driving business forward - mp benefits...by peter dugandzic, cphr ceo focused on executive...

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CPHR ALBERTA (CHARTERED PROFESSIONALS IN HUMAN RESOURCES OF ALBERTA) FALL 2017

DRIVING BUSINESS FORWARD

Multi-Gens and How to Manage ThemUnderstanding Generational

DifferencesThe Talent Shortage Myth

IN THIS ISSUE:

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FALL 2017VOLUME 20, NUMBER 3HUMANCapital

DRIVING BUSINESS FORWARD

FEATURES10 Multi-Gens and How to

Manage Them

14 One Size Might not Fit All in a Multi-Generational Workplace

CPHR Alberta Editorial TeamGeoffrey Person Manager, Marketing & Communications Phone: 403-541-8713 Email: [email protected] Editorial Lead Alex Andrews

HUMAN Capital is published for: CPHR Alberta (Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Alberta) #990, 105 - 12 Avenue S.E. Calgary, AB T2G 1A1 Phone: 403-209-2420 Toll-free: 800-668-6125 www.CPHRab.ca

Published by:

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CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40064978PUBLISHED AUGUST 2017/ HRI-Q0317/9836

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 Leadership Matters

9 Tech Talk

27 Policy Corner

30 Index of Advertisers/Advertisers.com

CONTENTS24 The Talent Shortage Myth

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CPHR ALBERTA (CHARTERED PROFESSIONALS IN HUMAN RESOURCES OF ALBERTA)

18

COVER STORY

18 Understanding Generational Differences in the Workplace: Findings and Conclusions

Correction: The author of “Influence (Without a Seat at the Table)” in the Summer 2017 issue should have been listed as Claire Schneider CPHR.

HUMAN CAPITAL | FALL 2017 | 5

It’s no surprise that just as workforces adjust to five generations of talent, your association is faced with the same challenges and opportunities. How to best serve members at each stage of their careers was a key perspective in creating our five-year business plan The Path Forward. As we’ve shifted from crafting this plan to delivering progress, I’m happy to share how these results are offering more value for every generation of members.

The rollout of our new on-demand professional development platform is proceeding. Forty CPHR Alberta members have volunteered to test drive the system, review the content, and offer feedback to ensure the final product is aligned with your needs. We’re ensuring that new content will come online throughout the year, and we’re creating accurate filters so you’ll find PD with the topics and level of seniority you’re looking for.

Addressing senior member needs has been a key concern I’ve heard. We’re offering courses for senior members this fall

LEADERSHIP MATTERS

CPHR Alberta – Welcome to the multi-generational associationBY PETER DUGANDZIC, CPHR CEO

focused on executive compensation and addressing addictions. We’ve also adopted senior member advisory panels to capture the expertise of our most experienced HR professionals in craft-ing CPHR Alberta policy positions – knowledge we can share with all of our members.

This has been a big year for us with Alberta’s colleges and uni-versities. Planning is underway for the 5th HRC West Student Case Competition at SAIT next March, and six post-secondary HR programs or degree paths have been accredited by CPHR Alberta. We’re renewing our scholarship and sponsorship com-mitments across the province, and tightening our relationships with students, faculty, and staff.

The CPHR Alberta team is a multi-generational one, too. Whether you contact our summer student or a thirty-five year industry veteran, you’re going to connect with a staff member focused on helping you succeed. We’re listening to our member’s needs, and we’re delivering more value. O

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monitor and get real time reports on how much time you spend on your smartphone and on your favorite apps.

Remember The Milk is a great app if you are struggling to man-age everything you have to do and you work with many differ-ent devices. It is a great free tool which is compatible with your mobile, computer, gmail, outlook, etc. It helps you to manage your tasks easily and reminds you of them wherever you are.

Focus booster is based on the principles of the pomodoro tech-nique for individuals who procrastinate and feel overwhelmed by tasks. It is designed to enhance your focus and remove any anxiety you might have with time.

And finally, the much underrated but powerful and versatile Google Keep. Google Keep is a note-taking service developed by Google. Google Keep is available on the web, and has mobile apps for the Android and iOS mobile operating systems. Keep offers a variety of tools for taking notes, including text, lists, images, and audio. Users can set reminders, which are integrated with Google Now. Text from images can be extracted using optical character recognition, and voice recordings can be transcribed.

Time Management is important skill set to the modern HR profes-sional. An improvement of 10% productivity in a work day equals to 40 hours in a year. What project or initiatives could you get done with an additional 40 hours this year? O

Adam Czarnecki, CPHR is a member of the

Senior Management team of a heavy duty

truck dealership group in Alberta where

he is responsible for HR, H&S and IT. He is

a past CPHR Alberta Board Member, a HR

instructor at the University of Calgary and

Mount Royal University. He can be reached

at [email protected].

TECHTALK

In my journey to improve my time management, one thing became painfully evident: your brain is not a good travel companion. Your brain tries to conserve energy as much as possible and loves to procrastinate. The complete opposite to good time management behavior. My research into Time Management is succinctly summed up in a 5 minute video I did called Snowflakes v. Zombies vimeo.com/216736918

The main way your brain conserves energy is through Cognitive Bias which causes us to waste a lot of time, make bad decisions, fight change and derails positive habit formation.

But where your brain tries to minimize major changes in your life, you can use technology to assist you in overcoming some of the hurdle Cognitive Bias puts ahead of you. Here are some of my favorite apps that have modernized my time manage-ment skills.

Headspace is a digital service that provides guided meditation sessions and mindfulness training. Its content can be accessed online, or via their mobile apps.

Toggl is a cool time tracking application by a company in Estonia that seems insanely simple. It allows you track time right from a browser, computer or a smartphone. The main premise is that you just type what you are working on, hit button Start and a timer starts ticking.

Moment is an iOS app that automatically tracks how much you use your iPhone and iPad each day. If you’re using your phone too much, you can set daily limits on yourself and be notified when you go over. You can even force yourself off your device when you’re over your limit.

Alternatively for Android smartphones QualityTime is a visu-ally engaging and easy-to-use Android app that allows you to

Snowflakes v. Zombies: Modern Time ManagementBY ADAM CZARNECKI, BA, CPHR


FEATURE

MULTI-GENS AND HOW TO MANAGE THEMRecently, I was training a group of manag-ers in all things communication. We had discussed dealing with disagreement and conflict and roleplayed various scenarios. The day was just about to end, when one manager approached me and said he was having an extremely difficult time managing his team. This manager was relatively new on the job and new to man-agement, and had inherited a team with two distinct generations. He had four direct reports, two were 60 and 62 years old, and the other two were 22 and 24.

And he was in the middle at the ripe old age of 32.

The challenge he was facing was that the two groups had vastly different commu-nication styles and he was struggling to find a way to talk to all of them and get through to them. The unfortunate answer is that today, managers must adapt their style to their direct reports.

Today, learning how to manage a multi-generational workforce is a substantial

challenge. To maximize the value and productivity that each generation can bring to the organization, it is essential to understand the characteristics and values that make up each one.

Many of the top executives are part of the baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964), characterized by their drive for quality, strong work ethic and respect for formal authority. This is the first generation that grew up in front of the television, which introduced them

BY ALEX ANDREWS, CPHR

10 | www.CPHRab.ca

to a variety of cultures and people from around the world. They communicate in person and prefer face-to-face interac-tions. However, within a few years, these professionals will be withdrawing from the job market creating gaps in knowledge.

Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) is the largest group of workers in today’s labour market. These are they who are lived creation of electronic games, were the first to have used computers and saw the dawning of the internet. However,

they are usually more skeptical, prefer real friends to virtual ones; are more distrust-ful and have a greater difficulty adapting to corporate changes and require much more information to accept them. They typically have a very direct and immediate communication style.

Then there is Generation Y and the Millennials (born after 1981). They are tena-cious, entrepreneurial, and goal oriented. They multitask (well switch task, because multitasking isn’t really a thing) and are always looking for the next best thing. They have grown up in the information age, where more and more data is readily acces-sible and at their disposal anytime of the day. They have created social media and prefer email, text, snapchat, or any other form of electronic communication. By 2020, it is believed these two generations will make up nearly 75% of the workforce.

Considering that these groups are quickly approaching the largest labour force and will occupy the majority of jobs in the coming years, we must react to and change our communication styles, poli-cies and procedures, and management practices, or we will lose them. Gone are the days of demanding compliance and having those under you blindly follow your lead. We must adapt to the change is demographics, to keep our entire work-force engaged.

Managing a “multi-generational” work-place is something we must become expert in and seek to understand all the time. As today’s work environment changes almost daily, to remain relevant, an organization must change, redefine its practices and reinvent itself almost every day.

As a result of rising life expectancy and the economic crisis, many baby boomers

are postponing their retirement, which means that businesses are being forced to balance eras: experienced workers with newcomers.

Personal choice of work style and work life balance has become an increas-ingly important point for Generation Y, Millennials and the next generation 2020, so it is important for companies to plan and invest accordingly.

It is critical to be aware of changing busi-ness needs and work style preferences, as technology and innovation bring new and exciting ways of managing informa-tion, not only for employees, but also for influencing new products and services.

Here are seven ways any organization can successfully overcome the challenges of managing a multi-generational workforce:

1. Educate Your LeadersTraining in team management of dif-ferent generations and work styles is a necessity. Management must be able to recognize and adapt to different types of workers.

2. Mentor the New GenerationInteraction between generations is important and helps build relationships at work. Younger employees will ben-efit from the wisdom and experience of older employees and older employees will enjoy the energy and new prospects of their younger peers.

3. Provide Remote Work OpportunitiesIf an employee has shown that he or she is able to do their job with minimal supervi-sion, benefits such as telecommuting and out-of-office work are options that are very attractive for different work styles. Telecommuting is also a good option for

TODAY, LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE A MULTI-GENERATIONAL

WORKFORCE IS A SUBSTANTIAL CHALLENGE. TO MAXIMIZE THE

VALUE AND PRODUCTIVITY THAT EACH GENERATION CAN BRING

TO THE ORGANIZATION, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTAND THE

CHARACTERISTICS AND VALUES THAT MAKE UP EACH ONE.


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Boomers who are about to retire and look-ing for greater flexibility.

4. Empower All to be Part of the Decision Making ProcessThe most productive employees are those who feel they have a say and work in a col-laborative environment. Surveys and feed-back are important for decision-making in a large office.

In addition, open communication is crucial to the success of the company and having a voice—for all generations—is essential.

5. Keep Meetings EfficientRegular meetings can be good for provid-ing structure and routine, but make sure there really is a need to meet.

Maintain an agenda and make sure you are not wasting your employees’ time, especially if they feel pressured or have deadlines to meet.

6. Recognize All Employees for Their EffortsA self-esteem booster is important for all generations, but especially for new employees. A simple “congratulations” can help employees feel valued and increase productivity, which, in turn, helps validate their contributions and support future career goals.

7. Keep the Communication Channels Open and VariedCommunicating by phone, email, or the office intranet, adds variety to the chan-nels for employees to stay in touch, in turn, addressing the communication needs of each generation. Instant messaging and even more traditional media can be more effective if properly managed and all team members are on the same page.

Communicating to and leading each gen-eration is an art. We must delicately reach out to and pay attention to their needs. People are different and accept change, praise and discipline in very different ways, and this goes beyond the generation to which they belong. The leader of today must get to know their subordinates per-sonally and learn the best way to motivate them individually and seek acceptance.

These changes must be born from within the organization. It is like the egg metaphor: if an egg is broken from the outside, life ends; if it breaks from within, life begins. We must find ways to address each employee’s internal drive to maximize their performance and keep them engaged.

Finally, it’s all about diversity. The secret for a business to function is the diversity of genders, ages, races, cul-tures, and lifestyles. If we learn to look

for the best in each individual, we are surely going to create a business cul-ture that accepts differences, allowing people to complement each other and thereby deliver greater commitment and productivity. O

Alex Andrews, CPHR is a member of the HR

leadership team for one of Canada’s largest

agricultural and construction equipment deal-

ership groups where he oversees the organiza-

tional development and training programs. He

can be reached at [email protected].

it’s a lot morethan discounts

venngo.com/humancapital 1.866.383.6646 ext.202 Find out more... ©Copyright 2017 Venngo Inc. All

rights reserved. WorkPerks® is a registered trade-mark of Venngo Inc. All other trade-marks are the property of their respective owners. V1_20170405

An award winning Venngo program is a core element of a complete compensation and benefi ts strategy.

zen out with300+ health and wellness partners

mentalwellness

tone up with up to 50% off gym memberships

physical fi tness

tune up your fi nances with 1500+ ways to save

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than discounts

the original perks companyTM

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Sample Savings Reported by Program Users

TELUS

SAVED $300.00

Toronto, ON

Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill

SAVED $271.05

Thornhilll, ON

GoodLife Fitness

SAVED $226.00

toronto, ON

Loblaw Optical / Eyewear

SAVED $160.00

Summerside, PE

Sleep Country Canada

SAVED $100.00

Toronto, ON

Landmark Cinemas

SAVED $44.85

surrey, BC

Cineplex Movie Tickets

SAVED $32.70

Vancouver, BC

The Source

SAVED $31.56

Ajax, ON

Apple Inc.

SAVED $30.00

Toronto, ON

CONFIDENTIAL — Venngo Inc.

About this Report

Estimated Spend and Estimated Savings values are based on a proprietary Venngo algorithm that leverages a number of data points. These data points include;

reported sales, redemption rates, average spend, purchase information provided directly from end-users, and the discount in market at the time redemption was activated.

These estimated values are based on your individual group activity, and corresponding aggregated vendor data.

Average spend is based on information provided by individual vendors, information submitted by end-users and specific market research. Venngo continually reviews and

updates all estimated spend, average spend and savings data.

Please note: For vendor programs that provide recurring monthly savings (i.e. cellular phone offers, insurance, etc.) the goal of the report is to capture the aggregated

spend and savings — from all end-users actively utilizing the offer — to accurately reflect the total value of the vendor offer within your group. We are working with each of

our vendors to gather complete utilization data. Until vendor data has been updated, the spend and savings for these vendor offers will be calculated solely on the activity

within the date range of the report and will therefore be underreported. Vendor programs that have been updated to include the aggregated utilization data will be noted

with a ‡.

† Within the reported timeframe, the activity for this specific vendor within your program was not high enough to generate the minimum number of redemption clicks needed

to statistically complete one full redemption. As a result, the report is displaying only a fraction of the total savings that can be realized when an end-user actually redeems

this vendor's discount. While this scenario can occur with any vendor program it will typically present itself with products or services that are high in dollar value as they

typically have lower redemption rates. For example, while one hundred end-users may click-through to the redemption for a car discount, only a small fraction (i.e. 1/100) of

those end-users will actually purchase a vehicle. This ratio is factored into the algorithm on a per vendor basis.

Legend

Activity data captured from end-users using web browsers on desktop and mobile devices.

Activity data captured from end-users on the Venngo mobile apps. This does not include activity data captured from web browsers used on mobile devices.

The total number of e-Newsletters that were opened

e-Newsletter click-through rate. This number notes the percentage of end-users who clicked on a link to a vendor program from an opened e-Newsletter.

VisitsThe total number of times end-users have been active in the program.

Page Views A Page View is an instance of a page being loaded (or reloaded) in a browser or within the mobile app. Page Views is the total number of individual page views.

Redemption

Clicks

A redemption click is the final action that an end-user takes within the program to access the discount with a specific vendor. A redemption click includes the following program

actions; printing a perk, accessing the vendor website (WWW link), using the in-store option within the mobile apps, calling a vendor or sending an email.

e-Newsletters

Sent

The total number of e-Newsletters delivered to the group. Each month multiple e-Newsletter campaigns are distributed to the group. Each campaign will have specific

subscribers which may not include the entire group as noted in e-Newsletter Subscriptions. For example, an end-user who is subscribed to the general e-Newsletter

distribution may have decided that they do not wish to receive the apparel edition. This factor, along with any technical or end-user specific account issues will result in the total

number of e-Newsletters Sent to not simply be a multiple of e-Newsletter Subscribers.

Activity and Estimated SavingsNovember 1, 2016 to November 30, 2016


Most Popular Perks

By Estimated Savings

Estimated

Spend ($)

Estimated

Savings ($)

1 TELUS$1,953,500 $586,050

2 GoodLife Fitness$338,400 $169,200

3 Rogers Wireless$558,012 $167,797

4TicketsAtWork.com- Discounts

Worldwide

$36,600 $10,980

5 Lenovo$42,552 $8,510

6 Budget$33,408 $8,352

7 Hertz$22,968 $6,890

8 Panasonic Canada$13,312 $5,991

9 Apple Inc.$193,620 $5,809

10 Avis$22,764 $5,691

11Nissan Canada's Vehicle Purchase

Program

$101,120 $5,056

12 Dell Canada$43,280 $4,328

13 The Source$27,000 $4,050

14 Wyndham Hotel Group $17,680 $3,536

15 Choice Hotels Canada $14,100 $2,820

16Medieval Times Dinner and

Tournament

$7,453 $2,757

17 Orlando Vacation$16,950 $2,542

18 Enterprise Rent-A-Car™ $10,509 $2,102

19 Loblaw Optical / Eyewear $4,620 $1,848

20 Canada Employee Sleep Program $3,290 $1,810

21 Ripley's Aquarium$9,480 $1,659

22 GM Preferred Pricing† $32,000 $1,600

23 itravel2000$44,465 $1,410

24 adidas$5,521 $1,380

25 Cineplex Movie Tickets $7,830 $1,331

By Activity

Redemption

Clicks

Page

Views

1 TELUS14,046 31,153

2 Rogers Wireless5,471 10,707

3 Apple Inc.3,227 7,622

4 GoodLife Fitness423 2,685

5 Dell Canada1,082 2,644

6 Lenovo1,182 2,356

7 The Source900 2,157

8 Cineplex Movie Tickets522 1,738

9 adidas516 1,720

10 LXR&CO341 1,524

11 Enterprise Rent-A-Car™513 1,479

12 SoftMoc479 1,422

13 Choice Hotels Canada564 1,305

14 Budget464 1,172

15 BCBGMAXAZRIA Canada65 1,122

16 Raptors 905172 1,055

17 Starfrit158 983

18 Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill337 910

19 Panasonic Canada355 868

20 itravel2000376 853

21 La Vie en Rose312 848

22TicketsAtWork.com- Discounts

Worldwide

305 800

23 Flight Network299 796

24 Ripley's Aquarium316 785

25 Hertz

319 782

Activity and Estimated SavingsNovember 1, 2016 to November 30, 2016

EstimatedTotal MonthlySpend

$3,878,599EstimatedTotal MonthlySavings

$1,050,400

Accounts Created

669

Total Active Accounts

54,098

e-Newsletter Subscriptions

41,995

Visits

31,67696% 4%

Page Views

304,61397% 3%

Redemption Clicks

39,96181% 19%

e-Newsletters Sent

111,24454,028 15%


Most Popular Categories Page Views

1 Computers & Electronics34,145

31,086 3,059

2 Dining & Food8,917

5,263 3,654

3 Travel8,674

7,102 1,572

4 Apparel8,481

5,778 2,703

5 Entertainment5,114

3,713 1,401

6 Auto4,146

3,169 977

7 Shoes & Accessories3,351

2,448 903

8 Health & Wellness3,330

2,544 786

9 Home & Living2,982

2,339 643

10 Beauty2,356

1,587 769

875265_Venngo.indd 1 7/3/17 3:16 PMHUMAN CAPITAL | FALL 2017 | 13

ONE SIZE MIGHT NOT FIT ALL IN A MULTI-GENERATIONAL WORKPLACE

FEATURE

BY ANDREA SHANDRO, CO-PRINCIPAL, VITAL PARTNERS INC.

The spans of employees’ age groups in today’s workplaces are larger than what HR and benefits professionals have ever worked with before. “Standard” or traditional health and dental plans that included the same coverage for all employees were effective in address-ing the needs of most employees in the

past because they tended to be within reach of each other’s ages and stages in life. Now, employers are dealing with up to four generations in the work-place at once.

Many employers are finding that these one-size-fits-all health and dental plans

are no longer addressing needs of all employees. Plan sponsors are challenged with trying to meet the needs of some generations who are experiencing higher rates of chronic disease, along with other generations, who would likely value ben-efits more for the ability to cover routine or expected expenses.

14 | www.CPHRab.ca

workforce2. Baby boomers, Gen Xers, and millennials have significantly differ-ent needs and expectations from their benefits plans.

Employees are also reporting lower levels of satisfaction with their benefits, regard-less of the generation they belong to.

According to the 2017 Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey, plan members think that employers are more focused on costs, rather than their wellbeing. This perception can be based on the fact employers do have continuing worries about costs: high-cost drugs are enter-ing the marketplace, more employees are being diagnosed with chronic con-ditions, and benefits costs in general are increasing.

Plan members are also showing a pref-erence for having expected or routine costs covered by their benefits plan rather than for unexpected/catastrophic costs. Having the option for home nurs-ing care reimbursement, for example, may not be as important as having ongo-ing physiotherapy sessions covered by their employer-provided benefit plan almost, if not completely, covered.

There are a number of different ways to help provide benefits coverage that both addresses the issues that come from the generation gap in the workforce, and increases flexibility in employer- sponsored plans.

Health Spending AccountsHealth Spending Accounts (HSAs), also referred to as Private Health Spending Plans (PHSPs), give employees the ability to use a bank account of money to pay for what matters to them most. HSAs are a tax-effective solution for employees and employers alike: plan sponsors’ contribu-tions are a deduction for the company, and employees receive the money on a tax-free basis.

HSAs can be provided by employers on their own, or as a part of a benefit plan. Since traditional benefit plans can place some restrictions on the types of services that they are able to cover, employers can instead offer HSAs to their employees to

Many baby boomers are electing to delay retirement continuing to work later in life, according to new findings by Statistics Canada1. As a result, expected working life has increased by around three years. On the other hand, in the last few years the millennial cohort has become the largest generation in the Canadian

HSAs vs WSAs

What is the difference between a Health Spending Account (HSA) and a Wellness Spending Account (WSA)?

Health Spending Accounts cover a variety of expenses that are specific to health products and services. They are meant to cover medical, dental, and vision care. HSAs are also non- taxable.

Wellness Spending Accounts cover expenses promoting health and well-being, but not necessarily for medical care. WSAs can be used to cover programs like smoking cessation and weight management, but also fitness and sports activities/equipment. Some even cover professional development expenses and mobile and computer equipment. Unlike HSAs, WSAs are counted as taxable income.

Some plans allow employees to elect once a year how much of the employer’s con-tribution they would like to direct to a taxable wellness account versus a non-taxable health spending account. This structure can further the flexible nature of the program.


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give them the flexibility to spend their benefits dollars according to their needs: whether they need additional care, medi-cations, even devices and equipment. A millennial employee might use an HSA for to cover their contact lenses; a Gen Xer might use it to cover a child’s orthodontic needs; and a Boomer might use it to see a Chiropractor. HSAs can also be used to top up a benefits plan and offer addi-tional coverage.

The 2017 Sanofi Healthcare Survey showed that 55% of plan members who have HSAs report higher satisfaction with their benefit plans. Employers who offer HSAs also are highly satisfied with their plans, with 70% of them describing their plans as “excellent or very good”. According to the survey report, HSAs are rapidly growing in Western Canada, and are already highly used in Alberta.

Adding an HSA to your benefit plan is a low-cost way of introducing flexibility into the benefit plan offering. As employ-ers worry about the rising costs of benefit plans, HSAs offer employers more con-trol in determining how much they spend on funding coverage for employees.

Flexible Benefit ProgramsHealth Spending Accounts are not the only way to introduce flexibility. Flexible benefit programs are avail-able for employers with as few as three employees.

Flexible benefit plans let employees choose the benefits and level of coverage that works for them. Unlike traditional benefit plans, where every employee from age 22 to 65 gets the same exact coverage, flexible benefits let employees choose to enhance and opt out of cover-age as they see fit.

Plan sponsors provide plan members with credits that they can allocate accord-ing to their needs. For example, a young, single employee may choose to allocate all of their benefit dollars to their health spending account. Another employee with dependents could opt for a plan with vision care so they can purchase eye-glasses for their two children. An older

employee may opt for greater drug cov-erage to cover their medication.

Flexible benefit plans can range from full-choice plans, to modular packages that come with pre- selected coverage. Plan sponsors may cover these plans to a certain level, after which plan members can also opt to contribute to increase their coverage or choose a more com-prehensive plan.

Although flexible benefit plans are popu-lar, they are not as widely used as Health Spending Accounts. In the 2017 Sanofi Healthcare Survey, 80% of plan sponsors reported providing traditional plans, and 55% said they preferred traditional plans over flex plans. This was in contrast to the opinions of 54% of employees who preferred flex plans.

Part of the hesitation of plan sponsors comes from the administrative toll that comes with rolling out this type of pro-gram. Getting employees to sign up often involves more in-depth benefits communication, and the education pro-cess can take longer. Employees who have decided on the coverage they thought they needed may later realize that they need more, which adds to the administrative costs. Plan sponsors may not save as much capital as they were hoping for in the end.

Even though flexible benefit plans are designed to encourage employees to choose benefits products according to their needs, many of them still choose plans that are close to what they had with their traditional benefit plans. Therefore, there is a risk of having nearly the same plans as before, but having more adminis-tration costs in the end. People in general are less tolerant of complexity, so a full flex plan can be very cumbersome for both plan sponsors and plan members alike. This is especially apparent when compared with HSAs, which are a bit easier to communicate, but it is impor-tant to describe in detail the purpose of these plans.

Here are some considerations for design-ing a flexible benefit plan:

16 | www.CPHRab.ca

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• What is your comfort level with fluctu-ating premiums?

• Should all employees get the same amount?

• Should plan members get all of their money in January or should it be dis-persed throughout the year? Generally plan sponsors with high turnover ben-efit by having benefit amounts given semi-annually or quarterly.

• Do you want unused benefits to be carried forward for another year or do you want a use it or lose it plan?

• Should employees be able to decide whether to allocate the money to tax-able wellness or non-taxable health spending account?

• Do you want the health spending account directed to particular items or is any CRA-approved expense eligible for reimbursement?

• How much complexity can your orga-nization handle?

Regardless of whether you choose to go the route of Health Spending Accounts or Flexible Benefit Plans, there is an obvi-ous need to move away from traditional, one-size-fits-all benefits plans. The multi-generational workplace is demanding a variety of services that traditional plans are unable to support. Health Spending Accounts and Flexible Benefit Plans allow plan sponsors to address the needs of

their changing workforce, and work towards addressing rising benefits costs at the same time. O

Andrea Shandro, BA, MBA, CHS is the Principal

and Co-Founder of Vital Partners Inc., a

Calgary-based firm that helps organizations

and employees by building cost-effective, sus-

tainable benefits and insurance plans.

[email protected]

587-747-3288

References1. Statistics Canada – Delayed retirement: A new

trend? http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001- x/2011004/article/11578-eng.htm.

2. h t t p : //w w w. c a n a d i a n b u s i n e s s . c o m /innovation/the-millennial-majority-workforce/


BY TANIA SABA, PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL

COVER STORY

UNDERSTANDING GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN THE WORKPLACE:

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

18 | www.CPHRab.ca

SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS

HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN RELATION TO THEIR

EXPECTATIONS REGARDING WORKING CONDITIONS.

YOUNGER WORKERS TEND TO SHOW HIGHER

EXPECTATIONS REGARDING CAREER ADVANCEMENT,

EMPLOYABILITY AND WORK-FAMILY BALANCE THAN

WORKERS FROM THE OLDER GENERATIONS.

IntroductionThe study of generational differences has garnered increasing interest among orga-nizations, practitioners and researchers in recent years. There are many reasons for this keen interest, including the need to manage people from several different generations, to better adapt the work-place to a multigenerational workforce, to attract and retain new talent, and to identify the working conditions that will lead to positive attitudes and behaviours among younger workers.

Since workers from different generations have always worked together, why does this situation currently appear to be raising challenges for human resource manage-ment? Three reasons are put forward. First, the different generations are said to have different values and expectations regard-ing work which are not easily compatible. Second, people from different generations are working together for longer periods now than they did in the past. Workers are less likely to follow the clear cut studies-work-retirement path that was formerly standard. People leave their jobs, upgrade their skills, look for new jobs, change careers, retire and then, increasingly, re-enter the labour market. Third and lastly, the difficulties stemming from this situa-tion are brought about by discrepancies in the management practices of compa-nies themselves. Stable, high-quality jobs are becoming scarce. Employees are no longer accumulating the funds needed to ensure financial security during retirement and find themselves having to work longer. Those who have invested in enhancing their skills and who have had unstable careers are staying in the workforce longer or taking advantage of bridge employ-ment opportunities which delay their exit from the labour market.

In this research report, we will show that generational differences are a myth and have very little empirical support. Following a contextual overview, we will discuss the theoretical and analytical frameworks that have been used to explain the differences between the generations. We will end with some conclusions.


Generational Differences: A Contextual OverviewWhich generations are currently shar-ing the workplace? Are we right to be concerned about their co-existence? What are their values and why are these values said to be different for the different generations?

To answer the first question, it is important to point out that, from a sociological perspec-tive, people who belong to the same gener-ation are those who, during their formative years, were marked by the same historical events and cultural phenomena (Noble & Schewe, 2003; Twenge et al., 2010), events which stand out in and helped form their collective memory (Dencker et al., 2008). These historical, social and cultural effects, when experienced in a shared context, influ-ence the development of the attitudes, val-ues and personality traits of the people who have experienced them (Caspi et al., 2005). The best-known typology of generations in the United States was put forward by Strauss and Howe (1991). It distinguishes four differ-ent generations that are still present in the workforce: the silent generation or Veterans, the Baby Boomers, the thirteenth genera-tion or Generation X, and Generation Y, also referred to as the Millennials (children of the Baby Boomers). This taxonomy stems from a more demographic approach which should be distinguished from the sociological approach. It defines cohorts based on birth years (Parry & Urwin, 2010). It should be noted that, apart from the two world wars, no event of great significance for human resource management has marked North America in recent decades, although it could be said that economic cycles and peri-ods of recession have had a profound effect on the labour market and employment rela-tions over the last twenty years. This new context may have led to the emergence of new values among the younger genera-tions. Nevertheless, it is almost impossible to adopt a sociological approach and iden-tify common experiences that may have led to specific changes in the values or behav-iours of the different generations.

Are we right to be concerned about the co-existence of different generations in the workplace? One thing is certain; this situ-ation is likely to persist longer than it did in the past and to take on different forms.

As the tendency for workers to retire later becomes more entrenched, another new phenomenon is emerging, that is, the return to work after retirement and an increase in bridge employment (Adams & Rau, 2004). Hébert and Luong (2008) estimated that 61% of people who retired directly from career employment had opted for bridge employment one year later, while this rate was 47% four years after retirement. Conscious of the population decline and the risk of losing crucial skills, companies are increasing their efforts to retain older workers and dropping early-retirement incentives. Governments in all OECD countries are also proposing measures to promote active aging (OCDE, 2006; Saba & Guérin, 2004; 2005).

What are the generational differences that are causing so much concern? Identifying these differences appears to present quite a challenge. The literature on this subject is abundant but contradictory. The descriptions of differences in values, needs and attitudes are often entangled and based on opinions and speculative find-ings (Wils et al., 2011). Several research-ers (Macky et al., 2008; Rhodes, 1983; Trzesniewski & Donnellan, 2010) have iden-tified this concern as the main methodologi-cal challenge in the study of generational differences (Wils et al., 2011; Costanza et al., 2012). Clearly, it is not enough to observe and describe the generations. Rather, it is imperative to base these obser-vations on a solid theory that specifies the unique character of each generation so as to be able to establish hypotheses and point to real differences between them (Chen & Choi, 2008; Wils et al., 2011). Moreover, the significant generational differences found in some studies have not always been in line with expectations.

Generational Differences: Theory and ResultsDespite the popularity of the subject and the strong convictions surrounding it, researchers who have used theoretical frameworks to explain the basis for the existence of generational differences have had difficulty identifying marked differences and explaining how behav-iours and attitudes vary from one gen-eration to another (Costanza et al, 2012; Finegold et al., 2002; Conger, 2000;

Wong et al., 2008; Saba, 2009). What are these theoretical frameworks? What have the results of these studies been and how can they be explained?

Approaches used to explain generational differencesThe life course theory examines how significant social and historical events and experiences shape the behaviour of individuals and generations of indi-viduals throughout their lives and across generations (Elder, 1994, 1998; MacLean & Elder, 2007). The life course literature constitutes the first theory used to explain generational differences. It is character-ized by a longitudinal perspective and attempts to explain how the members of a cohort are shaped by the historical and social contexts they have experienced.

The theory of cohorts proposed by Inglehart (1971) constitutes a second approach, based on the scarcity hypoth-esis and the socialization hypothesis. The scarcity hypothesis proposes that during periods of scarcity, individuals attach great importance to materialist values such as economic security, whereas dur-ing periods of prosperity, individuals pursue personal well-being and turn to post-materialist values such as autonomy or the protection of the environment. The socialization hypothesis proposes that the values of each generation change in accor-dance with the conditions that prevailed during their formative years. (Inglehart, 2008; Wils et al., 2011).

Psychological contract theory constitutes a third theoretical approach. It essentially explains the significant transformations that have taken place in the employment relationship. On the one hand, employers are calling for employees to be ever more faithful and loyal, extolling the virtues of eliminating status barriers, advocating equitable management practices, trumpet-ing the importance of skills development and proclaiming their desire to meet the needs of employees (Sparrow, 2000). On the other hand, in companies, there has been an increase in non-standard forms of work, fewer defined-benefit pension plans, a considerable earnings gap between man-agers and employees, a greater focus on meeting shareholders’ demands to the

20 | www.CPHRab.ca

detriment of employees, fewer training programs for fear of losing employees to competitors, and an increase in the use of outsourcing (Saba et al., 2006; 2013). Applied to generational differences, psy-chological contract theory explains differ-ences in employees’ perceptions of the employment relationship and behaviour, according to age and cohort.

Assessing values and their differences according to generation, and examining the links between values and behaviours constitutes a fourth basic approach to understanding generational differences and their effects on behaviours at work. Wils et al. (2007) suggested a conceptual-ization of work values, based on Schwartz’s studies (1992; 1999), which has been val-idated empirically (Waxin et al., 2009). These work values are organized around a circumplex structure made up of two axes. Each of these axes has two opposite poles: self-enhancement, which is the opposite of self-transcendence, and conservation, which is the opposite of openness to change. Self-enhancement includes val-ues related to power and achievement; self-transcendence encompasses values related to benevolence and universalism; conservation is made up of values relating to tradition/conservatism and security; and openness to change includes values related to self-direction, stimulation and hedonism. Studies have shown that the probability that values will influence deci-sions is quite high, in particular in situa-tions involving conscious choices (Bardi & Schwartz, 2003). However, while it is true that values affect the choices people make by determining the importance of the goals that are coherent with these values (Feather, 1990; Verplanken & Holland, 2002), behaviour tends to be more spon-taneous. It is not always possible to antici-pate an individual’s behaviour in a given situation based on his/her values. It is nec-essary to first grasp how these values will translate into specific goals (Erez & Earley, 1993; Latham, 2007).

Generational Differences: Main Results and ExplanationsThe results of studies using appropri-ate theoretical frameworks have not supported the existence of fundamen-tal systematic differences between the

generations related to values, expecta-tions regarding working conditions, and attitudes and behaviours at work. The few differences that have been found have been of low magnitude, have not necessarily distinguished any particular generation, and have sometimes even been contradictory. These results sug-gest that the differences found between the respondents must be explained by something other than generational dif-ferences. We will review the main findings of these studies and the interpretations accompanying them.

Some differences between the genera-tions have been observed in relation to their expectations regarding working conditions. Younger workers tend to show higher expectations regarding career advancement, employability and work-family balance than workers from the older generations. However, their expectations with regard to job stability, autonomy and recognition are the same (Saba, 2009). The older generations appear to be slightly more satisfied with their jobs than the younger generations (see, for example, Hunt & Saul, 1975; Kacmar & Ferris, 1989; Ng & Feldman, 2010). Differences between the genera-tions have also been found with regard to their level of commitment to their employer. Lastly, the older generations have been found to be less likely than the younger generations to leave their jobs.

These results are not surprising, nor do they reveal a new phenomenon, for several reasons. Various studies, such as those that have examined workers’ career paths; have long focused on the way some aspects of the job are man-aged by workers from different genera-tions. Numerous studies have shown that employees’ needs are different at the start of their career, in mid-career and at the end of their career. These studies have highlighted the importance of focus-ing on workers’ career needs – which vary depending not necessarily on age but on the stage in their career cycle at which they find themselves – and of imple-menting suitable management practices in response to these needs (Finegold et al., 2002; Saba & Dolan, 2013). Studies on the socialization needs of younger

workers show similar results and highlight the importance of integrating any new employee into the workplace.

Studies suggest that a person’s chrono-logical age and occupation tend to be correlated with job satisfaction (Ng & Feldman, 2010). Since there is a natural covariance between age and tenure, their relative contribution to the prediction of job satisfaction has been examined. Some researchers have found that tenure is a more stable predictor of job satisfaction than age (Bedeian et al., 1992) while others have found the opposite result (Morrow & McElroy, 1987). These results are certainly contradictory. However, one conclusion can be drawn: age or tenure, regardless of generational membership, can explain the observed differences in job satisfaction. This conclusion was confirmed in Ng and Feldman’s meta-analysis (2010).

As for organizational commitment, the differences between young workers and older workers cannot necessarily be attributed to a single generation. A meta-analysis brought out the lack of any clearly identifiable trend showing clear differences that could be attributed to the younger generations (Ng & Feldman, 2010). Although studies in this area have tended to show a positive correlation between age and organizational com-mitment, the results of meta-analyses are less clear and suggest that age is not a good predictor on account of the low magnitude and significance of this rela-tionship as revealed by the indices. Ng & Feldman’s meta-analysis (2010) confirmed the results found previously by Mathieu and Zajac (1990) and Meyer et al. (2002) which showed that the most robust ante-cedents of organizational commitment were personal characteristics (e.g. self-perceived competence), job characteris-tics (e.g. job challenge and occupation), variables related to leadership (e.g. com-munication and participatory leadership), organizational support, organizational justice and clarity of roles.

Previous research on employees’ inten-tion to leave their jobs has clearly shown that, while chronological age tends to be negatively related to the intention to leave, it adds little explanatory value


beyond organizational commitment, level of education and organizational tenure (Parasuraman, 1982). In their meta-analysis, Healy et al. (1995) found a correlation between age and voluntary turnover, a finding that was confirmed by Ng & Feldman (2009). However, other variables showed more significant predic-tive values, in particular job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Arnold & Feldman, 1982).

To sum up, study results rightly suggest that it is necessary to first distinguish between the explanatory capacities of the variables “age” and “generational membership” despite their similarity. Second, as pointed out above, studies have shown that other variables are likely to better explain generational differences related to employees’ expectations regarding working conditions, attitudes and behaviours.

What about the work values of younger versus older workers?A study by Wils et al. (2011) showed that, overall, workers in all generations have fairly similar work values. This conclusion was strengthened by the fact that, unlike other empirical studies on this question, Wils et al.’s study examined the structur-ing of work values before comparing the different generations, controlled for sev-eral confounding factors such as average

score or gender, and eliminated biases due, among other things, to social desir-ability. In fact, no significant difference between the generations was found. The “clash of generations” predicted in the speculative literature is thus unfounded. It is therefore premature to align human resource management with the specific characteristics of each generation. It should also be noted that, while study results have shown that values motivate behaviour, the relationship between val-ues and behaviour is partly moderated by other pressures such as normative pres-sures (Bardi & Schwartz, 2003).

Is there nothing to be gained from examining generational differences?Some nuances are in order. It can now be asserted that the assumption that employ-ees will show certain job expectations solely because they belong to a given cohort does not appear to be supported by research. Moreover, assuming that all the members of a given generation will have the same expectations and likely adopt the same behaviours and attitudes completely overlooks the differences between the individuals in this genera-tion. This assumption also ignores the simi-larities between individuals belonging to different generations or stemming from the particular characteristics of differ-ent workplaces and the organizational

cultures prevailing in them (Saba, 2009; Wils et al., 2011).

The focus on individualizing the employ-ment relationship, as has been advo-cated in the field of human resource management for some years now, has underscored the importance of under-standing the differences between indi-viduals. Studies on the psychological contract also point in this direction and have emphasized the importance of the working conditions that employers and employees agree on at the time of hir-ing, showing that the fact of whether or not these conditions are respected will ultimately affect the attitudes and behaviours of employees. In these stud-ies, differences that can be attributed to age have not proven to be relevant. Examining the reasons why the psycho-logical contract is broken, indepen-dently from the sometimes superficial preferences that may pertain to gen-erational belonging, proves to be a more appropriate avenue of analysis (Rousseau, 1995; Rousseau & Tijoriwala, 1998; Saba et al., 2006).

The instability of the labour market affects the entire working population, regardless of age, and increases the vulnerability of some groups of employees. Economic uncertainties and companies’ responses to them have made employees skeptical and increased the vulnerability of less educated employees whose skills are less relevant for the labour market.

Segmenting the population of workers into age groups has proven to be a risky practice, and the idea that employees from different age groups should be treated differently is somewhat disturb-ing. There is no empirical basis for the assumption that employees’ work val-ues, expectations regarding working conditions, behaviours or attitudes can be explained solely by the fact of their belonging to a given generation. There is no basis for varying management prac-tices in accordance with this conviction. Practices aimed at meeting employees’ expectations must be extended to all workers so as to avoid the risk of unequal treatment and level out the differences that can be attributed to age. O

804526_Funds.indd 1 3/31/16 4:26 PM22 | www.CPHRab.ca

PATH FORWARD DELIVERABLES FOR 2017

74% In Progress

22%Completed

We’re proud of what we have completed so far - we hope you are too.

Find out what’s next on our list of deliverables by visiting: cphrab.ca/path-forward-five-year-action-plan

4% Not Started

Our five-year business plan - The Path Forward - was presented to you in February of this year. For 2017 the Path Forward outlines 55 commitments CPHR Alberta is working to deliver this year.

Here’s a highlight of what we completed by June 2017:

An Update from Your Association on:THE PATH FORWARD

Renewed LeadershipA permanent CEO and a

reorganized management team committed to advancing CPHR

Alberta and our profession.

Member-ratified Rebranding

CPHR Alberta is part of the CPHR Canada family – our

country’s largest HR community.

Customer FocusedA new customer service policy

ensures our team is working for our Members.

The Path ForwardA five-year business plan that

outlines where we’re going and how we’ll get there.

A First for CPHR AlbertaMedicine Hat became the first new chapter to join CPHR Alberta since

the amalgamation in 2013.

Self-Regulation ActionOur grassroots campaign

by Members to re-engage government resulted in a request

for an updated application.

Updated ReinstatementsOur new Reinstatement Policy reflects a

more community-minded Association, and treats Members more fairly.

Getting EngagedWe developed an Engagement

Plan to reconnect with our Members and reestablish trust.

Gold-Standard ResearchHR Trends has expanded across Western

Canada to become a valuable tool for our Members and their organizations.

Exit InterviewsWe spoke with hundreds of departing Members to

hear their experiences, and seek improvements for our

Members.

Reduced DuesMembers affected by parental

leaves, short-term illness or who are unemployed may

now qualify for reduced dues.

Tomorrow’s HR ProsFour post-secondary institutions

with HR programs have been accredited so far in 2017

THE TALENTSHORTAGE MYTH

ARTICLE

TALENTED EMPLOYEES HAVE CHOICES, AND ALL THINGS

CONSIDERED, THEY WILL CHOOSE AN ORGANIZATION

THAT IS GREAT TO WORK FOR OVER A LOT OF OTHER

BENEFITS, SOMETIMES INCLUDING HIGHER PAY.

24 | www.CPHRab.ca

BY RANDY GRIESER

SHORTAGE MYTH

Organizations are who they hire. Whether an organization succeeds, or even sur-vives, ultimately comes down to the talent and cultural fit of the people who work there. I work hard, I am dedicated, and I am a driven leader, but I can’t run my organization alone. Much of what we have accomplished as an organization is a result of who we have hired.

When organizations struggle with finding and retaining great employees, it’s easy to blame bad hiring experiences on a short-age of talented people to draw from. In recent years, commentary has increased around the notion that talent is in short supply. I have always had a cynical view of this belief.

I don’t think there is as much talent short-age as some would have us believe. I have come to understand that the issue is not so much a talent shortage, as it is a shortage of great places to work. Talented employ-ees have choices, and all things consid-ered, they will choose an organization that is great to work for over a lot of other benefits, sometimes including higher pay.

People want to work in organizations that are healthy, innovative, and inspiring. An employee who took part in our 2016 sur-vey noted it this way: “With my qualifica-tions and education, I could be making more money, but I stay here because I am valued, I enjoy the work, and I love the people I work with1.” Talented individuals

seek out great organizations – they won’t settle for less, and they don’t have to.

Employers are prone to complain that there is a talent shortage when they can’t find someone with the exact background they desire and who has the precise skills to do the specific task they want done.

Employers who think this way need only shift their perspectives slightly and focus on aptitude instead.

I have experienced how one of our new employees with a natural aptitude and tal-ent (but not an exact match) quickly devel-oped the skill set to do what we needed. I had planned on it taking a year for her to


be functioning at the level I desired, but in only a few months she had the very skills and experience that were needed. Her natural aptitude for the role was so high that she quickly mastered the complexi-ties of the job.

Specialized talent often costs more, and frankly, it deserves more money. Employers may complain of a talent short-age when they can’t find someone they desire at the price they would like to pay. If employers are not willing to pay for talent, that does not equate to a talent shortage.

Great talent is sometimes hidden, but the good news is that people with talent tend to know each other. The best talent is often found through referrals, networking, and building relationships. The kind of talent you need is not always looking for work, so job ads are often an insufficient way to find superior employees, and they should not be your only source. When looking to find hidden talent, look for it in nontraditional ways and be sure to tap into your networks.

Start with CultureBefore organizations can hire effectively, they must be able to clearly articulate what their culture is like. Every organi-zation has its unique culture – a person-ality, if you will. This culture is made up of elements such as the organization’s values, mission, leadership style, and expectations for how employees treat customers, clients, and each other. Organizational culture flows from the values and beliefs that guide how people behave and interact. While leadership can set the tone for culture, it is ultimately the collection of everyone in an organization that truly defines its culture.

Values are the key to a strong organiza-tional culture. Organizations with values that are clearly defined and truly enacted (and not merely aspired to) are in the best position to hire the right people for their culture.

Values provide the framework for how things are done and how people interact. They are most relevant when leaders pro-mote them as nonnegotiable. While it is good for values to be visible, they need to be more than merely a poster on the wall. In our organization, we regularly refer to our values in meetings and performance reviews, and of course during the inter-view process. They truly guide us in many aspects of what we do.

A candidate’s skills, aptitude, and expe-rience are all important considerations when it comes to hiring, but these fac-tors are less significant than how the new hire fits with the organization’s culture. We have learned that it is vital for a new employee’s personality, behaviours, and attributes to fit our culture.

If there is not a match, regardless of the skill set, the chances of long-term suc-cess will be limited. We believe in this so strongly that we have at times selected candidates who have less experience and skill But fit better within our culture. To be clear, the successful candidates did have the aptitude and drive to become more skilled.

While skills can be learned and improved upon, especially for those with the aptitude for the right skill set, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to train someone to fit your culture. Fit is about personality, attitude, and lived values. These three things are very difficult to change or teach.

The good news is that great talent is also looking for the right fit. High-caliber employees are looking for much more than just a job. They are looking to work in organizations that match their person-alities and attitudes. In our new hiring pro-cess, we ask candidates to respond to the following question in writing when they apply, and verbally during the interview: “What do you do to contribute to a healthy, vibrant work culture?” Candidates have

indicated that they were drawn to apply for a position simply because they saw that question in the job posting. They read the question as an indication that we care about organizational health – and they were right.

Most leaders I meet are like me when it comes to hiring new employees: We dislike the process, and we would rather be working on far more “important” and “interesting” tasks. Yet the irony is that our organizations won’t be successful without the right people in place.

When leaders don’t value the hiring process, we risk costly mistakes. While leaders don’t need to participate in every hiring decision, they should recognize the importance of talent and lay the frame-work for how new people are brought into the organization.

Too often, speed and cost are considered the most important indicators of a suc-cessful hiring process. Yet the hiring of new employees needs to be much more thoughtful and intentional than simply finding adequate people to fill jobs as quickly or cheaply as possible.

When efficiency is the barometer of suc-cess, poor decisions are often made. Instead, we need to center the hiring pro-cess on how to reliably find the right peo-ple for the right roles – candidates who will not only excel at the job but also fit the organization’s culture. Quality and fit are more important than speed and cost. The reality is that talent surrounds us. If you believe there is a shortage of talent, you are likely missing opportunities. O

Randy Grieser is the founder and CEO of

ACHIEVE Centre for Leadership & Workplace

Performance and the Crisis & Trauma Resource

Institute (CTRI). The following article is an

adapted excerpt from Randy’s book The

Ordinary Leader: 10 Key Insights for Building

and Leading a Thriving Organization.

Find his latest thoughts on leadership at

www.theordinaryleader.com.

Reference1. Randy Grieser. “Motivation Matters Most.”

ACHIEVE Centre for Leadership & Workplace Performance, 2016, http://achievecentre.com/motivation.

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26 | www.CPHRab.ca

POLICYCORNER

CPHR Alberta: Engaging in Bill 17

Alberta’s Employment Standards Code and Labour Relations Code establish core workplace standards for most workers in the province. Unfortunately, these codes have not seen much change since they were put in place—almost three decades ago. The nature of work and family life has changed a great deal in the last 30 years, but because Alberta had not undertaken the proper upkeep, our province’s workplace laws had fallen out of step with the rest of Canada.

Every workplace across Canada changes over time. They evolve to reflect shifts in both society and our understanding of how to get work done more effectively. To keep up with these changes, our government introduced and passed Bill 17, The Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act. Through our efforts, we are helping ensure Albertans have the fair and safe workplaces they deserve, while also empowering them to take care of their personal responsibilities.

CPHR Alberta is taking an active role in engaging with our Government, and we’re helping to inform legislation affecting HR professionals. Our members are encouraging us to develop and share policy positions, and our recent efforts to leverage Alberta’s HR community in a grass-roots campaign yielded impressive results. Our efforts around Bill 17, The Fair and Family-Friendly Workplaces Act, is one example of our renewed focus to contribute to Alberta’s policy development.

When the Minister of Labour, the Honourable Christina Gray, announced public consultations on Alberta’s Employment Standards Code and Labour Relations Code, we encouraged our membership to participate and provide feedback – and you did not disappoint. Hundreds of members connected to Alberta Labour’s public consultation website through our e-communications.

CPHR Alberta also organized a senior advisory panel of mem-bers to gather feedback from a perspective of best practices in human resources on possible employment standards changes. The feedback highlighted areas of concern for our members – concerns we raised during a Government-hosted stakeholder consultation session focused on family-friendly standards, protected leaves, youth employment, and enforcement of employment standards.

The advisory panel also aided in the creation of our public writ-ten submission to the Alberta Government. In this submission we drew attention to the compressed timeframe for public consulta-tion and requested that the consultation period be extended. We also raised concerns over the risk that Government would be overly prescriptive in their amendments to the Employment Standards Code, and suggested that flexibility for organiza-tions be maintained where possible. A copy of our submission is available to review on the CPHR Alberta website.

Now that the Government has introduced and passed Bill 17, The Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act, we are committed to providing our members with information on the changes and resources to ensure your organizations will be in compliance by January 1, 2018. We are pleased that the Minister of Labour has contributed the following letter to the first edition of Human Capital since Bill 17 was debated and passed.

We are proud of the efforts by our members to engage in the process around Bill 17, and we’re proud of our contributions as well. While some of the impacts of this legislation may be challenging, we are confident that CPHR Alberta members represent the highest standards of HR in our Province. Our community is committed to protecting the public, ensuring the success of our organizations, and advancing the practice of Human Resources.

BY CHRISTINA GRAY, MINISTER OF LABOUR

An update from your Government


Albertans shouldn’t have to choose between taking care of their family and keeping their job. That’s why Bill 17 enhances Alberta’s unpaid, job-protected leaves. These new employ-ment standards would give parents of critically-ill children, victims fleeing domestic violence, and those suffering from short-term illnesses or mourning the loss of a loved one, the time off they need to take care of themselves and their respon-sibilities. The new leaves also ensure Albertans can access the employment insurance benefits that they pay into, just like every other Canadian.

Bill 17 also tackles a number of issues that have been left untouched since the Employment Standards Code was first introduced in 1988. It updates and simplifies the rules related to breaks, overtime, termination, temporary layoffs, vaca-tion pay, general holiday pay and deductions. For example, as of January 1, 2018, Albertans can bank their overtime hours at one-and-a-half times their base pay, which is the

common standard across Canada. The amendments ensure all employees will be eligible for general holiday pay. These minor changes will align Alberta with the best practices in other jurisdictions, and ensure workers in Alberta are treated just like every other Canadian.

Through the advice and options presented to government by well-known labour lawyer Andrew Sims, we have also presented amendments to the Labour Relations Code. Our goal is to ensure Alberta has a fair and balanced labour relations system that respects the collective bargaining rights of both employees and employers. With that in mind, our government is enhancing efficiency in our system and ensuring the Labour Relations Board has the flexibility it needs to accomplish its work.

We believe the best settlements are those reached in agreement between the parties involved. However, that’s not always the case. By introducing improved dispute resolution methods and

28 | www.CPHRab.ca

first-contract arbitration, we are ensuring parties can access arbitration if requested after a reasonable amount of time. The proposed system places the pressure and responsibility to reach an agreement on the parties, while eliminating any incentive to delay or stall the process.

We’re also making changes to simplify the certification process, and cut down any undue influence exerted by either party during an organization drive. Under this new model, when an overwhelming majority of workers choose to sign a card, they will not have to vote twice. However, if less than 65% of work-ers sign, there will still be a secret-ballot vote organized by the Labour Relations Board. This hybrid system limits the undue influence that can occur, and ensures certification is simpler and more efficient.

We’re also extending the essential services provisions to con-tinuing care operations and blood supply services. Continuing

care is an extremely important service to Albertans. Covering all continuing care facilities and health-care lab services under essen-tial services provides assurance for Albertans that these critical services would be offered during labour disputes. It just makes sense. You can’t operate a surgical suite without access to blood.

There is a lot of significant change in Bill 17, and our government is committed to ensuring employers are supported in implement-ing the new rules and employees are aware of their new rights. In the coming months, my ministry will be updating our available resources and reaching out to employers through business groups like the chambers of commerce and professional organizations like CPA Alberta to answer questions and share information to help their human resources departments adjust as the majority of the changes in Bill 17 come into force January 1, 2018.

I encourage you to visit work.alberta.ca to learn more about how these improvements impact Alberta’s workplaces. Bringing Alberta’s workplace legislation into the present where it belongs is another way our government is working to make life better. O

Christina Gray was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta,

representing the constituency of Edmonton-Mill Woods, on May 5, 2015.

On February 2, 2016, Ms. Gray was appointed Minister of Labour and

Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal.

She previously served as chair of the Select Special Ethics and

Accountability Committee and as deputy chair of the Standing Committee

on Public Accounts.

Prior to serving with the Legislative Assembly, Ms. Gray worked as

a senior consultant with a local software development consulting firm,

beginning in 2008. Previous to this, she worked as a software developer

and instructor.

Active in her community, she served on the Edmonton Transit System

Advisory Board for six years, three years of which were in the capacity of

chair. She also volunteered as a distress line operator with The Support

Network for four years. In 2007 she was recognized for her various

contributions with a YWCA of Edmonton women of distinction award.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and a diploma in

software development.

Ms. Gray and her husband, Neal, are long-term residents of Edmonton.

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EMPLOYERS’ COUNSEL

M LT A I K I N S L L P • M LTA I K I N S .CO M

In this full-day seminar, you will learn:

What’s new, what’s changed and when each of the various changes come into effect

How to prepare your organization and achieve compliance

Practical tips for non-union organizations in light of changes that make union certification easier

This is our most important labour law update to attend this year.

Alberta’s Employment Standards Code and Labour Relations Code experienced their most significant overhaul in 30 years. Now more than ever you need to get up-to-date.

ALBERTA EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE 2017

Edmonton – October 26 | Calgary – November 7

845777_MLTAikins_eOUT.indd 1 11/08/17 10:49 pm

ON THE AGENDAChanges to Alberta Employment Standards Code

Learn about

Seven new types of leave of absence Important changes to overtime, compressed work weeks and termination payLowered eligibility requirements for maternity leave and general holiday pay

Changes to Alberta Labour Relations Code

New rules even non-union employers need to know

Certification process easier for unions; contractors can now unionizeFirst collective agreements can be imposed on employersRestrictions on secondary picketing removed

Proactive Strategies for Non-Union Employers

Advice for non-union employers that may be facing union organizing drives under the amended legislation

Tips for maintaining positive employee relationsTop 10 reasons why employees join unionsHow to respond to a union organizing drive

Weed at Work

How to manage medical and legal recreational marijuana in the workplace

New legislation legalizing marijuana in 2018 and its ramifications for employersCurrent case law on employee use of medical marijuana Employers’ rights relating to employee marijuana use and advice for creating policies

Alberta Case Law Update

The latest case law and its implications for your organization

Just Cause for federally regulated employersBonus obligations upon termination and employer good faith OH&S investigations

Open Forum

A panel of experienced MLT Aikins employment and labour lawyers answer your questions

Qualifies for 6.5 CPHR CPD hours.

Registration & Breakfast: 8:30 a.m.

Seminar: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

$450 per person + GST

Special rates available.

Thursday, October 26 in EdmontonWestin Edmonton (10135 100 St NW)

Tuesday, November 7 in CalgaryWestin Calgary (320 4th Ave SW)


Kristal Allen is the former chief privacy

officer to a large public company with

operations across the globe. She regularly

advises employers on risk management and

policy development related to data sharing,

electronic documents, information assets

and privacy. She has advised both private

and public sector organizations extensively

regarding health, employee and customer

information privacy matters.

Sean Fairhurst counsels employers on

employment practices, procedures and policy

manuals, severance obligations and dismissal.

His experience in policy drafting includes

OH& S compliance and negotiation of service

and employment contracts including non-

solicitation and non-competition clauses.

Sean has represented a number of employers

following serious workplace accidents and

human rights complaints and in injunction

applications. He has appeared before all

levels of the Alberta courts, a wide range of

regulatory tribunals and at private arbitrations.

Leanne Hosfield Harding advises

management-side clients in both the

public and private sectors. She advises on

a variety of labour and employment issues,

providing services related to collective

agreement interpretation and arbitration,

labour relations, workplace policies,

discipline and discharge, occupational

health and safety, and employment

contracts. She has represented clients at

the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, the

Provincial Court of Alberta, the Alberta

Labour Relations Board and various

administrative boards and tribunals.

Adam Kaukas works with his clients to

help them avoid employment and labour

disputes, and advocates on their behalf

to favourably resolve employment, labour,

commercial and insolvency disputes that

prove unavoidable. He advises employers

with respect to managing the workplace,

including collective bargaining, hiring and

termination issues, employee management

and discipline, competition issues and

human rights compliance.

Megan Kheong advises employers in all

aspects of employee relations, including

the development of workplace policies,

Employment Standards compliance, hiring,

discipline and termination issues, and human

rights compliance and accommodation. She has

appeared before the Alberta Provincial Court

(Civil Division) and Alberta Court of Queen’s

Bench, and has experience with pre-trial

conferences and Court mandated mediation.

Walter Pavlic, Q.C. helps organizations

with their labour relations and employment

matters. His experience includes collective

bargaining, arbitrations, human rights

complaints, employment contracts, discipline

issues, dismissal planning, wrongful dismissal

litigation, non-competition actions, employee

fraud and recovery as well as Labour

Relations Board hearings.

Julie Shepherd practises civil litigation

with a focus on employment law. She has

experience defending employers against

claims of wrongful and constructive dismissal

and has prosecuted claims involving the

breach of restrictive covenants against

former employees. Julie has represented

clients in trials before the Alberta Court

of Queen’s Bench and has arbitration and

mediation experience.

Jean Torrens acts as a strategic partner

with human resources and business

leaders to manage through complex legal

situations involving employees and unions.

She has extensive experience acting for

management in conducting collective

bargaining, advising on discipline and

terminations, recommending strategies

to address challenging human rights and

harassment situations, and defending

employers facing litigation.

Kevin Wilson, Q.C. has practised almost

exclusively in the area of management-side

labour and employment law since 1989

for both unionized and non-union clients.

He provides strategic and legal advice to

employers. In addition, Kevin regularly appears

before the Labour Relations Board, courts,

arbitration boards and other administrative

tribunals on behalf of employers.

SPEAKERS


Email, fax or mail completed registration form to:

Amy Foley, MLT Aikins LLP 2200, 10235 – 101st Street Edmonton, AB T5J 3G1

LOCATION/DATE: Please check one:

Edmonton: October 26 (Westin Edmonton, 10135 100 St NW) Calgary: November 7 (Westin Calgary, 320 4th Ave SW)

REGISTRANT INFORMATION: Company: _____________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

City: ______________________________________ Province: ___________________________

Postal Code: _______________________________ Phone: _____________________________

Name: ___________________________________ Title: _______________________________

Email: _____________________________________________________ CPHR AB member:

Name: ___________________________________ Title: _______________________________


Name: ___________________________________ Title: _______________________________


Name: ___________________________________ Title: _______________________________


METHOD OF PAYMENT: Regular fee: $450 + GST ($22.50) = $472.50 per personCPHR AB member fee: $405 + GST ($20.25) = $425.25Register three, get the fourth free

Registration includes breakfast, lunch and refreshments.

Cheque Enclosed Visa MasterCard AMEX

GST Exempt, Reg. No. _______________________________________________________

Credit Card #: ________________________________________________________________

Expiry Date: __________________________________________________________________

Name on Card: ___________________________________________________________________

Signature: ___________________________________________________________________

REGISTERAlberta Employment Law Update 2017

P: (780) 969-5092 F: (780) 969-3549 [email protected]

Registration closes October 12, 2017 (Edmonton) and October 24, 2017 (Calgary).

For a full refund, cancel before October 18, 2017 (Edmonton) or October 30, 2017 (Calgary).

Substitutions can be made at any time. Space is limited. Late registrations will be accommodated as space permits.

Only employers or their representatives are eligible to attend. We reserve the right to decline registrants.

Confirmation of registration will be sent to the email address(es) provided.

Program and speakers are subject to change.

GST #121975544

026


ALBERTA

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS AND

NATIONAL EVENTS FALL/WINTER 2017-2018

MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

–Rights & ResponsibilitiesEdmonton: October 3; Calgary: October 5

This workshop provides a roadmap to help leaders participate in conversations with employees who may require support and accommodation when experiencing difficulties related to mental health.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Why Mental Health Matters• Employer Rights and Responsibilities• Employee Rights and Responsibilities• What is Reasonable Accommodation?• How to Approach the Conversation

Early rate: $249; Regular rate: $279

ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATIONEdmonton: November 1; Calgary: November 2

This workshop shows how to express ideas and feelings in clear and direct ways. Participants build an awareness of their communication patterns and learn to deal confidently with people around them. This training is highly effective for improving communication awareness and skills.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Becoming Assertive• Offering Your Opinion• Giving Directions • Making Requests• Saying “No”


LEADERSHIP–Insights for Thinking DifferentlyEdmonton: November 8; Calgary: November 9

Trainer: Randy Grieser, Founder and CEO of ACHIEVE

This workshop will challenge you to think critically about your approach to leadership. Join other leaders in exploring new and different ways of working through challenges as well as opportunities, and develop new insights that will strengthen your leadership. Particular at-tention will be given to employee engagement and organizational health – two areas that our recent survey showed were of greatest importance to leaders and employees. This training is based on the book, The Ordinary Leader: 10 Key Insights for Building and Leading a Thriving Organization. Author and Speaker Randy Grieser will share his own journey of leadership, and inspire you to think differently and grow as a leader.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Employee Engagement Matters the Most • The Case for Organizational Health• The Talent Shortage Myth• Innovation is for all Organizations• Eliminate Before you Delegate


Randy Grieser, Founder and CEO of ACHIEVERandy is a visionary leader who, together with a team of employees and trainers, has positioned ACHIEVE to be one of the premier providers of professional development training in the industry. He holds a Master of Social Work degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Conflict Resolution. Randy gives presentations on leadership and management principles to a wide range of audiences in business, education, health, and government settings. He believes leadership requires us to always be intentional about what we do and how we do it. Randy is a dynamic presenter who delivers insightful presentations that are engaging, humorous, and informative.

In his new book Randy presents 10 key insights for building and leading a thriving organization. These are the principles he identifies as instrumental to success as a leader. Writing for leaders everywhere, he inspires, motivates, and explains how to make each insight a reality in your organization. Learn more by visiting our website:

book

SPECIAL EVENT

NOVEMBER 2018

TheOrdinaryLeader.com

*in Hard Cover, Digital & Audio-

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE

Edmonton: October 18 & March 15; Calgary: October 19 & March 14

Participants in this workshop will learn how to positively engage others in discussions about behavioural patterns such as passive aggressiveness and chronic resistance. This workshop gives participants a straightforward approach that creates change with people they find difficult.

Some of the Topics Covered:• What is Difficult Behaviour?• How to Exert Influence • Intervention Styles and Difficult People• Dealing with the Bullying Person• Dealing with the Resistant Person


TIME MANAGEMENT (1/2 day)

Edmonton: November 21; Calgary: November 23

Our ability to manage time affects productivity and the quality of work we are able to produce. This workshop will set you up for managing your time with proficiency. You will learn how to set priorities, get yourself organized, manage your time and achieve your goals.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Evaluating your current effectiveness• How to set clear and attainable goals• Identifying common time management mistakes • Key tips to beat procrastination • Scheduling tasks to reflect goals and values


Many ACHIEVE Alberta workshops have been approved for credit by:

LEADING THROUGH CONFLICTWinnipeg, MB: May 3-4

This session assists participants to develop practices and strategies for leading through conflict with clarity, understanding and insight. It focuses on providing tools and frameworks for helping leaders and teams through difficult conversations, team tension and conflict.

Some of the Topics Covered:• How to Navigate Your Role as a Third Party to Conflict• Choosing Where to Focus Your Energy in Conflict• Understanding Conflict Escalation• Coaching for Conflict Resolution Framework• The Role of Leadership Styles in Conflict


NATIONAL EVENT

MAY 2018

Eric provides the overall direction of the development and delivery of ACHIEVE’s workshops and services. He has provided leadership in the field of conflict resolution and mediation since completing a degree in

Sociology with a focus on mediation and peacemaking. Eric is a Chartered Mediator and currently President of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Manitoba. He has worked as an administrator, board chair, senior mediator, trainer and lead negotiator for other organizations in various parts of Canada. He is a gifted trainer who makes training material come alive for participants through humour and real world application.

TRAINER: ERIC STUTZMAN, Managing Director of ACHIEVE

MORE WORKSHOPS AND NATIONAL EVENTS COMING TO AB FALL/WINTER 2017-2018

CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLSEdmonton: December 6; Calgary: December 7

Those people who master essential conflict resolution skills reduce the occurrence of nega-tive conflict in their lives, leading to healthier, happier relationships and work environments. Participants in this training learn to identify and resolve the primary sources of conflict, including miscommunication, disagreements, and personality differences. This workshop also equips participants with skills for respond confidently and effectively when faced with situations of conflict.

Some of the Topics Covered:• How Conflict Escalates• Dealing with Misunderstandings and Disagreements• Dealing with Conflict Style Differences• Key Skills for Conflict Resolution• The Four-Part Conflict Resolution Process


COMMUNICATION–The Essential SkillsCalgary: February 14; Edmonton: February 15

In order to survive and thrive in the 21st century workplace, we all need to master the fundamentals of communication. In this workshop we focus on core skills for communicating with clarity in the workplace. Participants will hone their verbal communication strategies including speaking and listening skills. They will also learn to utilize communication technologies such as email and social media more effectively.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Essential Elements of Communication• The Impact of Technology on Communication• The Essential Considerations for Phone, Email, Text,

and Social Media• Why Communication Breaks Down• How to Send a Clear Message


COACHING STRATEGIES FOR LEADERS–Conflict, Performance, Change

Calgary: March 21; Edmonton: March 22

This workshop provides leaders with a set of coaching tools to bring out the best in the people they lead. It demonstrates a mindset and the related skills for leading others through their personal and professional development in their working careers. Participants will learn a coaching model for working with their employees to enable changes in behaviour, promote skill development and resolve conflict.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Coaching in the Context of Leadership• Utilizing Intrinsic Motivation in Coaching• The Five Part Coaching Model• Coaching for Performance• Coaching for Behaviour Change


DE-ESCALATING POTENTIALLY VIOLENT SITUATIONS

Calgary: November 28; Edmonton: November 29; Grande Prairie: November 30

Offered through the Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute, this workshop is designed to teach people to de-escalate potentially violent situations through assertiveness and interpersonal communication. Participants will develop a clear understanding of how to assess the potential for violence and respond with a diverse set of tools and strategies designed to defuse potentially violent situations.

Some of the Topics Covered:• The Role of Anger in Violence• The Aggression Defusing Process• Approaching, Containment and Problem Solving • When and How to Disengage• Rating of Workplace Risk Factors


MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION–The Crucial Skills

Calgary: December 13; Edmonton: December 14

Like all skills, management skills must be learned and developed. This workshop presents the crucial skills for managing employment relationships from beginning to end, with particular focus on hiring, performance management, adjusting to style differences, and utilizing effective discipline. Both new and existing supervisors and managers will find this workshop useful as they work on developing skills for managing people.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Essential Management Aptitudes and Skills• How to Adapt Your Management Style• Hiring New Employees for Talent and Fit• Creating Committed and Engaged Employees• Performance Management


MINDFUL LEADERSHIPEdmonton: February 27; Calgary: February 28

This workshop focuses on incorporating mindfulness practices into your role as a leader. Balance in emotion and thought leads to health and well-being, and provides a rich foundation for leadership success. The mindful leader leads from a grounded and compassionate place, which reduces stress for others and inspires action. Participants will learn mindfulness-based strategies that are meant to promote self-awareness, emotional balance, stress reduction, and professional growth.

Some of the Topics Covered:• Defining and Understanding Mindfulness• Benefits of Mindfulness for Leaders and Organizations• 10 Talents of a Mindful Leader• Three Mindfulness Practices• Mindful Decision Making for Leaders


ACHIEVE Leadership Retreat-Two Questions All Leaders Should Ask

Banff, AB: July 5-6 (early rate deadline June 5)

This retreat focuses on the two questions all great leaders ask themselves continuously: Am I leader worth following? Am I building a team that will last? The challenge of leadership is to continue to grow in your Competency, Commitment, and Character while simultaneously ensuring that your team is Engaged, Empowered, and Equipped. This retreat will be a time for you to reflect on your own leadership and develop insights and tools to become a more effective leader.


NATIONAL EVENT

JULY 2018 ACHIEVE Certificate ProgramsACHIEVE Centre for Leadership & Workplace Performance is offering two different 5-day Certificate programs in the summer of 2018.

Conflict Management Skills Certificate Program

Winnipeg, MB: July 23-27 (early rate deadline June 23)Early rate: $995; Regular rate: $1110

Leadership & Management Certificate ProgramWinnipeg, MB: July 30-August 3 (early rate deadline June 30)


Please visit our website for details at: www.achievecentre.com

877.270.9776 www.achievecentre.com [email protected]

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