Humanos Consulting goal is to guide its clients through unsure areas and to be “the missing piece” in the delivery of critical people practices. Humanos Consulting will step in and establish best practices and take on human resources challenges.
Workplace Investigations
In Ontario, the Occupational Health and Safety Act require employers to conduct an investigation into incidents and complaints of workplace harassment “that is appropriate in the circumstances”. Any investigation must provide all parties with due process. It must be credible, objective and consultative. If an investigation is done internally, the employer must be able to show that the investigator was properly trained on how to conduct an appropriate, impartial investigation. Otherwise, the Ministry of Labour could order an impartial person to investigate at the employer’s expense.
Recent changes to the Canada Labour Code have shifted the rules around workplace harassment and violence and investigations into alleged incidents in federally-regulated workplaces. The investigator must have training and experience in investigative techniques, have knowledge, training and experience that is relevant to harassment and violence in the workplace and have knowledge of relevant legislation. As well, the investigator must provide the employer and each of the parties with a detailed report, recommendations and conclusions along with a summary report. It is also expected that the investigator will be impartial.
In fact, it is often difficult for an internal investigator to demonstrate impartiality. The risk is even greater if the investigator also plays a role in determining whether and to what extent the conduct warrants discipline. A negligent investigation has consequences – the loss of good employees, poor morale, negative public relations and legal liability.
Why risk it? Humanos Consulting provides thorough, impartial workplace investigations. Our principal has been trained and is certified as a workplace investigator by the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario. In addition, our principal knows the legislation, has conducted investigations in various unionized and non-unionized workplace settings and provided detailed, comprehensive investigation reports, recommendations and conclusions.
Recruitment and Selection Support
The costs of a bad hire are staggering. A recent survey by Career Builder reports more than two-thirds of employers were affected by a bad hire last year. Of nearly 2,700 employers surveyed, 41% estimate a single bad hire cost $25,000; 25% estimate a bad choice cost $50,000 or more. several variables that go into calculating the cost to replace a bad hire. They include:
Recruitment advertising fees and staff time.
Relocation and training fees for replacement hires.
The negative impact on team performance.
The disruption to incomplete projects.
Lost customers.
Outplacement services.
Weakened employer brand.
Litigation fees.
One of the reasons is that companies are too often in a rush to fill a position. CareerBuilder found that 43% of respondents said they made a bad hire because they felt they needed to hire someone quickly. And more than 20% said they lacked the skills to interview and hire people effectively.
This sense of urgency happens for several reasons: HR staff may be overextended; too often, hiring managers are so anxious to put a body in the vacant chair that they overlook candidates' flaws and end up hiring someone who really doesn't meet the needs of the job.
Humanos Consulting can help you avoid the costs of a bad hire by ensuring job descriptions accurately reflect the work and necessary qualifications; preparing job advertisements; formulating behavior-based interview questions and evaluations; conducting interviews and reference checks, all in a cost-effective manner that allows your HR decisionmakers to focus on managing their business. We know how to ask the right questions to get you the right person for the job.
Employee Relations
Negotiating collective agreements is the single most critical responsibility for both Management and Union. The process and the results of the collective agreement have the potential to destroy the relationship between the parties. It can also alter how effectively Management can manage its workplace, as well as the Union’s ability to represent the interests of its members. How this process is managed and the resulting collective agreement will determine your success.
Humanos Consulting can help you manage the negotiation process. From formulating proposals and crafting language to tracking and note-taking at the bargaining table, we have three decades of hands-on experience, know the vocabulary and understand employers’ tactical needs
Compliance
We have knowledge of and familiarity with workplace law and expectations of regulatory agencies that small employers are often unaware of or ill-equipped to implement to ensure compliance and mitigate the risk of sanction. Humanos Consulting can assess compliance, recommend strategies, produce and/or update policies, programs and other necessary documentation, and, where appropriate, refer clients to our strategic partners for specific expertise.
