E-News – May 2018

Articles

Best Practices for the Union-Management Relationship in the Workplace
Gary T. Furlong, Queen's IRC Facilitator, 2017

These are challenging times for public-sector finances, private-sector growth in a sputtering economy, and hard conversations at the collective bargaining table. With so many issues on the macro level, we sometimes lose sight of the day-to-day working relationship for all of our employees and bargaining unit members. For the vast majority of unionized and non-unionized workers, it is the day-to-day interactions that determine whether the workplace is a productive, engaged environment, or one that preoccupies everyone with conflict, grievances and problems. Where each workplace falls on that spectrum will largely determine productivity, quality, absenteeism, as well as retention and recruitment. In other words, success often depends on what we do each and every day in the union-management relationship.

Jointly Building a Productive, Constructive Workplace
To achieve a healthy workplace that leads to commitment and engagement, there are some important best practices that can be implemented, jointly, by the union-management partnership. Consider some or all of the following five best practices for managing in a unionized workplace.

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The Critical Role of Orientation for New Employees to Your Organization’s Culture
Karen Suk-Patrick, Director of OD and Employee Health Services, Guelph General Hospital, and Chantal Thorn, OD Specialist, Guelph General Hospital, 2016

First impressions count. However in the workplace, organizations often fail to realize that this truism is a two way street. As much as we form first impressions about the people we interview, hire and welcome into our organizations, the employee is on a parallel journey. How did we interview them? How did we invite them to join our organization and how did we welcome them when they arrived?

Traditionally, “orientation” is seen as a static event, one in which we provide an employee with a list of expectations and requirements, a package of information on their benefits, and perhaps some formal welcome session or introduction to the organization’s policies and procedures. There is much research to suggest the importance of the workplace culture in attracting and retaining highly qualified staff.

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Latest News

Follow Queen's IRC Online for the Latest Updates

These are a few of the images that were shared online from some of our programs in the past month.

Join us online to see the latest pictures from our programs and events, as well as articles and updates on programs:

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Conference and Trade Show Update

We recently attended a few conferences and trade shows. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booths. Congratulations to the winners of the Tiffany's gift cards:

• Top Employer Summit: Laura Haines, HR/LR Coordinator, General Motors
• Together We Care: Jackie Dales, Director of Care, Trent Valley Lodge
• HR Leaders Summit West: Lisa Riley, People & Organizational Potential, BC Cancer Foundation

Next, we will be attending the HR Tech Summit on June 26-27 at the Toronto Congress Centre. Drop by and say hello if you are at this event.

Upcoming Programs

Register for an Upcoming Program:

• Labour Relations Foundations May 28-June 1, 2018 (Victoria)
• Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy May 29-31, 2018 (Calgary)
• Labour Arbitration Skills June 3-7, 2018 (Kingston)
• Organization Development Foundations June 5-8, 2018 (Toronto)
• Advanced HR June 5-7, 2018 (Ottawa)
• Talent Management June 12-13, 2018 (Toronto)
• Mastering Fact-Finding and Investigation July 17-20, 2018 (Kingston)
• Strategic Grievance Handling July 17-20, 2018 (Halifax)
• Designing Collaborative Workplaces Sept 18-20, 2018 (Ottawa)
• Labour Relations Foundations Sept 23-28, 2018 (Kingston)
• Coaching Skills Sept 26-27, 2018 (Edmonton)
• Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy Oct 2-4, 2018 (Vancouver)
• Managing Unionized Environments Oct 2-4, 2018 (Saskatoon)
• Performance Management Oct 10-11, 2018 (Toronto)
• Change Management Oct 16-18, 2018 (Kingston)
• Negotiation Skills Oct 21-26, 2018 (Kingston)
• HR Metrics and Analytics Oct 23-25, 2018 (Toronto)
• Strategies for Workplace Conflicts Oct 30-Nov 1, 2018 (Toronto)
• Building Trust in the Workplace Nov 1, 2018 (Toronto)
• Organization Development Foundations Nov 6-9, 2018 (Toronto)
• Mastering Fact-Finding and Investigation Nov 6-9, 2018 (Victoria)
• Coaching Skills Nov 14-15, 2018 (Toronto)
• Advanced HR Nov 14-16, 2018 (Toronto)
• Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy Nov 20-22, 2018 (Halifax)
• NEW Workplace Restoration Nov 20-22, 2018 (Kingston)
• Organizational Design Nov 27-29, 2018 (Ottawa)
• Managing Unionized Environments Nov 27-29, 2018 (Toronto)
• Negotiation Skills Dec 3-7, 2018 (Victoria)
• Talent Management Dec 4-5, 2018 (Toronto)

For an overview of our professional development training, from the perspective of our participants and speakers, please check out our Queen’s IRC Video.

For more program information, download our Spring 2018-Spring 2019 Program Planner.

Email: irc@queensu.ca Phone: 1-888-858-7838 Web: irc.queensu.ca