Canadian HR Reporter - Sample Issue

CANADIAN HR REPORTER October 3, 2016 18 INSIGHT THE LACK-OF-JUDGMENT AWARD GOES TO… SAN ANTONIO — On Sept. 11, most Americans pause to reflect and remember the victims of the terrorist attacks that killed more than 3,000 people. But employees at a store in Texas decided the 15th anniversary was a chance for something else — to sell some mattresses. Employees at Miracle Mattress posted a video on Facebook featuring three staffers standing in front of two stacks of mattresses to promote a "Twin Tower Sale," according to the Toronto Sun. "What better way to remember 9-11 than with a Twin Tower sale," said a woman. She then knocks two men into the stacks, which fall over, and she screams: "Oh my God." She follows it up with a sombre "We will never forget." e chain apologized and said the employees would be held liable for "this serious lapse of decency."' e San Antonio store was later closed "indefinitely." THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE PRISON KANSAS CITY, KAN. — The next time you see an employee burning the midnight oil at the of- fice, it might not be dedication to the job that's driving him: He just might really, really not want to go home. A Kansas man wanted to avoid seeing his wife so much, he actually robbed a bank in order to be put behind bars, according to Reuters. Lawrence John Ripple, 70, told his wife "he'd rather be in jail than at home" after they had a fight. Ripple walked into the bank, handed a note to the teller. She gave him $3,000. Instead of flee- ing, Ripple grabbed a seat in the lobby and told a security guard he did it. He was taken into custody. A GROWTH INDUSTRY? BEIJING — Here's a job title we're guessing you don't have in your files: Mistress dispeller. New busi- nesses to combat extramarital af- fairs are booming in China, with women hiring agencies to put an end to affairs by their cheating husbands. e dispellers (a team often consisting of psychothera- pists, counsellors and lawyers) give advice to women on how to save their marriages, and then induce the mistress to disappear. "For a fee that can start in the tens of thou- sands of dollars, they will subtly infiltrate the mistress's life, win- ning her friendship and trust in an attempt to break up the affair," said a story in the New York Times. FALLING STANDARDS TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — A high school student who didn't make her cheerleading squad threatened to sue if she wasn't put on the team, according to USA Today. Dur- ing a tryout, the teen apparently fell twice and was ranked too low to qualify. But coaches and some of the cheerleaders at Leon High School said they would likely quit before letting the selection process be bypassed — something that has happened in the past. e school district has overruled cheerleading judges in the past. "ey shouldn't put an athlete on the team that doesn't deserve to be on the team," said Caylen Berry, head cheerlead- ing coach. "A decision like this would question my integrity as a professional. It also questions the entire legitimacy of tryouts and cheerleading as a sport." W EIRD ORKPLACE THE Vol. 29 No. 16 – October 3, 2016 PUBLISHED BY Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. One Corporate Plaza 2075 Kennedy Rd. Toronto, ON M1T 3V4 ©Copyright 2015 by Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. CANADIAN HR REPORTER is published 21 times a year. Publications Mail – Agreement # 40065782 Registration # 9496 – ISSN 0838-228X Director, Carswell Media: Karen Lorimer - (416) 649-9411 karen.lorimer@thomsonreuters.com EDITORIAL Publisher/Editor in Chief: Todd Humber - (416) 298-5196 todd.humber@thomsonreuters.com Editor/Supervisor: Sarah Dobson - (416) 649-7896 sarah.dobson@thomsonreuters.com Employment Law Editor: Jeffrey R. 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Address changes and returns: Send changes and undeliverable Canadian addresses to: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Canadian HR Reporter One Corporate Plaza 2075 Kennedy Rd. Toronto, ON M1T 3V4 CUSTOMER SERVICE Call: (416) 609-3800 (Toronto) (800) 387-5164 (outside Toronto) Fax: (416) 298-5082 (Toronto) (877) 750-9041 (outside Toronto) Email: carswell.customerrelations@ thomsonreuters.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR todd.humber@thomsonreuters.com CHRR reserves the right to edit for length and clarity. Todd Humber Editor's Notes The best recruitment website ever? I 'm a headline junkie. And when I see a headline that shouts out Heineken has just made an HR campaign that's "as cool as any consumer ads it's done," I have to click. And I'm glad I did because the Heineken Go Places recruitment website is undoubtedly, unre- servedly and unquestionably the coolest recruitment page I've ever seen. It should be because, ac- cording to AdWeek, it took one- and-a-half years to develop. You have to check it out — see goplaces.theheinekencompany. com. The graphics are cutting edge, the filmmaking is top-notch and it's entertaining from start to finish. When you arrive for "e Inter- view," you're greeted by Heineken's "curator of choices." Essentially, the beer company is about to put you through a personality test — based on the Enneagram model, for you psychometric testing nerds out there. "ere not an awful lot we know about you," the host tells you as he walks closer and closer to your computer screen. "So this is your chance to choose. You see, life is a constant stream of choices. Each choice leads to the next and it's the sum of all these choices that defines who you are. So... who are you?" en you're launched into an engaging, entertaining question- naire that not only digs into your personality but also showcases the Heineken brand. I'll admit it — I didn't know that the brewer had more than 250 in 70 countries. And I'll also admit to getting a little thirsty during the interview process. So, kudos for success in not just promoting job openings but also the product itself. It's a great example of why branding and human resources can — and should — be tied together. e curator of choices also takes time to outline the career paths Heineken employees choose — apparently using real employees. "e sky is the limit," he says. "Perhaps you'll start as a brewer for Heineken and work your way up to supply chain director of the Ameri- cas. Or perhaps you'll choose a dif- ferent path, starting in legal affairs for Birra Moretti in Italy on your way to becoming brand manager of Tiger Beer in Vietnam." He introduces you to Maja, a worker who started in Poland, moved to France and then on to Brazil — in one year. en he moves on to Carlos, who went from Panama to Amsterdam. He finishes off with Dolf, who runs the show for Heineken in Mexi- co — and is shown juggling beer bottles. Dolf double-clicked on all the questions in the questionnaire using two computer mice. "He scored very highly," says the host. I could go on, but you get the gyst. And it's far more interesting to participate in "the interview" than to read about it. at's part of the brilliance of the campaign — it's going to draw huge num- bers. People love to take personal- ity tests and find out what it says about them. Of course, you can also share the results on social media be- fore applying for a job using your LinkedIn profile. I can already feel it trending. Lennart Verstegen, a director for Wefilm (one of the firms behind the site), called the whole cam- paign "game-changing," according to AdWeek. It delivers "a punchy message in a dry, corporate environment. We took Heineken's wish to come with something that exceeds all ex- pectations within that very serious 'corporate world,' and it is hopefully regarded as a place where people can be better off than before," he said. It's not entirely new thinking, but it's worth remembering. When you're looking to put together an interesting recruitment campaign, give the marketing folks a call. ey may have something cool up their sleeves that not only fills the talent pipeline but also promotes your product at the same time . Awards update: 2016 National HR Awards and e Top 25 HR Professionals in Canada If you haven't taken the time to read the stories of the winners from the 2016 National HR Awards, do your- self a favour. Visit www.national hrawards.com to read in-depth stories about some of the most in- novative, interesting and effective practices in the country. Plus, we're also adding special videos of each of the award win- ners — so keep an eye out for that. And we're set to unveil the win- ners of our second competition of 2016. Nominations for the Top 25 HR Professionals in Canada close Oct. 3 — if this paper landed on your desk a few days early, you've still got time to submit your nomi- nations. Visit www.hrreporter. com/top25 for more information. e Top 25 will be announced in a special feature in the Nov. 14 issue. SOUR – AND VERY STINKY – GRAPES FRENCH LICK, IND. — An Indiana man who police say mailed dead skunks and a raccoon to a man chosen over him as school basketball coach has been arrested on stalking, animal cruelty and other charges, according to Reuters. Travis Tarrants, 40, was also accused of spray painting the victim's car with messages such as "You will die" in a bid to get him to resign as a coach and fourth grade teacher at the school. e caper started in June when the post office received packages that smelled like skunks and had blood com- ing from them, said police. In addition to the mailed carcasses, Tarrants also accused the man of child molestation. He called child protective services and claimed his rival was having sex with a 15-year-old boy. Credit: Spreadthesign (Shutterstock) Heineken's recruitment website delivers a "punchy message in a dry, corporate environment."

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