One third of employers do not provide an orientation program
According to an Accountemps Survey, 32% of managers admit that their company does not offer a formal orientation program to help new recruits integrate. Of those who have set up such initiatives, 30% believe that they enable employees to have a better understanding of the company's values and expectations, 30% think that they help employees be prepared for success in the long term with their new employer and 21% say that through them these newly arrived employees more quickly feel a connection with the company. To facilitate integration, Accountemps recommends, among other things, that managers and human resource staff alleviate the anxieties of new arrivals by encouraging questions and offering a welcome meal, organizing guided tours, introducing people in the young recruit's department and planning a system for support by a mentor.
Message from Facebook: don't ask for passwords!
After receiving more and more reports in the last few months about employers trying to have access to candidates' private information, Facebook is warning recruiters – they cannot ask their potential employees for their access information. Not only is it a violation of privacy but in addition this approach is not useful since even if an employer manages to access a member's Facebook account and discovers, for example, that he is part of a group that justifies, in the recruiter's view, elimination as a candidate, the recruiter concerned opens himself to complaints of discrimination.
Randstad becomes the largest employment agency in Canada
By acquiring SFN Group last year, Randstad Canada has become the leading employment agency in the country. The company's presence was particularly extended this month when Spherion Canada (which was part of the SFN Group) officially adopted the Randstad brand image. The employment services giant has added 85 more branches in eight provinces to its network. The opportunity has allowed Randstad to strengthen its local presence, extend its range of services and increase its expert staff. This acquisition comes at the right time for the group as organizations scramble to attract the best talent in uncertain economic times that are compelling companies to maximise productivity.
Most employees have plenty of ideas for their bosses
A study by Right Management shows that many Canadian and American employees regularly submit ideas to their bosses. 54% say that they make twenty or more suggestions each year and 24% make between ten and twenty. While some surveys have found that some employees are disinterested, these results show a more nuanced situation. Where the context is work that can be difficult, workers are especially interested in having their say about problems that come up in the company. Employers need to show themselves ready to listen to these proposals. This could contribute to improving productivity and customer relations.
Average salary on the rise in Canada
Statistics Canada has released the latest data on the average salary across the country. In December 2011, average weekly earnings of non-agricultural workers amounted to $888.26, marking an increase of 0.7% over the previous month. The federal agency has also stated that this compensation was an increase of 2.4% over December 2010. The average salary only increased from January to December 2011 in all provinces. The largest increases were seen in the provinces of Newfoundland, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The lowest level of growth was identified as being in Nova Scotia.
Slight increase in public sector employment
According to Statistics Canada, there were 3,633,000 persons in the public sector in the last quarter of 2011, an increase of 0.1% over the previous quarter. This increase included 5,000 jobs in health care and social service institutions and 4,000 in school boards. However, 8,000 jobs were lost in the federal general public service, 4,000 in universities and colleges and 2,000 in local general public services. It should be noted that wages and salaries grew by 0.2% compared to the same period in 2010.
Less stressed bosses?
Grant Thorton International has just published the results of a study conducted in 6,000 companies in forty different countries, including Canada. It shows that the stress level of company managers seems to be at the lowest level since 2005. Of those surveyed, only 28% reported an increase in their stress level in 2011, compared to 45% in 2010. The trend is not quite the same in Canada, since 18% of Canadian bosses concerned believe that their stress increased over the twelve months of 2011 while there only 16% who made the same statement in 2010. The main factors of anxiety identified are objectives to be achieved, the large volumes of communications, office politics and managing professional life relative to private life.