She also provided information on Service Canada’s Joint Action Response Action Plan ( JRRAP), designed to provide a coordinated response to mass lay-offs and the agency’s Work-Sharing Program which is designed to help employers and workers avert temporary lay-off situation.

Finally, Bert Pereboom of IBM Global Business Services, spoke about Workforce Analytics (WFA). To learn more, please refer to Bert’s article.

During “Free Traits, What are the differences between extroverts and introverts and how do they affect HR?”, Dr. Brian Little posited that our personalities are not always what they appear. His often humourous keynote look at the differences between extroverts & introverts. Dr. Little proposes that people

may be introverts, but because of social expectations and/or training, may act extroverted. That is to say, that we act out of character to achieve a common goal. What does this have to do with HR? We need to recognize the personality differences in ourselves and in others. If people are required to regularly act out of type, they may be more susceptible to stress. People learn, retain information, and make decisions differently. We need to recognize what these differences are and how we can use this information to channel it in a constructive and productive way within our organizations. ■

Submitted by: Bruce Hauser, CHRP; Joslyn Brodeur, CHRP; Maria Kioulos Hatzopoulos, CHRP; Karen Dumulong, CHRP.

Eastern Ontario HR Conference and Trade Show


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B.C. Court of Appeal Finds Restriction on Workers’ Compensation for Mental Stress Violates Charter

Section 5.1(1)(a) of British Columbia’s Workers Compensation Act, read in conjunction with WorkSafeBC Policy

13.30, required that, in order to receive workers’ compensation benefits for a purely mental, work-related injury, claimants must have proof that the injury arose from an acute and traumatic employment-related event. In Plesner v. British Columbia (Hydro and Power Authority), the British Columbia Court of Appeal found that this requirement contravened section 15 of the Charter, and severed the offending requirement from the policy.

Plesner began to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after a natural gas pipeline ruptured at the thermal generating station where he worked. He applied for workers’ compensation benefits, but WorkSafeBC refused his claim. Applying Policy 13.30, the Board found that a mental stress injury is not compensable unless it is an “acute reaction to a sudden and unexpected traumatic event”. The Workers’ Compensation

Focus on Workplace Safety and Insurance

Appeal Tribunal (WCAT) upheld the Board’s decision, and Plesner applied for judicial review. The employer declined to participate in the judicial review and the subsequent appeal.

On judicial review, the court found that WCAT’s reasons were internally inconsistent, and referred the matter for further clarification. Plesner appealed the court’s decision, arguing that section 5.1(1)(a) and the related board policy contravened the equality provisions of the Charter, and that the judge had failed to determine this issue.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal allowed Plesner’s appeal. In a two to one decision, the majority of the Court found that the restrictive approach to workers’ compensation claims arising from mental distress, contained in the legislation and WorkSafeBC policy, was unconstitutional. The Court found that section 5.1(1)(a) and Policy 13.30, when read together, discriminated against individuals who suffer from purely mental work-related injuries on the basis of mental disability by forcing

them to meet a significantly higher causation threshold than those individuals suffering from physical injuries (or from mental injuries that arise from physical injuries).

Having concluded that section 15 of the Charter had been contravened and that the breach was not justified under section 1, the Court severed the unconstitutional sections from the policy and declared them to be of no force or effect. The Court of Appeal left it to WorkSafeBC and the B.C. legislature to work together to consider an amendment of section 5.1(1)(a). The issue of Plesner’s compensation was remitted to WCAT.

The government of British Columbia has not as of yet appealed the Plesner decision to the Supreme Court of Canada. As a result, Plesner represents the current state of the law in British Columbia. While this decision is not binding in Ontario, it will likely be persuasive when courts and tribunals are asked to evaluate mental stress claims and interpret and apply the Ontario Workers’ Safety and Insurance Act. Employers should be prepared for a potential increase in the number of successful mental distress claims and, in turn, an increase in their premiums. ■

Caroline Richard is a partner at Bird Richard, a management-side labour and employment law firm. She can be reached at 613-238-3772 or by e-mail at [email protected].

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Layoffs in the National Capital Region have affected a large number of individuals and families. During the

economic downturn you may have had to lay off employees. Or perhaps you’ve been asked to offer creative solutions or guidance to individuals who may be friends, neighbors and even co-workers, who have been affected by a layoff.

I have met and been able to help many of the displaced make the transition from one sector to another or from one type of job to another. Their new employment provides me with my job satisfaction. It is very rewarding when something I’ve said or a direction I have pointed out to an individual has made a difference or has impacted a job

seeker in a positive way; even if all I can do is provide a bit of motivation…. It all adds up to someone starting anew!

The Ottawa region is very fortunate to have so many highly skilled individuals for the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector employers and we want to keep them here. What are the solutions? What are good suggestions? How do you motivate a person who has recently lost their livelihood? Let’s consider the following:

1) We need to offer these candidates realistic and solid “evidence based” information to provide a shift in the way they view and conduct their job search;

2) We need to provide “industry recognized” certification preparation to enhance knowledge and value. We need to offer assistance and guidance through the curriculum, including sample exams to help them succeed in writing their certifications. This is a way to validate their existing knowledge and increase their market value.

3) We need to provide ongoing events and venues for Employers to connect

HR responding to the Needs of Ottawa Area Employees


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with these skilled workers. We also need to assist to dissolve the disconnect between Employers and candidates.

When job seekers learn how to keep up with changing hiring practices and access the hidden job market, we, the HR professionals, can connect with the right individuals quicker, providing a “win – win” scenario.

It is necessary to provide laid off tech-workers with the skills to conduct a thorough, yet targeted job search. They need to understand current technology, business trends and employer expectations.

In my role, I have been able to provide assistance in creating a focused technology resume of varying lengths, depending on the requirements of the targeted employer. This helps any HR Professional easily understand the resumes that are relevant to their organization’s needs. Knowing that “business = money = time”, HR professionals are often recruiting under tough time constraints and are reviewing many resumes for one position. This can prove to be frustrating and time consuming. It is imperative that resumes showcase how the person meets the specific job requirements, deliverables and cultural fit into the business.

As HR professionals, most of us would agree that a “one size fits all” resume is not effective; we want to receive information that is relevant to the position and shows directly the relationship between the candidate’s experience and / or knowledge to the business and skills requirements of the vacant position. I have also been able to show candidates how to highlight their skills to reveal very clearly and concisely how they can bring value to the new employer (meet the R.O.I.).

It is important for candidates to be able to read an organization and to identify the company’s culture to assure a good fit. Who are their customers; what technologies are being used; and what the challenges to that sector are helps candidates present themselves on their resumes to assure that the hiring decision maker sees that they may be able to offer a workable solution to a current business need.

I feel that it is also important for candidates to know who their audience is. For example, will the resume be seen by the President/CEO directly, or will it first be scrutinized by an HR professional. Knowing who will be reviewing the resume will assist the job seeker in deciding how to format his/her resume, whether to use a shorter, more general resume format or a longer, more “projects based” resume that outlines diversity or any subject matter expertise.

In the ICT sector on-going learning is important for an individual to increase their skills and remain competitive in this ever-changing environment. To identify the right training it is imperative to assess current knowledge, business requirements and employer expectations. Then the client needs to know how to present the right skills

on paper and in person to meet the R.O.I. of the targeted employer.

Job satisfaction in my role comes when I see so many clients succeed in finding new employment because I have helped them to understand their transferable skills and their capabilities based on their abilities.

Sector transitions can be especially difficult for tech workers if they don’t understand the “business side” of another sector. I am able to lead them to resources to apply logic and learn about the business processes of another industry. It is exciting when they realize how to transition into other roles and other sectors. I have witnessed such transformations like going from a Telecom Product Manager to an operational engineering position within a Federal Government department; I have also seen a Telecom Software development manager transition from “telecom” to “aviation” as a Project Manager for Software Development. I have seen legacy system developers become “system analysts” by learning to understand their transferable skills were more about knowledge and less about “hands on” coding.

In my role, I have the opportunity to connect job seekers and employers through a variety of venues and events. My co-workers and I meet many well prepared, skilled individuals and others who may need some assistance or guidance. It is very rewarding to be in this position and to be of assistance to others in today’s economy. It is wonderful to be able to make a difference. ■

Karen Yates, Career Consultant with an Ottawa employment assistance program, can be reached by email at [email protected].

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In the ICT sector on-going learning is important for an individual to increase their skills and remain competitive in this ever-changing environment.

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• Management Certificate in Human Resources Fast track to your CHRP designation (offering 9 CHRP pre-requisite courses)

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• Masters Certificate in Business Analysis 18 days over 5 months – Delivered in partnership with York University’s Schulich Executive Education Centre. October 2010 start

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• Open Enrollment Seminars & Workshops Managing Change, Interview and Selection Skills, Dialogue & Interpersonal Communication, Effective Business Writing, Conflict Resolution Skills and Risk Management.

• In-House & Custom Programs Looking for group training? Our programs and courses can be delivered in your offices. We can also work with you to develop and deliver a training program fit to the specific needs of your organization.

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Paul Houle of Boom! The Power of Rhythm taught workshop participants to work together to

create a wonderful percussion sound. It was engaging and fun, but that wasn’t its only purpose. The workshop was an effective demonstration of diverse individuals being led by passionate leadership to create a new result. Boom! Illustrated the importance of a single role in the success of an organization, of feeling like you belong, and of being ready and open to learning a new role.

As a member of the 2nd City Improv Troup in Toronto, Deborah Kimmet learned about active listening and shared a wealth of life experience and techniques for good communication. Despite the frantic pace of electronic communication, Ms. Kimmet commented that individuals are more lonely and isolated than they have ever been. She attributed this gap to the focus on talking rather than listening. Ms. Kimmet counselled the audience to resist the urge to speak when others are speaking so as to connect with one’s intuition and really hear what another is saying. Ms. Kimmet acknowledged the stress that people are under in the workplace and expressed that when one is overwhelmed and stressed, working the other side of the brain can be helpful, e.g. music, walking, dancing and playing.

When Dr. Steve L. Robbins began his keynote presentation on Diversity and Inclusion, one could hear a noticeable Asian accent. The audience was to learn a few minutes later that this was a fake accent in order to conduct a social experiment on unintentional intolerance. He probed the audience to learn their thoughts during the initial few moments of his talk.

Dr. Robbins explained that whether or not we are aware, the brain saves patterns of thinking as a way of conserving energy for processing actual emergencies, such as running away from danger. The majority of the time individuals operate within their comfort zone of stereotypical thinking. Dr. Robbins presented a moving testimony

about his family’s struggle against the discrimination as Vietnamese immigrants to the United States. He sent a strong message about the need to move beyond the comfort zone of the stereotypes so that we can tap into the talents and skills of all and create a culture that all can feel part of.

In a subsequent workshop entitled “Encouraging a Culture of Inclusion”, Dr. Robbins spoke about the importance of ensuring that organizational boundaries, policies, rules fit a diverse workforce that includes young people and diverse groups. With the complex problems facing organizations today, there is a clear business case for engaging every member of an organization to assist with the change that is necessary. If employees from diverse backgrounds don’t understand the rules or feel marginalized, they won’t be able to help solve the problems and challenges.

Peter Stenge, author and keynote speaker, offered a glimpse into his theory, Learning Organization. He stressed the importance of continuous learning and that old ways of doing things are not going to bring organization to where it wants to go. True learning organizations devote time and resources to learning. An organization can start small changes, but over time adopting a learning organization will allow it to continue to adapt to a changing world. In keeping with the theme of inclusion, Dr. Stenge echoed the theme of listening to all voices in the organization, especially those on the work floor. He also cited the need for social networks to facilitate inclusion.

Jim Thomson of Ceridien spoke about the innovative workplace practices that have won the organization its ranking on “The Top 100 Employers in Canada”, the “50 Best Employers in Canada” and “One of Canada’s 30 Best Workplaces” in 2009. He spoke of engagement drivers being different for the traditionalists and baby boomers versus the Gen X and Y. By employee surveys, Ceridien has responded with innovative benefits

and work arrangements. In so doing, it has achieved the highest engagement scores of the list of the 50 Best Employers in Canada.

Ceridien also emphasized the need to continue to fund learning and development programs, as learning is a motivator across all generations. In addition to technical training, he acknowledged that bright and talented young employees need proper management training before moving them into supervisory positions.

Alexandra Keay of the Canadian Mental Health Association led a workshop on strategies to control stress. She highlighted the need for employees to regain control when feeling overwhelmed by stress. She recommended that employees incorporate de-stressors in their lives, such as exercise, hobbies and advised workshop participants to avoid making too many changes at once, which can be stressful and self-defeating. Lynda Trommelen, a seasoned speaker and HR professional, used her experience as a performer in the Cirque du Soleil to illustrate best organizational practices. At the Cirque she witnessed first-hand a culture in which each employee’s contribution was valued and employees had a meaningful voice in decision making. From the moment she entered the organization, she saw the Cirque’s programs and policies supporting their mission, from employees being asked to identify the qualities they wanted in a manager, to mentorships, to language courses during down times, to frequent celebrations of success, to support for development, to the strong emphasis on safety, to creating a positive exit experience and more. These are just some of the sessions that were available to participants in the Your Workplace Conference 2009. They provided valuable insights into how small changes multiplied can contribute to a culture of inclusion. ■

Submitted by: Pat Double, CHRP

The Your Workplace Conference 2009 was held from April 29 to May 1, 2009, at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. The conference featured keynote speakers and lively workshops on the power of inclusion to create a healthy, more productive workplace.

Your Workplace Conference 2009


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Everyone is resistant to change.

This simple fact is one of the greatest challenges faced when trying to implement change within an

organization or in everyday life. People react to change in their own individual way but there is a simple model anyone can use to navigate through these change transitions, regardless of the size or complexity.

Developed by Jeffrey M. Hiatt, Prosci Research, the ADKAR© model outlines five common barriers, each a building block for the next, that people must overcome in order to successfully adopt a change.

1. Awareness represents what the change is; why it is happening; why now; and what if we don’t change?

2. Desire represents an individual choice to take part in a change or refuse it. Details of the change (i.e. what’s in it for me) grouped with personal situation, past experience with change, and intrinsic motivators all contribute to this choice.

3. Knowledge represents the information, skills and behaviours that are needed to know how to make the change happen.

4. Ability represents transforming know-ledge into practice. Even with the right knowledge, physical, psychological, intellectual, time or resource limitations may prevent successful execution.

5. Reinforcement represents actions that help make the change permanent. Is the new experience positive? Are people recognized for adopting the change? What are the consequences for reverting to the old way of doing things?

Each one of these barriers must be overcome before tackling the next. Spending time on training people (Knowledge) before they’ve decided to support the change (Desire) will not be effective.

To add to the challenge, everyone moves from one barrier to the next at his or her own pace. Some people might be stuck on Awareness while others have moved further on to Knowledge. For example, a leader may have weeks to learn about a change and build their desire before their team even hears the change is coming.

ADKAR© - A Model for ChangeLet’s put the model to the test. The City of Ottawa is implementing a new “Green-bin” program to collect compostable household waste at the curb.

I was aware of landfill sites getting full and that city-wide composting would bring many benefits. My compost heap in the back yard was working just fine and helping to satisfy my desire to do my ‘composting’ part. I also didn’t know enough about how to make the change happen. Visions of racoons, squirrels and rats getting into the new green bin and creating a smelly buffet at the end of my driveway prompted a decision to not participate in the program.

Looking through the ADKAR© lens, my awareness of the need to change and desire to compost were fine. The lack of knowledge on how the “green bin” program works (and how the bins lock) was the first barrier to change. This barrier had to be removed in order to get my participation.

A month or so later, a shiny new green bin arrived on my doorstep and, like a little kid, I couldn’t resist opening it up to look inside. A smaller kitchen bin, sample waste bags, a sticker indicating what can and can’t go in

the bin, and a detailed information brochure were provided. After looking through it, I realized my assumptions were wrong. The bin looked strong enough to hold off a hungry bear and materials that can’t go in my back yard (like meat, bones & cat litter) could go in the green bin. This new knowledge changed my mind and prepared me for the change.

The next barrier is ability because the green bins won’t be picked up until January 2010. Until then, even though I’m ready, I cannot successfully implement the new behaviour.

There is one last barrier to consider - reinforcement. When the bins are collected, there must not be negative consequences for adopting the program. If that smelly rodent buffet does happen or the waste freezes to the container I might revert to the old way.

If all goes well, then I’ll be a changed man. ■

Kevin Judge, Learning & Develop-ment Leader at MD Physician Services Inc, a Financial and Practice Management Services company, can be reached at (613) 731-4552 or by email at [email protected]

Meet Jeff Lucier, CHRP

Jeff is an HR Specialist, Organizational Effectiveness at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In October, Jeff completed his Masters of Science in Management

at the University of Ottawa, with a focus in HR and Organizational Behaviour. Jeff ’s Master’s thesis investigated supervisor-employee relations, and more specifically supervisors’ willingness to provide mentorship.

Last year, Jeff got involved in the HRPA Ottawa’s mentoring program as a protégé. When asked about his experiences in the program, Jeff said “The guidance and support provided by my mentor, along with the experienced voice, had an invaluable impact on my career.”

This year, he decided to give back by joining the mentoring sub-committee. Through his involvement with the mentoring sub-committee, Jeff has contributed to an improved application and matching process. Using his experience with data collection methods, he assisted the committee in implementing a survey application tool to organize and match mentor and protégé information more efficiently. We anticipate a successful year having established a record number of mentoring relationships for 2009-10. ■


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Why Pay Attention to Your Brain Health?The most important thing you do each day is to keep your brain, and those other brains around you that are important to you, as healthy as you can. Your brain determines the quality of your work, how much you get done in a day, how well you live and work with those around you, whether your time off is part of the stress-related absenteeism or disability that is linked to about 70 percent of workdays lost in Canadian workplaces, and whether you are contributing to the estimated $33 billion in lost productivity in Canadian workplaces each year due to brain health issues. As it always has, your brain determines what your life looks like … your personality, your character, your intelligence, how effectively you learn and adapt to change, how you manage your money, how you bring up your children, what your work-life balance looks like, and whether you’re having a good time … or not. What’s new is that we’re learning a lot about how we learn, think, remember, and make decisions. We know that you can be healthier and more effective by living, learning and working with your brain in mind. Supply, Demand, Change and Your BrainLife is about capacity – how much you have and what you do with it. Your life is also about supply and demand. The life you build for yourself makes demands on you, and your capacity is the supply that you call on to respond to those demands. Your capacity and how you use it to deal with life’s demands – all of which involve change, however large or small – are about the health of your brain.

Your Desired Results and Your DemandsI invite you to prepare a summary of your Demands and Supply. Start with a blank page and draw a vertical line down the middle. In the left column, under the heading, “My Desired Results,” list the various demands you’ve taken on, including those that you allow others to place on you.

In listing your desired results, be specific. Listing “a fun vacation with great skiing” is a fine idea, but that description will do little to help you

Change, Supply and Demand, and Your Brain: Using More of Your Capacity to Produce More of Your Desired Results

get there. Specifying “two weeks skiing in Banff 28 March-10 April 2010” under “Free Time” will help you to schedule, cost, arrange and enjoy that desired result.

You may wish to list your desired results in groupings using the following sub-headings: • Finances• BusinessorEmployment• Free Time (hobbies, recreation, vacations, fun

time)• Health,Wellness,MedicalandFitness• RelationshipswithFamilyandFriends• PersonalProjects• CommunityContributionandBeingofService

Use a separate line for each of three priorities for each sub-heading. Feel free to list more items for future use, but limiting your list for now will help you to start making real progress.

Each of your desired results will involve change to some extent. Change always involves learning. Change may be doing something you haven’t done before or taking risks of various kinds. You’ll do a better job with any of the changes and learning you have in mind if you have more of your capacity available to work with.

Taking Charge of Your CapacityReturning to your summary, in the right column, under the heading, “My Capacity,” include three sub-headings: • ExpandingMyCapacity• LeveragingMyCapacity• ManagingMyCapacity.

While there are many aspects that you could address under each of these sub-headings, the following framework will get you off to a good start:• ExpandingMyCapacityNutritionSleepExercise

• LeveragingMyCapacityLearn to learn and work visuallyLearn to read fasterLearn to use more of my memory

• ManagingMyCapacityTrain my brain dailyManage my stateUse music to tune, feed, prime, exercise my

brain

When I learned that this issue of Update was going to be about Change, I went to a friend who is quite knowledgeable

in the field to ask what book(s) he might recommend on the subject. Knowing my short attention span, he quickly suggested this short book called “Employee’s Survival Guide to Change”.

At only 99 pages, it is a very good overview of the process of change, how individuals’ react to it and how one can “survive” during a change. It is a great resource for all employees who are or will be facing a change in their organizations or even in their everyday life.

This book introduces the ADKAR® Model which outlines the 5 stages of managing change. The model is presented very simply using both work and personal situations as examples. The book also has worksheets and exercises so that you can analyze your specific change situation and various actions plans for reacting to and embracing the change. It even goes so far as to recommend that you leave the situation if you will not support the change going on around you.

Although I would not recommend this book for change management specialists who wish to learn more about their field, it is an excellent resource for anyone who is going through an organizational or personal change. It is a great addition to your HR department’s library of resources. To order this book, visit the Prosci Research web-site at www.change-management.com. ■

Submitted by: Cindy Allan

A Short Review of a Very Short Book…


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Expanding Your CapacityNutrition: everything counts! Everything you eat and drink impacts your brain. Your protein intake provides building materials for new brain cells and for new neural pathways. Your carbohydrate choices drive the availability of blood glucose – fuel for your brain. Sticky buns, white bread or pasta lead to spikes in blood sugar; bursts of insulin then reduce your capacity because your brain is low on fuel and feels like a nap. The right fats will help your brain to insulate its neural networks – making them faster and more effective as you learn new skills or practice existing ones. Dr. Barry Sears provides excellent guidance on choices and combinations of proteins, carbohydrates and fats in his several “Zone” books. He’s also online at www.drsears.com. Bottom line: what’s good for your brain is good for the rest of your body, and vice versa.

Sleep is critical! After basic nutrition and protecting your brain from injury, how well you sleep is the main determinant of how much of your capacity will be available when you place demands on it. Many of us are sleep deprived. Paying attention to the basics of sleep can net you a significant return on your learning and wellness investments in your capacity. Dr. James Maas is a leading authority on sleep and the author of Power Sleep, an excellent reference for anyone who wants to sleep better.

Dr. Maas’ Four Golden Rules of Sleep and other tips can easily and quickly make a difference for sleepers of all ages. Dr. Maas is online at www.powersleep.org; you may wish to click on “Power Sleep website.”

Exercise helps to keep us young by nourishing our tissues with needed oxygen and other nutrients. Aerobic exercise in particular helps to accelerate neurogenesis, the development of new brain cells – particularly in areas of the brain that help us to be alert, remember more easily, manage our movements, and coordinate various types of learning more effectively. If you’re already exercising regularly and aerobically, the key to putting those new brain cells to work for you is to make sure that you’re also taking on new learning experiences – meeting new people, visiting new places, learning new skills, and so on. Continued repetition of things your brain already knows how to do will not be nearly as useful. More information about the importance of exercise, including brain exercise, is available in Dr. Michael Roizen’s and Dr. Mehmet Oz’s excellent book, You: The Owner’s Manual.

Leveraging and Managing Your CapacityLearning more about how your brain learns will help you to put more of your increased

capacity to work for you. Similarly for those around you. Helping your brain to understand new information is essential before you can effect change by applying your learning. Understanding in the brain is about linkages and relationships; it’s about “seeing” how the pieces fit together. This process, sometimes called “The Learning Journey,” is described on a free DVD on Learning Faster & Better featuring Howard Berg, the World’s Fastest Reader (Guinness, 1990) and learner – available at www.learningfasterandbetter.com.

Please join us for Part II of this article in our May 2010 Leadership Issue. Leveraging and managing your increased capacity will help you and your colleagues and family members to deal more effectively with change in pursuit of more of your desired results.

To learn more about your brain health and how to easily improve yours, visit Dr. Daniel Amen. He’s a leading brain researcher, and author of Making a Good Brain Great and Magnificent Mind at Any Age. You may have seen him on PBS. He’s online at www.amenclinics.com.

Jim Muckle is the Managing Director of BrainsInAction Inc. Jim and his team are online at www.brainsinaction.com. You can reach him at (613) 841-4332 / (888) 384-6666.

Ottawa Citizen, a division of Canwest Publishing Inc.

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Proposed Legislation

This past spring, the Ontario Government proposed legislation that would amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act to designate violence and harassment as workplace health hazards, as well as implementing preventative measures against violence and harassment. Bill 168 has passed 1st and 2nd reading and has been referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy.

Bill 175 was also introduced by the Ontario Government this past spring, if passed, this legislation would permit workers certified in any Canadian province or territory to be eligible for the same certification in Ontario without additional training or testing. The legislation would make it easier for workers to commence employment without long delays, with a few exceptions. This bill is currently at 2nd reading.

LegislativeUpdate The legislature has been busy…

The Ontario Government tabled Bill 183 in May 2009. This bill would establish the Ontario College of Trades, a regulatory college that would help modernize the province’s apprenticeship and skilled trades system. Along with regulating its members, the College would encourage more people to work in the trades and help the system better serve employers, skilled tradespeople, apprentices and consumers. The College of Trades would give industry a greater role in recruitment, governance, certification and apprenticeship training, building on the significant role skilled trades already play in Ontario’s prosperity. Establishing the College would put skilled trades on a similar footing with teachers, doctors and nurses, who have their own professional regulatory colleges, such as the Ontario College of Teachers.

Law

Effective October 26, 2009, the Countering Distracted Driving and Promoting Green Transportation Act came into force in Ontario. Under this Act the use of certain display and handheld communication and entertainment devices while operating a motor vehicle are prohibited. Prohibited devices include cell phones, BlackBerry® and Ipod® devices, MP3 players and other handheld communication and entertainment devices known more commonly as PDAs. ■

Steve Williams, Government Affairs Director, HRPA Ottawa

Establishing the College would put skilled trades on a similar footing with teachers, doctors and nurses

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I wish I could remember that precise moment when it clicked for me … YES! Human Resources … that’s the path

for me! Sure, by the 3rd year of my business undergrad there were courses available in HR but it wasn’t clear what professional options existed beyond graduation … but it certainly wasn’t presented as a core stream like Marketing or Accounting. Then, during one of my Marketing co-ops I discovered the awe of the HR department. So mysterious; I was so curious! What was this group that seemed to be at the core of the organization … enabling, driving, and connecting the dots on everything that I had I learned in business school so far?

It was that discovery and that curiosity that drove me to ask questions – lots of them. And what did I find? The Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA) and this designation called the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP). Since then, I have been striving to pay it forward; helping students connect those dots sooner.

The key is to take advantage of the amazing opportunities throughout college or university to build the HR network, experience, and coursework necessary to jump start your career upon graduation.

HRPA Ottawa Chapter has taken on the student outreach challenge and builds momentum every year. The Student Programs Committee is a new team of passionate volunteers (Barbara Blevis, Breanne Roberts, Kerry Eamer, Melissa Salvatore, Natalie Strittmatter, Patrick Gauch, Tamara Sorley), dedicated to our student members and aspiring HR professionals in the Ottawa community.

To date our focus has been on building bridges between HRPA Ottawa and Carleton’s Sprott School of Business,

Our Future HR Leaders!Connecting with student members and aspiring HR professionals

University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, and Algonquin College. We also partner with the Ottawa Region Rewards Association (ORRA), combining our resources and networks in pursuit of a common goal!

The team works primarily with students, professors, and career centres on campus. However, the magic happens with the student clubs for two core reasons. First, working with Lindsay Hamilton and Arron Dobson, Co-Presidents of the Telfer HR Association, and Cora St.Pierre and Cassi Jutting, Co-Presidents of the Sprott HR Association we are able to tap into the student population and make a difference where it counts. Second, these student leaders are gaining skills and experiences that will instantly translate into the workplace, positioning them ahead of the pack. Truly a win-win.Most recently, HRPA Ottawa sponsored SPROSH week, the Sprott School of Business’ corporate spin on frosh week. Work hard, play hard was the name of the game with each team representing a local business entity. Twenty plus students spent the entire week in purple, sporting the HRPA logo, competing and developing HRPA cheers while also learning about the association and HR profession. What a fun way to introduce HR as a career path!

More recently, HRPA Ottawa and ORRA aligned forces with the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, and Algonquin College to put on an event that broke the traditional Wine and Cheese mold. With the help of committee lead Natalie Strittmatter and Savvy Company,

students and professionals were brought together for networking, wine pairing, and an interactive wine blending activity. Each team was tasked with creating their own blend, label, and sales pitch for their wine. A team of judges voted on the blend, creativity and overall presentation. All participants had a blast, with much interest for a repeat event next year!

Throughout the year HRPA also offers student membership sessions on-campus. The presentation introduces the association, member benefits, local events, members and information, as well as how the CHRP designation works. Stay tuned for more great events as the year continues, including the popular on-campus HR Speaker Series, Networking Breakfast, and much more!

What is the message for student members and aspiring HR professionals?

Get involved early — join HRPA as a student member and volunteer. Build your network, and start connecting with HR professionals through events, dinner meetings, sessions, and other activities. Plan ahead, know your options and select courses that work towards your CHRP. Tap into HRPA member benefits like the mentoring program, job postings, free events, dinner meetings, seminars, magazines, online knowledge centre, and so much more!

Take the challenge! Make it YOUR mission to stand out, gain real HR experiences, get the inside track on the CHRP process from people who have been through it, and tap into a community of knowledge, resources and tools!

Are you up for the challenge?


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Student Club Spotlight!

Telfer Human Resources Associationhttp://sites.telfer.uottawa.ca/hra

“Since the spring of 2008 the HRPA and the University of Ottawa Telfer Human Resources Association have been working in partnership to help bridge the gap between the HR students and the business community. To encourage this partnership, the HRPA has partnered for a leading role in the sponsorship of the Telfer HRA. They not only provided funding for events, but are also very active in working with the students to develop these networking, education and career building events. Through the support of the HRPA, the Telfer HRA has been able to grow interest and excitement in the Human Resources field at the University of Ottawa and have helped to foster meaningful relationships between the student body and Ottawa’s business community."

- Lindsay Hamilton & Arron Dobson

Mission: To provide the students at the University of Ottawa with academic, career oriented, and social opportunities that will expand their professional network and aid in securing desirable future employment. Goal: Our goal is to foster business relationships for all University of Ottawa students through networking, social events, academic competitions, and professional business.

Student Leaders:Arron Dobson, Co-President, 4th year, Human Resources ManagementLindsay Hamilton, Co-President, 4th year, Human Resources Management Valerie Doucet, VP Social, 3rd year, Human Resources Management Caroline Chaudier, VP Academic, 4th year, Human Resources Management Roxanne Bouvier, VP Communications, 4th year, Human Resources Management Marie-France Faucher, VP Internal, 3rd year, Human Resources Management Amanda Yarrow, VP Social, 3rd year, Accounting Mundeep Gill, VP Signature Event, 4th year, Human Resources Management Jeannie Lee, VP Signature Event, 3rd year, Human Resources Mangement

Alain Toni Jalkh, VP Finance, 4th year, Accounting Alex Lindsay, VP Sponsorship, 2nd year, Accounting

Student-Driven Events & Initiatives• EventSponsorshipandSupport:Carleton’s SPROSH WeekAnnual Networking Breakfast at

Telfer• NetworkingEvents:Networking Through the GrapevineNetNightDinner Meetings

• Conferences/SeminarsHRPA and CHRP Information

SessionsHR Panel Speaker SeriesThink Tank Feedback Sessions

• ScholarshipsWe want to hear from you! What can we do on your campus? How can we help you connect with the HR community in Ottawa? Email the Student Programs team at: [email protected]

To join HRPA and take advantage of the low student membership rate, visit: http://www.hrpa.ca/MemberCentre/Pages/JoinNow.aspx ■

Kate Underhill, CHRP, Senior HR Business Partner at Mxi Technologies, can be reached at (613) 747-4698 x7355 or by email at [email protected].


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HR people are change agents. No they are not…employees are change agents, HR people are facilitators. Forget change management, it is all about culture change. Confusing out there, isn’t it? No matter what type of change you’re embroiled in, there’s a website, and many, many on-line articles out there waiting for you.

Why not begin at what many see as the beginning, with David Ulrich’s classic piece (circa 1996) on HR as a change agent? http://harvardbusiness.org/product/becoming-a-change-agent-leverage-hr-practices-to-d/an/9958BC-PDF-ENG

Then you can snoop around the Harvard Business Review site for some more recent stuff (note – for $5/article) or see what they have for free on the blog.

After setting yourself up with a Harvard education, there is even more material on the general HR sites. The about.com site has a good human resources page. Scroll down to get to the “Change Management and Culture” section. www.humanresources.about.com/

At Workforce.com you will find a really good, current article on HR as a change agent during a recession: http://www.workforce.com/section/09/feature/26/56/76/

Or perhaps you are already knee-deep into the culture change process in your organization, and you could use a little on-line support from other HR colleagues. Check out the on-line forum on www.companyculture.com/ ■

Is there a website you consider invaluable?

If so, please email your favourite bookmarks

to [email protected] and we will

include them in the next issue.


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In the last article, we discussed the need to have common ground or understanding between HR and finance.

It is now recognized that HR expenses are not cost but more an “investment” that must be well managed. This means that these “investments” can have longer term benefits for the organisation—either by preventing additional costs or helping to increase effectiveness. The goal is to make the best use of the information on hand.

The foundation of any bridge starts with data. By matching quantitative and qualitative data, it makes it more comprehensive and thus builds a stronger foundation. I call this the CAB approach--(Collect, Analyse and Bring together). So let’s start with the first step which is data Collection, the focus of this article.

In either the private or public sectors, accountants use financial and accounting data in many ways. They analyse trends, prepare budgets, carry out cost-benefit analysis, and prepare financial statements. HR performs similar work to measure HRM performance. HR can calculate trends in sick days, staff turnover, and monitor staff grievances. The trick is finding a way to make the numbers converge to increase their usefulness.

The starting point is to identify what hard data is available to you. This will depends in part on the level of sophistication of the Management Information Systems you have available within the organization. For instance, does the organisation provide monthly or quarterly financial statements in addition to annual reports? Accounting and finance staff may have already calculated some ratio or other analysis to tap into. You need to try and identify what financial information is linked to HR in order to focus on what data can be converged. Here a few basic questions to ask in getting the information:

Can the financial information be 1. directly linked to HRM? You need to determine if financial information has

any connection with HR data and vice versa. Although the connection may not be direct or evident, try and see if HR has somehow influenced the results. With some types of data, the connection is quite evident while in others, it may not be. For instance, internet costs usually do not relate to HR, but some types of revenues or expenses may depend to a large extent on an effective workforce, bringing into play salaries and benefits. The launch of a new program or activity may have need of HR related investments such as recruitment costs, or additional health and safety training. At this point discussions with your accounting and finance buddies should occur to try and determine if there are any connections.

Is there existing analysis that can be 2. used (i.e. ratio, analysis, audits, and results)? This is to determine if existing data is available that can help with the analysis or help you establish connections. No use reinventing the wheel--both finance and HR may have already done some work independently of one another but they can be complimentary. It might also be useful to see if any audit work has been done or if any evaluation, studies or external reviews have been carried out that can be useful as part of the next step—the Analysis.

Is there an impact over time? 3. Data can have short, medium or long term

consequences. For example, the purchase of new software or hardware may require start-up costs such as training and possibly later on if upgrades are required. You need to determine if the connections have some form of life span. This will help establish the duration of the connection and help the analysis.

In summary, you start the process by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data that has HR connections. This will help you focus on those areas where there can be common ground and avoids going down the wrong path. At this point, your focus is on getting data and identifying connections. The next step will be the analysis that will be covered in the next article. ■

M Claude Brunette, CHRP, is an accountant (CGA) and also holds a Masters, degree in public adminstration. His career at the Office of the Auditor General has focused on financial, and performance

audits, and for the last twelve years, specialising in Human Resources Management audits. He has been a Board member of some NPOs and is currently the Treasurer of the Ottawa Chapter of HRPA.

Breaking the barriers between HR and FinancePart 2 of 4


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Ottawa Practice Group Leader:Dan Palayew • [email protected]

Heenan Blaikie - OttawaT 613 236.1668 • F 613 236.9632

H e e n a n B l a i k i e L L P • L a w y e r s | P a t e n t a n d T r a d e - m a r k A g e n t s • O t t a w a M o n t r e a l T o r o n t o V a n c o u v e r Q u e b e c C a l g a r y S h e r b r o o k e T r o i s - R i v i è r e s V i c t o r i a • h e e n a n b l a i k i e . c o m

A national practice solving local problemsHeenan Blaikie’s labour and employment law team in Ottawa, working withover 100 experts in this field across Canada, provides strategic, cost-effectiveadvice to employers, focused on preventing problems from occurring andsolving them when they do.

r Collective Agreement Negotiationr Compensation and Benefitsr Employment Standardsr Grievance Arbitrationr Human Rightsr Labour Relations Board Proceedings

r Employment Lawr Occupational Health and Safetyr Pay Equityr Pension Law and Governancer Privacyr Strategic Workforce Planningr Workers' Compensation

Happy New Year! Share your short stories with our membership so that we can all enjoy the lighter side of HR. Names, company and personal information will be changed to protect the privacy of individuals and

organizations. Please forward your short stories to Susan Landry at [email protected].

Please note no employees were harmed in the dealings with these situations.

The Interview - Opening Scene:In the lobby of the organization, the HR professional approaches the candidate.

HRP: “Hello, I hope you found our location ok……….”Applicant: Stops the greeting. He pulls a balloon out of his jacket

pocket, blows up the balloon to create a balloon flower.HRP: Stunned by the balloon flower, the HR professional

graciously thanks the applicant and escorts the candidate to the office.

HRP: “Thank you for taking the time to see me today. I see you have a lot of in depth experience in this field. Could you please……..”

After the Dust Settles!The Lighter Side of HR

Applicant: He stops the interview to pull out another balloon. This time he creatively makes a balloon dog.

HRP: Stunned again she graciously thanks the applicant and continues with the interview. About half way through the interview…..

Applicant: He stops the interview to pull out another balloon. This time the HR professional is presented with a very fine balloon hat!

HRP: “I would like to clarify that you have applied for a management position.”

Applicant: “Yes I did but I know this is highly sought after position and I wanted to ensure you remembered me.”

HRP: After some additional time, the interview is concluded. Juggling her balloon creations the HRP thanks the applicant for their time and assures the applicant she will be in touch with a follow up call as to the next steps.

Closing Scene: HRP begins to check all her job postings to ensure her posting is not listed under “Clowns Wanted”.

Submitted by Susan Landry, CHRP


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Employees join a company, but they leave a manager. We’ve all heard this before, and it holds true regardless of

the economic times. Your stellar employees will always be able to find another job – in good times and in bad.

Engaged employees look for a new position only when something happens that upsets them. On each occasion when an employee feels they’ve been treated unfairly it is likely they will take 5-10 minutes to quickly scan Monster or connect with an old colleague on LinkedIn. It is just self-preservation – human nature to make some small attempt at making their situation better, even if it is only a once in a while type thing. The employee may or may not submit a resume for a job posting they see or ask that old colleague about their company – this time.

The problem arises when poor employee relations becomes the standard. This is when your good employees won’t be your good employees for much longer – they’ll become some else’s stars.

Good employee relations are important in both good and bad economic times. Regardless of what your CFO says, your employees are not just content to have a job these days. Employees still want interesting and challenging work. They want to be recognized when they do a good job – and that doesn’t have to be just with monetary recognition. And, they want an environment of continuous learning.

Employees have long memories and they will remember how they were treated during this downturn, so if they don’t leave before the economy picks up again, they will definitely bolt for the door once it does. It’s always the good ones that leave first – because they can.

Employees can be your most valuable asset during these challenging times. An employee who is committed to the organization and feels they are being treated fairly will go above and beyond for their company to make sure it is successful during these tough times.

Good employee relations is not rocket science, it is just easy to forget about sometimes. Employee relations fundamentals are:

No Such Thing as a Fair Weather Manager

• Establish programs to foster employeecommitment either financially through long-term incentive programs or through building a solid team environment where employees feel tied to each other and the success and ownership of their project.

• Ensure employees are treated ethically,fairly and legally – always, no exceptions.

• Foster two-way communications – topdown and bottom up options. The old standard that people need to hear a message three times before they actually hear it holds true in all types of communications. Make sure you have a variety of communications methods – group, email and the most important one on one.

• Maintain fair treatment programs thatallows employees to appeal issues

• Deliver consistent and appropriatedisciplinary action Make sure employees know and

understand job requirements and company rules

Use a progressive disciplinary approach that is equivalent to the infraction level

Ensure there is an appeals process for disciplinary actions

• Growth opportunities – recognizingemployee strengths and building upon

those strengths. Talk to your employees to see what they want.

Remember, you hired these people for a reason – because you thought they would be a valuable asset to your team and help the company succeed.

Treat employees like adults in all of your communications and employee relations practices. If you have an unpleasant message to deliver, don’t sugar-coat it, tell employees the facts. They are adults and will handle it, not telling them is dishonest and you will lose any trust they had in you.

Make sure your employee relations practices manage the 95% and not the 5%. If you have that low level 5% still left at your company you need to manage those employees out of your organization. They are holding your organization back and frustrating the rest of your team.

The economic downturn will not last forever. If you want a rock solid team that will work with you and are committed to the company – in good times and in bad - you need to maintain fair and consistent employee relations practices. Talk to your employees, keep them motivated and show your true leadership skills. ■

Dana Lewis is the Director of Human Resources at Fidus Systems Inc.

Changing Accommodation Standards

Making the decision to move to a new office place standard should not be made lightly as it is time

consuming, expensive and often stressful to you and your staff. While change is inevitable, poorly managed change can be ruinous. Yet moving to a new furniture or layout standard can breathe new life into your space and revitalize your team’s communication and work/life environment and it can also save your firm thousands of dollars by ensuring you don’t occupy more space than you need. Here are some things to think about before during and after implementation to try and smooth out the bumps in the road.

Consider the futureWhile this seems like an obvious statement, many companies plan their space based on activities and practices that reflect where they have been and not where they’re headed. When planning new office space you should be considering what your organization will look like over at least the next three to five years (or longer) and trying to gauge what changes are likely to occur within that time period. Some examples: Are you moving from R&D to full production? Are there any contracts that you are pursuing or that might be ending? Is there a standard employee


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workstation footprint you need to consider? Would you like to create one? Is there a potential for a merger or acquisition in the future? All of these questions carry with it an impact on head count and the roles that individuals will be playing so taking the time to think about them will be essential to make your new office space program effective and for obtaining buy-in from the employees and other stakeholders.

"Those who expect moments of change to be comfortable and free of conflict have not learned their history. " – Joan Wallach Scott

Implementation

Change is never easy for most people and is often hotly resisted. You will learn new aspects of your staff ’s personalities and find that your employees can be territorial about some of the strangest things. “Do I deserve an office or a cubicle?” “How big is my personal work area?” “Is my office bigger than Karen’s office?” “Will I have a window to myself?” In making a change to a new standard it is important to understand the corporate culture you are dealing with and try and see these kinds of pitfalls before you step in them. For example in an office where sales people had to compete for an enclosed office with a door versus a workstation, moving the

sales team to a cubicle pit could be perceived as a demotion. In space with limited access to natural light the window spaces are likely in higher demand and reserved for more senior people. And most importantly; size does matter. Employees are very conscious about the size of their personal workspace as it relates to their seniority and guard their territory jealously.

The point is not to try and change the minds on the right or wrong of their position, but to make a compelling case for the change you envision. State it clearly and help your team understand why you are proposing the new plan. If you are moving to fewer enclosed offices then make sure everyone who is being affected clearly understands the benefits to the organization and what process you have gone through to come to this conclusion. Perhaps offer them some kind of perk to offset their sacrifice. If you are saving money on rent due to right-sizing your space, consider spending some of the windfalls on employee amenities like an upgraded kitchen, better coffee service or a gym membership.

Keep it Personal

People often have an easier time accepting change if they come to believe that the

decision made was supported by logic and reason and that their personal position was considered. The important thing is to have a plan and be consistent. Making exceptions to a new standard can often feel like preferential treatment and lead to dissatisfaction. A good tip is to keep it personal. But if there are going to be exceptions deal with them upfront and be honest about your rationale. Pick a few employees from multiple levels and seek their input. Their advice may not ultimately sway the final decision but it will make them feel like part of the process and demonstrate to them that their thoughts are important and valued by management. Obtaining their support in advance also means that after the change has been implemented you should already have some allies on your side out there at the water cooler.

Change is inevitable in any organization and making a clean start with fresh new office space sends a message to your employees that you are prepared to invest in them and that the future is bright. It can be a fun process if properly approached and can make a dramatic, positive impact with your employees. ■

Darren Fleming is Managing Principal / Broker of Record with CresaPartners Ottawa office.

Above & Beyond“They understand our culture and strategic issues, and they share our values.”

“They look beyond our questions.”(Clients of our Employment and Labour Team)

With a team of more than 75 professionals, Ogilvy Renault is a leader in representing employers in Canada. Find out more at ogilvyrenault.com.


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Change Management, change readiness, climate change, change of life, exchange, pocket change, grade change, change

your mind, sex change, career change…. surrounded by change, we talk about it endlessly, wishing, dreaming, complaining. We look for upgrades, renovations, makeovers, promotions, transformations ... We even have expressions to articulate how we feel about change: “Plus que ça change, plus que ça reste le même.”; “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”; and “Be careful what you wish for”.

Why then do we say we instinctively fear change? In reality, from the moment of conception, change dictates our lives. We are changing every minute of every day. We learn to walk and discover that falling hurts. We learn to drink out of a cup and give up the bottle. We use the toilet and are free of diapers. We grow old and get reacquainted with the above. Talk about radical change!

We learn to read and discover a world outside of family and home. We go to school and realize we are no longer the center of the universe. As we grow older, we forget the excitement change brings. We focus on the aches and pains of aging, more frightened and skeptical of good changes like advances in technology. Talk with a teenager and listen to how much they crave change, to explore and experience all. Just can’t wait. Talk with an adult and listen to their fear of the empty nest. Being alone. Changing their daily routines.

Change is as certain a part of our lives just like death and taxes. Change is what we can count on, day in and day out. Just when we think we have it sorted out, something changes again! Like most things, we have little control over it. That is what we fear: the lack of control, the unknown.

Nelson Mandela once said that “Speaking about Vision without taking any action is empty words, and taking action without a Vision is a waste of time. Vision with action, however, can transform the world.” Change is not bad. It is people who make it so. In the political world, we describe Change as a revolution that will destroy everything in its path. And yet, there have been peaceful revolutions such as the "Velvet Revolution” that split Czechoslovakia into the Slovak and Czech Republics. In nature,

tidal waves and devastating earthquakes decimated lives in an instant yet, empathetic communities worldwide came together to help the victims. Just for the privilege of doing so.

During the most recent economic crisis, we saw Change destroy skilled and talented leaders as they unsuccessfully attempted to save their organizations but we discovered some were not as ethical and competent as we had believed. Media report social changes that threaten traditional cultures and customs, such as honour killings, abuse, discrimination and suicide. Dare I say that introducing changes here could be positive?

How do we see Change in our organizations? How do we talk about Change? Do we create fear of Change through our language and our practices? Or do we suggest Change is an exciting way forward? A study conducted by Queen’s School of Business found the recession spawned employee behaviours such as “the Terminated, the Longers, the Fearful, and the Apocalyptical”. I would argue these behaviours have always been present in organizations just as are the “Engaged, the Delighted and the Indifferent”. (The Ottawa Citizen November 12, Section D page 1)

Labelling helps us cope with change. But it is not encouraging to be referred to as fearful or apocalyptical. This does not bring people together. It marginalizes them and creates even more anxiety in the organization. The words we use when we talk about Change affect behaviours, feelings, and ultimately performance. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. If we focus on doom and gloom, that is how we will behave and how we will experience Change as an organization. That we can predict with certainty!

Conventional Change Management theory uses cold language. As a Canadian I should be better adapted, but sorry, the image of an ice cube melting and refreezing is something I find neither heartwarming nor optimistic.

There are kinder words we can use. We can describe Change as a positive force that brings peace to war-torn countries, warm breezes and flowers after a brutal winter, a considerate culture after a tyrannical leader, smiles following tears, birth after labour. We

need to embrace Change in our workplace as a positive force because as long as people populate organizations, change will as well. I suggest that change is instinctive to human nature but fear of change is a result of human intervention.

The Human Systems Dynamics Institute (HSDI) outlines a thought-provoking and optimistic approach to safeguarding individuals during times of change. First, ensure healthy workplaces where everyone interacts with each other respectfully. Emphasize the importance of what we share as a community: mission, vision, values; and yes, change but as well as, stability. Set expectations from the outset of what will change and how it will make a difference in our relationships with others and how to support each other in the ways that we each need. Relationships need to be encouraged throughout the process, including how the change makes us feel and what comes next.

Consider Kotter’s “Eight Steps to Transformation of an Organization’s Culture”. As the HR practitioner, it is your responsibility to usher in the process and the plan.1. Create a sense of urgency around the

change: Let’s talk about it. It’s coming so why pretend otherwise? Prepare. Do it now!

2. Pull together the guiding team: Someone needs to champion this effort and everyone needs a chance to debrief, so find the team that will make a difference.

3. Develop the vision and strategy: Leadership is key. Remember who we are and why we exist and what we are doing to forge the way forward. Don’t be afraid to lead or to find someone who will.

4. Communicate for understanding and buy-in: Remember. Change is not what is scary. It is what people do not say about change or do not allow us to say about change that is.

5. Empower others to act: Do not be afraid of creating unreasonable expectations. Most adult employees are accustomed to taking responsibility for their futures. They have kids and mortgages and bank accounts so let them decide what they need and when.

6. Produce short-term wins: Offer opportunities to celebrate the small victories change can bring and to create

Consultant’s Notes from the Field:Fear of Change: Instinctive to human nature or a result of human intervention?


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positive outlooks amidst the chaos of changing environments.

7. Do not let up: Do not give up even if it seems you alone are holding the torch. Work through your issues and keep focused on the end point.

8. Create the new organization: Remind, express, share and celebrate the changes the new organization brings. Allow all employees to be a part of the transformation. It is their organization after all.

Keep in mind that changing organizations (grow, shrink, become more or less hierarchical, experience new leadership or ownership,

become more entrepreneurial or more centralized) create change in culture. If you have been through these changes, you know what I mean.

Dr. Glenda Eoyang of the HSDI would argue that as leaders, consultants and HR practitioners, we should intervene to offer transparency of purpose, opportunities to consult, collaborate, and communicate, and openly and respectfully share information and reinforce what we believe in, what we value, and what we aspire towards. At the outset, clients I have worked with often felt unsure of how the change process might succeed, but by

embracing the possibility of a positive outcome, they were not disappointed.

The late Michael Jackson in “Man in the Mirror”, sings:

“if you wanna make the world a better placeTake a look at yourself and then make that….

Change!”

Alice Kubicek, MBA, CMC, CHRP is Managing Director of akps global, a consultancy that provides cultural diversity and performance management training, and organizational development services to local

and international clientele. Alice can be reached at [email protected] or www.akpsglobal.com

When the Medical Council of Canada hired Leeanne Pacquette as their HR Manager, it was the first time

that anyone had ever been in that role. The organization was spread over two floors of a low rise and there was a definite morale problem. The organization, in existence since 1912, was traditionally organized with a top-down hierarchy. Change would be a challenge.

Leeanne’s first step was to establish her credibility with staff. Following an employee survey, Leeanne got a ‘report card’ on the MCC’s general health. Next, she introduced an easy, employee-pleasing initiative: flexible hours. “It was a quick win,” reports Leeanne. “Employees viewed this change as extremely positive, certainly in their favour, and it established some of their trust in me, and built some credibility for me as well.”

With this win in place, Leeanne moved on to other changes that were more controversial such as on-line forms instead of hard copies, performance reviews that were ‘performance’ based and linked to compensation increases. These changes did not meet with universal approval, but the majority of staff bought into the improvements and understood the collaborative approach to HR that Leeanne was introducing to the organization.

“The employee survey really helped with the change process,” says Leeanne. “Past changes had been viewed as arbitrary. Now everyone understood that changes were based on employee input.”

Leeanne came from the oil and gas sector where change is a normal, expected part of life. At the MCC, she was faced with a long history of doing business in a particular way. Yet, Leeanne reports that it was the best transition she’d ever seen. “And I believe it’s because we treated it like a project, and followed the principals of change laid out in John P. Kotter’s book, Leading Change.”

Here now, an HR perspective on implementing change.

1. Ensure your HR department has a solid reputation. Conduct surveys and implement small, positive changes based on the feedback from employees. Prove you listen and implement changes that employees want and need.

2. Plan, plan and then plan again. “If you manage the change as a project, your strategic planning and implementation will roll out much more smoothly.” Says Leeanne.

3. Share the Plan. “Communicate to death!” recommends Leeanne. “Include as many methods of communication as you possibly can and be as transparent as you can about what is going on and why.”a. Town hall meetings: informal, open-

forum meetings where people can open up a bit.

b. Departmental Meetings: depending on the change and who will be affected, meeting with teams is essential.

c. Issue Project Statements: include time lines and updates on the stages of the process.

d. Reinforce Openness: “Constantly reinforce with everyone, every way you can, that there isn’t anything you don’t want to hear.” Include internal surveys, on-line surveys, informal water-cooler discussions, focus groups. Document everything and report back to the project team the good, the bad and the ugly.

e. Action Plans: Make sure you follow-up with everyone in your project statements about changes that were the result of open dialogue. “HR’s job is to get back to people about the process and stages and continue the transparent process.” Says Leeanne.

Leeanne has some lessons to share on implementing changes.

• Sometimes, all the communications you have just aren’t enough.

• Be excited and positive about the change.

The biggest lesson? “Employees know and understand more than HR about the change and why it will work or not. Make sure you ASK them and then use that information to benefit the organization.”

Today, thanks to changes implemented by Leeanne, the Medical Council of Canada won a place on the list of the top 10 Best Places to Work in the NCR. ■

Patricia Heard is the Account Executive, Permanent and Temporary Division at The Pollack Group. She can be reached at 613-238-2233 ext. 226. If you know a HR Professional who deserves to be spotlighted for either their recognition or leadership programs, contact Patricia or email [email protected]

SPOTLIGHT ON… Leeanne Pacquette Implementing Change: The HR Perspective

29J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 / A N H R PA O T TAWA M A G A Z I N E

“Change is inevitable, growth is optional” Attributed to Walt Disney

Having worked for years with various organizations experiencing significant re-structuring, we have learned that for most individuals, change is an arduous and stressful process. Many employees see change as a threat, not an opportunity. Precious energy is spent either trying to ignore or deny it, or worse still, trying to resist it! This can drain morale, at a time when the organization needs more focus and productivity than ever before.

Resistance is normal; expect it. It is simply a common attempt to slow down rapid change. That being said, there are tangible and practical actions an organization can take to direct change in a positive direction. HOW CAN YOU MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS

First and foremost, successful transition management starts with helping people understand the change process itself. What are the human reactions you can expect and how can you support those that are productive while limiting the impact of negative ones? Individuals will react differently depending on their personal circumstances however there are typical reactions to be aware of and watch out for.

Understanding the change process is one thing, but each individual needs to be accountable for change, regardless of employment level… and the most dangerous choice of all is not to change with the times. Then, people need concrete strategies for how they can contribute to the change process, plus the tools to help them navigate change more successfully. The objective should be to help people thrive during change, not merely survive.

People who continue to be employed after an organization restructuring suffer impacts of change that are similar to, if not greater than, those experienced by employees who leave.

Understanding and Managing Change: The Human Factor

GUARANTEES ABOUT CHANGE

The success or failure of any change management initiative is directly proportionate to each employee’s acceptance of three fundamental guarantees about change: it is here to stay; it is never problem-free; and you are accountable.

1. Change is Here to Stay

Why are we still waiting for things (our jobs, our organizations, the economy, society) to “get back to normal”? There will be no return to normal. Rapid change is the new norm. It is what all organizations – and workers – must do to thrive. Major organizational change decisions are usually based on critical financial criteria with the expectation that the changes will put the company in a more competitive position to meet the demands of an ever-changing world. If those expectations are not realized as a result of the current change, then there is a good chance that the organization will find itself embarking on some other change initiative. Or, it may not survive at all.

Gone are the days when we could outrun the winds of change by merely moving to different jobs or changing employers. There are no “safe harbours” any longer.

2. Change is Never Problem-Free

Research has shown there are two sets of predictable dynamics – individual and organizational – that naturally occur during any change process.

Individual Dynamics

• Nomatterhowexcitingthechangeis…Expect a sense of loss

• No matter how competent peopleare…Expect a sense of confusion and ambiguity

• Expect the loss and ambiguity to leadto…A deterioration of trust and a sense of self-preservation

These three dynamics do not mean that change is wrong or bad. They simply substantiate that something significant is happening and that it needs attention.

Organizational Dynamics

• Communicationsdeteriorate• Productivityfalls• Teamplaysuffers• Power/turfbattlesincrease• Moraledrops• Bail-outsoccur,somepeopleleave

These six dynamics are the essence of transition management. Each requires close attention. They are also the primary indicators of progress. As change is integrated, these six factors lose their disruptive effect.

You Are Accountable

No one can guarantee whether things will get better or worse. The only guarantee is they’ll get different. Whether that’s better or worse will depend on how well we learn to manage change – as a lifestyle. Therefore, personally managing change has become a central part of every person’s job description. It is what we are paid to do.

DEVELOPING TRANSITION MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Many of you know that in any change, personal or professional, we pass through three overlapping stages: Ending, Transition, Beginning. It is the Transition stage that is


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so critically important in trying to manage change. This is where productivity goes into a slump. Research shows that the most successfully managed change initiatives have utilized three key strategies:

Speed to Productivity The Quicker, The Better

• Although resistance to change isnormal, emphasizing the realities of change and that there are opportunities for personal growth can influence the speed of recovery.

• Fromamanager’sperspective,aslowlypaced transition is a higher risk because it prolongs exposure to damage (due to the predictable dynamics listed above). As managers are responsible for managing the duration of projects to specific deadlines, they also must manage the duration of their “change projects.”

Focus on Critical Priorities Control the Controllables

• We all have an “energy account”… alimited amount of energy that we can

spend. Spend this energy on things that you can control, versus those you can’t. One proven benefit in times of increased stress is to practice self-care. You can replenish this energy account through regular exercise and other stress reducing techniques.

• Managers can help alleviate theproductivity drop and energy drain that naturally occurs by providing a plan that focuses on the “controllables”…how we spend our time, protecting customer focus, finding new opportunities. Redirecting energy so that it will pay off for customers, employees, and the organization.

Communication Overcommunicate

• Before the transition, employeecommunications keep management informed about business issues. During the transition, they typically talk about personal concerns, seeking answers, and trying to blame someone for their discomfort (probably management).

• It is important to communicate completely and clearly up front because rumour mills are one of the primary

productivity drains during a transition. It is almost impossible to overcommuni-cate during times of change.

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER

Change in the form of restructuring often has a people cost! It’s important to realize that the predictable dynamics are natural and normal, and that there are proven strategies and tools available to minimize their severity. Choosing to look for the positives in the changes, choosing to focus emotional energy on things individuals can control, versus things they cannot control…all will help protect productivity levels. Plus, you will have a workforce focused on inventing the future, and not trying to redesign the past. ■

This article is an update by Rob Notman, President and CEO of KWA Partners (Ottawa), formerly Murray Axmith, from one originally written by Patricia Thornton in ‘Murray Axmith Transitions’. Rob can be reached at

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