Canadian HR Strategy

30 Executive Series Digest hrreporter.com Invest in your professional development by joining the Strategic Capability Network. Since we are a non-profi t association, we offer a low annual membership of $225 which gives you access to monthly events with infl uential thought leaders, company presidents, academics and authors around our core themes of strategic capability, organization effectiveness and leadership. Better yet - you now have the option of attending the events live at the National Club, remotely from one of our televised hubs, or from the comfort of your own home or offi ce. Not only that - membership also includes a host of other free professional resources through our affi liate association with HRPS. Join a vibrant professional community of senior leaders across the public and private sector, representing a broad range of industries. SCN_ESD_Spring_13.indd 1 13-05-23 3:55 PM place. Before making changes, consider the anticipated reaction of the workforce (in- cluding a union, as applicable) and ways to proactively and strategically manage that re- action. When in doubt, consult with counsel about ways to gather and assess relevant in- formation with the least amount of disrup- tion to the workforce. Plan, implement, review, modify – and repeat Once the issues have been identifi ed, and the organization is aware of its rights and obligations, it's time to act. Policies and procedures should be prepared, leaders trained on proper implementation and modifi cations made on an as-needed basis. Dra ing a workplace policy is intricate work and the devil is almost always in the detail. Ensure the organization's attendance policy meets the substantive legal require- ments without overpromising or overreach- ing. As a general rule, an eff ective policy should be: Relevant: Management and employees should understand how and why the policy or practice is relevant to and fi ts into their day-to-day responsibilities. Proportional: e eff ect on day-to-day responsibilities must be seen to be reason- able and rational; neither overreaching nor attempting to attain a standard that may not be necessary or defensible. Consistent: e policy or practice must be seen to be applied consistently and fairly. Flexible: e policy or practice must be a living thing, able to adapt to and refl ect the organization's business realities as they may change from time to time. Substantively, an eff ective attendance management policy should, at the very least, address the following issues: •How and to whom an employee is to re- port an absence. •Permitted leave days. •Within the context of sick days, the number to which an employee is entitled and what information or documentation is required in circumstances when an employee can- not work. For example, an employee may be entitled to 10 unpaid sick days, but an organization may decide that for every ab- sence of more than two consecutive days, a medical note is required setting out the employee's restrictions. •Should an employee require time off due to family circumstances, what informa- tion or documentation will be required. • e protocol if an employee's yearly ab- sences go beyond the organization's aver- age. For example, perhaps that employee will become part of an attendance man- agement program. •Available coaching and support to assist the employee to bring her attendance re- cord in line with the organization's expec- tations and operational needs. Within the hierarchy of workplace chal- lenges, excessive absenteeism has the po- tential to be among the most challenging, costly and debilitating for an organization, and is likely a symptom of a deeper prob- lem affl icting the organization. e good news is that with committed leadership and strategic planning the causes and eff ects of excessive absenteeism can be managed and/or eradicated altogether. Carissa Tanzola and Shana French are lawyers at Sherrard Kuzz in Toronto, a fi rm specializing in employment and labour law representing management. ey can be reached at (416) 603-0700 or visit www.sherrardkuzz.com for more information. EMPLOYMENT LAW

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