Staffing industry employers rewarded
for commitment to workplace safety
Canada NewsWire
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 20, 2011 /CNW/ – Ontario’s workplace is safer today, thanks to the continued efforts of the staffing industry and the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB).
Following another successful year’s involvement in the WSIB Safety Group Program, members of the Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services (ACSESS) sponsored safety group will receive rebates totaling $991,244.91.
The safety group, comprised of 80 ACSESS member-firm accounts, will be awarded the rebates for initiatives that reduced both the severity and frequency of workplace injuries in 2010.
Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services
“As a result of the continued efforts of both ACSESS members and the WSIB, Ontario is becoming a safer and safer place to work,” said ACSESS Director of Government Relations, Mary McIninch, adding that “in addition to financial rebates, ACSESS members’ participation improves safety records, productivity and morale among temporary employees.”
ACSESS has been an active sponsor in the WSIB Safety Group Program since 2001, when it was the only group within the services sector to be selected from 18 candidates to enter the program.
The WSIB Safety Group Program promotes health and safety in the workplace through pooling of resources and sharing of best practices between member-businesses. There are currently more than 50 industry safety groups in the province of Ontario.
ACSESS is the single voice for promoting best practices and ethical standards for the recruitment, employment and staffing services industry in Canada.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/460917#ixzz1bQ7SrOwM
The People Bank is a founding member of the Ontario staffing industry safety group and Steve Jones, President of The People Bank is a Signatory of the Senior Executive Health and Safety Leadership Charter with the Conference Board of Canada.
Posted on The People Bank blog under Employee Benefits & Assistance, HR & Management Tips, Uncategorized, Workplace Safety
Monday, October 24, 2011
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
GUEST COLUMN: Look to outsourcing to fill SME needs
Each month, Toronto Business Times solicits opinions from four experts on a question of relevance to the small business community. This month’s question is: Small businesses often don't have enough work to employ an individual for a specialized duty. Hourly specialist charges can be expensive. Are there opportunities for small business to share personnel with other small businesses? How would you set that up? Here is my response.
___________________________________
Small and medium-sized businesses don't always have a consistent demand or the resources to justify hiring expert personnel onto the payroll for every aspect of business.
It is common practice for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to hire lawyers, graphic designers or trainers on a project or hourly basis, but what about other roles like benefits administration, human resources, payroll, accounts payable, document management, safety, WSIB claims management and other daily business functions?
The thought of sharing personnel between two companies makes sense if you are lucky enough to find another company with the same part-time needs, however the likelihood of finding such a match is very slim.
The solution is outsourcing. Sometimes called BPO, business process outsourcing should not be confused with off-shore outsource. We are referring to the local kind - the small business kind, the "good for the domestic economy" kind.
The difference between hiring an expensive hourly specialist and outsourcing is in consistency of need. If you can reasonably predict that you will have a regular need for a particular piece of work, then a specialist outsource company can provide an expert service at a fraction of the cost of a full-time resource.
Take payroll, for example. An outsourced payroll service stays on top of tax reform, uses world-class software, ensures that your remittances and filing are compliant and offers a wide range of value-added services that are typically only available to world-class companies.
Another perfect example of BPO is workers compensation claims management and safety certification. This is complicated stuff and very difficult for the experts to stay on top of all the requirements and best practices. For a flat monthly fee, a claims management company can handle all your WSIB issues and will prove the ROI the deliver for their services.
HR-BPO (Human Resources - Business Process Outsourcing) is one of the fastest growing areas of outsourced services. It's an area of every business that offers the most because it is typically complicated, heavily legislated and compliance-oriented, plus any small increase in the service quality delivered to your existing employees will likely get the most recognition and appreciation.
Steve Jones is President of The People Bank, a division of Design Group Staffing Inc.
___________________________________
Small and medium-sized businesses don't always have a consistent demand or the resources to justify hiring expert personnel onto the payroll for every aspect of business.
It is common practice for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to hire lawyers, graphic designers or trainers on a project or hourly basis, but what about other roles like benefits administration, human resources, payroll, accounts payable, document management, safety, WSIB claims management and other daily business functions?
The thought of sharing personnel between two companies makes sense if you are lucky enough to find another company with the same part-time needs, however the likelihood of finding such a match is very slim.
The solution is outsourcing. Sometimes called BPO, business process outsourcing should not be confused with off-shore outsource. We are referring to the local kind - the small business kind, the "good for the domestic economy" kind.
The difference between hiring an expensive hourly specialist and outsourcing is in consistency of need. If you can reasonably predict that you will have a regular need for a particular piece of work, then a specialist outsource company can provide an expert service at a fraction of the cost of a full-time resource.
Take payroll, for example. An outsourced payroll service stays on top of tax reform, uses world-class software, ensures that your remittances and filing are compliant and offers a wide range of value-added services that are typically only available to world-class companies.
Another perfect example of BPO is workers compensation claims management and safety certification. This is complicated stuff and very difficult for the experts to stay on top of all the requirements and best practices. For a flat monthly fee, a claims management company can handle all your WSIB issues and will prove the ROI the deliver for their services.
HR-BPO (Human Resources - Business Process Outsourcing) is one of the fastest growing areas of outsourced services. It's an area of every business that offers the most because it is typically complicated, heavily legislated and compliance-oriented, plus any small increase in the service quality delivered to your existing employees will likely get the most recognition and appreciation.
Steve Jones is President of The People Bank, a division of Design Group Staffing Inc.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Are You Ready for AODA?
Are you ready for the AODA Legislation? Effective: January 1, 2012
Join us for a Complimentary Webinar on October 13 at 11am Eastern time
All Ontario employers must be compliant with AODA Legislation effective January 1, 2012. AODA is not about ramps or automatic door openers. It’s about being compliant in your customer service delivery to people with disabilities who may have different needs.Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/512717410
The Accessibility Standard for Customer Service applies to all provincially regulated employers in Ontario that provide goods or services, and have one or more employees.
This webinar will help you understand the standard and create your plan on accessible customer service.
To be compliant with this legislation you must:
- Consider a person’s disability when communicating with them
- Allow assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers and oxygen tanks
- Allow service animals
- Welcome support persons
- Provide notification of temporary disruption
- Invite customers to provide feedback
- Train staff on accessible customer service
Webinar Title:
Are you ready for the AODA Legislation? –Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Date: Thursday, October 13, 2011
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT
Register: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/512717410
Thursday, September 01, 2011
What elected officials should know about jobs
Dispelling the Myths
ACSESS: Your industry’s reputation starts with you
Reprinted from the Edmonton Journal August 30, 2011
Here in Ontario, we will be going to the polls in early October. At the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS), we believe it is important to keep politicians of all parties informed about your industry, whatever your industry is.
The reality of our society is that all of government’s services are paid for from taxes, and if the tax base is not sufficient then everything else suffers. So, in order to have a healthy society you need a healthy amount of people working and paying taxes, and enough companies paying taxes. After that, you can look at spending money on programs that increase the quality of life of your electorate.
The Staffing Industry is a huge influence on jobs. ACSESS members enable the job market, create the environment that allows people to find their next job (or their first job, for that matter), and to get the experience they need to move from temporary to permanent employment.
Did you know…
88% of staffing employees say that experience made them more employable;
77% of staffing employees say their temporary assignments led to full time work;
80% of staffing clients say they use it as a means to hire permanent employees;
80% of temporary and contract employees work full-time hours.
There are a lot of myths and negative messages concerning our industry, but here are just SOME of the benefits of the staffing industry.
Workforce benefits of the staffing industry:
1) Temporary and Contract – Employees
i. Explore a wide range of opportunities
ii. Find positions they are uniquely qualified for
iii. Valuable experience leading to career growth
iv. Lifestyle flexibility
2) Temporary and Contract – Employers
i. Reduce fixed costs
ii. Rapidly respond to economic changes
iii. Meet fluctuating labour demands
3) Search & Placement – Employees
i. A source of jobs the never get advertised
ii. Advice that helps get the job
iii. The inside track on employer needs
iv. Career advice
v. Insight into the employment marketplace
vi. Services at no charge
4) Search & Placement – Employers
i. Find the best people for the job
ii. Talent across a range of professions and trades
iii. Consultative advice, including HR
iv. Insight into the employment marketplace
If you work in the staffing industry, ACSESS encourages you to tell your elected officials about the value your industry brings to the economy. That way, when they are tempted to bring in legislation that will hurt the industry, they will at least understand the consequences of their actions.
If you work in another industry, we encourage you to develop messages that educate your elected officials about the value your industry brings.
Every economy needs jobs. Let’s tell politicians how best to help business do that!
About ACSESS
The Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS) is the single voice promoting best practices and ethical standards for the recruitment, employment and staffing services industry in Canada. With more than 1,200 member offices offering staffing solutions in the areas of professional search, and temporary and contract staffing, ACSESS members provide a key service to businesses and offer a broad range of career planning and employment opportunities.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Workplace Loyalty & Motivation
It’s a simple equation. Employees who care about their work and their workplace are more likely to perform better. That’s why we take our “Employee Satisfaction” surveys seriously. Each year, every division of Design Group Staffing Inc. conducts a comprehensive employee satisfaction survey. We ask confidential opinion questions about supervisors, teams, divisions, executives, training, business processes, tools and technology. We set goals for employee satisfaction within our business plans. Expectations are defined within each manager’s performance appraisal and the actual results are factored into our management compensation and bonus plans. Here are six important lessons we have learned.
1. Keep Employees Happy & Keep Employees
It may seem like a daunting task but managing for employee satisfaction doesn’t have to be so elusive. At our company, a rookie employee typically becomes a net contributor within his/her second year on the job and then productivity continues to grow almost indefinitely. We know from experience that high employee satisfaction is the most significant factor affecting employee retention and that translates into higher per desk performance. Improve satisfaction, reduce turn-over and the results are profound.
2. Encourage Curiosity & Engagement
Technical skills and experience are an important part of any position. Often, the employees with the highest level of technical competency and experience have great ideas on how to improve but they don’t mention anything because they are stifled by a corporate culture of reluctance to change. We have the power to create an environment where employees feel comfortable, even excited, to learn more and offer new ideas. Foster a culture where questions and suggestions are encouraged and employees will feel like an important part of the “big picture”. Engaged employees translate into increased productivity.
3. Forgive Mistakes
Perhaps even you have made one or two (or three or four…) mistakes in your day. We all have, and so will our best employees. But they shouldn’t be afraid to make an occasional mistake. Accept mistakes as a learning opportunity. Encourage employees to try new things and, yes, make mistakes – so that they can learn from them. When employees aren’t afraid of being scolded by the boss for making a mistake, they’re more likely to embrace the mistake and truly learn.
4. Have Their Backs
Ever hear of the phrase “The customer is always right?” It’s an interesting catch phrase however, from time to time, your organization may have a customer that…well…isn’t. When an employee has followed procedure and tried their best, it’s important to “have his or her back” when dealing with an aggressive or dissatisfied customer. The same goes for when an employee who needs assistance with something like a faulty computer, or a tricky health benefits claim, or is in need of scheduling flexibility. Don’t let your employees take a beating from customers, or silly administrative policies. Show some empathy and support and your satisfied employee will return your thoughtfulness in spades.
5. Show Respect
This one probably shouldn’t have to be mentioned – it should be automatically ingrained in every organizational culture. It is simply the right thing to do, and it can also have a profound impact on employee morale. Act like a professional, and show professional and personal respect to your team.
6. Give Recognition
Taking a few minutes to call attention to something your team did, or to show your personal interest in your employees can make the world of a difference in how people feel about their work and their employer. Show recognition for special days, anniversaries and achievements. People don’t quit companies, they usually quit their supervisor. A small amount of interest can make a big impact.
At The People Bank, we complete our annual Employee Satisfaction Survey to ensure we’re doing things right with our team. Employee satisfaction leads to increased results for you. If you are interested in learning more about our survey or how we ensure our best-of-class employees feel like superstars, contact our team. We’d be happy to talk to you.
Steve Jones Blog can also be found on The People Bank website at http://www.thepeoplebank.com/
It may seem like a daunting task but managing for employee satisfaction doesn’t have to be so elusive. At our company, a rookie employee typically becomes a net contributor within his/her second year on the job and then productivity continues to grow almost indefinitely. We know from experience that high employee satisfaction is the most significant factor affecting employee retention and that translates into higher per desk performance. Improve satisfaction, reduce turn-over and the results are profound.
2. Encourage Curiosity & Engagement
Technical skills and experience are an important part of any position. Often, the employees with the highest level of technical competency and experience have great ideas on how to improve but they don’t mention anything because they are stifled by a corporate culture of reluctance to change. We have the power to create an environment where employees feel comfortable, even excited, to learn more and offer new ideas. Foster a culture where questions and suggestions are encouraged and employees will feel like an important part of the “big picture”. Engaged employees translate into increased productivity.
3. Forgive Mistakes
Perhaps even you have made one or two (or three or four…) mistakes in your day. We all have, and so will our best employees. But they shouldn’t be afraid to make an occasional mistake. Accept mistakes as a learning opportunity. Encourage employees to try new things and, yes, make mistakes – so that they can learn from them. When employees aren’t afraid of being scolded by the boss for making a mistake, they’re more likely to embrace the mistake and truly learn.
4. Have Their Backs
Ever hear of the phrase “The customer is always right?” It’s an interesting catch phrase however, from time to time, your organization may have a customer that…well…isn’t. When an employee has followed procedure and tried their best, it’s important to “have his or her back” when dealing with an aggressive or dissatisfied customer. The same goes for when an employee who needs assistance with something like a faulty computer, or a tricky health benefits claim, or is in need of scheduling flexibility. Don’t let your employees take a beating from customers, or silly administrative policies. Show some empathy and support and your satisfied employee will return your thoughtfulness in spades.
5. Show Respect
This one probably shouldn’t have to be mentioned – it should be automatically ingrained in every organizational culture. It is simply the right thing to do, and it can also have a profound impact on employee morale. Act like a professional, and show professional and personal respect to your team.
6. Give Recognition
Taking a few minutes to call attention to something your team did, or to show your personal interest in your employees can make the world of a difference in how people feel about their work and their employer. Show recognition for special days, anniversaries and achievements. People don’t quit companies, they usually quit their supervisor. A small amount of interest can make a big impact.
At The People Bank, we complete our annual Employee Satisfaction Survey to ensure we’re doing things right with our team. Employee satisfaction leads to increased results for you. If you are interested in learning more about our survey or how we ensure our best-of-class employees feel like superstars, contact our team. We’d be happy to talk to you.
Steve Jones Blog can also be found on The People Bank website at http://www.thepeoplebank.com/
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Canadian Staffing Index - June 2011
“Although the Staffing Index remains below the pre-recession 100 level, it is continuing along an encouraging trajectory. On the ground, ACSESS members are reporting anecdotally that temporary assignments are lengthening, more employers are hiring permanent employees with the assistance of staffing companies, and there is a return to the traditional and predictable seasonal fluctuations in Temporary hours,” explained ACSESS President, Bryan Toffey, adding that, “These are all signs of stability and cautious optimism in the Canadian employment market.”--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Canadian Staffing Index measures the hours of labour performed by a sampling of temporary and contract staffing in the staffing industry. The data collected is the largest sample size done in Canada provided by a number of Canadian staffing companies and accounts for approximately one third of total staffing industry sales. To preserve confidentiality the data is collected by Staffing Industry Analysts www.staffingindustry.com; an independent company specialized in staffing industry statistics. Data is available for the months starting July 2008 (the benchmark month) to the current month.
In review of similar Index research from the USA, many experts agree staffing industry employment data serves as an economic indicator. Historically, temporary employment improves as overtime hours increase and as unemployment claims decrease. This means the Index can provide a "near real time" indication of how the Canadian economy is performing.
"The Canadian Staffing Index demonstrates both the changes in the Canadian economy and the volatile nature of the staffing business. It is that ability to provide a flexible workforce that brings tremendous value to our clients."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information regarding the Canadian Staffing Index contact:
Amanda Curtis, CAE
Executive Director, ACSESS
1-888-232-4962 / 905-826-6869
Friday, July 08, 2011
More Canadian Job Creation
Go Canada!
The Canadian Staffing Index produced by Acsess (Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services) has consistently given us a two to three month leading indicator on job creation.
28,000 Canadian Jobs created in Canada is considered to be a moderate by meaningful number of new jobs indicating that we are still improving. Its my impression over the years that the Statistics Canada employment numbers are not always spot on but the aggregate sum of their employment data over any rolling three month period is probably pretty accurate. This is three consecutive months of reported gains. Woo Hoo!
It's nice to see Ontario's manufacturing continue recovering. Alberta is also making tremendous gains thanks to a strong resource commodity sector.
To see where some of these jobs are, you can follow The People Bank on Facebook. Just click the like button!
Follow more blog postings by Steve Jones of The People Bank on The People Bank Website www.thepeoplebank.com/Blog
The Canadian Staffing Index produced by Acsess (Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services) has consistently given us a two to three month leading indicator on job creation.
28,000 Canadian Jobs created in Canada is considered to be a moderate by meaningful number of new jobs indicating that we are still improving. Its my impression over the years that the Statistics Canada employment numbers are not always spot on but the aggregate sum of their employment data over any rolling three month period is probably pretty accurate. This is three consecutive months of reported gains. Woo Hoo!
It's nice to see Ontario's manufacturing continue recovering. Alberta is also making tremendous gains thanks to a strong resource commodity sector.
To see where some of these jobs are, you can follow The People Bank on Facebook. Just click the like button!
Follow more blog postings by Steve Jones of The People Bank on The People Bank Website www.thepeoplebank.com/Blog
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Temp Staffing Index Continues to Rise
Staffing Index Turns Upward, May 2011
The Canadian staffing index — a measure of temporary staffing in Canada — edged up one point to 85 in May, the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS) reported Thursday.
The news is mixed from sector-to-sector, according to ACSESS President Bryan Toffey. “We’re still seeing some shutdowns and lower hours worked in manufacturing, particularly with respect to the automotive segment. Despite this, the demand for services remains strong, keeping the total number of hours worked per day on the rise.”
The index has demonstrated consistent long-term growth, said Robert Balicki, research associate with Staffing Industry Analysts, which produces the Canadian staffing index in conjunction with ACSESS. “Though the [May] gain was small, year-over-year growth was 8 percent. This is the sixteenth month of uninterrupted year-over-year gains, truly a good sign for the Canadian temporary staffing industry and the overall economy.”
The staffing index measures the hours of labor performed by temporary and contract staff in May of 2011 compared to the benchmark index of 100 established in July of 2008.
The Canadian staffing index — a measure of temporary staffing in Canada — edged up one point to 85 in May, the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS) reported Thursday.
The news is mixed from sector-to-sector, according to ACSESS President Bryan Toffey. “We’re still seeing some shutdowns and lower hours worked in manufacturing, particularly with respect to the automotive segment. Despite this, the demand for services remains strong, keeping the total number of hours worked per day on the rise.”
The index has demonstrated consistent long-term growth, said Robert Balicki, research associate with Staffing Industry Analysts, which produces the Canadian staffing index in conjunction with ACSESS. “Though the [May] gain was small, year-over-year growth was 8 percent. This is the sixteenth month of uninterrupted year-over-year gains, truly a good sign for the Canadian temporary staffing industry and the overall economy.”
The staffing index measures the hours of labor performed by temporary and contract staff in May of 2011 compared to the benchmark index of 100 established in July of 2008.
Monday, June 06, 2011
Inexpensive Perks - Attract & retain Talent
May 17th, 2011
For most companies, the idea of a big bonus or an automatic salary increase has been relegated to “the good old days.” But there are ways to add perks to a job listing and reward your employees without sending your company to the poorhouse. Offering flex-time, telecommuting, and tuition reimbursement are the most popular, but there are many more options. Use a little creativity and you’ll create a buzz about your business that will attract and retain top talent.
Here’s some perks to consider:
• Sports & Entertainment: Buy tickets from charity silent-auction tables for theatre, hockey, baseball, football or basketball and offer them as recognition, rewards and thank you throughout the year.
• Catch A Movie: Give away movie tickets (and money for popcorn, snacks and drinks).
• Grab A Bite: Restaurant coupons are always popular. Include a bottle of wine to say thank you to hardworking spouses for all that overtime work.
• Give A Gift Card: Whether it is to a local retailer, a Tim Horton’s card or shopping mall certificates, these are great ways to say thanks for a job well-done.
• Come And Get It: Leave the office early and treat everybody to a barbeque at a local park or throw a summer ice cream party or a winter pizza party in the conference room.
• Club Memberships Aren’t What They Used To Be: Most employees don’t need or want a fancy club membership but a family membership to a warehouse store like Costco will help your employees with food and clothing.
• Come Fly Away: If you don’t let your employees keep frequent flier miles earned for their business travel, use the accumulated miles to buy free flights for employees and/or pre-paid vacations at resorts or spas. (Mexico and the Caribbean are very popular destinations during Canadian winters.)
• Play, Dance, Laugh: Take some time to play games. Organize games in the park, ski days, skating parties, sailing excursions or fishing tours. Enter teams into charity bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons and 5 km runs. Bring in board games, cards or play charades. Break-out sessions at meetings and training days should include fun team building activities. Physical exercise and laughter are great perks.
• Ahhh! Spa: Have local masseuses come in and give chair massages to your employees. Reflexology foot massages are great, too. Also, buy some gift certificates to a neighborhood spa and treat your hard-working employees to some serious relaxation.
• Sponsor Teams: Offer to sponsor your employee’s kids’ Little League teams. Your company name on every uniform is good advertising too!
Look around your own life to see the types of things that make your daily existence just a little cushier and then offer those things to your employees. You’ll attract and maintain the good ones without breaking the bank.
To help you find those great employees, contact The People Bank today.
If you find this blog interesting you can:
Make a connection request to Steve Jones on Linkedin
Follow this Blog on Facebook
For most companies, the idea of a big bonus or an automatic salary increase has been relegated to “the good old days.” But there are ways to add perks to a job listing and reward your employees without sending your company to the poorhouse. Offering flex-time, telecommuting, and tuition reimbursement are the most popular, but there are many more options. Use a little creativity and you’ll create a buzz about your business that will attract and retain top talent.
Here’s some perks to consider:
• Sports & Entertainment: Buy tickets from charity silent-auction tables for theatre, hockey, baseball, football or basketball and offer them as recognition, rewards and thank you throughout the year.
• Catch A Movie: Give away movie tickets (and money for popcorn, snacks and drinks).
• Grab A Bite: Restaurant coupons are always popular. Include a bottle of wine to say thank you to hardworking spouses for all that overtime work.
• Give A Gift Card: Whether it is to a local retailer, a Tim Horton’s card or shopping mall certificates, these are great ways to say thanks for a job well-done.
• Come And Get It: Leave the office early and treat everybody to a barbeque at a local park or throw a summer ice cream party or a winter pizza party in the conference room.
• Club Memberships Aren’t What They Used To Be: Most employees don’t need or want a fancy club membership but a family membership to a warehouse store like Costco will help your employees with food and clothing.
• Come Fly Away: If you don’t let your employees keep frequent flier miles earned for their business travel, use the accumulated miles to buy free flights for employees and/or pre-paid vacations at resorts or spas. (Mexico and the Caribbean are very popular destinations during Canadian winters.)
• Play, Dance, Laugh: Take some time to play games. Organize games in the park, ski days, skating parties, sailing excursions or fishing tours. Enter teams into charity bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons and 5 km runs. Bring in board games, cards or play charades. Break-out sessions at meetings and training days should include fun team building activities. Physical exercise and laughter are great perks.
• Ahhh! Spa: Have local masseuses come in and give chair massages to your employees. Reflexology foot massages are great, too. Also, buy some gift certificates to a neighborhood spa and treat your hard-working employees to some serious relaxation.
• Sponsor Teams: Offer to sponsor your employee’s kids’ Little League teams. Your company name on every uniform is good advertising too!
Look around your own life to see the types of things that make your daily existence just a little cushier and then offer those things to your employees. You’ll attract and maintain the good ones without breaking the bank.
To help you find those great employees, contact The People Bank today.
If you find this blog interesting you can:
Make a connection request to Steve Jones on Linkedin
Follow this Blog on Facebook
Friday, May 20, 2011
Partners in Prevention speakers say CEOs must focus on workplace safety – Daily Commercial News
Partners in Prevention speakers say CEOs must focus on workplace safety – Daily Commercial News
VINCE VERSACE
staff writer
Improving safety in workplaces has to be a constant focus of conversation in company boardrooms, say the top executives of four Ontario-based companies.
“We are the keepers of the keys. If we are not living and breathing it, then we should not expect our employees to embrace that safety culture,” said Ted Moroz, president of The Beer Store and Brewers Retail Limited.
“CEOs have to embrace it … and have to surround themselves with people that share those values so employees believe you when you talk about how much you care for them.”
Moroz was joined by Frank Saunders, vice- president of nuclear oversight and regulatory affairs for Bruce Power, Roy Slack, president of Cementation Canada Inc. and Steve Jones, president of The People Bank, on a panel moderated by CBC TV journalist Amanda Lang during the recent Partners in Prevention 2011 Health and Safety Conference and Trade Show.
“Visibility is key,” said Saunders. “If a CEO does not ask about safety, people will believe he is not thinking about it. In the executive boardroom, how much does the issue of safety come up?”
Safety is paramount for a mining company like Cementation Canada that basically does “underground construction” as Slack said. In addition to already conducting intense work, a growing workforce always tests the safety culture of a firm such as Cementation since integrating new workers presents the possibilities for site safety to erode.
“We are hiring more people — our Canadian operations have 600 more employees in the last eight months — so you try to establish your corporate culture of safety on these projects,” explained Slack.
“We are working on how do we orientate. How do we get new people into our culture as quickly as possible?
“That is our challenge, to get back to zero (injuries),” said Slack. “It is a constant battle. There’s always a chance of an injury and you have to do whatever you can to prevent them. To get to zero is one point. Sustaining it is another challenge.”
Slack said that for some projects, a management team will show pictures and reports of other Cementation project sites that achieved perfect safety records to prove it is possible.
In the temporary staffing industry, there’s a highly transitional workforce that enters a work environment that companies like The People Bank cannot manage, supervise or control, said Jones. Joining industry safety associations has been key in learning best practices, innovations, improved worker training, securing rebates and injury reduction, he added.
Jones said his company’s safety culture focuses on “activities” such as inspections or training program attendance to see if the safety message is coming through. Year-end reports are “lagging indicators” of safety effectiveness.
“Focus on the activities knowing that if we are doing the right thing today the result we will get, in the future, is the result we are hoping for,” Jones said.
VINCE VERSACE
staff writer
Improving safety in workplaces has to be a constant focus of conversation in company boardrooms, say the top executives of four Ontario-based companies.
“We are the keepers of the keys. If we are not living and breathing it, then we should not expect our employees to embrace that safety culture,” said Ted Moroz, president of The Beer Store and Brewers Retail Limited.
“CEOs have to embrace it … and have to surround themselves with people that share those values so employees believe you when you talk about how much you care for them.”
Moroz was joined by Frank Saunders, vice- president of nuclear oversight and regulatory affairs for Bruce Power, Roy Slack, president of Cementation Canada Inc. and Steve Jones, president of The People Bank, on a panel moderated by CBC TV journalist Amanda Lang during the recent Partners in Prevention 2011 Health and Safety Conference and Trade Show.
“Visibility is key,” said Saunders. “If a CEO does not ask about safety, people will believe he is not thinking about it. In the executive boardroom, how much does the issue of safety come up?”
Safety is paramount for a mining company like Cementation Canada that basically does “underground construction” as Slack said. In addition to already conducting intense work, a growing workforce always tests the safety culture of a firm such as Cementation since integrating new workers presents the possibilities for site safety to erode.
“We are hiring more people — our Canadian operations have 600 more employees in the last eight months — so you try to establish your corporate culture of safety on these projects,” explained Slack.
“We are working on how do we orientate. How do we get new people into our culture as quickly as possible?
“That is our challenge, to get back to zero (injuries),” said Slack. “It is a constant battle. There’s always a chance of an injury and you have to do whatever you can to prevent them. To get to zero is one point. Sustaining it is another challenge.”
Slack said that for some projects, a management team will show pictures and reports of other Cementation project sites that achieved perfect safety records to prove it is possible.
In the temporary staffing industry, there’s a highly transitional workforce that enters a work environment that companies like The People Bank cannot manage, supervise or control, said Jones. Joining industry safety associations has been key in learning best practices, innovations, improved worker training, securing rebates and injury reduction, he added.
Jones said his company’s safety culture focuses on “activities” such as inspections or training program attendance to see if the safety message is coming through. Year-end reports are “lagging indicators” of safety effectiveness.
“Focus on the activities knowing that if we are doing the right thing today the result we will get, in the future, is the result we are hoping for,” Jones said.
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