Halifax Half Day Workshop May 1, 2019 Topic: Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Kyle MacIsaac, LL.B., Partner, Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP and Caroline Spindler, J.D., Associate, Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP Click here for the printable PDF version-- Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law Managing people today in a truly diverse and changing world has its challenges. The legal landscape for employers continues to evolve. This special half day program will address tips and recent developments in the following areas: Cannabis and the Workplace: Medical & Recreational- Testing, Accommodation, Employee Rights & Policies Recruitment Updates: Background checks, Social media Employment Contracts Constructive Dismissal Click here for information on Kyle MacIsaac Click here for information on Caroline Spindler Halifax Full Day Conference May 2, 2018 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Michael Murphy, J.D., Associate, McInnes Cooper, Halifax Succession Planning: Make it Work! presented by Tony Case, PhD, Senior Consultant, Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette Mindfulness at Work: Training our Minds to Pay Attention presented by Michelle Lane, Leadership Catalyst & Principal, Vibrant Leaders Power Through that Laundry List: Steer your teams to project delivery! presented by Judith Richardson, CEO & Principal, PONO Consultants International and Cynthia Giles, Founder & CEO, Capstone Project Solutions Inc. Click here for the printable PDF version Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This session will provide an overview of recent developments in three major areas that impact your organization. • Workplace harassment and bullying Workplace harassment and bullying can have many targets, take many forms and often be “invisible”. However, the negative workplace effects of harassment and bullying aren’t invisible: employees often suffer a wide array of physical and psychological effects that spread to broader workplace problems. - Review the impact of workplace harassment and bullying and how to avoid the costs such conduct generates - Gain the skills to identify and determine when you should intervene - Learn how to respond effectively and proactively to meet your legal obligations to provide a safe workplace free of harassment and bullying -Discover the five key steps to investigate harassment and bullying when it does occur • Cannabis: A burning topic for every employer The pending legalization of recreational cannabis is driving the stigma down, and the usage of both recreational and medical cannabis up. Obtain updates on the latest legal developments around cannabis @ work. • Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program Canada’s latest census numbers are clear: we need workers. Participants will get a brief update on the Atlantic Immigration Pilot and how it’s helping Atlantic Canadian employers hire the employees they need. Click here for information on Michael Murphy Succession Planning: Make it Work! Why do it? Organizations must ensure that they aren’t losing the expertise and knowledge of top talent when they leave. Succession planning is different than having an immediate replacement plan. Having a good plan in place also decreases risk of the organization by being able to provide the same level of business to your clients and stakeholders. Best practices Succession planning takes time to develop and perfect. Review the list of things to be done to achieve your goals. Discuss how to design your plan so it aligns with your business strategy and it is made to be just as important. You’ll gain better understanding on whom to approach when and how to get buy-in from top tier management. Lessons learned This planning process usually takes longer than you think and should be treated as important as any other organizational goal. Obtain insights on how other organizations have succeeded in developing the right plan and key factors to success. Discover simple tools to get started now. Click here for information on Tony Case Mindfulness at Work: Training our Minds to Pay Attention Our minds naturally wander- we do it about 50 percent of our waking moments. Add the reality of external distraction in our volatile and hyper-connected 24/7 world to the equation, and it’s easy to appreciate why our ability to focus and pay attention is under such tremendous pressure. Notably, the costs are mounting in our personal health and wellbeing, as well as our overall ability to be effective in our personal and professional lives. For leaders and organizations, the impact on executive functioning skills such as problem-solving and decision making, to name but two, are areas worthy of focus and attention. Our minds, just as our muscles, can be trained. The practice of mindfulness and the capacity it offers to cultivate present moment awareness without judgement or emotional reactivity provides an opportunity to train our minds to pay attention. In the process, we strengthen our ability to pay attention in a mindful way and learn to more readily return to focus on the task at hand when our minds wander. In this interactive session, discover the art and science of mindfulness, highlight some of the research findings about its impact in the workplace and experience a few simple ways of exploring and applying mindfulness – for yourselves and your organizations. Click here for information on Michelle Lane Power Through that Laundry List: Steer your teams to project delivery! Picture a cluttered desk, full inbox and harried team member-doing their best to keep up. Does that sound like you or any of your colleagues? Regardless of your situation or workplace, you will learn to guide your teams to actively and clearly deliver their projects. You will get some real-life inspiration and tools to power through your laundry list of to-do's with clarity, focus and purpose. In this dynamic interactive session, discover how to apply some of the principles and processes of Project Management and Change Management to simplify tasks, take control and simply empty your inbox! • Explore the 3 essentials of managing projects and apply to everyday to-do lists • Draw on your power to influence, inspire and develop collaborative skills and strength • Examine the role of leaders as change agents and catalysts for organizational growth • Befriend “resistance” to change • Discuss strategies for developing a results-focused organizational culture Click here for information on Judith Richardson Click here for information on Cynthia Giles Halifax Full Day Conference May 3, 2017 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Kyle MacIsaac, LL.B, Associate, McInnes Cooper The Work of Leaders: Connect to real-world demands presented by Murray Janewski, BComm, MBA, President, ACT One International Corp. Effective Telephone Communication: Perfecting the Art presented by Mary Jane Copps, The Phone Lady – Author, Speaker, Facilitator Communicating for Success and Results: Difficult Conversations presented by Charmaine Hammond, President, Hammond International Inc., Speaker, Consultant Click here for the printable PDF version Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law Managing people today in a truly diverse and changing world has its challenges. The legal landscape for employers continues to evolve. This presentation will address tips and recent developments in the following areas: *Accommodating Invisible Disabilities – How to respond to mental health issues in the workplace • How to identify mental health disabilities • When do mental health issues become a disability • How should employers respond to mental health related disabilities • Undue hardship in the face of mental disability *Medical Marijuana – The dawn of a new workplace problem or business as usual? • What will the legalization of marijuana in Canada look like? • How will this affect Canadian workplaces? • How and what can employers do to prepare for and respond to this development? Click here for information on Kyle MacIsaac The Work of Leaders: Connect to real-world demands Based on best practices,” The Work of Leaders” connects to real-world demands, generating powerful conversations that provide a clear path for action. Obtain valuable insights into leadership best practices based on work done by Murray Janewski in partnership with John Wiley and Sons. Leadership will be defined as a one-to-many relationship as opposed to the one-to-one relationship that is unique to the field of management. Leadership focuses on tangible steps directed at leading a team toward desired outcomes. Discuss the findings of six years of research and input from over 300 people at over 150 organizations. Using the framework of Vision, Alignment and Execution, The Work of Leaders encourages leaders to understand their own leadership behaviours and how those behaviours will impact their effectiveness in leading others. While thought provoking, The Work of Leaders stimulates fresh conversations and perspectives regardless of the leader’s knowledge or experience. It’s an opportunity for leaders at all levels of learning to reflect on how they approach each step of their work. In addition, it encourages reflection and discussion about the team and the organization. Participants will come away with both the insight and the actions to be able to grow as a leader and to grow their teams. Click here for information on Murray Janewski Effective Telephone Communication: Perfecting the Art Everyone in your organization has one thing in common. They need to clearly and succinctly communicate by phone with others. Whether it is a receptionist taking the call, a salesperson placing the call or a CEO accepting the call, everyone can – and should – improve their existing telephone communication skills. Phone conversations continue to play a vital role in business communication, but being effective and efficient requires specific skills. This dynamic session will help you get your team on track to becoming better communicators. Gain valuable insights on how to leave the right messages that get returned, inspire conversation and gather information. Learn how to work more effectively with specific challenges such as the constant talker, background noise, etc. Discover how to combine email and phone conversations for maximum impact ... and more. Click here for information on Mary Jane Copps Communicating for Success and Results: Difficult Conversations Communication is one of the most important elements of individual, team and business success, yet is one of the most common challenges we all face. This presentation provides you with practical and tactical skills and tools that you can implement immediately for positive results, less drama and long term success… the courageous dialogue. In this interactive session, gain insights how to obtain better results in the difficult conversation, how to reduce your own anxiety and help to generate a positive and productive outcome for all parties involved. Whether the situation involves providing feedback about sensitive issues, correcting performance or conveying bad news, this presentation will help you communicate for success and results up, down and across the organization. Click here for information on Charmaine Hammond Halifax Full Day Conference April 13, 2016 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Kyle MacIsaac, B.A., LL.B, Associate, McInnes Cooper Meaningful Impact on Performance presented by Judith Richardson, MA, BA, BEd, MEC, Founder, PONO Consultants International The Seven Strategies of Master Presenters presented by Dr. Brad McRae, Director, Atlantic Leadership Development Institute Sign In Your Teams: Connect, Collaborate and Create with Ease presented by Jacqueline Throop-Robinson, CEO, Spark Engagement Click here for a printable PDF. Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law Managing people today in a truly diverse and changing world has its challenges. The legal landscape for employers continues to evolve. This presentation will address tips and recent developments in the following areas: 1. Family Status Accommodations • Recent Case law developments • The do’s and don’ts of responding to a Family Status request • What an employer can and cannot request of an employee • Likely growth of more family status claims moving forward 2. Discipline for Off Duty Conduct • What constitutes off duty conduct in the age of Social Media? • How far is too far? • Proper components of a good workplace policy • How should the employer handle personal electronic devices? 3. Performance Related Terminations • Recent Case law developments • Best practices for managing performance • Are older employees entitled to different standards of performance? Click here for information on Kyle MacIsaac Meaningful Impact on Performance Drawing on her experience working with entrepreneurs, executives, and top athletes, including award winning Corporate Leaders and Football Coaches, Judith Richardson explores with audiences developing a peak performance mindset that creates sustainable results that positively affect performance, accountability, management, and staff engagement. An average day in the workplace is one of competing priorities and new processes that come with their own pressures. By sharing actual practices to help you discover what is keeping your team or you from reaching your potential we will explore the “magic in the middle” between competency and deliverable, developing tools for behavioural change leading to robust workplace cultures and lives that work powerfully and effectively in those cultures. In this workshop, participants will explore the mindset, behaviours and actions necessary to: Break through obstacles to peak performance Discover how to overcome the “noise” that can block productivity Increase staff engagement in setting and achieving performance goals Foster an organizational culture of acknowledgement Click here for information on Judith Richardson The Seven Strategies of Master Presenters The sign of a great speech is one that has the Intellectual Power to deliver the message and the Emotional Force to move the audience to new ways of thinking and behaving. The Seven Strategies of Master Presenters is a highly interactive workshop that is based on the book of the same name. Brad and his co-author interviewed over 30 of the best presenters in North America in order to discover how they became Master Presenters. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to use the strategies that differentiate masterful presentations from their less effective counterparts. Whether it is a one-on-one presentation, a sales call, a presentation to a small group, or an audience of a thousand, this will help you become a Master. Click here for information on Brad McRae Sign In Your Teams: Connect, Collaborate and Create with Ease Take your teams and leaders beyond the basics. Our focus is your success, whether you have a problem to solve or an idea to build. In today's world, teams are much different than years ago. The traditional "team in a box" no longer serves organizations as well. More often individuals are interacting with people from within their own workplace, other organizations and communities. There is value and strength in being able to easily transition and adapt to each new interaction. In this very interactive session, discover the Golden Rule of Collaboration at work, build on ideas with proven techniques, deal with people who create barriers and work with mistakes. Obtain practical tools and techniques for everyday use and work with others constructively. Gain insights on how to take your team to the next level and how to apply these principles in both your professional and personal lives. Click here for information on Jacqueline Throop-Robinson Halifax Full Day Conference April 15, 2015 Topic: Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Sarah Manning, LL.B., Senior Associate, Taylor MacLellan Cochrane Changing Problem Behaviour Without Discipline presented by George Raine, President, Montana Consulting Group and Maxime Labbé, Senior Partner, Montana Consulting Group Recruiting- Are You Marketing Jobs or Selling Them? presented by Paul Kidston, MBA, CSP, P. Mgr., President -Lead Consultant, Sales Training Experts® The Art of Flourishing presented by Carla Anglehart, Vice-President Training and Development, Atlantic Leadership Development Institute Click here for a printable PDF. Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law Managing the workplace has become highly regulated by legislation and the Courts. Owners and their delegates may feel like they no longer run the organization when it comes to employee management. In this session, obtain tips on how to get that power back in three major areas. Take back those reigns! The Untouchables Long term employees with poor performance can have a serious impact on the workplace. It can devalue the hard workers who may also have to pick up the slack. There is an element of control to the statement, “I have been here so long you can’t do anything about it.” But you can. Discover how to performance manage “the Untouchables” while minimizing your risk of a “bullying” or “harassment” claim. Neutralizing a Negative Work Environment Negative work environments can result in resignations, sick leave and harassment complaints. Productivity can decrease and an unhealthy work environment is created for all. Get ahead of the curve and neutralize that negative work environment. Learn how to restore a negative workplace through a Workplace Restoration. It is a hands-on, group focused process which is interactive and solution based. It is a step away from theoretical toward the practical. Obtain tips on how to prevent a negative workplace from developing and strategies on how to restore one that has already gone down that path. Take Back Your Rights with a Properly Worded Employment Contract A properly worded employment contract can be your best evidence when defending a legal claim against you or enforcing a term against a former employee. Obtain tips on contract language that will help minimize your risk and protect you. Just drafting a term is not enough- it must be enforceable under law. Learn strategies that will better your chance of success in having a term enforced. Key areas discussed will include terms relating to reasonable notice upon termination, just cause, and non-competition and non-solicitation clauses. Click here for information on Sarah Manning Changing Problem Behaviour Without Discipline In this high energy presentation, human dynamics innovators George Raine and Maxime Labbé will show you their proven Turnaround Interview® technique for coaching employees to break bad workplace habits without using or threatening discipline. This technique corrects minor but persistent problems like lateness, excessive breaks, missing deadlines, negative comments, improper use of work time and similar behaviours. Already proven in manufacturing, high-tech, government, health care and educational settings, this progressive approach to dealing with sticky problems is producing dramatic results in about 90% of cases. Learn how and why people naturally defend bad workplace habits and why they resist change. Discover how to use that knowledge to overcome the resistance and how to make the change stick. It may not be that easy at first. Review the proven techniques for controlling the flow of the conversation and for phrasing your questions to get the best chance of success. Rooted in a sound understanding of human nature, this new, high-impact approach to employee coaching will get you to rethink your instinctive approaches to these tough conversations with employees. Click here for information on George Raine Click here for information on Maxime Labbé Recruiting- Are You Marketing Jobs or Selling Them? There is certainly a difference. The recruiting industry has adopted ‘marketing technology’ at an alarming rate. Applicant Tracking Systems and Job Boards have allowed recruiting professionals to screen more than 70% of all resumes electronically through key words and spider technology. Now with the advent of video interviews, we have gained further ground on the road to efficiency. Or have we? Attracting and retaining good employees is more than a marketing exercise. It is a sales job. In the name of marketing efficiency we may have sacrificed sales effectiveness in the recruiting process. 70% of applicants never speak with a warm body from a company. Are the 30% really your best candidates? In 2014, the sales profession has been relabelled and redefined to reflect the ever changing demands of clients from all industries. The word ‘Sales’ has been replaced with words like ‘Candidate Experience’ and ‘Candidate Satisfaction’. Effective recruiters use persuasion and influence strategies to describe the very foundation of the good work they do. This session will deliver interesting insights into the ‘sales job’ of recruitment. Whether you are responsible for a large staffing department or a front line manager hiring staff directly, this is a must see session. Through audience participation, research and actual examples, discover the influence and persuasion strategies most often used along the recruitment path. Click here for information on Paul Kidston The Art of Flourishing Dealing with poor attendance, poor performance, individual and team conflicts? You are not alone. The good news is there are some fabulous tools, processes and systems that managers can utilize to support them in addressing these and other workplace issues. The bad news is that at times, even when managers implement the best tools and strategies, the undesirable behaviours persist. In this inspirational session, participants will go “upstream” and consider the root cause of the behaviours rather than the symptoms. Obtain insights on the visionary work of Martin Seligman and others in the field of positive psychology and organizational health. Explore the three elements of authentic happiness and move beyond the goal of employee satisfaction and engagement to the gold standard of “flourishing”. In positive psychology, flourishing is thriving, vigorous growth and resilience. At the root of a flourishing career or business are individuals who possess high levels of emotional, psychological and social well-being. This thought-provoking session will offer insights about enhancing well-being and leveraging employee’s virtues and signature strengths to optimize your workforce. Click here for information on Carla Anglehart Halifax Full Day Conference April 9, 2014 Topic: Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Bradley Proctor, MBA, LL.B., Deputy Managing Partner, McInnes Cooper Time Management: The New Focus presented by Marcel Bellefeuille, RPR, Professional Coaching Consultant Beyond Engagement: Energized Employees= Better Results presented by Brady Wilson, Co-Founder of Juice Inc., Author, Trainer and Speaker Moral Leadership: Doing What's Right for You and Your Organization presented by Craig Dowden, Ph.D., Managing Director, SPB Organizational Psychology Inc. Click here for a printable PDF. Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law This session will provide an overview of critical HR developments that impact your business. We will work through recent developments in these key areas: Bullying and Cyber Bullying in the Workplace • Legislative changes with the new anti-cyber bullying law • Change of focus with respect to bullying • Discuss recent cases and legislative changes involving bullying and social media. Social Media Update • How can the employer make use of social media in the pre-employment process? • How can use of social media lead to disciplinary action? • What happens to bad-mouthing on social media? Accommodating Family Status • Employees need time for familial obligations which could involve child care or elder care. • Review recent case law developments to determine the employer’s obligations with respect to this accommodation. Managers from all industry sectors will gain valuable insights on these legal updates and more. You’ll obtain numerous strategies that you can take back and implement in your organization. Click here for information on Brad Proctor Time Management: The New Focus Most people actually use 60% or less of available work time. When over 38,000 people in 200 countries were queried about individual productivity, a Microsoft survey showed that even though they were physically at work five days a week, they were only productively using three days. Attlasian also reports that 60% or less of work time is actual productive time. In this session, we will address the link between time management and productivity through the following discussion points: • How are you allocating your time? How and why should you improve it? • Attitudes are the key to time management and being productive. Discuss the main attributes of a “Championship Attitude”. Breaking away from the traditional thought processes creates unique ideas. This activity is fostered through a simple discipline tool. • Process is important when applying different time management techniques. Discover unique ways to utilize your time that are targeted and efficient. By using new techniques, you will manage and produce at a different level. Participants will acquire specific tools to assist them in managing their time in a new and meaningful way. A different look at motivation will improve personal and professional growth through basic measuring criteria. The implementation of a weekly scheduling tool will boost productivity levels not only in the workplace, but in all aspects of your life. Click here for information on Marcel Bellefeuille Beyond Engagement: Energized Employees= Better Results Are your well-intended engagement strategies putting your best employees at risk? Your most engaged employees may be loyal, but are they energized? Today’s organizational leaders face a new challenge-how to move employees beyond engagement to a culture where their workforce can manage the needs of employees and the needs of the organization, release bottled-up innovative thinking and consistently create breakthrough business results. The key lies in energy. Leaders who can successfully shift from managing engagement to managing energy will make a monumental difference to their people and consequently, business results. In this thought-provoking session, participants will gain valuable insights on the myths of employee engagement, obtain key strategies to take employees beyond engagement and discover new tools for turning your workforce into a higher performing organization. Consider the possibility of something beyond employee engagement! Creating a culture that harnesses and fosters sustainable organizational energy is not easy-but it is possible. This will surely transform the way you look at engagement. Click here for information on Brady Wilson Moral Leadership: Doing What's Right for You and Your Organization Leadership is one of the most frequently discussed topics in the world of business and receives considerable coverage in the popular and academic press. What are the most effective leadership attributes for both individuals and organizations? The importance of this question is further accented by the groundbreaking work of the Gallup organization. Their surveys and studies have consistently shown that the number one reason people leave organizations is “poor leadership.” This trend, combined with the recent failures of our institutions and even countries, has created a fervent call for stronger leadership. Review an evidence-based argument highlighting the critical importance of the “softer” side of leadership. Discover how humility, empathy, happiness and self-awareness/authenticity are key differentiators of peak performance organizations. Although this list may seem counterintuitive to widespread beliefs regarding desirable leadership attributes, a sizeable evidence base has grown showcasing its effectiveness. By drawing on classic and cutting edge research, this session will highlight how moral leadership is not only doing the right thing, but it is the right thing to do for the health of our organizations. Click here for information on Craig Dowden Halifax Half Day Workshop October 29, 2013 Topic: From ‘Good’ to ‘Better than Good’: Why Organizational Excellence Is So Hard to Achieve presented by Ray Ivany, President and Vice Chancellor, Acadia University Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Stephen Carpenter, B.A., LL.B., Partner and Murray Murphy, B.A. LL.B., Partner, Stewart McKelvey Click here for a printable PDF. From ‘Good’ to ‘Better than Good’: Why Organizational Excellence Is So Hard to Achieve This session will examine the factors that influence high performance within organizations as well as the reasons why many efforts to improve organizational results often fail to achieve their objectives. We will do a practical and candid exploration of ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t’ with a goal of identifying best practices that lead to success. Review actual case studies and discuss the key factors involved. Ray Ivany will share his own personal experiences in attempting to lead planning and reform agendas. Managers from all organizations will take back valuable insights and strategies to implement and reach their goals. Click here for information on Ray Ivany Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This presentation will focus on four major areas of concern in employment and labour law: social media, jokes and pranks in the workplace-when they become violence or harassment, workplace investigations and pre-hiring considerations. Social Media & Its Impact at the Workplace • Off duty, online activities: Can employers discipline employees for online activities at home? • Monitoring employees’ online activities in the workplace: Is it really a good idea? • Cyber bullying in the workplace • Acceptable use policies: Why should every employer have one and what must be included? • Where is the line between the employer’s right to monitor employees’ online activity and the employees’ right to privacy? Jokes and Pranks in the Workplace Fun in the workplace is healthy. It gets unhealthy when it goes too far and crosses the line into harassment and violence. The majority of complaints of harassment in the workplace were intended to be “innocent.” Nevertheless, the exposure for the employer is the same. Review key legal developments and learn what you need to know when reacting to “harassment.” Workplace Investigations Workplaces are becoming increasingly complex and more and more regulated. This naturally leads to more and more employer “investigations.” Employers are constantly “investigating,” whether or not they realize it. Proper investigations are critical to minimizing your exposure. Participants will learn when an investigation is required, should it be internal or external, the process and evidence issues, how to deal with “he said, she said” and the final report. Discover the biggest problems with investigations and how to deal with them. Pre-Hiring Considerations Who did you just hire? Here we examine what you can and can’t ask at the pre-hiring and interview stages. What about background checks? Assuming you can do them, what types of verification are acceptable? Can’t employers just “google” applicants and see what comes up? Review the advantages and pitfalls of background checks and more importantly, on what findings you can base your final hiring decisions. Click here for information on Stephen Carpenter Click here for information on Murray Murphy Halifax Full Day Conference April 10, 2013 Topic: Today’s Top 3 Issues in Managing People- The Legal Perspective presented by Grant Machum, B.Comm, LL.B., Partner & Practice Group Leader, Labour and Employment, Stewart McKelvey The Next Frontier - Recruiting in the 21st Century Workplace presented by Gail Boone, MPA, CEC,CHRP, Facilitator, Consultant & Certified Executive Coach, Gail Boone Consulting and Carla Hurley, M.Ed, CEC, Director, HR, Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia & Certified Executive Coach Implementing Change- What You Need to Succeed presented by Carla Anglehart, Director, Organizational Development, Health Association Nova Scotia The Growing Earnings Gap & Productivity: What We Can Do? presented by Larry Haiven, PhD, Professor, Sobey School of Business, Director, Master of Management-Co-operatives & Credit Unions, Saint Mary's University Click here for a printable PDF. Today’s Top 3 Issues in Managing People- The Legal Perspective Managing people today in a truly diverse and changing world has its challenges. The legal landscape for employment continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This informative session will provide you with the latest trends and practical tips in three major areas: • Age in the workplace From millennial to septuagenarian, the present workplace crosses more generations than ever before. Managers have never been as challenged by “age” as they are today, but all agree that performance is the ultimate goal. Learn what you need to do to move forward. • Social networking The biggest social networking myths are that it’s only a young person’s game and what is said is private. This area of the law has demanded renewed review and audit of existing policies and keeping on top of privacy developments from our highest court. Discover how to create a policy best suited to preventing harm within your organization. • Constructive dismissal Reorganization is the new norm in today’s business world. Flexibility to change with the times has become more important today than ever. Obtain the latest tips on how to make these changes without being charged with constructive dismissal. Click here for information on Grant Machum The Next Frontier - Recruiting in the 21st Century Workplace Is your workplace ready to go boldly go where it has not gone before? As the boomers leave the workforce to be replaced by Gen X and Y (the Millenniums), organizations, HR professionals and recruiting managers will have to think differently about recruitment. What's so different about recruiting today? Gain valuable new insights on what your organization should consider in this phase of recruitment. Discuss the changes in balance between technical expertise and fit and how to determine the right mix in today’s shifting world of work. Recruitment strategies that you have used for years may not work with the changing demographics. This interactive session provide you with tips and strategies to enable you to take your recruitment efforts to the next frontier. Click here for information on Gail Boone Click here for information on Carla Hurley Implementing Change- What You Need to Succeed Progress is all about change. Simply put, without change there is no progress. And yet, one of the greatest challenges for leaders today is to move individuals and teams away from resistance and fear of change to a place where they embrace change with greater focus, productivity and engagement. In this session, participants will learn how to effectively manage themselves and support others through change, when all they can see is the whites of their eyes! Based on scientific research of the brain during times of change, this session will introduce a “map” for change and address some of the predictable characteristics of change as well as the unpredictable characteristics. It will introduce a model that supports individuals in identifying where they are at with regard to a particular change (emotional, mental and behavioural responses) and what skills they need to move forward in each stage of change. Formal leaders also have much to learn from this material. If you are frustrated with resistance, sabotage, conflict, absenteeism and presenteeism that seem to increase during times of change, this session will support you in knowing in advance what responses to anticipate. More importantly, you will be armed with specific strategies to employ for every stage of change, so that you and your team can successfully implement changes and progress! Click here for information on Carla Anglehart The Growing Earnings Gap & Productivity: What We Can Do? Most of us spend a greater amount of time at work than we did years ago. Is this large amount of time reflected in our earnings? The rich seem to be getting richer, the poor aren’t going anywhere and there are fewer people in the middle. In this session, we’ll explore the issues of productivity and inequality of earnings in today’s workplace. Why should we be concerned about growing inequality? The common belief in Atlantic Canada is that wages are too high and productivity is too low. Is this reality a true reality or just a myth? Gain insights on what we as citizens, employers and managers can do to tackle these issues. Review how to engage your people, how to invest in them and how to tackle productivity problems. Click here for information on Larry Haiven Halifax Half Day Workshop October 24, 2012 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Ian C. Pickard, B.A., LL.B., Partner, McInnes Cooper Walking the Tightrope: Strategic & Tactical Leadership presented by Brenda Fair, Principal, Fairwinds Training and Development Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law Employment law is an ever changing landscape. New issues like Facebook and Twitter continue to arise and create challenges for employers. In this session, we will explore three critical issues: off duty conduct including Facebook and Twitter use, constructive dismissal and managing employee absenteeism. Off Duty Conduct of Employees Including Use of Social Media Discover when and how it is appropriate to discipline employees for engaging in conduct outside of the workplace. There have been some recent Nova Scotia decisions which challenge prior beliefs about when an employer can discipline for an employee’s behaviour away from the workplace. Constructive Dismissal – What’s New? Does it Still Exist? Constructive dismissal has historically protected employees from circumstances where the employer unilaterally reduces an employee’s salary, job title, and responsibilities or fundamentally alters their job duties. Recent case law both in Nova Scotia and across Canada is bringing the concept of constructive dismissal very much into question. Managing Employee Absenteeism Managing employee absences is a constant challenge. Review new and different ways for the employer to take back control of employee absences, both in the short and long term. Click here for information on Ian Pickard Walking the Tightrope: Strategic & Tactical Leadership There comes a time in every leader’s management career where they find themselves torn between strategy and tactics. They were most likely promoted because of their technical proficiency. This may even be a comfort area for them. However, their role has changed and they must now focus on organizational development rather than production. Becoming strategic is not something we are taught in high school. In this session, we will explore what it means to transition into a strategic role and the differences between a manager’s ability to do things right, versus their ability to do the right things. This transition happens incrementally as we climb the ladder from frontline to Supervisor, from Supervisor to Manager and on to the C Suite. At each stage, there are shifts in thinking and in behavior that are necessary for true effectiveness. It is vital for leaders to have a clear sense of the difference between strategic and tactical thought. Review the where, when, why and how to employ each approach and the impact on the teams they lead. In this interactive session, participants will be able to draw on their own experiences to learn about improving performance and achieving the desired objectives. Click here for information on Brenda Fair Halifax Half Day Workshop April 11, 2012 Topic: Motivational Leadership: So What’s New? presented by Gail Boone, CHRP, Facilitator & Consultant, Gail Boone Consulting Fostering a Safety Culture- Today’s Critical Issues at WCB Nova Scotia presented by Wendy Griffin, MBA, Acting VP, Service Delivery, Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia Brainstorming for Productivity: Eliminate the Obstacles presented by Kathy Jourdain, Process Artist, Shape Shift Strategies Motivational Leadership: So What’s New? When you google the word “leadership” you get 473 million results. When you shop Amazon for leadership books, you can choose from 50,604 titles. In August 2005, there were 16,583 titles. Can you say exponential growth? So what is this thing called leadership? Can you learn it from a book? Are leaders born or made? What are the traits of today’s leaders? You will be challenged to think about the characteristics of leadership that make a very real difference in people’s everyday work life. What are some key behaviours to which people respond? What does leadership look like when it shows up? What really matters to those who look for leadership? This session will provide an experienced-based look at leadership- first-hand accounts from the inside, out. Review examples of leadership as experienced by those who can describe the difference it made for them. Click here for information on Gail Boone Fostering a Safety Culture- Today’s Critical Issues at WCB Nova Scotia A safety culture is taking root in Nova Scotia. Workplace injury rates are at their lowest in 15 years. The frequency of workplace injuries has dropped by 5 per cent each year since 2005. This is good progress, but there’s still much work to do. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. In this interactive session, learn how WCB is getting closer to the workplace and directly supporting the efforts of workers and employers while continuously improving the way it delivers service. Hot topics featured include building support for workplace health and safety, enhancements to the rate setting model, direct access to physiotherapy, new social marketing campaign on musculoskeletal injuries and the WCB’s long term funding strategy. Obtain insights on these issues and have your own workplace safety questions answered. Click here for information on Wendy Griffin Brainstorming for Productivity: Eliminate the Obstacles Blue sky or out of the box thinking or brainstorming doesn’t always offer us the practical solutions we need to move past stuck points in our projects or teams. By applying a specific set of criteria for the brainstorming session, generate a more targeted discussion that will provide useful ideas that can be applied immediately. Creativity and innovation can be ramped up by identifying powerful questions to zero in on the problem, provide new lenses with which to view it, generate reflective, intentional, lively conversation and produce quality and quickly implementable ideas to blow past the stuck points. Are you wrestling with a stuck point in your work right now? Bring it forward and let a team of participants practice working with the brainstorming criteria and framework for innovative questioning to see what emerges that you can take away and apply. Discover seven criteria you can apply to brainstorming that will improve the effectiveness of your brainstorming sessions. Obtain four simple tools to boost creative output. Learn how to shape questions that set the ground for more creative thinking on stuck points. Click here for information on Kathy Jourdain Halifax Half Day Workshop October 25, 2011 Topic: Improve Your Relations with Labour presented by Joan Jessome, President, Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union Critical Legal Issues in Managing a Rapidly Aging Workforce presented by Jack Graham, Q.C., Partner, Labour & Employment Group, McInnes Cooper Improve Your Relations with Labour The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) has approximately 29,000 members in both the public and private sectors. Our featured presenter Joan Jessome will provide some insights on major issues and steps that can be taken by employers and managers to improve relations with labour. “Opening the Dialogue” entails discussion with union leadership about key current issues or developments. It can address a potential or growing problem before it may go public and before it becomes more difficult to fix. It is an obvious step but one that is not used as much as it could be. “Labour-Management Committees” is a more formal step of encouraging and supporting regular, ongoing dialogue. Discover ways to maximize success with joint committees. “Bully-Free Workplaces” is a major program launched by NSGEU in September 2010. Bullying, harassment and intimidation exist in almost every workplace. This bullying culture must be changed. Learn more about this program and how it can help stop the epidemic. Click here for information on Joan Jessome Critical Legal Issues in Managing a Rapidly Aging Workforce The workforce is aging in Canada just as it is in all industrialized countries. Older workers can bring valuable skills, experience and other advantages, but they may also have very different employment demands as well. As their numbers increase, this is likely to significantly affect employment relations, create new workplace issues and add complications to existing legal and operational challenges for employers. This session will provide an overview of some developments in employment law that have particular relevance in managing older employees. It will offer practical tips for dealing with some common but troublesome issues arising from workforce aging: • Is it discriminatory to offer no or reduced employee benefits to older employees, especially when premium costs can skyrocket after age sixty-five or so? • What are you going to have to do to do about age-related declining attendance, performance and productivity, when mandatory retirement is no longer going to (at least someday) deal with the problem for you? • How can you meet the duty to accommodate the more frequent and more debilitating disabilities that are apt to occur among older workers? When is that elusive point of undue hardship reached in accommodating normal aging as well as complications arising from physical or mental disabilities? • What about accommodating the increased caregiver obligations that employees may have for their aging family members? Obtain vital information on these issues and have your questions answered on the particular “wrinkles” in their own workplace issues with an aging workforce. Click here for information on Jack Graham Halifax Half Day Workshop March 30, 2011 Topic: Workplace Bullying, Fraud & Investigations: Recent Trends & Best Practices presented by Sue MacMillan, FCA, CFE, CFI, Partner, Grant Thornton LLP and Joyce McGeehan, MBA, CMA, CFI, Senior Manager, Forensic Accounting & Advisory Services, Grant Thornton LLP Making the Difference: New Trends in Leadership presented by Kevin Hamm, CEO, Nova Scotia Gateway Secretariat Workplace Bullying, Fraud & Investigations: Recent Trends & Best Practices Fraud and Workplace Bullying The link between fraud and bullying may not be obvious, but it’s there! When fraud occurs over a long period of time, it’s almost inconceivable that someone in the organization didn’t know or have suspicions. Why didn’t that person come forward? We will look at a number of real life fraud cases where there has been an element of bullying that either precipitated the fraud or allowed the fraud to go undetected. Learn how to develop and implement proper policies and procedures in dealing with bullying and fraud. Fraud Investigation – Best Practices We know that fraud occurs in the workplace. One component of a comprehensive fraud program is the investigation. Review a practical approach and best practices in conducting fraud investigations. The principles can be applied to other internal investigations including theft, harassment, conflict of interest, breach of IT policies or allegations of workplace violence. Each fraud is different. Objectives, planning and approach to a fraud investigation can also vary significantly. Learn how to implement a basic framework for a fraud investigation before there is even a hint of fraud. Emotional reactions to fraud, unsupported or unreasonable assumptions, lack of objectivity, weak investigative mindsets and failure to understand what lies beneath the numbers are a recipe for faulty conclusions and professional embarrassment. We’ll discuss how each of these slippery slopes can be easily avoided. This presentation will provide all managers the necessary information in order to review or develop your present strategy, plans and procedures as well as understand potential problem areas in order to avoid needless litigation in the courts. Click here for information on Sue MacMillan Click here for information on Joyce McGeehan Making the Difference: New Trends in Leadership This presentation will address the issue of leadership as it applies to all employees in any organization in both private and public sectors. Recognize the signs of call to become a leader, subtle versus very vocal displays. Discover ways to assess when new leadership is required, the difference between the traditional “custodian thinking” and the new “world class” process. Learn how to address the need, how to lead and how to obtain the buy-in from superiors and senior executives. Participants will review the top traits or characteristics of standing leaders against which they can measure themselves. Discuss actual case studies and examples to learn why “custodian thinking” is no longer an option for any employee to succeed in an organization, regardless of position. Organizations can no longer survive or flourish with the “status quo” or “mind the shop” attitude. Learn how to move yourself and those around you into world class thinking that will help you become the leader you want to be! Click here for information on Kevin Hamm Halifax Half Day Workshop October 26, 2010 Topic: Top 10 Best Practices for Termination presented by G. Grant Machum, B.Comm, LL.B., Partner, Stewart McKelvey Engaging Employees: Smart Management presented by Steve Ashton, Vice President, People & Organization Development, IWK Health Centre Top 10 Best Practices for Termination As managers, we are tasked with terminating employees. Though it’s not one of our favourite duties, we must ensure that the terminations are done properly in order to avoid future legal action by the former employee. Organizations can avoid needless litigation by following certain “best practices” in dealing with termination. This session will provide vital legal information and updates required by all managers from the hiring stage to termination. Highlights include dealing with termination on hiring, progressive discipline and required documentation, reasons- determining Just Cause, attendance management, investigation, how to handle the toxic employee, the meeting, restrictions post-employment, references and the importance of maintaining dignity for everyone. Click here for information on Grant Machum Engaging Employees: Smart Management Lots of lip service is paid to the importance of our people as our "most valuable strategic resource." However, like many areas of human resources, organizations rarely dedicate the time and commitment to measuring and improving the level of employee engagement. Over the past 10 years, the science (and art) of measuring engagement has matured beyond simply looking at employee satisfaction. Leading organizations have engaged social and organizational research to look at the key drivers between what leaders do, and how employees respond. Engagement has become one of the most important lead indicators to predict employee performance, commitment, retention, alignment to strategy, and service to key customers and stakeholders. Our goal in this session is to look at the latest research into the measurement of engagement, some of the key drivers, and the work that leading organizations have put into improving engagement levels over time. We will look at how to best measure employee engagement considering the generational differences in today’s workforce. Discover new strategies and best practices to engage individuals and groups. Examine what do to versus what not to do as leaders. As we'll learn, the hardest work is what is done "between surveys" and how important it is for leaders at every level to understand the impact their everyday actions can have on long-term commitment of their employees. Click here for information on Steve Ashton Halifax Half Day Workshop April 21, 2010 Topic: Walking the High Wire - Balancing Management Rights & Employee Privacy Interests presented by Jack Graham, Q.C., Partner, Labour & Employment Group, McInnes Cooper, Halifax Morale in the Workplace: Turn Negative into Positive presented by Wilson Bateman, President, Global Training Edge Inc. Walking the High Wire - Balancing Management Rights & Employee Privacy Interests Employers have legitimate rights to secure resources, to investigate undesirable conduct, to acquire the information about applicants and employees that is necessary to make sound business decisions and to meet their legal obligations under the abundance of laws governing employment in Canada. However, it is an ever increasing challenge to find the correct balance between these employers’ rights and their employees' privacy interests. This session is intended to provide some general guidance on what an employer is entitled to know, and how that information may acceptably be acquired, in some typical workplace circumstances that are becoming more complicated by the need to find the right balance point: • Using social media to screen job applicants or keep tabs on employees; • Risk, attendance and performance management through workplace and off-site surveillance technology; and • Acquiring the medical information necessary to assess employee health issues, and to meet accommodation obligations, especially when the employee is uncooperative or in denial. While each set of circumstances requires an individualized assessment, this session will provide useful general guidelines to recognizing where the risks lie, and how employee privacy interests must be taken into consideration. Click here for information on Jack Graham Morale in the Workplace: Turn Negative into Positive The energy in today's workplace may seem negative or even toxic at times. People are dealing with issues that may contribute to a negative attitude towards fellow employees and managers. Many workplaces are downsizing, reducing the number of employees, cutting budgets, limiting travel and are grim about future prospects. This combination of issues can lead to problems within any workplace, resulting in negative energy. Negative energy affects the workplace not only with morale, but also productivity, potential violence, conflict and stress. Put negative energy into perspective. Examine it and then evaluate its impact on the individual and the organization. Many people may not even realize that they are thinking in a negative manner or that they are negative at all, even when confronted with the idea. Participants will acquire new tools to examine their thought patterns to determine if they are a negative or a positive thinker. Learn more about the benefits of positive thinking and acquire techniques to help people become more positive. These tools can be used by any employee within the organization. Discover how to avoid a toxic work environment. Recognize how to evaluate the extent of this negative energy, the impact on each employee, their workteam and the organization overall. Participants will also gain insight about controls and what can we do to change the negative into positive energy. This special program will assist employees and organizations in dealing with issues around negative energy, which can cause pain and suffering, an issue that will impact everyone at some point in his or her working lives. Click here for information on Wilson Bateman Halifax Half Day Workshop October 27, 2009 Topic: Downsizing: A “Moment of Truth” for Your Organization’s Employment Brand presented by Mark Surrette, President, Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette and Anna Stuart, Partner, Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette Strategic Workforce Planning in Turbulent Times presented by Tim Brennan, Chief Visionary Officer, HiringSmart Canada Inc. Downsizing: A “Moment of Truth” for Your Organization’s Employment Brand Downsizing was a new event in the 80’s, became standard practice in the 90’s and today has taken on an entirely new dimension. Downsizing, when it must be done, has to be viewed in the light of employee retention and recruitment. Imagine, using restructuring as an engagement process! Beyond the moral and social responsibility to treat people with dignity and respect, it makes good business sense to effectively manage the human impact of downsizing. Whether you are downsizing for economic or strategic reasons, people remember how you treated them and talk about it. If they perceive their experience as unnecessarily negative or unfair, they will share it with friends, family and colleagues. In the age of the internet and social networking, the harm to your employment brand can be swift and far-reaching, and can haunt you when you are ready recruit new talent. There are also the perceptions of your remaining employees to consider. If they believe you have not been fair or respectful to departing employees, they will look for other job opportunities once conditions improve. Those most likely to depart are the individuals with the most options – your top talent. Discover how to manage downsizing so it will have a positive long-term impact on your organization’s employment brand. Employers of choice understand the value of looking at HR from a marketing perspective. They think about employment with an organization as a product like any other with a unique set of features, benefits and a specific target market –the top talent in the industry. Leading organizations strive to develop and communicate a strong employee value proposition that resonates with the type of employees they wish to recruit and retain. Review some of the best practices in downsizing that help not only at the time of the downsizing but serve to mitigate the potentially negative impacts on your organization’s employment brand. Learn how employment brand is shaped, how downsizing can impact employment brand and engage in a dialogue about creating a ‘moment of truth’ that serves to enhance your organization’s employment brand and position you for the return of the war for talent. Click here for information on Mark Surrette Click here for information on Anna Stuart Strategic Workforce Planning in Turbulent Times With the current unstable economic climate, companies that find ways to maximize their employees’ contribution have a greater chance of weathering the storm. Currently, 70 to 80 percent of the workforce in North America is at some level disengaged in their work, which in itself costs the economy billions of dollars annually in misdirected resources. Much of this waste is a direct result of outdated staffing and talent management approaches. We must focus on measuring what matters, specifically the four critical aspects of fit: fit with the job, fit with the manager, fit with the team and fit with the organization. These are the four leading indicators that lead to engagement with effects the business results that the organization uses as the real measurement of success. You will obtain three strategic activities that will clearly outline the steps to create a consistent, efficient hiring process across an entire organization based on the four critical aspects of fit. Discover techniques and tools to collect the information that matters for strategic workforce planning. We will examine best practices of leading organizations to ensure that you get the right person quickly and accurately, saving time and money. Learn how to create a "knowledge chain reaction" within your organization that will become the framework for strategic workforce planning decisions. Managers will then be able to see where there may be current weak spots and address the problem, which in turn leads to reduced turnover and increased retention and engagement. Click here for information on Tim Brennan Halifax Half Day Workshop April 22, 2009 Topic: Would You Follow You? Leadership in Times of Change presented by Kevin Hamm, President & COO, DownEast Communications, Halifax Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Jack Graham, B.A., B.Ed., LL.B., Partner, Labour & Employment Group, McInnes Cooper, Halifax Would You Follow You? Leadership in Times of Change This dynamic session will look at the traits of leaders and how leaders must understand the distinction between “managing” versus “leading”. With over 20% of current Canadian workplace eligible to retire in ten years, the need to keep employees tuned in and turned on to what you are doing is most critical in today's marketplace. The presentation will help participants take stock of their personal leadership style, what components they admire, respect and measure themselves against that. Our presenter will teach participants how to reflect, reset and rejuvenate their leadership style, their department and even the organization they work for. We will address Personal Power vs Positional Power. We examine the influence we have when we are in a position of leadership. Participants will review a particular leadership model on how to drive a performance culture that leads to greater retention and greater operating results. We will also look at the power of dreaming and the impact it can have on your life, career and everyone with whom you make contact. Participants will discover the four main ways we learn in life and how to apply them to both their career and personal lives. We will table the technique called “Skill/Attitude” and how it applies to everyone. This workshop will also present an outstanding HR tool called “Can’t/Won’t” and describe how to use it with others. Click here for information on Kevin Hamm Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law One of the most important components of HR strategy relates to employment agreements. The agreements define the key rights and obligations of both parties, as well as benefits and restrictions that an employee may be subject to during the term of the contract and after the contract ends. The first part of this presentation will consider the following issues pertaining to employment contracts: purpose, open ended vs. fixed term, how to define key issues related to compensation and benefits, restrictive covenants related to non competition, confidentiality and non-solicitation and how to limit an employer’s liability at the time of termination. Participants will also obtain legal updates on recent court decisions pertaining to testing, second obligations of terminated employees to mitigate their damages and making fundamental changes to employment contracts. Our well-known legal expert will review the latest trends, cases and strategies to avoid needless litigation. Click here for information on Jack Graham Halifax Half Day Workshop Oct 28, 2008 Topic: You Hired the Best- Now Keep Them! presented by Steve Ashton, Vice President, People & Organization Dev't, IWK Health Centre High Risk Terminations- Take the Fear Out of Firing presented by David L. Ray, B.A., LL.B., CFE, Senior Practice Leader, Security & Investigations, Grant Thornton LLP, Calgary You Hired the Best- Now Keep Them! Employee Engagement is viewed by many organizations as the secret to success with very tangible results with regard to corporate performance, customer satisfaction, innovation, and the attraction and retention of top talent. This is especially important in Canada, where our economy is more and more tied to knowledge capital. Therefore, those with the best team, pulling together in the right direction will, all things being equal, win the race. Today’s challenge is how to engage employees and prove that it can actually improve the workplace. In this session, we will look at recent research and trends, including: - Why engagement matters - for executives, leaders of people, front-line employees, and unions. - The importance of the role of front-line leaders; - An overview of some new leadership development programs and other employee engagement initiatives; - The use of employee surveys, focus groups and employee involvement programs. At the end of the day, employee engagement initiatives will only work if the organization and its leaders truly believe in building a long term, trusting relationship with its employees. We will also examine the conditions which cause many of these initiatives to fail, and what we can do to improve their chances for success. Click here for information on Steve Ashton High Risk Terminations- Take the Fear Out of Firing Ever increasing levels of workplace violence cause concern when we consider terminating employees who are threatening or may be considered dangerous. Bullies and employees who utter veiled or direct threats are often treated with caution when their behaviour would normally get them terminated. This session will provide tools to assess the risk of physical harm to staff when terminating an employee that may be prone to violence. Participants will be given a template to profile the person being terminated so that the organization can make a considered risk analysis and decide whether there may be repercussions from the termination. Discover various measures to consider to reduce risk prior to termination, measures to consider in completing the termination and countermeasures to put in place following termination. No risk can be completely eliminated but you will acquire a step by step means of ensuring that the organization undertakes appropriate due diligence to ensure that the risks to the organization and staff are properly managed. Click here for information on David Ray Halifax Half Day Workshop April 23, 2008 Topic: Diversity Update: Today’s Legal Issues Regarding Accommodation presented by Tara Erskine, B.A.,LL.B., CHRP, Partner, McInnes Cooper, Halifax . Creative Communication- Manage Conflict in the Workplace presented by Peggy Grall, Certified Executive Coach & Consultant, Peggy Grall & Associates Diversity Update: Today’s Legal Issues Regarding Accommodation A growing challenge for employers is to attract and retain employees. Part of the challenge is providing a workplace that respects the differences among employees and turns it into a competitive advantage. This session will provide an overview of the law on accommodation of diversity. Human rights legislation and proposed amendments to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act will be reviewed. Recent cases regarding discrimination on prohibited grounds such as age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, family status and disability provide important lessons as to the costs of failing to accommodate diversity. Participants will obtain answers to questions such as: What should employers do for employees who due to religious reasons cannot work on certain days? Do employers have to accommodate modified hours for employees with child care obligations? What constitutes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation? What pro-active steps can be taken to avoid complaints of discrimination based on race? What accommodations are required with employees who suffer from a disability? How do I respond to a human rights complaint? Click here for information on Tara Erskine Creative Communication- Manage Conflict in the Workplace Unresolved conflict costs the workplace time, resources and reputations. When leaders are faced with helping employees settle sticky issues, it requires skill, determination and a host of time-tested techniques. When relationships go wrong at work, it's common for people to want to blame and criticize the other person. During individual or team conflict you can find yourself thinking, "If it just wasn't for his/ her bad attitude," or "that little group" - this place would be great! It's a common - but deadly- first response to workplace conflict. This workshop will help leaders and managers to assertively engage each other to artfully resolve conflict and transform disputes into opportunities for creativity and innovation. In this advanced session, you will learn how to debunk the myths and misconceptions about conflict in the workplace, learn to quickly settle the question of, 'Who's problem is it anyway' in any dispute, distinguish assertive responses over aggressive or passive ones and select the right response. Discover the key factors that contribute to employee disputes, new approaches available and work with individual leadership skills necessary to help yourself and others resolve issues in a timely and professional manner. Click here for information on Peggy Grall Halifax Half Day Workshop October 31, 2007 Topic: Get a Handle on Harassment Investigations - Tips, Trips & Traps presented by David L. Ray, B.A., LL.B., CFE, Senior Practice Leader, Security & Investigations, Grant Thornton LLP, Calgary Discipline Employees Without Fear presented by Jack Graham, B.A., B.Ed., LL.B., Partner, Labour & Employment Group, McInnes Cooper, Halifax Get a Handle on Harassment Investigations - Tips, Trips & Traps This harassment update will walk you through an actual workplace harassment investigation from allegation to discipline. Participants will be provided with a model for internal investigations which protects the rights of the employer, the employee and witnesses. Emphasis will be placed on resolving harassment complaints and conducting the investigation in a manner that will cause the least amount of disruption to the workplace. There will be a discussion on the legal principles of harassment, the difference between workplace and legislative harassment and the duty of the employer to accommodate in cases of discrimination. Participants will also be provided with options to plan the investigation, conduct interviews and report on findings. They will be provided with a sample outline for a harassment report and considerations in arriving at conclusions. There will also be a discussion of report recommendations available to the harassment investigator. Click here for information on David Ray Discipline Employees Without Fear Every employer must establish a system to evaluate workplace performance and misconduct as well as impose fair and consistent discipline. It is essential for employers to have an appropriate framework to conduct disciplinary investigations, to take corrective action for sub-standard performance and to impose discipline in a manner that is consistent and fair to employees and to the employer. Many employers misunderstand the fundamentals of why and how discipline should be imposed. They may not be aware of how this obligation fits with a variety of other legal obligations, including those arising under human rights legislation and employment standards. Participants will obtain information on how to: identify the basis for imposing discipline, develop a process for investigating misconduct, impose progressive discipline for sub-standard performance, develop a framework for determining an appropriate level of discipline, and avoid common mistakes when imposing disciplinary penalties. This session will provide a lively and insightful outline of practical tips and solutions for avoiding legal liability, and dealing with discipline as a positive, constructive tool for improving work performance. Click here for information on Jack Graham Halifax Half Day Workshop April 25, 2007 Topic: The War for Talent: Winning by Staff Retention presented by Kevin Hamm, President & COO, DownEast Communications, Halifax. Bullying & Harassment: What Every Manager Needs to Know presented by Donna Scotten, Senior Account Manager & Training Consultant Sheppell.FGI, Halifax The War for Talent: Winning by Staff Retention Though there has been a spotlight on the shrinking labour pool as a concern for all companies in the past several years, retention of qualified workers has always been a major concern for senior management. Regardless of the size of the labour pool, retention of top performers has topped the list of many organization’s goals. However, as we prepare for mass retirement from the baby boomer generation and as our younger candidates head to other provinces and countries in search of new opportunities and higher wages, retention climbs even higher on our priority lists. This session will explore new programs which have proven to be most successful to retain the valuable staff in your organization. We will focus on three main areas – Morale, Motivation and Momentum – and provide a selection of tips and tools to aid in keeping staff. Discover options available to organizations to create a climate in which employees will want to remain. We will compare closed door, open door and open floor policies. Other highlights include speaking to employee-driven committees, the importance of communication during times of change and its effects on morale, and how to get to the front lines to ensure morale is kept up. Click here for information on Kevin Hamm Bullying & Harassment: What Every Manager Needs to Know Human Resources professionals and people leaders are invested in creating an environment where all people feel free from the effects of any kind of abusive or aggressive behaviour, also known as bullying. The subject is one that challenges our organizations today as they become increasingly aware of the effects of bullying yet find that addressing these behaviours is a difficult and sometimes complex task. This presentation will teach you how to heighten awareness around the subtle and overt behaviours that constitute abusive behaviour at work. We'll help you define behaviours and give you pointers to help identify an employee who would be most likely to behave abusively, then provide an overview of strategy and tactics around the best practices to de-escalate and address situational stressors that can lead to aggression and bullying. The speaker will also touch on the basics in terms of the right to a safe working environment free from the effects of abusive behaviour, how to approach to the bully, as well as encouraging the pursuit of both the informal and formal complaints processes. Click here for information on Donna Scotten Halifax Half Day Workshop November 1, 2006 Topic: “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia- Supporting Injury Prevention and Return to Work Speaker: Susan MacMillan, FCA, CFI, CFE, Partner, Forensic Accounting & Investigative Services, Grant Thornton LLP, Halifax Tony Bremner, Provincial Coordinator, Return to Work Programs, Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Public awareness of corporate wrong-doing and fraud has never been higher. How do you minimize the risk that fraud is occurring in your organization? What do you do when faced with the prospect that it has occurred? What are the responsibilities and obligations of an employer and how are they balanced with the rights of an employee who has been accused of and/or investigated for fraud or other wrong-doing? This informative session will provide HR and administrative professionals with insight into the occurrence of fraud, strategies for its prevention and detection, and how to appropriately react to suspicions of fraud. Participants will understand how fraud could be occurring in their organization, recognize the indicators, develop strategies to prevent and detect it, and considerations when reacting to fraud. Topics Covered: • Fraud: what is it, who does it and why • Environments favorable to fraud • Indicators or “red flags” of fraud • Deterrents to fraud • Reacting to allegations of fraud in your organization • Balancing the rights of employers and employees “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Susan MacMillan is partner in charge of Grant Thornton’s Forensic Accounting and Investigative Services in Halifax. She obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University in 1977 and her CA designation in 1979. She is a certified Fraud Examiner and certified Forensic Investigator. She has also provided expert testimony in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Provincial Court on matters of theft, fraud and accounting. She has conducted numerous investigations and reviewed auditor performance as well as critiqued reports prepared by other experts. Susan has spoken to numerous corporate audiences on the topic of workplace fraud. Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia- Supporting Injury Prevention and Return to Work In 2005, over 34,000 claims were registered with the WCB. That works out to more than 90 injuries a day across Nova Scotia. Of those, over 9,000 workers – 25 a day – were injured severely enough to lose time from work. One person died on the job every two weeks. If you put all of the people who were injured on the job last year together in one place, it would be the third largest community in Nova Scotia. The human and economic cost of workplace injuries is simply not acceptable in this day and age. When thinking about how to reduce the cost of workers’ compensation, it is important to know that, all things being equal, Nova Scotia has one of the highest injury rates in Canada compared to other provinces. Also, workers in Nova Scotia stay on short-term benefits longer and more workers in our province go on to receive permanent benefits. We need to better understand what drives this situation and what we can do to ensure workers return safely to work. It is in everyone’s best interest to help employees get back on the job in a safe and timely manner. Otherwise, employers will continue to pay high workers’ compensation premiums and workers will continue to see their lives interrupted and changed by workplace injuries. It will take the combined efforts of everyone – workers, employers, labour groups, government, health care providers and others – to change this situation. The WCB will use all of the tools at is disposal to encourage safe workplaces and help injured workers return to work. Tony Bremner will describe the steps the WCB is taking to help create a safety culture in this province and help injured workers return to work in a safe and more timely manner. This includes the WCB’s Rate Incentive Program, Priority Employer Program, a new online service called MyAccount. Tony will also explain how the WCB’s new agreement with Nova Scotia physiotherapy clinics improves opportunities for safe and timely return to work. Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia- Supporting Injury Prevention and Return to Work Tony Bremner has worked his entire 28-year career at the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia. Tony has a wealth of knowledge about injury prevention and helping injured workers return to work. For the past 8 years, Tony has traveled throughout the province helping employers and labour groups understand the terrible human and financial toll of workplace injuries. He encourages everyone in the workplace to work together to implement effective programs to reduce the impact of these injuries on the employee and their employer. As President of the 400-member NSGEU Local 55, he is well positioned to understand both the employer and labour perspective on workplace safety and return to work issues. Halifax Half Day Workshop April 5, 2006 Topic: Hot Updates in Labour Standards Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law Speaker: Mary Belliveau, Director, Labour Standards, Province of Nova Scotia Rick Dunlop, LL.B., Associate, Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales Rebecca Druhan, LL.B., Associate, Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales, Halifax Hot Updates in Labour Standards This session will cover some of the hottest issues in Labour Standards in Nova Scotia today, with a focus on overtime pay. Overtime pay - 11/2 times the rate of pay after 48 hours a week - sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Nova Scotia was later than most provinces in introducing this requirement. All provinces west of New Brunswick have had this type of law for many years. Several even have much more stringent rules. In Fall 2003, the law in Nova Scotia was changed around the overtime rules and employers, and some employees, reacted strongly. The confusion and concern lasted almost a year. How has business adjusted? The session will include the reactions back in 2003 and outline the efforts taken since then to get a level playing field among employers. The impacts to business will be examined as well as the underlying principles behind pay for overtime hours. Finally, the speaker will discuss compliance today, almost three years after the introduction of the new overtime requirements. Hot Updates in Labour Standards Mary Belliveau has been Director of Labour Standards with Nova Scotia Environment and Labour since early 2003. She has led the division and program through a significant renewal initiative, resulting in improved complaints resolution, better communication with employers, and responsive service to employees and employers alike. Mary’s background consists of broad and varied work experiences. Some of these experiences include technical work in a regulatory environment, managing in a not-for-profit agency, policy work in environment, consumer protection and residential tenancies, and leading change in alternative service delivery. Mary attended Ryerson in Toronto where she acquired a diploma in environmental health. She supplemented this background with various business courses and then completed her Masters in Public Administration at Dalhousie University in 2002. Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law This session will include practical information, strategies and recent developments based on actual cases and judgments in the following areas: Update on Wallace damages:where are the courts going? Recently, most wrongful dismissal lawsuits include some allegation of bad faith. Find out what conduct courts are saying will attract Wallace damages and what conduct is unlikely to attract Wallace damages. Stress Leave - what to do when an employee alleges stress? How does an employer deal with vague doctor's notes? How far can an employer push an employee for medical information? How does an employer accommodate a "stressed" employee? Constructive Dismissal - how to avoid these claims. Recently, more employees have been inclined to quit and allege constructive dismissal. How are courts expanding the situations in which constructive dismissal arises? What strategies during the hiring process and during employment can an employer take to avoid these claims? Accommodation to the Point of Undue Hardship - when is enough enough? Though this is not a new topic, it is an area where employers constantly struggle. We will discuss what steps an employer take to increase its chances of meeting the "undue hardship" threshold. Today's Critical Issues in Employment Law Rick Dunlop obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1996 from University of King's College and his Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 2000. He was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2001. His practice is exclusively in Labour and Employment Law. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association as well as the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. He was Chair, Constitutional and Human Rights Section of the Canadian Bar Association from 2004 to 2005. He provides legal counsel to both the public and private sectors. Rick has presented to numerous organizations in the past pertaining to Employment Law issues and has also done extensive writing in various legal publications. Rick is an Associate with Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales based in their Halifax office. Rebecca Druhan obtained her Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie University in 1997 and her Law Degree from Dalhousie in 2003. She was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2004. Rebecca's areas of expertise include Labour and Employment, Litigation and Insurance. She is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. Rebecca is an Associate with Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales based in their Halifax office. Halifax Half Day Workshop November 16, 2005 Topic: Succession Planning- What Works & What You Need to Know Employment Law Update: Succession Planning, Mandatory Retirement & More Speaker: Supt. Michael W. Bell, Halifax Regional Police Rene Gallant, LL.B., Associate Lawyer, Patterson Palmer Succession Planning- What Works & What You Need to Know Discover the latest developments and strategies to put into place for Succession Planning in your organization. Using the Halifax Regional Police Succession Management Program as a case study, this session will cover the requirements to have in place before you start the plan and the various components of the plan to include People Tracking, Position Tracking, Competency, Leadership and Performance Management systems. As an added bonus, Michael Bell can offer participants a followup meeting in person for a more in-depth consultation. Succession Planning- What Works & What You Need to Know Supt. Michael Bell has been with the Halifax Regional Police for almost twenty years. He specializes in the areas of leadership, project management and facilitation training. Mike has done extensive work in the areas of professional development, motivation of employees, planning and evaluation. As the Senior Project Manager for the Halifax Regional Police Succession Management Program, he is the leading authority for what works for his organization and advises numerous other organizations on how to develop and implement systems. Employment Law Update: Succession Planning, Mandatory Retirement & More This session will include the latest legal updates in the areas of Mandatory Retirement, Succession Planning and more. We will examine issues such as: Retirement and Early retirement - Downsizing in unionized and non-unionized environments, Age based Mandatory retirement - A thing of the past?, Voluntary Severance Offers - how to protect the organization from future competition, and General Principles of Pension Governance - anticipating the necessary communications at the time of retirement. Every participant will gain vital information and strategies to avoid the courts! Employment Law Update: Succession Planning, Mandatory Retirement & More Rene Gallant has re-joined the Patterson Palmer Labour Group after spending four years as General Counsel to the Halifax Regional School Board. Rene received his B.Comm in 1991 from Mount Allison University and his LLB from Dalhousie Law School in 1994. Rene's expertise in Human Resources Litigation and Labour Law is based upon his role as in-house counsel and member of the Senior Management Team of the Halifax Regional School Board. Rene has extensive experience in labour relations including as Chief Negotiator for the school board, leading the simultaneous re-negotiation of collective agreements with four bargaining units. Rene has also provided advice and representation to many clients on a wide variety of non-unionized human resource issues. He is the President of the National Board of Directors of the Canadian Cancer Society, and a member of the Nova Scotia Bar Society and Canadian Bar Association. Halifax Half Day Workshop April 6, 2005 Topic: Emergency Management in the Workplace- Is Your Organization Ready? Today's Hot Topics in Employment Law Speaker: Mike Myette, Deputy Director, Nova Scotia Emergency Measures Organization Brian G. Johnston, Q.C., Partner, Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales, Halifax Charelle M. Veinot, LL.B., Associate, Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales, Halifax Emergency Management in the Workplace- Is Your Organization Ready? Disasters can be fatal to business operations. Research has shown that a startling percentage of businesses cease operations within two years following a disaster because they have been unable to successfully recover from the impacts. Preparing for an emergency can easily mean the difference between business failure and successfully “weathering the storm”. Drawing on actual experiences and lessons learned from the response to Hurricane Juan as well as a number of other disasters that have occurred in Nova Scotia, this presentation will focus on an analysis of the potential impacts of disasters to business operations and the key steps in creating an effective emergency management “toolbox”. There will be particular emphasis on practical and effective measures that can be taken within the workplace to prepare for and manage the impacts of a disaster, so that stress to employees and interruptions to business productivity are minimized. Topics to be covered will include: • Emergency Preparedness planning - developing a check list for your business • Creating and implementing an emergency plan - a review of the essentials • Business continuity planning - why no emergency plan should be without this critical element • Disaster recovery - getting “back to business” as soon as the dust settles Emergency Management in the Workplace- Is Your Organization Ready? Mike Myette is the Deputy Director of the Nova Scotia Emergency Measures Organization. For the past 10 years, he has been directly involved in emergency management, preparedness and response. His experiences include co-directing the Province’s response to several recent disasters in Nova Scotia including Hurricane Juan in 2003 and a subsequent blizzard that resulted in the first Province wide state of Emergency in Nova Scotia’s history. A 24 year veteran of the Nova Scotia public service, Mike has served in a number of management roles which include lead responsibility for the Province’s 911 emergency reporting system and four disaster financial assistance programs. Today's Hot Topics in Employment Law This most informative session on Employment Law will cover five key areas: -The Do's and Don'ts of Termination: Labour Standards Code Update, Reasons for Dismissal, Reasonable Notice Periods including recent cases, and Reference Letters -Employee Medical Information: Fitness to Work Assessments and Employer Access -Workplace Investigations: Planning and Timeliness -Human Rights Update: Protected Characteristics, the Duty to Accommodate and Return to Work Programs -Occupational Health & Safety: Bill C-45 Today's Hot Topics in Employment Law Brian G. Johnston, Q.C. is a Partner in the Halifax office of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales. Johnston was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1981 and practices Labour & Employment law exclusively. Johnston graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1980 and from Mount Allison University with a Bachelor of Commerce Honours in 1977. His credits include present Chair, Board of Regents for Mount Allison University, member of the Canadian Bar Association and Nova Scotia Barristers' Society and Canadian Industrial Relations Association. Charelle M. Veinot is an Associate in the Halifax office of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales. Charelle was admitted to the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society in June, 2004 and practices Labour & Employment law exclusively. Charelle graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 2003, and from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2000. She speaks both English and French. Charelle is a member of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and a volunteer with Dress for Success. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society and the Canadian Bar Association. Halifax Half Day Workshop May 5, 2004 Topic: Leadership in the Global Village- So What's New? Employment Law Essentials - Changes You Need to Know About Speaker: Steve Ashton, Director of Careers, Aliant Inc. Ian Pickard, LL.B., Partner, Patterson Palmer Leadership in the Global Village- So What's New? Leadership remains the most studied and talked about subject in management today. It is also one of the top issues on the mind of the public - not just here in Canada, but around the world. Regardless of the milieu - political, organizational or social - the demands on our leaders are increasing to include a much longer list of characteristics than in the past. Our society is becoming more diverse. Our organizations interact more internationally than in the past. We live in a world with a more complex social agenda than ever before. As a result, we expect our leaders to take all of this into account, and do so with greater transparency, discretion, and honesty. Within the leadership development field, we need to acknowledge this increasing diversity and complexity of demands. However, we should not overlook the common themes emerging from the current debate. We may, in fact, find the world evolving to a singular world view on leadership. In this session, we will explore a number of issues and emerging themes in the global debate on leadership. You will obtain insight and strategies which you can then take back to implement in your workplace. Steve Ashton Steve Ashton is Director of Careers and is responsible for recruitment, learning and leadership development at Aliant Inc. (TSX: AIT), a multi-faceted communications company with revenues of $2.6 billion and 9,100 employees in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Prior to joining the company in 2001, Steve was a Partner with one of Canada's largest executive search firms.Steve earned his B.Sc. (Honours in psychology) and M.B.A. from Dalhousie University, and is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP). He is a Past-President of HRANS, former Board Member of CCHRA, and teaches human resources in Dalhousie’s MBA program. He is currently Chair of the Board of Discovery Centre, a member of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Innovation, and a founding member of the Shad Valley Atlantic Council. Employment Law Essentials - Changes You Need to Know About In the last year, major changes in employment law have occurred in Nova Scotia. Being informed of these changes is essential to protecting your business and your employees. In the area of occupational health and safety, a significant addition has been made to the Criminal Code. Companies and all levels of management can now be held criminally responsible for accidents in the workplace; how can you avoid criminal liability? Changes are also being made to the Workers Compensation Act; chronic pain is now a compensable injury. How will this effect your experience rating? Overtime provisions in the Labour Standards Code have changed - your salaried and non-salaried employees are eligible - how will this change your bottom line? We will also cover significant recent decisions from the courts in Nova Scotia with respect to notice periods and the enforcement of non-competition and non-solicitation clauses. A most informative law update which will benefit all managers of any organization, regardless of size. Ian Pickard is a Partner with Patterson Palmer in Halifax. His practice is chiefly comprised of providing ongoing labour and employment advice to major employers in Nova Scotia. In particular his practice is focused on working with employers in all areas of labour relations. Ian acts as Chief Negotiator of collective agreements, provides support in the collective bargaining process, assists in the management of labour disputes and represents Employers in all types of arbitrations and wrongful dismissal litigation. Ian also regularly represents Employers in Human Rights and Labour Standards Litigation. Ian has lectured extensively on the topic of progressive discipline, employee termination and the collective bargaining process. Halifax Full Day Conference May 5, 2004 Topic: Elvis, Bell-Bottoms, and DVDs: Your Guides to Attracting & Retaining Talent The Future of Human Resources- A Look at Strategic HR Risk Management for HR Practitioners- What’s New? Wellness and the Engaged Employee Speaker: Sue Rosson, Managing Partner, KWA Partners-Atlantic Canada (Halifax) Steve Ashton, Director, Aliant Careers, Halifax Nancy Milford, BN, LL.B., Director of Risk Management & Legal Services, Capital District Health Authority, Halifax Cheryl Hodder, LL.B., Partner, McInnes Cooper, Halifax Charles E Bower, CEO, Ledgehill The Corporate Learning Centre Inc., Halifax Elvis, Bell-Bottoms, and DVDs: Your Guides to Attracting & Retaining Talent Generational differences in the workforce play a vital role in managing today’s workplace. How do you recruit, motivate and retain a fully functional workforce with so many factors coming into play? This session will examine the generational differences in career needs and expectations, and offer alternative ways of leveraging those needs to recruit and retain a fully functioning workforce. For each of the groups, learn to understand how their life experiences impact their careers. Demographics tell us that a very large percentage of the population is fast approaching the age of retirement. Many organizations can’t afford to lose this vast amount of knowledge and experience. What are some other options to retirement? How has a lifetime of history and economics in Canada impacted this group’s values, work ethic and career expectations? How can we design HR practices to encourage Pre-Retirees to stay involved? Can organizations be creative and offer new types of relationships that utilize their wealth of experience, while allowing them to maintain their desired lifestyle? What do these Pre-Retirees want and how can we develop mutually beneficial relationships? Sue Rosson has been active in the career transition field for the past 17 years. Prior to her present position as Managing Partner at KWA Partners, Sue was a Managing Partner with Murray Axmith Atlantic. Before joining Murray Axmith in 1992 she was Manager of a Career Counselling Center at Mount Saint Vincent University where she provided counseling to individuals in career transition. Sue holds a Master's degree in Adult Education and has her Bachelor of Science degree from Dalhousie University. She also has a Diploma in Social Administration from the University of Edinburgh. Sue plays an active role in the community and is currently president-elect of the Dalhousie University Alumni Association. The Future of Human Resources- A Look at Strategic HR The Human Resources profession is in the most enviable position of its short history. CEOs are focused on talent development. Demographics are driving succession planning, wellness and rewards. And the constant mergers, acquisitions and divestitures demand proactive OD and culture initiatives. Never has the need for strategic HR been so in demand. So how prepared are we to provide that leadership? The role of the human resources professional has been in constant evolution from the early days of personnel. Today’s CEOs, Boards and Employees are demanding a higher calibre of HR leadership – one part strategy, one part execution, one part counsel - and all showing a tangible impact on corporate performance. So what does HR have to do to be successful in this environment? This interactive session will focus on the trends and expectations of organizations for HR to play a greater strategic role in their success. We will also ponder the question of why we have seen few HR professionals make it to the corner office (the HR leader as CEO) and how we might change that trend. Steve Ashton is Director of Careers and is responsible for recruitment, learning and leadership development at Aliant Inc. (TSX: AIT), a multi-faceted communications company with revenues of $2.6 billion and 9,100 employees in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Prior to joining the company in 2001, Steve was a Partner with one of Canada's largest executive search firms.Steve earned his B.Sc. (Honours in psychology) and M.B.A. from Dalhousie University, and is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP). He is a Past-President of HRANS, former Board Member of CCHRA, and teaches human resources in Dalhousie’s MBA program. He is currently Chair of the Board of Discovery Centre, a member of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Innovation, and a founding member of the Shad Valley Atlantic Council. Risk Management for HR Practitioners- What’s New? Risk Management is a key factor in HR Management though often overlooked. We must think more about Risk Management in our day to day work. This session will include key structural elements of a successful Risk Management Program, developing and implementing the right strategies, identification, analysis, alternative risk treatments, and proper program documentation. Areas of risk can be found in all sectors. As managers, we are all accountable. This session will include updated information to help your organization develop the proper process, avoid needless litigation and show you how to incorporate it into the culture and your daily routines. In most cases, you are dealing with complete information. However, there may be risks involved which you are not aware. Everyone in the organization is accountable- here is a positive approach on ways to avoid problems both inside the workplace and in the courts! Nancy Milford is the Director of Risk Management & Legal Services for the Capital District Health Authority in Halifax Nova Scotia. Nancy graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1994 and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society in 1995. Prior to law school, Nancy was a nurse for 12 years. Most of her nursing experience was in Operating Rooms, and the last 4 years before law school she was the nurse manager in the OR at Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax. Nancy advises and lectures on a variety of health law topics and is on the editorial board of Risk Management in Canadian Health Care, a Butterworths newsletter published bimonthly. Cheryl Hodder is a litigation lawyer with McInnes Cooper where she chairs the Professional Practice Group. Cheryl has also held executive positions in both the public and private sectors. She has served the dual role of legal advisor and senior executive. Cheryl's preferred areas of practice are insurance, risk management and professional regulation and negligence. Cheryl lectures at Dalhousie Law School and Saint Mary's University at the World Trade Centre. Cheryl is an avid community volunteer who currently serves on the Boards of Symphony Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Chapter of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the Halifax Club. Wellness and the Engaged Employee The facts clearly show that 24 percent of our overall and corporate culture is comprised of engaged people. These engaged individuals figure proactive approach to every aspect of their lives including their work, personal relationships and of course their overall wellness. Unlike many of 76 percent who take in many cases a reactive stance. Wellness has many definitions but certainly it is more than the absence of sickness, and has to be examined from the mind, body and spirit perspective. One thing is clear that people who are engaged, take responsibility to prevent diseases from developing in the first place. They realize that wellness is ultimately about personal responsibility in all aspects of their lives. Most individuals want to have a full and healthy existence, but often fail to understand or to act on what needs to be accomplished to make this happen. As we face this huge dilemma of how can we maintain and improve our workplace and personal wellness the role of the individual must play a significant part of the solution. Charles Bower helps to provide a private working environment and programming that helps corporate groups look at the many issues facing today’s organizations. It is with this working knowledge that Charles and his partners are taking Ledgehill to the next step of its Corporate Vision-incorporating a holistic approach to include workplace and personal wellness. Charles has been involved with Nova Scotia businesses for more than 40 years and has owned several successful businesses. These entrepreneurial attributes of innovativeness, creativity, and risk taker have fostered the growth of Ledgehill, The Corporate Learning Centre Inc. over the past 14 years. Halifax Chapter Meeting: May 6, 2003 Topic: Workplace Diversity- Getting to the Heart of the Matter Speaker: Madeline Comeau, President, Workplace Equity Services, Halifax Madeline Comeau founded Workplace Equity Services in 1994 to help organizations implement employment equity and diversity and to achieve respectful work environments. Madeline has a vast range of clients to include government, transportation, communications, oil and gas, manufacturing, sales and service. She has also travelled to Pakistan, Honduras and Brazil providing advice on the integration of women on CIDA projects in the energy sector. Madeline was recently appointed by the Minister of Education to the Provincial Advisory Council for Skills Nova Scotia (PAC). Are you confident that your recruitment methods support your diversity goals? How can you be sure that your selection process is effective at "screening in" a diversity of talent? Do you feel frustrated because you started out making tangible strides but now the whole diversity process seems to have fizzled? Have you established a Diversity Committee and realize its impact? Has responsibility for diversity been assigned to HR but maybe you would like to see your senior managers play a more pivotal role? Getting to the heart of the matter starts with a strong, deeply held belief that an investment in diversity will position your organization as an employer of choice. What challenges are there that can make it difficult for companies to fully integrate diversity principles into their overall approach to doing business? This most informative session will provide you with recent findings and insight to plan and implement diversity and employment equity initiatives. Halifax Spring Half Day Workshop: May 6, 2003 Topic: Successfully Managing the Duty to Accommodate Health & Productivity- What's New? Speaker: Noella Martin, LL.B., Partner, Merrick Holm Tim Kelly, Director of Health Services, J.D.Irving Limited Noella Martin is a partner at Merrick Holm, where she practices Labour and Employment Law. Noella regularly provides advice on all aspects of labour and employment law including human rights matters. She has successfully represented employers before arbitrators, the Labour Relations Board, Labour Standards Tribunal, Nova Scotia Supreme Court and other forums. She has also acted as Chief Spokesperson at many collective bargaining tables. Noella has presented at provincial and national conferences, particularly on human rights issues. Tim Kelly is the Director of Health Services for J.D.Irving Limited, a forest products company business for over 100 years. The company owns and operates sawmills in Eastern Canada along with pulp and paper mills, retail stores and also has an integrated rail, sea and road transportation network with interests in shipbuilding and construction. Tim has worked for the Irving Group of Companies since he obtained a Business Degree from the University of New Brunswick. He now works with the Head Office Human Resources Group servicing all divisions. With over 15 years experience in all areas of human resource management, Tim is now the Director of Irving Health Services and an expert on health and productivity. Successfully Managing the Duty to Accommodate The duty to accommodate continues to pose challenges for employers. Do you know what your responsibilities are as an employer? When an existing employee becomes disabled, do you know what obligations are placed on you the employer? Do you know what role the governments take when an employer hires someone with a disability? Have you ever heard that once you hire one person with a disability then you will be required to hire more disabled people? Are you locked-in so that you can't terminate their services? Will you have to spend a lot of money modifying your work site to accommodate them? This presentation will help you meet the challenges and get straight answers to these issues including the most recent legal developments. You, as managers, will gain vital information and an appreciation of how to ensure that your organization's practices satisfy the duty to accommodate. Health & Productivity- What's New? We have all heard about the link to health and individual productivity in the workplace. What are the tried and true methods of improving and preventing the health costs we are dealing with at work? This presentation will cover preventative lead indicators that help to resolve failure or reactive costs. Various prevention strategies that provide returns will also be covered. Tim will share the difference between presenteeism and absenteeism. Is it costing you more to have your employees absent from work or present? Discover the recent findings about key components in a health culture, causes of stress and how to achieve breakthrough results. Healthier people come with improved attitudes, higher energy level and a real commitment to perform well. Halifax Chapter Meeting: February 19, 2003 Topic: Privacy Protection of Personal Information- What You Must Know Speaker: Bob Doherty, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Coordinator, Nova Scotia Government, Halifax Bob Doherty is the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Coordinator for the Nova Scotia Government. He has held the position since December 1996 and is responsible for providing technical advice on the Act to departments, agencies, boards, and commissions of the NS Government. He also is charged with the training, and general FOIPOP information / education of 60-plus FOIPOP Administrators, as well as ensuring the front line staff in the NS Government is aware of the implications and obligations of FOIPOP relative to their daily work. In recent months a substantial amount of this work involves advising the government on its obligations with respect to privacy protection of personal information. He also processes and responds to 100-plus Freedom of Information applications that are now received by the NS Department of Justice. During his 20-plus year's experience in the NS Public Service he has worked at the executive level as a director of policy and served as an advisor on the Canada/U.S. Free Trade Negotiations, and Workers Compensation and the Canadian Constitution. As well, he has negotiated numerous federal/provincial economic agreements. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Francis Xavier University, a Master of Science in Communications from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University. This presentation will provide an overview of current legislation governing the privacy protection of personal information. The focus will be on the principles of "Fair Information" practices generally embodied in the legislation, and the applicability of those principles to the obligations and rights of employers and employees. Specific reference will be made to the privacy protection provisions of N.S. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Managers of every organization regardless of size will benefit tremendously from this session. Register early as seats will go quickly! Halifax Spring Half Day Workshop: October 16, 2002 Topic: Communicating Bad News - Are You Doing It Right? Speaker: Deborah Rossouw, Managing Partner, The Essential LifeSkills Company Deborah Rossouw is co-founder and Managing Partner of The Essential Lifeskills Company based in Halifax. Rossouw has an Honours B.Sc. degree in Organizational Psychology and Higher Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Town and is a qualified facilitator, trainer, teacher and coach. She draws on 13 years of international experience in the field of adult learning. Rossouw specializes in a variety of inter- and intra-personal skills development workshops that help managers and employees take charge of their personal and professional interactions. She also facilitates one-on-one coaching, customized teambuilding and organizational development interventions in both the private and public sectors. Every manager and supervisor knows that delivering bad news is never comfortable or easy, yet our positions require that we do it. In the workplace, the news may entail telling someone that their job is redundant and they are now laid off, their expected salary increase was not approved, they did not get the position or promotion to which they applied, as well as project, performance and finance-related issues. Does YOUR organization have the tools to deal with this professionally and confidently? In recognition that both parties in the interaction are affected, this workshop will provide the vital information in how to deliver the news in a professional manner, the context for understanding emotions, three stages of preparation to include before, during and after, techniques and skills for managers and an actual coaching demonstration. Not only will you learn how to properly deliver the news, but also how to handle the anticipated emotional reactions of the recipient to include followup. Any organization, regardless of size, can benefit from this truly informative session! Halifax Chapter Meeting: 13, Special 2002 Topic: Managing for Customer Service - What Everyone Needs to Know! Speaker: Janice MacInnis, Program Officer for Human Resource Development, Dalhousie University Janice MacInnis is an experienced training facilitator and administrator. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Certificate in Adult Education from Dalhousie University and has worked with a diverse group of public and private organizations as a trainer and consultant. MacInnis specializes in identifying the organization's needs by both formal and informal methods and designing programs to meet these needs. Her background in administration of service offices has made Customer Service one of her key areas of expertise. Every employee, manager and supervisor has customers including the colleagues they have to work with to get their objectives met and tasks completed. We know that serving customers is important, but we seldom have an opportunity to think about who our customers are, what they need from us and our staff, and whether or not we are giving it to them. This interactive, highly practical session will give you a chance to explore your views and definitions of effective customer service. Issues covered will include: Who are your customers? The Value of complaints, Behaviours guaranteed to lose customers and establishing customer service standards.