Resource Hub

Explore our collection of practical articles and curated resources designed to support professionals in building stronger workplaces.

An alternative to the traditional investigation model

January 20, 2014 | By Cory Boyd

In addition to traditional workplace investigations, sometimes we are asked to conduct broader inquiries into concerns of systemic barriers and discriminatory policies and practices. To do so, we use a variety of information gathering techniques such as policy reviews, data analysis, questionnaires, focus groups and one-on-one interviews. As the variety of matters for which organizations

Beware talk of retirement…

January 16, 2014 | By Christine Thomlinson

I was chatting recently with a friend about someone we both know who was forced to find employment at an advanced age because of his financial circumstances. There was no doubt in our minds that our mutual acquaintance would have far preferred to spend the remaining years of his life doing something other than pounding

New Year’s resolutions reinvented

January 3, 2014 | By Christine Thomlinson

On my run this morning, I passed store windows filled with all sorts of tools and inspiration for every possible resolution: losing weight, getting organized, exercising more…I came home inspired to do my own planning for 2014. But when I flipped through the newspaper, I came across an article by a columnist who updated us

What I’ve learned from training

December 2, 2013 | By Christine Thomlinson

Having spent almost half of this last month training individuals on how to conduct workplace investigations, I’ve been involved in some very interesting discussions with the over 75 people who have attended those sessions. Here are some of the highlights: 1. Internal investigators are anxious to understand when they should not be the one to

AODA deadlines approaching quickly

November 4, 2013 | By Cory Boyd

With Halloween behind us, it’s time to look ahead to another big date looming on the calendar. Yes, that’s right, another AODA deadline is fast approaching. Unlike under the AODA Customer Service Standard, an organization has a variety of deadlines to meet under the Integrated Accessibility Standard (“IAS”) depending on the nature of the requirements.

Ahh, the lure of self-employment…

October 21, 2013 | By Christine Thomlinson

According to a report released last week, more Canadians are joining the ranks of the self-employed, with self-employment climbing 3.6% in the last year. It seems that employers are reluctant to offer permanent positions and expand payrolls in times of economic uncertainty. In addition, many older workers seem to like the idea of being their

Mind your own business!

September 26, 2013 | By Cory Boyd

Recently I was asked to conduct an investigation by an organization that had received a complaint from another organization with which they did business, on behalf of one of its employees. While many of the investigation steps will be the same as in a more traditional internal investigation, the request did raise some important process

Let’s talk billions: The hidden costs of bullying

September 25, 2013 | By Christine Thomlinson

Over the years I’ve encountered many organizations where bullying is a pervasive part of the culture. In some cases, I’ve represented victims of this behaviour. In others, I’ve conducted investigations into allegations of bullying. Sometimes this has even come up in training sessions where I’ve been asked to come and speak to employees about respect

Building Stronger Workplaces.