Canadian HR Reporter

E D I T O R I A L 6 www.hrreporter.com EDITORIAL Editor/Supervisor: Sarah Dobson Employment Law Editor: Jeffrey R. Smith Labour Relations News Editor: John Dujay Production Editor: Patricia Cancilla Contributors: Laura Williams Nita Chhinzer CORPORATE Chief Executive Officer Mike Shipley Chief Operating Officer George Walmsley President Tim Duce Chief Information Officer Colin Chan Human Resources Manager Julia Bookallil ADVERTISING Business Development Manager: Fred Crossley (416) 644-8740 ext. 236 fred.crossley@keymedia.com Vice President Sales John Mackenzie PRODUCTION Designer: Ace Dequina Production Coordinator: Kim Kandravy Client Success Coordinator: Kshipra Dhindaw MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Subscriptions and Circulation manager: Keith Fulford Marketing Coordinator: Charlyn Macaraeg Global Head of Media Marketing: Adrijana Monevska ISSUE 33.04.2020 www.hrreporter.com HR put to the test as pandemic strikes IT truly has been the most distressing of times. The COVID-19 pandemic has had ramifications for so many parts of society, and, of course, the workplace has been chief among them. To see such a sudden, drastic impact occur over a mere few weeks — and sometimes days — has been traumatizing for many people. And for human resources, the situation has been extraordinarily demanding. At first, the situation seemed less dire, leading to a simple employee communications exercise about the importance of hand washing and hand sanitizers. But it soon became apparent that this coronavirus was not like your seasonal flu, and HR's role took on greater gravity. Many workers were encouraged to work from home, if possible, only to be forced out later, both over health and safety concerns and official mandates. By the time social distancing was a common phrase and practice, employers were already seeing the hit to their business, with HR making the difficult decision to cut back hours or wages until they had no choice but to lay off workers. Writing this near the end of March, we still don't have a clear picture of the bleak unemployment numbers. An Angus Reid poll has found that nearly half (44 per cent) of workers have either lost work or been laid off. And half-a-million Canadians applied for employment insurance in just one week. We will recover. We will get back to our jobs. But the big question is when? For many employers, it's hard to plan a recovery when it's unclear when the crisis will end, both for Canada and globally. And even if there is an end date, returning people to work will be no less of a challenge for HR when it comes to issues such as scheduling, payroll, rehiring and agreements — along with addressing a multitude of worker concerns. Another big question? Will remote work become more permanent for many employees? As we've seen with the pandemic, having people work from home has been a lifesaver for many employers. While there may be downsides when it comes to collaboration, comradery and leadership, it's hard to ignore the tremendous benefit of business continuity, along with gains around work-life balance and employee retention. This suggests that a hybrid approach can work really well. Both employers and employees have the best of both worlds, and should a drastic situation like the COVID-19 pandemic strike again, we'll be ready. With the COVID-19 crisis, having people work from home has been a lifesaver for many employers. Sarah Dobson, editor, Canadian HR Reporter group Contents of Canadian HR Reporter are copyright © 2020 HAB Press Limited and may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent. HAB Press Limited disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. HST/GST # 70318 4911 RT0001 Canada Post – Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement 41261516 International Standard Serial Number 0838-228X. The publishers accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, colour transparencies or other materials. Manuscripts or other materials must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. KEY MEDIA and the KEY MEDIA logo are trademarks of Key Media IP Limited, and used under license by HAB Press Limited. Canadian HR Reporter is a trademark of HAB Press Limited. 20 Duncan St. 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON. M5H 3G8 www.hrreporter.com Subscription price: Canada: $175 plus tax; US and International: $175 USD Canadian HR Reporter makes every effort to ensure accuracy in all items reported, but cannot accept responsibility for the representations or claims made by sources used. It is also not responsible for claims made by its advertisers. HR_AD_REVISED_JAN8_2020.indd 1 HR_AD_REVISED_JAN8_2020.indd 1 2020-01-08 10:31 AM 2020-01-08 10:31 AM

• Cover