Chapter 1 : Exploring Why HRM Matters

Psychological Contract
- The psychological contract refers to the unwritten set of expectations of the employment
relationship as distinct from the formal, codified contract. Taken together, the
psychological contract and the employment contract define the employer-employee
relationship

Human Resource Management

- HRM is an integrated set of systems, practices, and policies in an organization that
focuses on the effective deployment and development of its employees

- In other words, HRM ensures that an organization will be successful by having the right
people, in the right places, doing the right things at the right time

Human Capital
- Human Capital is the value that employees provide to an organization through their
knowledge, skills, and abilities

Functional Areas of HR
- Job Analysis & Design - understanding the components of a job, creating jobs that
people want to do

- Compensation - pay related

- Recruitment & Selection - finding and hiring the right people

- Talent Management and Succession Planning - retaining and developing employees

ensuring key positions have people ready to step in

- Employee Engagement, Motivation & Wellness - ensuring employees are invested in

their work, concern for employees well-being

- Performance Appraisals - evaluating and communicating info related to performance

- Discipline & Discharge - correcting bad behavior, “firing”

- Labor Relations - managing employees in a unionized workplace

Changing Attitudes at Work

Scientific Management
- Fredrick Taylor
- Develop a science that includes rules of motion, standardized work implements, proper
working conditions
 - Select workers with the right ability
- Train workers to do the job and give them incentives
- Support workers by planning their work
- Main objective was improving economic efficiency, labor productivity
- It was one of the earliest attempts to apply science to the engineering of processes and
to management

Hawthorne Studies

- Studies were conducted at the Hawthorne Plant of Western Electric that were concerned
with the impact of fatigue, rest pauses, and lighting on employee productivity
- The studies illustrated how psychological and social surroundings affect productivity and
work adjustments
- The employees' working conditions were changed in other ways too (their working hours,
rest breaks etc.), and in all cases their productivity improved when a change was made.
The productivity even improved when the lights were dimmed again
- The experimenters concluded that it was not the changes in physical conditions that
were affecting the workers productivity. Rather, it was the fact that someone was actually
concerned about their workplace, and the opportunities this gave them to discuss
changes before they took place
- How is this related to HRM today:​From the leadership point of view today,
organizations that do not pay sufficient attention to ‘people’ and ‘cultural’ variables are
consistently less successful than those that do. From the leadership point of view today,
organizations that do not pay sufficient attention to people and the deep sentiments and
relationships connecting them are consistently less successful than those that do. “The
change which you and your associates are working to effect will not be mechanical but
humane.

Human Resources Movement : Evolutionary Phases

Phase 1 (early 1900s)
- Personnel administration
Phase 2 (1930s to 1950s)
- Union liaison, compliance with new laws
- Orientation, performance appraisal, employee relations
Phase 3 (1960s to 1980s)
- Human resources management
- Outsourcing of many administrative functions (outsourcing the practice of contracting
with outside vendors to handle specific business functions on a permanent basis)
- Emphasis on contribution and proactive management of people
Phase 4 (1990s to Present)
- Every line manager must possess basic HR skills
- Help achieve strategic objectives
 - New roles: activist, change steward, talent manager/organizational designer, operational
executor and business ally

Roles of Employees, Managers, and HR Professionals

Employees
- Know your rights, roles and responsibilities
- Ask questions, know your organization’s policies, culture
- Engage in your job and organization
Managers
- It is the manager's role to develop employees and make work a great place. For
example: when an organization increases emphasis on the growth and development of
its people, it is the manager who is front and center in identifying the gaps in any skills
sets
- It is also the manager who works with employees to ensure effective performance and,
at times, improve performance
- The key point is that managers are responsible for implementing various HRM systems,
practices, and policies and must therefore work with,a dn rely upon HR professionals to
ensure that they have the right knowledge, tools, and resources to do so effectively
- Managers are employees too
- All managers must be knowledgeable in HRM
- Not all organizations have formal HR professionals or an HR department
HR Professionals
- Provide best practices and tools to all managers
- Develop HR strategies to support business strategies

Human Resources Management Strategy

- Human Resources Management Strategy is the development and implementation of
HRM systems, practices, policies, that enable the human capital (employees) to achieve
business objectives
- Examples:
- Companies such as CIBC are intentionally designed to increase the value
employees add to the bottom line and to customer satisfaction. CIBC actively
involves employees in day-to-day decisions, such as determining what specific
can be taken to reduce customer complaints
- If a company wished to focus on providing superb customer service, the
employee selection process would tend to hire people with those skills. It might
also have a training and development program that reinforced the expectations
regarding customer service and a total rewards and performance management
system that rated how well employees did in that regard
- HRM strategy focuses on linking and aligning the HRM systems, practices, and policies
to the business strategy
 - HRM systems, practices, and policies will reflect a particular organizational strategy,
such as growth

Current Business Topics Impacting HRM

Global Economy
- Canadian economy is primarily built on exports, including natural resources like oil, gas,
mining and forestry
- For this reason, Canadian companies have been involved in global markets
- As Canada has moved into other goods and services to export, many companies have
created global operations or worked collaboratively with foreign companies to sell
Canadian products
- 70-80% of the Canadian economy is now affected by international competition
- Companies that had been doing business in Canada can move to other countries that
may have lower production costs
- For example : Ford Motor Co decided to build a new engine plant in Mexico
rather than in Windsor, eliminating the creation of approximately 1000 jobs
- Effects of Globalization on HRM
- When an organization decided to operate in a different country, HRM practices
need to address the different legal, political, and cultural requirements within this
new location.
- The organization needs to identify capable expatriate managers who can live and
work overseas
- Design training

Changes in Firms and Business Sectors

- Need to increase exports while addressing environmental concerns (Trans Mountain
Pipeline)
- Changes to company ownership. As companies change, so do the requirements for the
capabilities of employees. Dealing with the consequences of changes impacts all HRM
systems, practices, and policies
- For example : Hudson’s Bay Company bought Saks, LifeLabs Medical
Laboratory bought CML
- Organizations have tried a number of approaches to lower costs, particularly labour
costs. These include downsizing, outsourcing, and the use of contract employees, each
of which has a direct implant on HRM systems, practices, and policies
- Downsizing is a strategic approach to decreasing the number of employees in a
company
- Outsourcing means hiring a person who does not work for the company (or hiring
another company) to perform work that would normally have been performed by
someone employed by the organization
- Companies often hire the services of accounting firms to take care
of financial work
 - Independent contractors are hired to do a specific job for a specific period of time
and have more flexibility in relation to hours of work, location, and how the work
is done
- Independent contractors are not covered by mandatory
employment deductions such as income tax and employment
premiums
- Independent contractors are still required to report all income and
then to pay appropriate taxes

Technology
- Technology has enabled companies to improve processes, reduce costs, and improve
quality
- Because of technology, HRM has become less administrative whereas in the early years
it was more admin based
- Telecommuting : Organizations are connected via computer-mediated relationships,
which are giving rise to a new generation of “virtual” workers who work from home,
hotels, cars, or where their work takes them

Quality
- Six Sigma​is a statistical method of translating a customer’s needs into separate tasks
and defining the best way to perform each task in concert with the others. Six Sigma
makes improvements through measurement and data analysis.
- Lean​is similar to Six Sigma but is a more inclusive organizational system of
improvements that maximize customer value and minimize waste.
- It was pioneered by Toyota as a way to look at not just individual machines but
also the overall flow of the production through the total process
- Benchmarking​looks at the “best practices” in other companies, whether competitors or
not. By looking at other companies, managers and employees can assess if something
might be used in their organization to improve overall performance.
- For example, the University of Calgary has benchmarked how the practice of law
is changing and how adults learn so that its law school can create “excellence in
lawyering.”
Sustainability
- There is more attention being paid to our planet (climate change, global warming people
are starting to realize something has to be done
- Because of this, businesses are examining threats and opportunities by these concerns
- New industries are looking at clean technology

Human Capital and Talent Management

- Individuals knowledge, skills, and capabilities, have value
- Organizations are identifying core competencies for success
 - To build and retain human capital, managers must find ways to help employees enhance
their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Therefore, managers have to do a good job of
providing developmental assignments to employees and ensuring that job duties and
requirements are flexible enough to allow for growth and learning.
- These competencies are necessary in order to be different from their competition and
provide ongoing value to their customers.
- For example, a core competency might be as follows:
- ​ ocus on customer—​the ability to make an effort to identify internal and
F
external customers and understand what adds value for them; to create
an environment that appreciates delivery of good customer service
- Managers need to ensure have developmental opportunities
- As companies continue to focus on their human capital, the concept of ​talent
management​has evolved
- Talent management is concerned with leveraging the competencies in the organization
by first ensuring that the competencies are in the right places in the organization and
then measuring their impact against goals.

Demographics
- Diversity of Backgrounds
- Canadian workers will continue to be a diverse group.
- According to a recent report by Statistics Canada, it is predicted that by
2031, 33% of the labour force will be foreign-born and 15% will belong to
a minority group

- Generations at Work
- The working-age population in Canada is getting older—there are more
individuals than ever in the older age brackets (ages 45 to 64) and fewer
than ever in the younger brackets.
- The age distribution throughout the Canadian workforce means that there
can be several generations working together—all with different values and
expectations.
- It also means that organizations might not have the capacity to develop
younger talent to prepare them to take on more significant roles when the
older workers leave or that more attention has been given to the youngest
cohort of workers at the expense of development of other generations.
- As a result, organizational leaders will need to manage a wide spectrum
of workforce diversity. However, some argue that there is too much focus
on generational difference and that, ultimately, all workers (regardless of
age) want and are motivated by the same things.
- Skills and Labour Shortage
- Because of the aging workforce there are concerns about shortages.
- Canada has a relatively high unemployment rate but employers are
saying they can’t find workers
 - There is a large occurrence where there is a mismatch between the skills
people have and what employers really want
- To deal with these shortages, an employer can do a number of things
- For example, provide more mentoring for millennials, ensure that
the management style in the organization is suitable for both
tech-savvy and other workers, and make better use of the skills
that immigrants bring
- Some industries are more affected by shortages than others. The mining
industry is expanding and will need more than 100,000 skilled workers
over the next few years as many of the existing employees will be leaving
- Gender Distribution in the Workforce
- There is the constant pressure to make sure there’s equality for women in
regards to compensation, opportunities and employment
- Thus, the whole area of “dependent care” is creating issues in
organizations that will require creative solutions.
- In addition, because more women are working, employers are more
sensitive to the growing need for policies and procedures to eliminate
harassment in the workplace.
- Rising Levels of Education
- Jobs in the best decade are requiring higher levels of education, the more
education an individual has the more likely they are to receive a job.
- As organizations become more technologically advanced less and less
employment is available for unskilled workers.
- It is important to observe that although the educational level of the
workforce has continued to rise, there is a widening gap between the
educated and the non-educated, leading to different types of work
experiences.
- At the lower end of the educational spectrum, many employers are coping
with individuals who are functionally illiterate—unable to read, write,
calculate, or solve problems at a level that enables them to perform even
the simplest technical tasks, such as reading an operating manual or
following safety procedures

Organizational Culture
- Organizational culture is defined as the underlying beliefs, assumptions, values and
ways of interacting that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of
an organization.
- Organizational culture includes an organization's expectations, experiences, philosophy,
and values that hold it together, and is expressed in its self-image, inner workings,
interactions with the outside world, and future expectations.
- It is based on shared attitudes, beliefs, customs, and written and unwritten rules that
have been developed over time and are considered valid.
- Also called corporate culture, it's shown in
 - (1) the ways the organization conducts its business, treats its employees,
customers, and the wider community,
- (2) the extent to which freedom is allowed in decision making, developing
new ideas, and personal expression
- (3) how power and information flow through its hierarchy
- (4) how committed employees are towards collective objectives

Key Terms

Human Resources Management (HRM) : An integrated set of systems, practices, and policies
in an organization that focuses on the effective deployment and development of its employees

Globalization : Moving local or regional business into the global marketplace

Downsizing : A strategic approach to decreasing the number of employees in a company

Outsourcing : Hiring an external person (or a company) to do work that has previously been
done by an internal employee

Independent Contractor : A person who is hired by contract to perform a specific job and is not
considered part of the employee base

Telecommuting : Conducting work activities away from the office (typically at home) through
the use of technology

Six Sigma : A process used to translate customer needs into a set of optimal tasks performed
in concert with one another

Lean : Organizational system of improvements that maximize customer value and minimize
waste

Benchmarking : Finding the best practices in other organizations that can be brought into a
company to enhance performance

Human Capital : The value that employees provide to an through their knowledge, skills, and
abilities

Core Competencies : A combination of knowledge, skills, and characteristics needed to

effectively perform a role in an organization

Talent Management : Leveraging competencies to achieve high organizational performance

Culture : Consistent and observable pattern of behaviors in organizations

Human Resources Management Strategy : Identifying key HRM systems, practices and
policies and linking them to the overall business strategy
Learning Outcomes (Textbook)
Define human resources management (HRM).

- Integrated set of systems, practices, and policies that focus on effective deployment and
development of employees

Identify HRM systems, practices, and policies.

- Operating within the legal framework

- Promoting employee health and safety through organizational culture
- Defining, analyzing, and designing the work
- Planning for, recruiting, and selecting employees
- Orienting, training, and developing employees
- Managing employee performance
- Rewarding and recognizing employees
- Knowing your rights and responsibilities
- Understanding labour relations and collective bargaining
- Learning about international human resources management

Explain the importance of HRM to all employees.

- All employees are affected by HRM systems, practices,and policies. Most employees
have a manager who is the key link between the employee and the organization
- Managers are employees too and are therefore concerned about employee rights and
responsibilities, for themselves and for the people whom they are responsible for
- HRM helps everyone understand their roles and responsibilities in the organization
- People have always been central to organizations, but their strategic importance is
growing in today’s knowledge-based industries

Discuss the relationship between a manager and an HR professional.

- Every manager’s job is managing people
- Successful organizations equip their managers with thorough understanding of HRM
- HR professionals help managers be good people managers by providing advice as well
as direct services
- Combining the expertise of HR professionals with the experience of managers can
develop and utilize the talents of employees to their greatest potential

Describe current business topics and their impact on HRM.

- Globalization is creating the requirement for managers to effectively lead people in loca-
tions throughout the world
- Change in firms and business sectors will focus on maximizing utilization of employees
- Technology has enabled organizations to focus on quality and enhanced customer
service
- Organizations use productivity improvements to help with sustainability
- The environment and climate change are creating both threats and opportunities
- Businesses are concerned about their human capital and talent management

Outline demographic considerations.

- Diversity of backgrounds
 - Generations within the workforce
- Skills and labour shortages
- Gender distribution
- Rising levels of education

Describe key employee expectations.

- Rights, ethics, and privacy

- Fulfilling and meaningful work
- Balancing work and family

Illustrate the link between business strategy and HRM strategy.

- Business strategy involves the formulation of a company's mission,goals,and action

plans
- Part of any business strategy is to be competitive; to be competitive, an organization
needs to think about its people as part of its “competitive advantage”
- HRM strategy focuses on linking and aligning the HR systems,practices,and policies to
the business strategy
- HRM systems, practices, and policies will reflect a particular organizational strategy,
such as growth

Chapter 2 : Operating Within the Legal Framework

Canadian Law is Divided by Jurisdiction

- There are two sets of legislation : Federal and Provincial
- Federal Laws apply to everyone who resides in Canada
- For example : everyone who earns an income must pay taxes
- Justin Trudeau
- Other laws are handled on the provincial level
- Education, drivers licence
- Doug Ford
- There are a total of 14 different jurisdictions (government authorities) this means 14
different sets of laws

Federal Employment Laws

- For the companies who are federally regulated, there are 2 basic employment laws:
- Canadian Labour Code : covers basic employment conditions, labour relations,
health and safety in the federal sector. The Canada Industrial Relations Board
administers this law
- Canadian Human Rights Act applies to all federal government departments and
agencies, crown corporations, and businesses and industries under federal
jurisdiction such as banks, airlines, railway companies, insurance companies etc.
 It is admistered by the Canadian Human Rights Commision, which makes
decisions on complaints involving discrimination and harrasment
- In May 2017, the federal government passed the Genetic-NonDiscrimination Act, which
protects people who suffer from a predisposition to certain diseases from being
discriminated against
- There is an increasing concern in HR for privacy legislation, These laws are call
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and provincial legislation
commonly called Personal Informations Privacy Act
- These acts have a direct influence on how companies and managers handle
personal information
- Both acts enhance the protection granted to employees on their personal info
that a company retains
- Organizations can no longer collect an employees personal information without
disclosing

Provincial Employment Legislation

- Each province and territory has relatively similar legislation that provides certain rights
and guarantees regarding employment
- For example, each province has maximum limits regarding hours per day or hour
per week that a person can work before the organization is obliged to pay
overtime wages
- Similarly, the health and safety of workers are also covered by provincial
legislation
- In addition, provinces and territories have legislation dealing with human rights
and legislation that covers unions and their relationships with employers

Discrimination and the Different Types

- Discrimination isn’t defined in the code but includes the following elements: not
individually assessing the unique merits, capacities and circumstances of a person,
instead stereotypical assumptions based on a persons presumed traits, having the
impact of excluding persons, denying benefits or imposing burdens
- Intentional Discrimination - It is direct on purpose
- Systematic Discrmination - Unintentional
- Examples of SD : word of mouth recruiting, inflated job requirements,
informal mentorship programs, work events held off hours, scheduling

Human Rights Legislation and Ontario Human Rights Code

- The basic foundation of the humans right legislation is that all individual should have an
opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives that they are
able and wish to have and to have their needs accommodated, consistent with their
duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented
from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour,
religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, marital status, family
 status, genetic characteristics, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon
has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered
- Although the legislation is designed to protect individuals, it does not cover every
situation.
- For example, “age” had been defined to be the ages between 19 and 65 in most
jurisdictions. However, most jurisdictions have now eliminated the “65”, which
means that, in most cases, the notion of “mandatory retirement” would now be
illegal
- Employers now need to be vigilant regarding how older workers are treated so
that organizations do not have complaints based on age discrimination
- Ontario Human Rights Code - Individuals are protected from discrimination or
discrimination is prohibited on the basis of these grounds
- Race
- Ancestry
- Place of Origin
- Color
- Ethnic Origin
- Citizenship
- Creed
- Record of Offenses
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
- Gender Identity
- Gender Expression
- Age
- Marital Status
- Family Status
- Disability

Bona Fide Occupational Requirement

- A justifiable reason for discrimination based on business necessity (that is, required for
the safe an efficient operation of the organization) or a requirement that can be clearly
defended as intrinsically required by the tasks an employee is expected to perform
- Example : Hiring a blind man as a truck behavior
- Three criterias are used to assess if the discrimination is bona fide occupational
requirement:
- Rational: was the policy or procedure that resulted in the discrimination
based on a legitimate, work related purpose ?
- Question of good faith: did the decision makers or other agents of the
organization honestly believe the requirement was necessary to fulfill the
requirements of the role ?
- Reasonable necessity: was it impossible to accommodate those who
have been discriminated against without imposing undue hardship on the
employer?
- Examples of BFOR : vision standards for bus drivers or piolets, sex speicfic hiring
(female guards in a womens prision), lifting or mobility requirments or jobs involving
physical labour
 - Before a BFOR can be established, organizations must prove that accommodation is not
possible

Duty to Accommodate
- Requirement that employers adjust employment practices to avoid discrimination

Reasonable Accommodation
- Making adjustments to any aspect of working conditions to prevent dicrimination
- The adjustment of employment policies and practices that an employer may be expected
to make so that no individual is denied benefits, disadvantaged in employment or
prevented from carrying out essential components of a job because of ground prohibited
in human rights legislation
- Adjustments may involve scheduling adjustments to accommodate religious beliefs or
workstation redesign to enable an individual with a physical disability to perform a
particular task
- Employers expected to accommodate to the point of “undue hardship”
- An undue hardship is special or specified circumstances that partially or fully
exempt a person or organization from performance of a legal obligation so as to
avoid unreasonable or disproportionate burden or obstacle
- Supreme court ruled that the duty to accommodate by stating that it does not
require an employer to completely alter the essence of the employment
rumination
- If characteristics of an illness are such that the employee will be unable to
work in the future, even though the employer has tried to accommodate
the employee, the employer will have satisfied the test of undue hardship

Employment Equity
- A distinct Canadian process for achieving equality in all aspects of employment
- Employment Equity is a Federal Legislation, therefore it formally covers federal
employees (federal government; agencies, crown corporations and federally regulated
industries
- Designated groups: women, members of visible minorities, indigenous people, and
persons with disabilities who have been disadvantaged in employment

Labour Relations Legislation

- Labour relations legislation governs both the process by which a trade union acquires
bargaining rights and the procedures by which trade unions and employers engage in
collective bargaining
- Governs processes and procedures between trade unions and employers
- Administered through a labour relations board
- The rules that unions and employers have to follow when it comes to bargaining and
making decisions for the workers
 - In some jurisdictions, such as Ontario, the legislation (​Labour Relations Act, 1995​)
applies primarily to workplaces in the private sector but also covers certain parts of the
public sector (e.g., municipal workers, hospital employees, school boards). Ontario has
separate legislation for certain types of employers in the public sector, such as hospitals
and Crown corporations

Health and Safety Legislation and Workers Compensation

- Governs employer responsibility for healthy and safe workplace
- Administered through a government agency
- Provides monetary payment to employees if illness or injury caused by job
- The federal, provincial, and territorial governments regulate occupational health and
safety. Although statutes and standards differ slightly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction,
attempts have been made to harmonize the various acts and regulations.
- Violations of health and safety statutes are administered through a government agency,
frequently called the Workers’ Compensation Board. As part of the legislation, workers
can receive a monetary payment if they are injured or get a disease that can be
attributed to their work.
- The legislation also identifies the duties of workers, which include complying with all
applicable acts and regulations; reporting hazardous conditions or defective equipment;
and following all employer safety and health rules and regulations, including those
prescribing the use of protective equipment, such as wearing hard hats or steel-toed
boots at a construction site or protective eyewear in a laboratory.
- Workers have many rights that pertain to requesting and receiving information about
safety and health conditions. They also have the right to refuse unsafe work without fear
of reprisal.
- An accident resulting in death or critical injury must be reported immediately; the
accident must then be investigated and a written report submitted. Finally, employers
must provide safety training and be prepared to discipline employees for failing to
comply with safety rules

Pay Equity Legislation

- As a result of a 1978 amendment to the ​Canadian Human Rights Act​, ​pay equity​—equal
pay for work of equal value—became law. Federal pay equity law makes it illegal for
federally regulated employers to discriminate against individuals on the basis of job
content.
- The focus of pay equity legislation is to narrow the wage gap between men and women,
on the basis that women’s work historically has been undervalued and therefore
underpaid relative to work primarily done by men.
- Pay equity is based on 2 principles.
- The first is equal pay for equal work. Equal pay for equal work means that if a
woman and a man are doing substantially the same work for the same
organization or company, they must receive the same wage unless the difference
is due to a formal seniority system, a temporary training assignment, or merit pay.
 Equal pay for equal work is regulated through basic employment conditions
legislation, usually titled ​Employment Standards Act​.
- The second principle of pay equity is equal pay for work that may be comparable
in value to the organization. Pay equity compares the value and pay of different
jobs. This means that male and female workers must be paid the same wage rate
for jobs of comparable value, such as nurse (historically female-dominated work)
and electrician (historically male-dominated work).
- Pay equity legislation is in 6 provinces: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia,
Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Québec. Although British Columbia, Newfoundland,
and Saskatchewan have no legislation, they’ve developed frameworks for negotiations
with some public sector unions. Alberta has no legislation
- Equal pay for work of equal value using four factors: skill, effort, responsibility, working
conditions

Harassment
- Harassment is considered any conduct or comment that a reasonable person would
consider objectionable or unwelcome, including any unnecessary physical contact.
- Harassment can take many forms
- On a side note, things that were not considered harassment a while ago are now
considered unacceptable today. (example: calling people names because of their ethnic
culture)
- The Canadian Human Rights ​commission defines harassment as
- Makes unwelcome remarks or jokes about your race, religion, sex,
age, disability or other of the grounds of discrimination
- Threatens or intimidates you because of your race, religion, sex,
age, disability or any other of the grounds of discrimination
- Makes unwelcome physical contact with you, such as touching,
patting, or pinching
- In the Ontario Human Rights Code 1962 harassment is defined as: engaging in a course
of vexatious comment or conduct that is known or ought to be reasonably unwelcome
(stalking, verbal abuse, sabotage, pinching)
- The concepts of harassment in the workplace are being broadened to include
​psychological harassment​, such as bullying, yelling at subordinates, excluding
employees from certain activities, making derogatory comments, and other similar
actions

Sexual Harassment
- The code defines sexual harassment as any conduct, commetn, gesture, or contact of a
sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation to any employee; or that might,
on resomable grounds be percieved by that employee as placing a condition of a sexual
nature on employment or on any opportuinity for training or promotion.
- Two forms of sexual harassment:
- Sexual Coercion (quid pro quo)
 - Sexual annoyance (poisoned work environment)

Employment Standards Legislation

- All federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions have passed employment standards
laws specifying the minimum obligations of employers.
- The names of the laws usually include the term “employment standards” or something
similar. However, the minimum obligations for federal companies are covered under the
​Canada Labour Code​.
- Minimum obligations of employers
- Typically reflects views of government in relation to social policy:
- For example, British Columbia’s legislation provides the right for a person
to take a limited number of days off to tend to childcare needs, and
Ontario recently enacted a provision whereby personal emergency leave
was expanded to 10 days per calendar year, with at least 2 paid days per
year
- Covers rights such as: hours of work, overtime pay, vacation pay
- Administered by an agency or commission that both interprets and enforces legislation
example: if employees feel that they are not receiving the right amount of vacation pay,
they can contact the agency and find out what the right amount should be. If they are
getting the wrong amount, then the agency can contact the employer and start an
investigation.

Employment Standards ACT

- The ​Employment Standards Act​(ESA) is a ​law​in ​Ontario​that protects workers' rights.
This ​law tells employers how to treat workers fairly. ESA protects most workers in
​Ontario​. It does not apply to workers in federally-regulated industries, such as banks and
transportation.
- Some industries are exempt from this: employees or employers that fall under federal
jurisdiction, individuals performing under an approved program by a college of applied
arts, technology or uni, police officers, employees of the crown, inmates taking part in a
rehabilitation program etc

Diversity
- Diversity​is about ​voluntarily​having a more representative workforce; employment equity
is not.
- Managing diversity is a broader concept encompassing such factors as religion,
personality, lifestyle, and education.
- Inclusive- not the same as employment equity
- Inclusion- putting diversity into action
- Need to create an environment for success
- Treat people as individuals
 - Many different types of organizations in Canada recognize the importance of diversity
and inclusion in their overall business strategy.
- For example, a job fair was recently held in Toronto that focused on
making the transgender community aware of career opportunities in a
number of organizations, including Parks Canada, the Canadian Forces,
and Indigo
- That is why organizations such as Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council
(TRIEC) created the Inclusive Workplace Competencies, which helps employers make
their workplaces more inclusive

Organizational Ethics
- Beyond what is required by the law is the question of organizational ethics and the
ethical—or unethical—behaviour engaged in by all employees. ​
- Ethics​are usually defined as a system of moral values—the things that matter to us that
motivate our behaviour
- Therefore, ethics, like the legal aspects of HR, permeate all aspects of the employment
relationship.
- For example, managers may adhere to the organization’s objective of hiring more
members of designated groups, but how those employees are supervised and
treated once employed gets to the issue of managerial ethics. Compliance with
laws and the behavioural treatment of employees are completely different
aspects of the manager’s job.
- Many organizations have their own codes of ethics that govern relations with employees
and the public at large. These codes are formal written statements of the organization’s
primary values and provide a basis for the organization’s and individual managers’
behaviours and actions.
Key Terms

Systemic Discrimination : The exclusion of members of certain groups through the application
of eployment policies or practices based on criteria that are not job related

Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) : Job qualifications that may be discriminatory
due to business or safety reasons

Duty to Accommodate : Requirement that employers adjust employment practices to avoid

discrimination

Reverse Discrimination : Giving preference to members of certain groups such that others feel
they are the subjects of discrimination

Harassment : Any conduct or comment that a reasonable person would consider objectionable
or unwelcome

Psychological Harassment : Repeated and aggravating behaviour that affects an employee’s

dignity or psychological or physical integrity that makes the work environment harmful

Bullying : Actions and verbal comments that can hurt or isolate a person in the workplace

Employment Equity : A distinct Canadian process for achieving equality in all aspects of
employment

Designated Groups : Women, members of visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, and persons
with disabilities who has been disadvantaged in employment

Pay Equity : The practice of equal pay for work of equal value

Diversity : The combination of organizational policies and practices that supports and
encourages employee differences in order to reach business objectives

Inclusion : Putting the concept of diversity into action

Ethics : Things that matter to us that motivate our behaviour

Whistleblowing : Reporting unethical behaviour outside the organization

Learning Outcomes (Textbook)

Explain the impact of laws on the behaviour and actions of managers.

- Accepted practices and behaviours of managers toward their employees are governed
through a variety of employment legislation at both the provincial and federal levels
- Various laws establish certain minimum requirements regarding working conditions well
as providing protection of basic human rights

Discuss the legal framework of HRM in Canada.

- There are 2 distinct sets of legislation: federal and provincial

 - The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the cornerstone of contemporary
employment legislation

Describe discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

- Discrimination is denying someone something because of race, ethnic background,

gender, marital status, or other prohibited grounds under human rights legislation
- Harassment is any behaviour that demeans, humiliates, or embarrasses a person
- Harassment includes bullying
- Discrimination and harassment are illegal under human rights legislation

Outline the manager’s role in creating a work environment that is free from harassment and
discrimination.

- Managers need to ensure that unacceptable behaviours are dealt with

- Managers are expected to work with employees to ensure that they are behaving and
acting in an acceptable fashion
- The manager is the key link in creating an appropriate work environment

Identify the general types of employment laws in Canada.

- Employment standards legislation describes the basic obligations of employers

- Labour legislation governs both the process by which trade union acquires bargaining
rights and the procedures by which trade unions and employers engage in collective
bargaining
- Health, safety, and workers’ compensation legislation describes the expected standards
for health and safety in the workplace and the impact if an employee is injured
- Human rights legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis of such areas as race,
ethnic origin, marital status, and gender
- Human rights legislation is paramount over other employment laws
- Human rights legislation also protects individuals from all types of harassment

Explain the relationship between employment equity, diversity, and inclusion.

- Managing diversity not only incorporates but also goes beyond employment equity
- The goal of diversity is to make optimal use of organizations multicultural workforce in
order to realize strategic business advantages
- Inclusion is putting diversity into action

Discuss the concept of ethics in the management of human resources.

- Ethics in HRM extends beyond the legal requirements of managing employees

- Managers engage in ethical behaviour when employees are treated unfair and objective
way and when an employee’s personal and work-related rights are respected and valued

Chapter 3 : Promoting Employee Health and Safety

Organizational Culture
- Collective understanding of beliefs and values that guide how employees act and
behave
- As such, the culture of an organization sets the standards of behavior and helps people
understand how they are expected to conduct themselves and interact with others
- Provides the compass of what employees do and say
- Several dimensions to culture : how managers do and do not make decisions, whether
the focus is on team or individual work, culture has a profound impact on success of
organizations

OHS (Occupational Health and Safety)

- The main purpose of the Act is to protect workers from health and safety hazards on the
job. It sets out duties for all workplace parties and rights for workers. It establishes
procedures for dealing with workplace hazards and provides for enforcement of the law
where compliance has not been achieved voluntarily

- Three rights under OHS

- Right to know about workplace safety hazards (identifying health and safety,
WHMIS - workplace hazardous materials information system, labels, safety data
sheets, training)

- Right to participate in the OHS process through the JHSC (joint health and
safety committee)

- Right to refuse unsafe work (workers cannot be punished for refusing unsafe
work, refusal of unsafe work has some limitations, not all professionals have this
right, there are some exceptions like if it is a bona fide necessity)

Why OHS is an HR issue and the Strategic Importance of OHS

- Set standards and policies that protect both employees and employers
- HR’s role and responsibility is to keep people safe, and manage any incidents that occur
- If HR fails to implement safe practices and monitor unsafe behaviour, legal suits can be
in order
- Strategic importance: investment in disability and wellness programs create bottom-line
returns
- In 2007, there were 1055 death and 317,524 injuries in accidents at work
- Workplace accidents can be prevented

Changing Attitude Towards OHS

- Triangle ShirtWaist Factory - women were burned alive because of a fire breaking out
and the door was locked
- Assumption of risk by employers
- Accident prevention is more prevalent “better safe than sorry”
 - Modern health and safety programs recognize that enhancing OHS requires cooperation
among multiple stakeholders

How are OHS Laws Enforced ?

- Government inspectors periodically carry out inspections of workplaces

- Penalties include fines and/or jail terms
- “Corporate Killing” : a criminal offense, failure to ensure an appropriate level of safety in
the workplace

Under OHS Legislation the Different Responsibilities

- Employers
- Provide a hazard-free workplace
- Comply with laws and regulations
- Inform employees of safety and health requirements
- Keep records
- Compile an annual summary of work-related injuries and illnesses
- Ensure that managers are familiar with work and associated hazards
- Report accidents to the Workers Compensation Board
- Provide safety training

- Employees
- Comply with all laws and regulations
- Report hazardous conditions or defective equipment
- Follow employer safety and health rules
- Refuse reasonably unsafe work

- Managers
- Advise employees of potential workplace hazards
- Ensure that employees follow health and safety protocols
- Ensure that employees use or wear safety equipment
- Provide written instructions
- Take every reasonable precaution to guarantee the safety of workers

- Joint Health and Safety Committees

- Advise employers on health and safety matters
- Create a non-adversarial climate to foster a safe and healthy work environment
- Investigate accidents
- Train others in safety obligations

Potential Consequences for OHS Violations

- For example, the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act provides for fines of up to
$500,000, and other offenders can be sent to jail
- The federal government was so concerned about employers responsibilities for
workplace health and safety that the Criminal Code (Bill C-45) the “westray bill” was
changed to make it easier to bring criminal charges against coworkers, managers,
executives, and employers when a worker is killed or injured on the job
- Criminal negligence causing death or bodily harm
 - The legislation was a direct result of a public inquiry into the Westray Mine disaster in
1992 that killed 26 workers
- Indirect liability is assumed by employers
- Negligent training causes accidents
- Turnover, morale, and organizational culture

Reasons why young workers have above rates of injury

- Inexperience and lack of training
- Lack of preparation for the workplace
- Unwillingness to ask questions
- Distracted - thinking of other things happening in their lives

Situations where OHS Laws potentially intersect with Human Rights Legislation
- Although substance abuse cannot be discriminated against, it poses a safety risk
- OHS sometimes contradicts the human rights legislation
- Testing is only legal if the test is….
- Rationally connected to job performance
- Adopted in honest and good-faith belief that it is necessary for fulfillment
of work-related purpose
- Reasonably necessary to the accomplishment of the work-related
purpose
- Top employer concerns: operation of vehicles, disciplinary procedures, decreased work
performance, using heavy machinery, attendance
- Weed is the most encountered substance in the workplace
- Duty to accommodate for use of medical cannabis
- Religious observance that prevents the wearing of personal protective equipment
- Code’s prohibition on harassment based on creed
- The hardhat case :
- The Tribunal ruled that the complainant’s refusal to remove his turban to comply
with a company rule triggered the prohibition on discrimination in employment on
the basis of “creed”, which includes religion.
- The fact that some Sikhs do not find wearing turbans to be mandatory under the
religion was irrelevant, since what matters is whether the complainer “has a
genuine belief that the turban is an article of his faith”, which he does.
- Section 5 prohibition on discrimination in employment applies here, since Home
Depot was the “de facto” employer of the security guards when they were
assigned to the HD site.
- The fact that the Occupational Health and Safety Act required HD to ensure
protective equipment was worn is not an answer to the Human Rights Complaint,
because HD only selectively enforced that rule, as noted by the Tribunal
WHMIS Symbols
- Believing that workers have the right to know about potential workplace hazards,
industry, labour, and government joined forces several years ago to develop a common
information system for labeling hazardous substances.
- The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information
System (WHMIS) is based on 3 elements :
- Labels - labels are designed to alert the
worker that the container holds a potentially
hazardous substance. WHMIS class
symbols and subclass designations are
shown in the Figure below.
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS) - The SDS
identifies the products and its potentially
hazardous ingredients and suggests
procedures for the safe handling of the product
- Training - Employees must be trained to check for labels and to follow specific
procedures for handling spills. Training employees is part of the due diligence
required of employers; it also becomes an important factor in the event of a
lawsuit.

Workplace Security
- Heightened workplace security often involves screening people before they are allowed
access into certain buildings and security clearance, which is required before being able
to work in certain industries and roles
- Enhanced security is also reflected in documented procedures to follow in the case of an
emergency, increases presence of security on site, and key areas being locked down
and accessible only to certain workers
- Changes to the Canada Labour Code have provided an expanded definition of the
reasons employees can refuse work they perceive as dangerous. Employees can now
refuse “any hazard, condition or activity that could reasonably be expected to be an
imminent or serious threat to the life or health of a person exposed to it before the
hazard or condition can be corrected or the activity altered.”

Workplace Violence
- The exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes
or could cause physical injury to the worker
- A statement or behaviour that it is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to
exercise physical force against the worker, in a workplace that could cause physical
injury to the worker
- It is not only physical but can be verbal or written threats, verbal abuse, swearing,
insults, hitting etc
- To implement some preventive measures, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health
and Safety suggests the following:
 - Workplace designs, such as locks or physical barriers, lighting, and electronic
surveillance
- Administrative practices, such as keeping cash register funds to a minimum,
varying the time of day at which cash is emptied, and using a security firm to
deliver cash
- Work practices (particularly for those working alone or away from an office) that
include having a designated contact, checking the credentials of a client, and
having an emergency telephone source

Workplace Harassment and Bullying

- Engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace
that is known or ought reasonably to be unwelcome

- 2012 survey said 45% of people are bullied at work

Psychological Safety

- A ​psychologically safe workplace​benefits everyone – it reduces turnover, reduces cost

and creates a productive, effective working environment that people enjoy.

- Organizations have health services, wellness programs,

- Mental health matters in a workplace

Stress in the Workplace

- Stress​can be defined as physiological, mental, and/or emotional tension caused in

response to a demanding environment.
- Stress can lead to mental health issues, which are increasing in the workplace
- Recognizing and dealing with ​workplace stressors​is the first step toward managing
workplace stress. A corporate culture and work environment that promote a healthy,
safe, and environmentally protected work environment can have a positive impact on
worker stress.
- Here are “best practices” from various research studies to have a healthier
workplace:
- Managers are learning to be more responsive and supportive to
employees.
- Recognizing employee issues that need referral to an employee
assistance program.
- Managers communicating more openly about organizational changes.
- Keeping workloads reasonable, controlling for overtime
- Allowing for more work flexibility.
- Training managers and employees on mental health so that employees
can discuss stress and mental health issues.
Workplace Compensation
- A form of insurance paid by the employer providing cash benefits to workers injured or
disabled in the course of employment.
- Stress has multiple causes. In order for an injury or illness to be compensated by
workers’ compensation it must be clear that the illness or injury is a direct result of the
workplace.

Issues related to Workplace Violence

- Workplace violence is perpetrated in order by; public, coworkers, supervisors
- Common: assault, threat, threat with a weapon, robbery, homicide
- Industries with high levels of assaults are health care, education, social services, and
law enforcement
- Workplace bullying and harassment is a problem in the workplace as well

Bill 168
- Bill 168​is an amendment to Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”). It
came into force on June 15, 2010 and aims to protect workers from violence and
harassment. The ​Bill​outlines stiff penalties for all employers in Ontario who fail to meet
their new responsibilities and duties under the law.
- Applies to all workplaces covered by OHSA
- Employers must prepare policies for workplace violence and harassment, ensure
policies are implemented and workers are informed
- Workplace violence policies must include measures and procedures for: seeking
immediate assistance when WV occurs or is likely to occur, assess and control risks
related to WV

Bill 132
- Bill 132​, Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act
- Amendment to OHSA took effect sept 2016
- Additional obligations for employers to have reporting mechanisms and investigation
procedures for harassment claims

Key Terms

Organizational Culture : collective understanding of beliefs and values that guide how
employees act and behave
Employee Engagement : amount of commitment and dedication an employee has toward the
job and the organization
Occupational Injury : any cut, fracture, sprain, or amputation resulting from a workplace
accident
Occupational Illness : abnormal condition or disorder resulting from exposure to environmental
factors in the workplace
Industrial Disease : a disease resulting from exposure relating to a particular process, trade, or
occupation in industry
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) : documents supplied by the supplier containing detailed information
regarding hazardous material
Cyberbullying : bullying by using communication technology and information
Stress : physiological, mental, and/or emotional tension causes in response to a demanding
environment
Workplace Stressors : a workplace event, process, or practice that has the potential to cause
worker stress
Disability Management : integrated approach to managing disability-related benefits
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) : program to provide short-term counseling and
referrals to appropriate professionals

Learning Outcomes (Textbook)

Define organizational culture.
- Organizational culture is the collective understanding of beliefs and values that guide
how employees act and behave—the personality of the organization

Explain the impact of organizational culture on employees.

- Culture provides the compass or guide for actions and behaviours.
- Supportive cultures enable a positive approach a healthy and safe work environment

Discuss the relationship between an organization’s culture and employee engagement.

- Cultures that focus on social responsibility, leadership, and trust tend to have more
engaged employees.
- Employees that are more engaged tend to enjoy their work, have higher productivity,
stay with the organization longer, and support the organization

Describe the link between an organization’s culture and health and safety in the workplace.
- Culture guides actions and behaviours
- Cultures that openly demonstrate a commitment to a healthy and safe work environment
will have employees who act and behave in a healthy and safe way

List the key components within occupational health and safety.

- Adhering to legal requirements
- Shared responsibility among employees, including the use of health and safety
committees
- Consequences for violations
 - Workers’ compensation

Explain the various ways to protect employees.

- Development and awareness of safety programs
- Monitoring and investigating health and safety violations
- Identifying health and safety hazards
- Providing an ergonomically approved work environment
- Attending to workplace security and preventing bullying and violence at work

Describe the programs and services that promote the overall health of employees.
- Health services
- Wellness programs
- Disability management
- Employee assistance programs

Chapter 4 : Defining, Analyzing, and Designing Work

Manager & Employee Role in Defining Work

- Manager is the primary individual who determines what work is to be performed and in
what order
- Manager has an active role in determining skills and abilities needed to successfully
perform work
- Employee contributes by providing information that they may be known only by the
person doing the job

Job Analysis
- Process of obtaining information about jobs by determining the duties, tasks, or activities
and the skills, knowledge, and abilities associated with the jobs

Job Description
- A document that lists the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job to be performed
along with the skills, knowledge, and abilities or competencies needed to successfully
perform the work

Job Specifications
- Statement of the needed knowledge, skills and abilities of the person who is to perform
the position
Difference (Job Description and Job Specification)
- Job description is the written document in which all the information regarding a particular
job including role, responsibilities, and duties is summarized in a systematic manner. Job
specification is the set of specific qualities, knowledge, and experience, a person must
possess to perform a particular job

Step of Job Analysis

- Background information on the job, organization

- What is the company selling

- Is it private/public sector
- Do they want to make as much money as possible
- What are their values
- Org Chart (based on hierarchy)
- Highlights the relationship between different jobs
- Indicates how many people fall under a certain supervisor

- Process Chart

- Flow of goods

- Who is going to be interacting with who

- Select which job to analyze

- Necessary when there are many responsibilities in a single job and when a
number of similar jobs are to be analyzed

- EX: whether you wanted to analyze the server or bartender is driven by

the organization’s goals on what type of restaurant/bar you want to be
(whats taking the servers so long, do we need to pay them more)

- EX: Jack Astors - everything is time-oriented (write the time on the table)

- Driven by strategy, priorities, objectives

- Collect date

- How would you go about collecting data