Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER CANADIAN HR REPORTER March 10, 2014 March 10, 2014 FEATUR FEATURES 11 THE MOST COMPLETE DIRECTORY OF ONTARIO LAWYERS, LAW FIRMS, JUDGES AND COURTS With more than 1,400 pages of essential legal references, Ontario Lawyer's Phone Book is your best connection to legal services in Ontario. Subscribers can depend on the credibility, accuracy and currency of this directory year after year. More detail and a wider scope of legal contact information for Ontario than any other source: ȕ 0WFS27,000 lawyers listed ȕ 0WFS9,000 law firms and corporate offices listed ȕ 'BYBOEUFMFQIPOF OVNCFSTFNBJMBEESFTTFT PGȮDFMPDBUJPOTBOEQPTUBM DPEFT Includes lists of: ȕ Federal and provincial judges ȕ Federal courts, including a section for federal government departments, boards and commissions ȕ Ontario courts and services, including a section for provincial government ministries, boards and commissions ȕ Small claims courts ȕ Miscellaneous services for lawyers Visit carswell.com or call 1.800.387.5164 for a 30-day no-risk evaluation 1FSGFDUCPVOEȕ1VCMJTIFE December each year On subscription $74 One time purchase $77 L88804-626 Multiple copy discounts available Prices subject to change without notice, to applicable taxes and shipping & handling. 2014 ONTARIO LAWYER'S PHONE BOOK BACKGROUND SCREENING Should HR handle the screening? Hiring managers know what they're looking for in a candidate — but processes, effi ciencies and time management can be problematic for them By Erin Breden H iring the right person is critical, but what role should HR play in fi nd- ing the perfect candidate — par- ticularly during the early stages of screening? We're all familiar with the criti- cisms against human resources: They use ineffective screening tools, are too process-driven and, perhaps most damaging, don't know the business. A hiring man- ager — not HR — is defi nitely in the best position to know his team's needs. " e hiring manger knows what they are looking for," says Brent Carson, director of customer care at Nuheat Industries in Rich- mond, B.C. " ey can ask ques- tions that are the most relevant to them and their current team when fi lling a position." at's the weakness of HR, says TJ Schmaltz, director of human resources and payroll services at the District of West Vancouver. "HR won't have as clear of an understanding, perhaps, or as much of an understanding of the specifi c, on-the-ground needs." But removing HR from the hir- ing equation and leaving a hiring manager to do candidate screen- ing solo can raise other issues, such as ineffi cient processes or time management. "HR typically will have ideas about how to be effi cient mov- ing through the process. It can be very time-consuming if you don't do the hiring on a regular basis," said Schmaltz. If a line manager is spending time tracking down a reference, "you're not doing something you should be doing," says Carson. Every employee at an organiza- tion has an area of expertise and employers want to make the best use of these strengths. A sales manager's time and eff orts should be put toward selling, not hiring. "Organizations grow and are successful because everyone has their role and is eff ectively con- tributing to the organization as a whole," says Christian Codrington, senior manager of professional practices at the Vancouver-based BC Human Resources Manage- ment Association (BC HRMA). "If people are too scattered, do- ing too many things, we run into a problem where nothing gets done well. Use your specialists. Work- ing collaboratively usually has bet- ter results," she says. No vested interest So what about objectivity? Are hiring managers in a position to ensure candidates are anchored against job requirements versus personal preferences? HR can bring a bit more objec- tivity at times, says Schmaltz. " is is particularly important when a hiring manager might know some of the candidates who have applied. HR brings the abil- ity to look at a candidate a little bit diff erently because they're look- ing at it without some of those bi- ases. Providing a good structured framework to avoid arbitrariness helps ensure fairness. We see, in our organization, that HR pro- vides a valuable perspective." Screening should be done by someone who doesn't have a vest- ed interest, says Carson. "(Otherwise) it's not objective. e hiring manager may have a tendency to ask questions that get the answers they want to hear." Or no answers at all — individu- als who are not as experienced in hiring may not be able to iden- tify some of the nuances, says Schmaltz. "HR has been involved in an interview, for instance, and the candidate has a brilliant answer with no substance to it. It sounds good to someone who hasn't in- terviewed a lot, but the candi- date hasn't actually answered the question." Not to mention that HR can help steer unanticipated issues that may arise or can fi lter out information that's extraneous to the job. "It is important that HR be involved early to identify any possible accommodation issues necessary for a fair and objective assessment of an applicant," says Codrington. "Additionally, as companies in- creasingly stress the importance of values and hiring for fi t, there is simply a greater opportunity to delve, sometimes inadvertently, into areas that may come up on the off side of human rights or are simply not connected to the job," he says. "Congratulating an applicant who is recently married and inquiring when they plan on starting a family puts irrelevant, and sometimes problematic, SCREENING > pg. 12 "HR brings the ability to look at a candidate differently because they're looking at it without those biases... HR provides a valuable perspective."

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