| April 2006 | ||
| Welcome to the April 2006 edition of the TorontoJobs.ca Employer Newsletter.
"Conflict Matters" by Cecil Norman Understanding International Credentials: Why it's not as difficult as you may think Advertise in our monthly Newsletter(s) Update your profile "Conflict Matters" by Cecil Norman: The Need for Theory-based Workplace Conflict Resolution Problems of conflict and sustainable resolution continue to be the subject of research and study in many universities in North America. According to experts, "the problems of human conflict and their peaceful resolution are much larger than any single discipline can capture." In other words, we must set conflict and resolution apart in order to understand the problem. Conflict and resolution cannot be viewed in isolation, therefore, people charged with resolving workplace conflicts need to understand the theories behind conflict and resolution, be familiar with company policies, understand the employer's conflict resolution procedures, and be aware of effective training solutions for sustainable resolution of conflicts. For conflict resolution procedures to be effective, i.e. anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies in the workplace, they must be grounded in theory. Until workplace conflict is brought together around real problems, where the solutions require insights from employers and employees to recognize the limitations and possibilities identified by each other, conflict resolution policies in the workplace will remain ineffective. Companies have to openly and willingly embrace an attitude of tolerance and understanding around diversity in the workplace in order to avoid negative conflict among diverse people. It is important to note however that not all workplace conflicts are negative. In certain instances, conflicts are healthy and productive in stimulating organizations to rise above certain business challenges. However, if conflicts are not properly dealt with they become negative and diminish the employer's effort to maintain a healthy work environment, affecting morale and productivity beyond the parties involved. In Ontario, most small to medium sized companies do not have the resources to ensure that effective policies are in place and are enforced to prevent conflict. Although it is the function of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (government agency) to research, develop and deliver education and training to eliminate discriminatory practices, (Human Rights Code, p. 28), the Commission's public education role has taken a back seat to case reduction. Companies therefore need not wait for the government; they have a responsibility to be proactive and provide workplaces free from harassment and discrimination for their employees where conflicts can be identified and addressed to everyone's satisfaction. Cecil Norman holds a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution. His column on Conflict Matters appears monthly. You may reach him directly at his practice, Human Rights Advisory Services Inc. Email:cnorman@hras.ca. Understanding International Credentials:
Why it's not as difficult as you may think Most major Canadian organizations now understand that workplace diversity is an important strategic issue and that hiring immigrants and visible minorities makes good business sense. Companies recognize that they can lose potential customers and clients if their workforce fails to reflect the society in which they do business. With the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) being the largest immigrant centre in Canada, employers in the GTA are seeing more and more employment applications from new immigrants. For human resource departments, this means having to decipher a large number of foreign academic credentials, which can seem overwhelming. "As leaders in the Technology Resourcing and Placement industry, our clients have often asked us about the validity of a candidate's education obtained overseas", states Joanne Boucher, with Keith Bagg Information Technology Search (KBITS). Fortunately, there is a solution that helps employers identify and screen internationally-trained applicants. "It can be tough for employers to understand and interpret the vast array of credentials issued by institutions around the world", says Tim Owen, Director of World Education Services, Canada (WES), "yet key human resource decisions are based on them. WES can determine the validity of the documents, the status of institutions that issue them and the appropriate Canadian equivalency. " Referring internationally educated applicants to WES to have their credentials validated is a good way for the staffing industry to widen the talent pool and help their clients achieve their diversity initiatives. Tim Collins, President of Stafflink Solutions, a champion of diversity on behalf of his clients, states, "Having provided staffing solutions for the past fourteen years, we feel confident that hiring newcomers to Canada contributes to our clients' success in the global market place. One of our jobs as a staffing supplier is helping our clients understand that newcomers are often as strong as candidates with local qualifications. When candidates have their academic qualifications validated by WES, we are able to recommend these candidates with more confidence. Our clients appreciate our commitment to diversity recruitment and the competitive advantages it brings them." Employment equity is another key objective for a growing number of companies, including all those that are part of the federally legislated Employment Equity program. Recruitment firms recognize that if their internationally educated candidates have a WES credential evaluation report, the Canadian equivalency provided by the report will facilitate their clients in being able to hire and compensate equitably. Candidates can attach a copy of the WES credential evaluation report with their resume, highlighting the equivalency both in their cover letter and resume. When an employer sees a WES evaluation report, they can feel confident about the authenticity of the documents, the bona fides of the institution(s) awarding the diploma(s)/degree(s) and the Canadian equivalency. Founded in 1974, World Education Services is the largest credential evaluation service in North America. WES maintains a proprietary database containing information from over 42,000 academic institutions in 215 countries and jurisdictions and performs nearly 60,000 evaluation reports each year. For more information about World Education Services and how you can make international credentials work for you, go to www.wes.org or www.wes.ca.
Careertoon provided by Krysha Littlewood. View Krysha's website at www.krysha.bravehost.com. Advertise in our monthly Newsletter(s) This client monthly newsletter reaches over 10,000 companies in the Greater Toronto Area. In addition, our monthly candidate newsletter reaches over 25,000 jobseekers. You can describe your company's services or include a banner along the right hand side of this newsletter. There's no better way to target people in the GTA If you're interested in advertising with us, please email sales@TorontoJobs.ca or call us at (905) 566-JOBS (5627) With traffic reaching record highs and recent improvements to our online interface, there has never been a better time to be an employer on TorontoJobs.ca! Now is a great time to update your company profile, and gain some exposure for your company! Click here to update your company profile. If you are an Employment Agency, Staffing Firm, or Human Resources company, be sure to keep your listing in our Employment Agency Directory up-to-date. If you are an employer with a number of available positions, you may want to consider becoming a Featured Employer to get even more exposure for your company and job listings on TorontoJobs.ca. For more information on Featured Job listings and Featured Employer status, please contact sales@torontojobs.ca or call 905-566-JOBS (5627). Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions for improvement for TorontoJobs.ca? Would you be interested in contributing an article for a future TorontoJobs.ca newsletter (either for other companies or for job seekers)? We would be happy to hear from you. Please email us at sales@TorontoJobs.ca.. Thank you for taking the time to read our Employers Newsletter. If you have any questions or comments about the content of this newsletter, or would like to learn more, please feel free to contact us. |
|
Copyright © 2006 TorontoJobs.ca Inc.
To cancel your subscription to the TorontoJobs.ca Employer Newsletter click here.