Toronto Full Day Conference May 2010 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Richard J. Nixon, B.A., M.B.A., LL.B., Partner, Davis LLP Recruiting Smarter - and More Creatively presented by Paul Dodd, President, Head2Head Inc. and Sarah Welstead, Director, User Experience, Head2Head Inc. Ready, Get Set..Change! The Impact of Change on Workforce Productivity and Engagement presented by Amalia Jimenez, Vice President, Talent Management, Right Management Mastering Effective Feedback: Get It Done Right! presented by Bob Bercovici, Corporate Training Consultant, Bina Feldman Consulting Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This session will focus on key developments that directly affect workplaces in Ontario. Session highlights include: * The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Accessibility Standards The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 applies to every employer in the public or private sectors in Ontario. Understand your obligations under this sweeping new legislation and its Accessibility Standards. Review what you have to do in order to comply with the Customer Service Standard. How will the other proposed Standards affect your business? Find out how you can secure government funding for exceeding the requirements of the standards. * Amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000: Temporary Employees Employees of temporary employment agencies in Ontario now have significant new rights, including entitlement to public holiday pay, termination pay and severance pay. What does this mean for your organization? Are your agreements with temporary employment agencies updated to reflect your new potential liability? * Bill 168 - Violence and Harassment in the Workplace Now that Ontario's Bill 168, the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace), has received Royal Assent, all Ontario employers will soon be required to have policies addressing reporting, complaint and response procedures and measures to protect workers from domestic violence. Are you prepared to identify and assess the risk of violence in your workplace? Learn how to properly deal with employees who exercise their statutory right to stop working where they feel endangered by workplace violence. * Terminations in Challenging Economic Times The global financial crisis may be over but we are still in the recovery process. Further streamlining of your workforce may be required. Do you know what your employees’ rights are? Do you also know what your rights are? Learn about some alternatives to termination and find out how to minimize the risk of litigation. * When does “Work” Count? What Counts as “Work”? Applying hours of work laws is increasingly complicated in the changing economy. For many employees, the boundary between “working” time and “non-working” time has become blurred. The virtual workplace has made working time and non-working time harder to distinguish. Learn how to navigate the pitfalls of hours of work and overtime claims. What are the consequences an employer faces if an employee is not paid for work the employee performs outside their “normal” working hours? Click here for information on Richard Nixon Recruiting Smarter - and More Creatively Now that the economy is picking up and organizations are hiring again, employers are faced with two challenges: how to make their recruiting budget work harder - while still getting the best people. With many industries continuing to experience talent shortages, how can organizations attract and secure A-list candidates without breaking the bank? Discover new alternatives to traditional recruiting methods for small, mid-size and large organizations. Gain new insights about building referral programs that work. Learn how to better leverage your organization and make everyone a recruiter. Review the best ways to use social media for recruiting. Discuss how to “insource” your recruiting function. Participants will take away five vital strategies which they can implement immediately to help their organization win the war for top talent. Click here for information on Paul Dodd Click here for information on Sarah Welstead Ready, Get Set..Change! The Impact of Change on Workforce Productivity and Engagement Managing change effectively ensures your organization is properly positioned to meet current and future organizational objectives. Yet, organizations tend to underestimate the importance of managing change through their people. Those who architect, execute, and realize change initiatives often inevitably undermine their ability to achieve desired goals. Drawing on global research from over 28,000 employees from 10 industries in 15 countries, the session will include valuable information about the correlation between engagement and key factors playing a critical role in implementing and executing change. Discover new practices to help you reduce attrition, increase workforce productivity, enhance business performance, raise employee engagement and improve your organization’s talent attraction. Participants will have a business case for effective change management and take back pragmatic recommendations for implementing change within their own organizations. We will examine workforce trends and the dynamic environments driving faster and more frequent changes. Change agility can be part of a larger strategic workforce management strategy focusing on overall performance. Obtain strategies on how to better plan, communicate and facilitate for effective change. Participants will also review behaviours that create obstacles and how to avoid the pitfalls. Get a new perspective on how change impacts business metrics. Click here for information on Amalia Jimenez Mastering Effective Feedback: Get It Done Right! Managers, supervisors and team members need to give and receive positive and constructive feedback many times a day. Being able to deliver feedback with clarity, consistency and respect is a critical leadership skill. Being able to receive feedback without defensiveness is equally important. This presentation will provide you with quick tips and strategies on how to properly plan and deliver feedback. This interactive session will give participants an opportunity to improve active listening, deliver positive feedback that’s meaningful and deliver constructive feedback that’s behavioural. Learn how to avoid negative judgement statements, construct a well-rounded message and receive constructive feedback without defensiveness. Participants will also gain valuable insights on monitoring non-verbal communication and handling difficult reactions to feedback. Click here for information on Bob Bercovici Toronto Full Day Conference October 2009 Topic: Screening Techniques in Our Current Economy: Today’s Best Practices presented by John Campbell, Manager, Strategy & Business Development, Hays Specialist Recruitment (Canada) Inc. HR’s Role at the Executive Table- Get There & Keep Your Position presented by Philip Gennis, LL.B., CIRP, Vice President, Recovery & Reorganization, Grant Thornton Ltd. Today's Crucial Issues in Employment Law presented by Ruben Goulart, B.A., LLB, Managing Partner, Keyser Mason Ball LLP, and Simon Heath, B.A. LL.B., Associate, Keyser Mason Ball LLP Screening Techniques in Our Current Economy: Today’s Best Practices In this economy finding the “right fit” in a potential employee is more important than ever! Companies can’t afford to make hiring mistakes! This is an opportunity to discover more effective methods of screening qualified candidates to make sure you have the right fit. This interactive session will provide you with proven methods of qualifying and closing the best candidates including examples and case studies. Current data will be presented on reasons why employees are leaving their current jobs and what is attracting them to take new positions. Through our process, we have assembled a wealth of information and feedback from employers and candidates on their interview experiences. This includes a library of challenging questions, innovative techniques and best practices. Participants will obtain a structure for the interview to facilitate a complete agenda, making sure that all objectives are met on a consistent basis. Discover different ways of qualifying candidates, including role plays, behavioural and situational interviewing. Get hot tips on spotting inconsistencies in resumes and candidate backgrounds. Acquire more effective questioning techniques to get past the “professional interviewee” to the real candidate and guidance on how to present your opportunity in its best light and close the candidate. Learn from the real life examples and share the best practices of top recruitment consultants and employers. Managers from all organizations will greatly benefit from this most informative presentation. Click here for information on John Campbell HR’s Role at the Executive Table- Get There & Keep Your Position We know that HR must become engaged. It is far better to be at the decision making table from the start instead of waiting at their desk to hear about the latest budget or staff cuts. A key to survival for HR in today’s rapidly evolving economic environment is to become a profit centre, develop systems, models and matrixes to measure and report on human resource performance. How does HR get to or sustain their role in the corporate boardroom? As major partners in the management of the organization, we must prove our value to the bottom line and brush up on our knowledge of financial management issues. Today’s managers must see themselves as part of the solution with suggestions and strategies that add to both short and long term success. Many of us have experienced downsizing and survived mergers and acquisitions. It’s a sign of the times, but do we have all the necessary knowledge? This session will present participants with information and updates on various financial issues that senior financial experts examine with CEO’s and company presidents with a focus on downsizing, mergers and acquisitions. What factors come into play in getting to the C-Suite boardroom table? Recognize the trends and early warning signs and acquire the tools you need to participate in the decision-making process. Participants will learn what senior management considers in times of turnaround. Discover the best way to downsize using a detailed case study. Learn about the process and differences in dealing with union and non-union environments. What is the cost of terminating your best employees? What do you need to have in place to approach senior level executive? The session will also include an update the new Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP). In this volatile economic climate, obtain the tools you need to get the job done right and avoid needless litigation. In the case of mergers, acquisitions, downsizing and restructuring, you’ll be able to sustain your role as a key team player. Click here for information on Philip Gennis Today's Crucial Issues in Employment Law This session will focus on key developments that directly impact workplaces in Ontario. With an aging workforce and the abolishment of mandatory retirement, performance management is more important than ever. On a legislative front, there are several pending and completed changes that will impact how workplaces deal with violence and harassment, temporary employees, and Human Rights Complaints. Session highlights include: Performance Management - Getting it Right: What every employer needs to know to improve employee performance and prepare for a potential termination. Legislative Snapshot - Three key developments and how they impact your business: (a) Violence and Harassment in the Workplace: An update on Bill 168 and the proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. We will explore what policies your workplace will require and what procedures will have to be implemented in order to ensure compliance with Bill 168 to prevent and address violence and harassment in the workplace. (b) Using Temporary Employees: Bill 139 - how it may impact the cost of using temps in your workplace. We will explore the substantive amendments that will be made to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 by Bill 139 in order to demonstrate the changes employers will face in the use of temporary employees. (c) Human Right Reform One Year Later: Observations on the impact of the new system on Employers. We will explain the significant changes to the Human Rights Code and Tribunal and share our direct experience on what is working and what is not working under the new system. Click here for information on Ruben Goulart Click here for information on Simon Heath Toronto Full Day Conference May 2009 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Richard J. Nixon, B.A., M.B.A., LL.B., Partner, Davis LLP Background Checks & Our Changing Technology: An Update presented by David Malamed, CA.IFA,CPA (Illinois),CFE, Partner, Specialist Advisory Services, Grant Thornton LLP Building A Community of Leaders presented by Dr. Vince Molinaro, Managing Director - Central Region, Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions Partner with Productivity- The Ongoing Challenge presented by Ann Max, President, Productive to the Max Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This informative session will explore today's hot issues in Employment Law. Our well-known legal expert will provide updates in a number of areas, including the latest word from the Supreme Court of Canada on an employer's duty to accommodate and the ability to terminate employment for excessive absenteeism, mandatory retirement, and the duty of fidelity and loyalty owed by employees towards their employer. Other topics include recent class actions over hours of work and overtime pay, employer restructuring during difficult economic times, and progressive discipline. Participants will review the latest trends, cases and strategies to avoid needless litigation. Richard was named one of the "Best Labour and Employment Lawyers in Canada" by the National Post. Click here for information on Richard Nixon Background Checks & Our Changing Technology: An Update In today’s volatile market, many employers don’t feel they have the time or luxury to do proper data verification on potential employees. We are all competing to hire in the shortest time possible so quite often background checks don't get done properly or at all. In addition, 99% of information stored is in electronic form and over 70% of documents that are created are never printed out. Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace are becoming one of the main places people connect with each other at home and at work, often without ever meeting in person. What are the challenges of this changing workplace? This session will explore the current business landscape as it relates to electronic data and some of the related pitfalls in failing to do proper background checks. Participants will be given an understanding of the technology at play and some tools to set up procedures that meet the needs of the organization to properly check new employees. You will obtain a matrix that can be used by employers to ensure that the right checks are in place for the right position within an organization. Discover how to implement a process to avoid litigation issues and costs. Lies on resumes may include everything from qualifications, education, past employment history and even real names. Professional investigators constantly deal with employees who have lied on their applications and end up under investigation for issues such as fraud or conflict of interest. Avoid unnecessary expense and the "cookie cutter" approach. Know who you are dealing with, protect yourself, your organization and your employees and make the right hiring decision from the start! Click here for information on David Malamed Building A Community of Leaders Building leadership capacity is mission critical. This is the conclusion of more and more senior executives who are making the connection between leadership capacity and competitive advantage. Unfortunately, many of these organizations have significant leadership gaps which are undermining their ability to succeed. What is especially alarming is that despite significant investments in leadership development and other strategies to build leadership capacity, these gaps are not closing. Today’s organizations need communities of leaders to succeed. This session will describe what a community of leadership is and what it looks like. It will also present tools for assessing whether your organization has a strong community. We will present strategies for building strong communities of leaders. This session will explain why it is important to have create this community in your organization. Participants will be provided with specific tools and checklists to assess whether your organization has a strong community of leaders. We will also discuss proven strategies to build and sustain a strong a community where leader trust, alignment and engagement are high. Click here for information on Vince Molinaro Partner with Productivity- The Ongoing Challenge The balance between life and work is a constant struggle. Demands are increasing in every aspect of our lives. Are demands so overwhelming that the feeling of accomplishment is elusive? We are tormented by backlogged projects, endless to-do lists, and conflicting priorities, not to mention cell phones and “instant” communication. We must learn to develop strategies to remain focused on what is important. Learn to take control over your time and your environment to reduce the stresses of everyday life. To be successful, goals must be identified, priorities clarified and schedules established that are realistic. Plans must be formulated that are effective and efficient. Combine these skills with an orderly and decluttered environment and you are ready to take on the world with an enjoyable and balanced life. In this interactive session, participants will discover the reasons behind their disorganization and lack of time and learn behaviour modification techniques, apply organizing, time management and balanced lifestyle principles that work and streamline their lives. Click here for information on Ann Max Toronto Full Day Conference November 2008 Topic: Minimize Mayhem: Disaster Management Done Right presented by David L. Ray, B.A., LL.B., CFE, Senior Practice Leader, Security & Investigations, Grant Thornton LLP Link People to Profit: Employee Engagement & Organizational Performance presented by Henryk Krajewski, Ph. D., Vice President & National Practice Leader, Organizational Consulting, Right Management Canada Future Performance Starts Now: How to Hire and Coach for Engagement, Performance and Retention presented by Chuck Reynolds, Principal & Chief Performance Officer, Excel Group Development Empower for Better Results: A Communication Update presented by Monika B. Jensen, Principal, Aviary Group Minimize Mayhem: Disaster Management Done Right Unexpected emergencies have a significant impact on any organization regardless of size. Whether the event is a kidnapping, bomb threat, natural disaster or epidemic, it may result in confusion, loss of operating sites, and shortage of staff and key personnel. Having a tested plan in place will help the organization to minimize the impact of these events and will assist in the recovery to normal operations. This session will explore the role of an emergency plan and business continuity program to ensure continued availability of essential services, operations, programs and resources. Participants will acquire the latest techniques to permit rapid and cost effective resumption of the essential services and programs of your organization. We will also review tools available such as business impact analysis, crisis communications and the incident command system so that the organization can manage stakeholders and establish an effective plan. In order to demonstrate methods to test a contingency plan, we will review a case study of an actual kidnap and ransom exercise that was run in conjunction with a corporation and the police service. Click here for information on David Ray Link People to Profit: Employee Engagement & Organizational Performance Welcome to the talent crunch! Recent research conducted by Manpower Inc. reveals that 31% of employers across the globe are finding it more difficult to fill key positions. Further research indicates this problem will only get worse in coming years with the changing workforce demographics. So how do you engage your current workforce and attract future talent? Successful companies understand that while employee engagement is important, a strong, distinctive employee brand identity is absolutely critical for sustainable growth. When achieved, alignment, commitment and increased productivity are the ROI. In this session, participants will discover the myths and truths of employee engagement, gain a better understanding of the effects of employee engagement on bottom line results, learn to identify the talent that drives value within their organization, and apply classic branding principles to a talent strategy that will keep talent choosing to join, stay, grow and contribute to the organization’s success. Click here for information on Henryk Krajewski Future Performance Starts Now: How to Hire and Coach for Engagement, Performance and Retention Organizations don't achieve results. People do. The escalating challenge of the future is aligning and developing talent to achieve sustainable organizational performance. With the changing workforce, organizations will need to address two critical success factors to support what one CEO called the "PH Balance" : Profit High and People Happy. This session will look at Really Coaching Talent vs. Mismanaging It and the significance of Talent/Job alignment for superior engagement, performance, and retention with the power of understanding individual motivators. In this session, participants will obtain a universal definition of what "Coaching" is and why, understand How to Coach for Commitment vs. Manage for Compliance and understand the significance of Talent/Job alignment for engagement and retention. Bonus: Participants will receive a personalized complimentary Personal Motivators (PIAV) profile if registered prior to September 26, 2008. Click here for information on Chuck Reynolds Empower for Better Results: A Communication Update Are you using your language to maximize positive change and build rapport with others? Do you want to know how to better influence and empower yourself and your employees? Discover ways to gain instant rapport with every person you communicate with and how to gain insight into another person’s unique way of thinking and understanding. The impact of your non-verbal communication or body language is far greater than you think! This interactive workshop will teach you how to shift people that are challenged by setbacks and difficulties, by the use of pure language techniques. In this session, you will learn how to become a better and more effective motivator by developing your ability to establish and maintain rapport with others. Identifying the non-verbal body language in addition to tone, manner, voice, attitude, mood - all of these (and more) factor into the idea of rapport. Participants will gain insight into the interpersonal communication process and how to eliminate barriers that can otherwise result in misunderstandings, frustration and most importantly lost opportunities. The spoken word is only a small part of communication. Projecting the most positive non-verbal communication can have an enormous effect on how successful you will become, on the level of interpersonal relationships you establish, and on the overall impressions others have of you. Participants will gain a better understanding of how to impact or control the way others perceive them, resulting in increased confidence in the ability to make connections with others in any type of situation. Click here for information on Monika Jensen Toronto Full Day Conference May 2008 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Richard J. Nixon, B.A., M.B.A., LL.B., Partner, Davis LLP, Toronto The Hard Side of HR: A Financial Management Toolbox presented by Philip Gennis, LL.B., CIRP, Vice President, Financial Advisory Services, Grant Thornton Ltd Better Qualifying Personality Fit and Closing Good Candidates presented by Dianne King, President & CEO, Hays Specialist Recruitment (Canada) Inc.,Toronto Beyond Training: Tap Your Internal Expertise to Build Your Leadership Pipeline presented by Glain Roberts-McCabe, President, The Executive Roundtable Inc., Toronto Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This informative session will cover today's hot issues in Employment Law. Our well-known legal expert will provide updates in the following areas: managing absenteeism, employer’s rights to monitor email and internet use, reference checks, progressive discipline and drug and alcohol testing. We will also discuss the new Family Day in February and employers’ reactions. Participants will also obtain an update on Bill 107, how to protect employers from Human Rights charges. Participants will review the latest trends, cases and strategies to avoid needless litigation from Richard Nixon, named one of the “Best Labour and Employment Lawyers in Canada” by the National Post. Click here for information on Richard Nixon The Hard Side of HR: A Financial Management Toolbox The soft side of people management will always be a major part of the HR role, but more organizations have realized that HR managers have a major role to play on the financial management side of the business as well. A key to survival for HR in today’s rapidly evolving economic environment is to become a profit centre, develop systems, models and matrixes to measure and report on human resource performance. We are constantly hearing about the need for HR to become engaged. It is far better to be at the decision making table from the start instead of waiting at their desk to hear about the latest budget or staff cuts. Traditionally, this has not happened- HR must be part of the strategic plan and must become more involved and more visible. How does HR get to or sustain their role in the corporate boardroom? As major partners in the management of the organization, we need to prove our value to the bottom line and brush up on our knowledge of financial management issues. Today’s managers must see themselves as part of the solution with suggestions and strategies that add to both short and long term success. This session will present participants with information and updates on various financial issues that senior financial experts examine with CEO’s and company presidents. Topics featured include risk management- new early warning signs and how to best monitor and manage them. Though you may not be involved in the strategic planning process now, you’ll obtain the insights you need to make informed decisions and recommendations in the future. Click here for information on Philip Gennis Better Qualifying Personality Fit and Closing Good Candidates As senior managers, we are experienced interviewers and know how to qualify skill sets. In today’s market, there is an increasing need for people to fit in with the values of the organization and the team. The first part of this session will provide three techniques to qualify candidates in terms of personality types. We will review techniques including behavioural interviewing, situational interviewing, and role playing. With examples, participants will learn how and when best to apply each one. Learn how to get past the “professional interviewee” to the real candidate. Discover more effective methods of screening qualified candidates to make sure you have the right fit. The task of closing the candidate is vital in the present marketplace. Most good candidates have multiple opportunities and offers. In this segment, participants will learn how to better define the corporate value proposition and to present your opportunity in the best light. Acquire the latest techniques and strategies with proven results to improve the percentage of offers closed. This interactive session will provide participants with proven methods of qualifying and closing the best candidates including examples and case studies. Current data will be presented on reasons why employees are leaving their current jobs and what is attracting them to take new positions. With the changing workforce, managers will learn how to be more competitive in selection of the best applicants, also saving time and effort during the interview process. Click here for information on Dianne King Beyond Training: Tap Your Internal Expertise to Build Your Leadership Pipeline Leading today is probably more complex than at any other time in organizational history. Beyond the impact of globalization, diversity, shareholder demands and the 24/7 work culture, four generations are now vying for leadership roles in our organizations. To add to the pressure, the impending leadership gap that is expected as baby boomers move forward to retirement or “next careers” is leaving in its wake a talent gap in terms of hands-on, practiced leaders. The traditional response to developing leaders tends swing from (often too generic) classroom training all the way to high end – and often high cost - options like executive coaching. In this interactive session, we will explore what you can do to tap into the most powerful forms of leadership development – goal setting, coaching, feedback, mentoring and peer interaction – by leaving external consultants at the door and harnessing the expertise from within your existing leadership ranks. Throughout this session we’ll explore high impact ways that you can increase the sustainability and impact of your leadership development strategies by asking and answering the following questions: - How robust is your current leadership development strategy? - Are you over-relying on leadership training and development to accelerate your pipeline? - What are three of the best ways to sustain leadership development and engage your multi-generational workforce at the same time? - How do you leverage your executive team to build leadership capacity? Leave with concrete and easy-to-implement ideas that will boost your leadership development ROI and increase your success in strengthening and engaging leaders at all levels of your organization. Click here for information on Glain Roberts-McCabe Toronto Full Day Conference October 2007 Topic: Building the NEXT-GEN of Human Resources presented by Steve Ashton, Director, Organizational Effectiveness, Bell Aliant, Halifax NS Workforce Management in Turbulent Times- Leading Successful Change (PANEL) presented by Monika Morrow, M.B.A, Vice President & National Practice Leader, Right Management, Philip Gennis, LL.B., CIRP, Vice President, Financial Advisory Services, Grant Thornton Ltd., Howard Levitt, B.A., LL.B., Counsel, Lang Michener LLP Conduct Internal Investigations- Do It Right! presented by Brian Sartorelli, President & CEO, Investigative Research Group Creative Communication- Manage Conflict in the Workplace presented by Peggy Grall, Certified Executive Coach & Consultant, Peggy Grall & Associates Building the NEXT-GEN of Human Resources The good news is that progressive, organization-enabling HR strategies have never been more in demand. The bad news is that few leaders in HR have emerged to stake a claim to this new land of opportunity - and in their place are CEOs, consultants and academics. Should it surprise or concern us that some of the most influential minds in human resources in the past decade have not been HR practitioners? It is true that, at their best, HR leaders are enablers who support the development of 'talentship' at every level of the organization. But more often than not, HR is not attracting enough individuals who truly want to rise to the leadership challenge and act as an equal member of the Executive team. In this interactive session, we will ask the questions that burden the minds of those who aspire to see more leadership from the HR office: - Why is HR not attracting the best and brightest leaders? - Why don't more CEO's rise from the ranks of human resources? - Is HR ready to be respected as a body of knowledge and discipline? - Are organizations investing enough in the function or simply paying it lip service? - What are the true costs of not ensuring your organization is developing leadership in this discipline - both in the department and in each and every leader? In this interactive session, we will look at why investing in the next generation of human resources is not simply the responsibility of the specialists - but a competitive competency for any organization that wants to succeed in the future. Click here for information on Steve Ashton Workforce Management in Turbulent Times- Leading Successful Change Most organizations have experienced major changes in the past to include mergers, acquisitions, corporate restructuring, bankruptcy and closure. All scenarios have consequences. How do you lead or manage a successful transition? Our panel of management, legal and financial experts will help you recognize obstacles, provide the tools and strategies to address them, develop a plan and learn about the critical issues to successfully manage the change. This informative session will conclude with an Ask the Expert segment with the audience. Session highlights will include the following: Monika Morrow will discuss what aspects of workforce integration are most in need of improvement among companies merging and acquiring. Is there a relationship between the handling of M & A people issues and the achievement of company objectives? You'll discover 26 lessons learned from past experience. We will review today's best practices around key talent utilization and retention, productivity, selection and placement, the integration plan, leader/manager effectiveness and focus and renewal of employees. Philip Gennis will talk about risk management, corporate restructuring, receivership and bankruptcy. Participants will gain an understanding of the early warning signs of commercial financial distress. We will also include an update on Bill C-62 being an Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act as well as Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP). Howard Levitt will provide the legal perspective on mergers, employment contracts, traps with mergers, union considerations, bankruptcy and employer solutions. We will discuss how to manage employment contracts in each scenario, the issue of constructive dismissal, mass terminations, benefits, tracking the job market, severance as well as working with collective agreements and union considerations. Click here for information on Monika Morrow Click here for information on Philip Gennis Click here for information on Howard Levitt Conduct Internal Investigations- Do It Right! Workplace investigations may take many forms and take place for many reasons. They are a part of good corporate governance. Employers are obligated to investigate charges of crime, inappropriate behaviour or harassment in the workplace. Credibility is as serious a question for the employer as it is for the investigation itself. Further, an employees' right to privacy must be balanced with the employers' right to manage their operations. This session will provide participants with a complete framework for conducting an investigation. You will learn how to assess the complaint, determine the objective, how to do the investigation, legal implications, good vs. bad investigations, the test and how to handle the results. Using actual case studies, you will also obtain insights on the best practices for conducting investigations. The session will also include updates on WSIB, harassment, internal theft and workplace fraud. Click here for information on Brian Sartorelli Creative Communication- Manage Conflict in the Workplace Unresolved conflict costs the workplace time, resources and reputations. When leaders are faced with helping employees settle sticky issues, it requires skill, determination and a host of time-tested techniques. When relationships go wrong at work, it's common for people to want to blame and criticize the other person. During individual or team conflict you can find yourself thinking, "If it just wasn't for his/ her bad attitude," or "that little group" - this place would be great! It's a common - but deadly- first response to workplace conflict. This workshop will help leaders and managers to assertively engage each other to artfully resolve conflict and transform disputes into opportunities for creativity and innovation. In this advanced session, you will learn how to debunk the myths and misconceptions about conflict in the workplace, learn to quickly settle the question of, 'Who's problem is it anyway' in any dispute, distinguish assertive responses over aggressive or passive ones and select the right response. Discover the key factors that contribute to employee disputes, new approaches available and work with individual leadership skills necessary to help yourself and others resolve issues in a timely and professional manner. Click here for information on Peggy Grall Toronto Full Day Conference May 2007 Topic: Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law presented by Richard Nixon, LL.B., Partner, McCarthy Tetrault LLP and Lorenzo Lisi, LL.B., Partner, McCarthy Tetrault LLP. Employee Financial Ill-Health-A Death Knell for Productivity presented by Philip Gennis, LL.B., CIRP, Vice President, Financial Advisory Services, Grant Thornton Ltd. Competitive Advantage: Talent Management Strategies that Make the Difference presented by Mary Marcus, Vice President & Practice Leader, Right Management Inc. The New Leadership Edge: Creating a ‘Yes and …’ Culture presented by Daneal Charney, Business Coach/Facilitator, Leadership Reframed. Today’s Critical Issues in Employment Law This most informative session will cover today's hot issues in Employment Law. Responding to the requests of our members and subscribers, our well-known legal experts will provide information in the following areas: Starting the Employment Relationship: Hiring Pitfalls to include: Recruiting: The Use of Headhunters, Enticement and Pre-Employment Representations, Applications for Employment and Interviews and Background Checks. Labour and Employment Legislation Update to include: Amendments to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000: frustration of contract, Smoking in the Workplace Legislation and Regulation, Health and Safety Update. Significant Cases in Employment Law - Damages in the Employment and Labour Context to include: Wallace Damages and Honda vs. Keyes, Disability issues during the Notice Period: Egan vs. Alcatel, Arbitrator's Jurisdiction to Award Aggravated and Punitive Damages: OPSEU vs. Seneca College. Both our legal experts Richard Nixon and Lorenzo Lisi have presented to IPM Association audiences in the past with phenomenal reviews and have been requested back by popular demand. Click here for information on Richard Nixon Click here for information on Lorenzo Lisi Employee Financial Ill-Health-A Death Knell for Productivity Financial distress can kill employee productivity. Employees who find themselves in financial difficulty are not focused on completing their tasks; spend significant workplace time fending off phone calls from creditors and divert their attention from their jobs to trying to solve their personal financial problems. These problems lead to high stress levels and have an impact on other aspects of their lives outside of the workplace. In 2005, there were 102,660 new consumer insolvency cases filed across Canada, an increase of 1.6% compared to 2004. The same year, Ontario saw the second highest increase in the country in the number of new personal insolvency cases filed at 40,687, 3.2% higher than 2004. When confronted with an employee not performing up to par, managers should be able to recognize those factors involved with financial difficulty which would in turn enable them to suggest referrals to the appropriate resources and professionals. This session, designed specifically for human resource and administration managers, will provide a broad-based understanding of financial stress and the resources available to rehabilitate employees as a means of bringing their overall productivity up to satisfactory levels. The presentation will address such topics as: • Causes of financial difficulties • Warning signs of financial difficulties • Assessing the financial situation • Options available to get a desired result of rehabilitation • Financial counseling including money management, and spending habits • Obtaining and the use of credit • Power of collection agencies and credit reporting services An update on the status of amendments to the insolvency legislation in Canada as it relates to individuals will also be discussed. Managers attending will gain useful insight into personal financial ill-health as well an understanding of the strategies and resources available to assist those who might look to them for guidance. Click here for information on Philip Gennis Competitive Advantage: Talent Management Strategies that Make the Difference Getting things done through people. Ultimately, this is the business most of us are in. However, optimum performance only happens when your talent management infrastructure is designed around getting the best people for your strategy and getting the best from your people. Personal attributes, role definition, performance management and leadership culture are all drivers of this outcome. In this interactive and action-focused session, we will explore best practices and recent innovations related to talent management that focus performance on strategy. We will explore the issue of competencies and how these can drive or hinder productivity, identify assessment strategies that connect people to competencies, and explore an approach to role definition that increases the individual connection to organizational results. We will answer such questions as: • What are the cultural attributes that support your organization’s strategy? • Are these attributes that your organization really wants to support? And how? • What competencies drive success in your organization? • How are you ensuring that these attributes are what you are attracting to your organization? Click here for information on Mary Marcus The New Leadership Edge: Creating a ‘Yes and …’ Culture In Customer-Centred Growth, Richard Whitely states that 85% of employees are reluctant to offer a new suggestion or an innovation because of fear. Yet to increase efficiency, improve quality, and turn out new products and services, organizations need to encourage employees to speak up. In this provocative presentation, Daneal Charney shares her experience as an insider to the ‘yes but …’ corporate culture and discusses how we can begin to turn this around. She challenges her audience to find the root causes of disengaged employees in their organizations, starting with their communication practices, policies and structural layout. Daneal shares the positive benefits of promoting a ‘speak up’ culture: new innovations, harnessing our human capital and capitalizing on change. 5 great reasons to attend this session … • Assess your organization’s cultural barriers to promoting a ‘speak up’ culture and bring the tool back to your organization • Harness the creative capital in your organizations • Be an agent of change for your organization • Gain 8 nuggets key in creating a ‘speak up’ culture • Learn ways to (re-)engage employees into the organization Click here for information on Daneal Charney, Toronto Half Day Workshop October 2006 Topic: “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Coping with the End of Mandatory Retirement: Management Issues Speaker: Jennifer Fiddian-Green, CA, IFA, CFI, Partner, Forensic Accounting & Investigative Services, Grant Thornton LLP, Toronto Mickey Mehal, Senior Career Management Consultant, Right Management, Toronto “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Public awareness of corporate wrong-doing and fraud has never been higher. How do you minimize the risk that fraud is occurring in your organization? What do you do when faced with the prospect that it has occurred? What are the responsibilities and obligations of an employer and how are they balanced with the rights of an employee who has been accused of and/or investigated for fraud or other wrong-doing? This informative session will provide HR and administrative professionals with insight into the occurrence of fraud, strategies for its prevention and detection, and how to appropriately react to suspicions of fraud. Participants will understand how fraud could be occurring in their organization, recognize the indicators, develop strategies to prevent and detect it, and considerations when reacting to fraud. Topics Covered: • Fraud: what is it, who does it and why • Environments favorable to fraud • Indicators or “red flags” of fraud • Deterrents to fraud • Reacting to allegations of fraud in your organization • Balancing the rights of employers and employees “Financial Fiends”: Effectively Dealing with Fraud in the Workplace Jennifer Fiddian-Green is partner with Grant Thornton’s Forensic Accounting and Investigative Services in Toronto. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Waterloo in 1993, her CA designation in 1995 and her CMA in 1996. She is a certified Fraud Examiner and certified Forensic Investigator. She specializes in the areas of fraud, money laundering and identity theft. She has investigated, reported and managed numerous large fraud investigations for both government organizations and private companies. Previously, she completed a two-year secondment as the sole in-house forensic accountant for the RCMP. Jennifer has spoken to numerous corporate audiences on the topic of workplace fraud. Coping with the End of Mandatory Retirement: Management Issues With the end of mandatory retirement coupled with an older worker appetite to remain in the workforce, several discussion points have surfaced. Because of the increased number of older workers, age will add a new layer of complexity and diversity to the workplace. Studies show that people are living longer, healthier lives and that many so-called ‘retirees’ want to continue to work. This is good news for many individuals; from a social perspective, it could address concerns regarding labour shortages as boomers scheduled to retire in large numbers in the next few years entertain more creative options. From both a financial and meaningful activity perspective, many boomers have already started re-defining retirement by returning to work after a premature taste of Freedom 55. Books on retirement struggle to find a word to capture this life stage as it can include combinations of leisure, freelance, part time, full time or virtual work, as well as snow birding. Boomer fortitude, organizational needs and technological advances will play a role in redefining both retirement and the emerging workplace. In this globalized, changing world of work, HR continues to explore strategies for attracting and retaining talent, and cultivate a nimble workforce that can respond to just-in-time business requirements and satisfy needs of a diverse workplace. The age factor brings additional values, needs and interests into play. Studies tell us that today’s workforce is less engaged and change-fatigued as a result of restructuring and thwarted ambitions due to limited promotions in flatter organizations. Added to this existing profile, further issues could emerge as boomers continue to hold key positions in already de-layered organizations. While the end of mandatory retirement could answer the shortage question, managers also need to anticipate issues related to aging (accommodations), ageism (invisible yet pervasive assumptions about older workers, their worth, place, capabilities and interests), dynamics of entitlement, loyalty, succession, scarcity, privilege, diverse values and competing interests. These themes along with implications for managing employees in this emerging environment will be discussed in this session. We will explore the role that education, awareness and dialogue can play as necessary first steps toward encouraging healthy attitudes toward change. Coping with the End of Mandatory Retirement: Management Issues Mickey Mehal is a Senior Career Management Consultant with Right Management, a leading global human capital management firm. She has over twenty years as a Career Management Consultant, Trainer, Leadership Coach and Brief Psychotherapist. She works with organizations, teams and individuals in both one-on-one and group settings. Her expertise includes dealing with change, career management, leader and organizational effectiveness and preparing for retirement. She obtained her doctorate in 1989 in Adult Education. In her dissertation, she examined the psychology of humour and its role in adult learning, productivity, wellness and stress management. For the past nine years at Right, she has coached hundreds of downsized workers, witnessing many ‘Over Fifty’ executive to front line workers musing about why they were selected to leave. Themes of ageism prevailed. She believes that issues of aging and ageism once named, can be better managed.