What’s covered today:
1. Wellbeing and core values in the workplace.
2. More Ontario legislative changes you need to know about.
3. Cost-saving measures and employment contracts.
Core values and wellbeing at work.
I missed sending out a newsletter in June because I was out of the country for an extended visit with my eldest son who lives in Australia. It had been over 1 year, 4 months, and 17 days since I had last physically seen him! Not that I was counting... Despite the arduous flights and long time away, I needed to spend this time with him – it was important to my wellbeing as a mother. Family and wellbeing are core values that are near and dear to my heart.
How do you take care of your wellbeing and how do you live up to your core values? What about in your business; how do you foster wellbeing at work? How do you enact and live up to the business core values, every day?
On May 8th, I attended the inaugural Hamilton Gives Awards Gala initiated by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes organizations that work to make Hamilton a better place in several categories. I tried to speak to and congratulate as many of the winners as possible, and when I met with the business owners of the business that won the employee engagement award (Shawn & Ed Brewing Co.), one of the owners cited their core values as their guiding principles that keep them grounded and real. He said they talk about their core values on a weekly basis and ask themselves how they are living up to them in all aspects of their business. They believe staying grounded in their values contributes to their success and helps them maintain a balanced, healthy workplace which keeps their employees engaged.
There you go – this is a message that has been repeated time and time again: know your core values, live up to them, talk about them, and use them to guide you in your business decisions. Doing this will translate into success for your business and your employees.
By the way: June was Pride Month; and in Canada June is National Indigenous History Month. When these kinds of reminders come up, it’s an ideal time for business owners to review company policies regarding anti-discrimination policies at every stage of the employee life cycle.
In Canada and the US, it's illegal to discriminate based on numerous characteristics including creed, race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more. Make sure you know what these characteristics are and that your workplace is welcoming and fair by updating your policies to be inclusive and fostering a healthy workplace culture. If you need any guidance with this, reach out to us.
Ontario Legislative changes.
More legislative changes - Working for Workers Five Act, 2024. Check out an article from the Ontario Legislature about the latest workplace changes with Working for Workers Five Act.
Cost-saving measures and the intersection with employment contracts.
As a consequence of high inflation, small to mid-sized businesses are struggling to match financial projections, and some are considering permanent layoffs. There are alternatives to layoffs and whatever options you consider will require careful consideration and planning with expert advice.
When cost reducing measures need to go deeper, a well-drafted employment contract can help you navigate the permanent or temporary layoff process easier. To know what to include in an effective employment contract and ideas on how to manage changes in the workplace to reduce costs, check out our latest blog.
If you have further questions, reach out to us to book an appointment. We’re here to help.
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