There’s no doubt that managing HR documentation can be complex and time-consuming. But it is non-negotiable.

Kiljon Shukullari, HR Advisory manager at Peninsula Canada says, “Without the right HR paperwork, businesses risk incurring costly legal issues, have inefficient HR processes, and can end up in complex employee situations.”

Summer season is here and that means businesses are ready to hire seasonal employees to assist with the additional workload. This makes having the right documentation even more important and employers should be familiar with the law and best practices on hiring seasonal workers.

Although seasonal employees are typically hired for a few months, they are protected under provincial employment standards legislation. Employers have the same obligations towards their temporary seasonal staff as they do towards permanent full-time employees.

Do seasonal employees need employment contracts? Yes, it is a good practice to provide job contracts to your seasonal staff. Employment contracts set clear job expectations, protect both the employer and the employee, and minimize risk of legal disputes.

Job contracts for seasonal staff are important for:

Setting clarity and expectations. Contracts provide important job details such as job description, working hours, wages, and the duration of the employment. This reduces risk of misunderstandings, conflict, and litigation.

Legal protection and compliance. Contract provisions and important clauses, such as termination clauses, non-compete clauses, and confidentiality agreements protect the interests of both parties and ensure legal compliance.

Terms and conditions. Contracts provide clarity on specific terms and conditions for seasonal work, such as the start and end dates. They can also include other details related to overtime pay, benefits, statutory holiday pay, etc.

“Employers in Ontario with 25 or more employees should note that the upcoming new requirement for written employment statements in the province also applies to employers hiring seasonal staff.”

Mandatory Written Employment Statements in Ontario. From July 1, 2025, employers in Ontario with 25 or more employees will have to provide mandatory written statements to all new hires. The written employment statements should include the following information:

1. Employer’s legal name and operating/business name (if different).
2. Employer contact details, including address, phone number, and contact names.
3. Anticipated work location.
4. Employee’s starting wage rate (whether hourly or salary).
5. Applicable pay period and pay day.
6. General description of initial hours of work.

Non-compliance with this new rule may incur fines and penalties.

Ensuring you provide the right HR documentation to your seasonal employees will help you protect your business, minimize legal risks, and build a strong brand.

Some best practices for hiring seasonal staff include writing clear and detailed job descriptions, ensuring you provide new hires with job-related health & safety training, provide proper PPE, and offer competitive pay aligned with industry standards.

A global leader in HR and health & safety consulting, Peninsula has been supporting small and medium businesses for 40 years. We are trusted by over 140,000 SMBs globally. In Canada, we helped over 6,500 SMBs with tailored HR documentation, 24/7 employer advice, and provide employment management software. We pride ourselves on delivering a service that mitigates risk, adds value, and allows businesses to focus their time on what matters most.

As a college instructor, Nicole Gallucci has gotten to know members of Generation Z very well. She’s also become familiar with the perils and promise of artificial intelligence. That makes her particularly qualified to unpack what makes the youngest cohort in the workforce tick, and how they are faring on the front lines of these technologies.

AI anxiety and opportunities. “Even though AI is an evolution, it’s feeling like a bit of a revolution because of the pace at which it is moving into our business.” Gen Z workers, says Gallucci, are “seeing AI expanding at such a rapid pace and thinking, what does this mean for my job? Is this a tool or replacement?”

Her money is on the latter. “It is a remarkable tool. It is iterating at the speed of sound. So in order to leverage the tool and use it to its full potential, and keep in mind that it is a tool versus a replacement, you have to keep on it every day. It’s not something that you can let it go for a few days or a few weeks.”

A new generation for a new technology. Gallucci says the rapid evolution of AI “is amazing, but it’s also a bit apprehensive for so many in this generation, because I think this generation is going to be the one that leads the charge on it, that decides how it’s going to get used.”

Gen Z employees have a “more intense” learning curve before them than previous generations had, she adds. They have to learn how to implement new technologies at the same time they’re figuring out the world of work in general.

“My greater concern is that they’re trying to learn this technology, but at the same time they haven’t had the opportunity to have enough experience on processes and how to make business operate and create sustainability for themselves. So they’re having to learn and adjust all at the same time.”

Freedom to fail is key. “We’ve always said we have to give our people the opportunity to fail. I think to a certain extent we pay lip service to that and we now have to not pay lip service. As these technologies are coming in, we’ve got to give people the time to test and learn so we can see how useful these tools are and how we can apply them.

“It’s going to be more ‘Let’s figure this out together’ as opposed to ‘Figure this out so that we can use it to replace you. The permission to fail and the permission to explore needs to be part of the process in terms of managing our people.”

(Nicole Gallucci is the author of Life Blueprint: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creating an Extraordinary Life. You can hear more of her insights this fall at the 29th Hardlines Conference. It’s being held Oct. 21 and 22 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta. Click here for programming information and registration! Hardlines Premium Members receive a 20 percent discount).

AI is increasingly being embraced and adopted by executives, according to the annual AI at Work Report, released by Globalization Partners (G-P).

Nearly all global executives (91 percent) are actively scaling up their AI initiatives and 74 percent report AI is critical to their company’s success, stated a recent release. Only 1.0 percent of executives reported not using AI at all.

“AI is no longer just experimental technology. It’s become a strategic pillar for companies looking to stay competitive, no matter where they are around the world,” said Nat Natarajan, chief product and strategy officer, G-P. “As AI’s value in augmenting work and improving productivity continues to be recognized, trust in its capabilities has grown. However, to address concerns about privacy and bias, organizations must prioritize the accuracy of inputs along with human oversight to ensure that AI is not only powerful but also reliable and responsible.”

The AI at Work Report highlights the transformative impact of AI on modern work and business. The findings reveal executives are ready to push beyond basic AI solutions, harnessing the technology’s potential for increased innovation and optimization and to drive success in a digital-first world.

Employees and leaders alike are relying on AI for a substantial portion of their day-to-day tasks, with 74 percent of executives using AI for more than 25 percent of their work. Two-thirds of executives (67 percent) would rather use AI and be 50 percent more productive, even if it means reducing headcount, the release said.

While close to all executives (92 percent) report that their organization requires approval to implement a new AI product, more than a third (35 percent) of business leaders reported they would just use the technology anyway, even if they were not authorized.

The willingness of executives to change jobs for AI access underscores its importance in today’s professional environment—nearly half of executives (46 percent) surveyed said they were willing to switch jobs over AI availability or encouragement of AI usage.

HR departments are rapidly embracing AI technology. The release stated that nearly a quarter of HR leaders believe automating key legal compliance requirements is one of the greatest opportunities to boost AI-driven productivity.

HR leaders see AI as a crucial ally in redefining and elevating their work and their organization as a whole—82 percent believe AI is essential to their company’s success.

“AI is evolving the landscape of HR automation. HCM (human capital management) some of the earliest experimentation with AI and now has some of the highest prevalence of configured and trained AI assistants, advisors, and agents,” Zachary Chertok, senior research manager for employee experience at International Data Corp. said in the release.

“Compliance management, communications enhancements, compensation and pay, collaboration, and training are among the top areas for organizational AI use. HR’s growing use of AI is refocusing its priorities on driving individual employee enablement while helping HR leaders embed factors of workforce performance into frameworks for managing and measuring business performance.”

HR needs AI it can trust. Laws shift overnight, regulations vary across borders, and the stakes are high. One misstep could mean a negative employee experience, legal hassles, or a damaged reputation.

Last month the Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen (OBCT) hosted its first-ever Advocacy Day at Queen’s Park. Tradeswomen from across the province gathered to meet with Members of Provincial Parliament, including Minister of Labour David Piccini, to advocate for progress in the skilled trades for tradeswomen. These are the very people that could be customers in your store.

OBCT’s top priorities include:

• Legislate mandatory Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment (ADAH) training as part of all apprenticeships in Ontario
• Ensure mandatory access to properly-fitting PPE for all workers, especially women and non-standard-sized tradespeople
• Inspect and enforce new access and clean washroom regulations to ensure Occupation Health and Safety Act compliance and hot water access

“We’ve made real strides in improving safety and inclusion on job sites,” said Karen Pullen, chairperson of the OBCT, “But there’s more work to do. Culture change doesn’t happen overnight—and by making ADAH training a standard part of apprenticeship, we’re setting the tone from day one.”

ADAH training, created by OBCT and delivered free across Ontario, addresses the root causes of workplace harassment and discrimination. But while it’s proven effective, it remains optional. Without a legislative requirement, too many job sites still leave tradespeople—particularly women and marginalized workers—vulnerable to unsafe and unwelcoming conditions.

“This is about building a stronger, skilled trades workforce—for everyone,” Pullen said. “When workers feel safe, respected, and seen, they stay. And that’s what Ontario needs.”

Harassment on job sites in construction is still an issue today: 64 percent of women in construction report discrimination; nearly half report sexual harassment.

ADAH works: The OBCT-developed ADAH training, delivered free across Ontario, educates workers, employers, and union reps on recognizing, preventing, and addressing discrimination.

• Current law isn’t enough: Ontario’s OHSA mandates policies—not training. Other provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec) already require it.
• 90 percent of tradeswomen report being hampered at work by PPE that doesn’t fit.
• Ill-fitting gloves, harnesses, and overalls increase injury risk.
• Only 6 percent of women surveyed said their PPE is designed for them.
• Standard-issue PPE is often made for the average male body—leaving women and others unprotected.

By HR and health & safety consultancy Peninsula Canada

There’s no doubt that the ongoing bilateral tariff escalation between the U.S. and Canada will be damaging for Canada’s economy and workforce. Reports suggest that Canada’s GDP could reduce by as much as 3.25 percent, with industries like automotive, energy, and manufacturing being the worst affected.

In the employment sector, this means 1.5 million jobs could be at risk across various sectors, with Ontario’s automotive industry alone potentially losing 500,000 positions.

Kiljon Shukullari, HR advisory manager at Peninsula, says, “U.S. tariffs put Canada’s automotive, energy, and agricultural sectors at risk, jeopardizing jobs and creating economic instability. The auto industry’s integrated supply chains could crumble, while Alberta’s oil exports may experience sharp declines, costing billions annually.

“Agriculture and retail sectors will likely also suffer due to reduced consumer spending. For small and medium-sized businesses, the tariffs could mean increased costs, disrupted supply chains, and reduced competitiveness in US markets.

“Sadly, economic losses usually mean job losses and increased unemployment. Employees may want to seek more stable employment in sectors not impacted by tariffs, leading to increased turnover and reduced morale. We could see further disruption to business as employee retention becomes a major challenge for employers.

“Businesses that need to terminate or temporarily lay off employees should plan properly and ensure they comply with all employment laws to avoid costly legal claims.” To reduce the risk of litigation, employers should:

Review documentation and implement written job contracts: “Well-written work contracts reduce risks of higher costs at termination. An employment contract with language that authorizes temporarily laying off employees and termination clauses that comply with employment standards law will decrease the risks of wrongfully terminating an employee or constructive dismissal claims.”

Prepare contingency plans for workforce reductions: “Fix criteria for selecting employees for layoffs or reduced hours. To avoid claims of discrimination or bad faith, it is best practice to document the rationale for such decisions.”

Provide advance notice of changes to hours, wages, or roles: “If possible, provide support services such as counselling or job placement assistance to help with a smooth transition.”

Train managers for termination meetings: “Training managers on how comply with employment standards legislation can help lower risk. Emphasize the importance of maintaining respectful communication when laying off a worker to minimize risk of aggressive behaviour during dismissal.”

A global leader in HR and health & safety consulting, Peninsula has been supporting small and medium businesses for 40 years. We are trusted by over 140,000 SMBs globally. In Canada, we helped over 6,500 SMBs with tailored HR documentation, 24/7 employer advice, and provide employment management software. We pride ourselves on delivering a service that mitigates risk, adds value, and allows businesses to focus their time on what matters most.

Finding and retaining top-tier sales talent can be complicated. According to Wolf Gugler, a veteran recruiter with over 30 years of experience in the home improvement sector, organizations face an evolving set of expectations and obstacles that require both strategic foresight and adaptability.

Remote work promotes flexibility. “The pandemic shifted everything,” says Gugler. “Now, people have more flexibility—hybrid or fully remote work is often the norm. But that also means your competition for talent isn’t just in your city anymore. If you’re in the Greater Toronto Area, you’re not just competing with other local firms. You might be up against a U.S. company entering the Canadian market or one from Vancouver.”

This broader competition for talent requires a sense of urgency and clarity during the hiring process—something that’s often missing. “Sometimes HR struggles to get the hiring manager to make a timely decision, and that can cost you top candidates,” he explains. “You don’t need to rush, but you do need to be process-oriented.”

Flexibility and transparency. Candidates, especially in sales, seek more than just a paycheque. Work-life balance, flexibility, and clear expectations are non-negotiables, according to Gugler. “Sales isn’t a 9-to-5 job. You’re answering calls after hours, attending recitals, managing work from a concert,” Gugler says. “Companies need to acknowledge that, support it, and still expect results.”

Another key issue? Job description accuracy. Often, candidates will discover the job they accepted and begin working in turns out to be something they didn’t interview for,” Gugler notes. “There might be tasks added post-hire or gaps in onboarding. It’s usually not malicious—more often, it’s miscommunication. But it leads to frustration.”

Data fluency and category leadership. Sales professionals today are expected to be more than relationship builders—they must also be data literate. “Whether it’s POS data, shelf analytics, or using Excel and customer portals, being fluent in data is now part of the job,” Gugler emphasizes. “And if you’re not providing them with a sales analyst, they better be able to handle it themselves.”

He also highlights the growing importance of category management. “Strong candidates aren’t just selling a product—they understand the entire category. They’re bringing insights to the merchant, thinking proactively, and creating new opportunities for collaboration.”

U.S. vs. Canadian approach. When asked about differences in hiring practices between the U.S. and Canada, Gugler points to travel expectations. “In the U.S., a rep might cover a massive territory with 50 percent travel. That’s a lot to ask, and not everyone is up for it,” he says. “Sometimes, companies understate what the travel load will be, and that backfires.”

Salary is just part of the equation. While compensation always matters, it’s rarely the sole reason people move. “Usually, dissatisfaction builds when someone finds out their peers make more, or when bonus payouts don’t match expectations due to company performance,” says Gugler. “But more often, they’re quitting on their boss or leaving because the company lacks innovation.”

Still, inflated salary expectations can be a red flag. “I had someone just recently tell me they’d only consider moving for a 30 percent bump and big bonus potential. That’s the kind of thing that turns companies off,” Gugler says. “If someone has moved three times in four years, it might not be about growth—it might be about chasing money.”

Plumbing and HVAC wholesaler Wolseley Canada, based in Burlington, Ont., has announced that it will fund 21 financial need-based bursaries to produce skilled trades workers in its industries.

The bursaries will range from $750 to $2,000 and will be available coast to coast to coast in Canada.

“We see first-hand the important role that skilled trade workers have across the country,” says Wally Quigg, president, Wolseley Canada. “We understand the rising costs of pursuing post-secondary education can be a barrier for many and we’re proud to support students who are pursuing a career in the skilled trades.”

Wolseley will place a particular emphasis, in awarding its bursaries, in those provinces with the greatest skilled trades shortages. “We want to make a difference,” says Quigg. “If we can help remove some of the financial costs of education and help more students enter the trades, we’ll have made a positive, lasting impact on the industry.”

Wolseley Canada has approximately 2,500 employees and it operates more than 220 wholesale locations in the country. It serves a contractor base who do plumbing and HVAC work in what Wolseley identifies as a $340 billion industry in North America.

Dialogue Health Technologies Inc., a Canadian wellness provider, has realeased the latest edition of their annual report in partnership with Leger. It revealed that Canadians are feeling a sharp decline in their mental health and well-being under the growing weight of financial pressures and poor work-life balance.

The new report, Dialogue’s 2025 State of workplace well-being, highlights a workforce under pressure. In the past year, a third (30 percent) of Canadian employees experienced a decline in their mental health. Respondents identified worsening financial health (29 percent), continued sleep issues (26 percent), and lack of physical exercise (23 percent) as top contributors to their mental health challenges. This, in turn, fuels anxiety and burnout, making it harder to meet the demands of the workplace.

Regarding workplace benefits, the report shows a significant gap between the well-being benefits offered to Canadian employees to support their mental health and their understanding of what these benefits are and how they can be accessed. While 80 percent of employers offer access to an employee assistance program (EAP), only 16 percent of employees understand these benefits very well.

While the factors affecting employee well-being persist, the findings also reveal that employees are actively looking for ways to tackle these challenges. The report focuses on the positive role employers can play in empowering their employees to improve their physical and mental health, and just how effective accessible solutions are in driving real impact.

“We’ve seen over the years how Canadian workers are increasingly burdened with the demands of both personal and professional expectations. Taking care of your health isn’t just about staying physically healthy but about nurturing your mind, too,” said Dr. Stephanie Moynihan, associate medical director at Dialogue. “Once we’ve acknowledged it, we can start trying to solve it. To tackle this, employers can better provide employees with the right tools at their disposal, which can range from treatment-based solutions, self-serve resources, habit trackers, and wellness activities.”

Employees turn to external professionals or informal support networks like friends and family when facing well-being challenges but rarely think of using their workplace benefits. As a result, 65 percent of employees have never used their EAP benefits for mental health support. Despite this, over 70 percent of HR professionals report that these benefits contribute to increased employee engagement, reduced absenteeism, and improved retention—indicating a clear gap between availability and actual utilization.

Awareness alone contributes greatly to an increase in employee well-being, and employers should communicate the breadth of high-quality care EAPs can offer. Of those using EAPs, an overwhelming number of respondents report satisfaction in support for family and relationship issues (89 percent), managing workload and deadlines (86 percent), women’s health (84 percent), and mental health and substance use (81 percent). As the growing number of Canadian employees in need of well-being support increases, employers have a responsibility to break down the barriers that prevent their employees from using these benefits.

With a federal election coming up on April 28, Canadian employers face challenges in balancing employees’ democratic rights with workplace safety.

Charlie Herrera Vacaflor, senior employment law consultant at Peninsula Canada, says, “Political transitions or significant events like a federal snap election create unique workplace dynamics where personal political opinions and professional boundaries intersect. Canadian employers must review their obligations on election day and reinforce workplace harmony while respecting employee’s diverse political viewpoints.

Under the Canada Elections Act, all employees who are eligible to vote must receive three consecutive paid hours during polling hours (9:00 am to 9:30 pm local time) to cast their ballot. Employers who fail to comply face fines up to $2,000, imprisonment for up to three months, or both.

If an employee works from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, their work schedule overlaps with voting hours but does not inherently provide three consecutive hours within the voting window. Therefore, the employer is legally required to grant paid time off. This could mean letting the employee arrive 1.5 hours late or leave 1.5 hours early to create a continuous three-hour window within polling hours.

Where an employer is obligated to provide voting time off, the Canada Elections Act explicitly prohibits any deduction from an employee’s pay, and employees cannot be penalised in any way for exercising their right to vote. Employees must receive their regular day’s pay. For hourly or piece-work employees, this means they must be paid for the hours they would have normally worked, even if they are at the polls.

The Act further prohibits employers from using intimidation, undue influence, or any other means to interfere with an employee’s ability to exercise their three consecutive hours for voting. Employers must be transparent and communicate voting rights clearly.

While facilitating voting access is a straightforward legal duty, managing political discourse can present different challenges. Political belief is not explicitly a protected ground under most Canadian Human Rights legislation (except for British Columbia and Manitoba), but employers must ensure that political discussions in the workplace do not create a discriminatory or hostile work environment.

Allowing bigotry or hate speech, even under the guise of political commentary, can disrupt the workplace and form the basis for harassment or discrimination complaints, potentially leading to constructive dismissal claims under unsafe workspace environment grounds.

Employers should ensure they have clear and robust policies that outline acceptable behaviours and establish clear boundaries for respectful political discussions. Provide specific examples of prohibited conduct, such as harassment, discriminatory comments, or hate speech, and clearly state the company’s commitment to balancing freedom of expression with its obligation to maintain a safe, respectful, and productive work environment. Establish clear and accessible procedures for addressing workplace conflicts arising from political discussions, ensuring prompt and impartial resolution.

We’ve all seen examples where social media posts have led to issues in the workplace, and seemingly casual political comments can easily turn to a liability or disciplinary issue for employers. So, it’s important to remind employees of your expectations regarding use of social media.

Clearly distinguish expectations between employees’ on-duty and off-duty social media use, especially when it comes to representation of company views. Establish explicit guidelines for sharing political content on company platforms, internal communication channels, and outline specific examples of prohibited online behaviour.

It’s important, however, to ensure a careful balance between reasonable policies and employees’ rights to privacy and freedom of expression.

The overarching goal is not to eliminate political discussion entirely, but to ensure such discussions are conducted respectfully, without interfering with productivity or creating a hostile or discriminatory environment for any employee.

A global leader in HR and health & safety consulting, Peninsula has been supporting small and medium businesses for 40 years. We are trusted by over 140,000 SMBs globally. In Canada, we helped over 6,500 SMBs with tailored HR documentation, 24/7 employer advice, and provide employment management software. We pride ourselves on delivering a service that mitigates risk, adds value, and allows businesses to focus their time on what matters most.

Tom Newton is an executive coach with 30 years of experience and is head of Trillium Executive Coaching.

What are some of the things that make a company a great place to work? In Tom Newton’s experience there are three things to highlight: trust, purpose, and learning and development.

“First and foremost is trust. It really is foundational,” he says. “You can build trust over a long period of time, but it’s easy to lose it quickly. So, a lot of things go into trust. It’s something that leaders should spend a lot of time to really analyse or to look in themselves and go, do people trust me?

A first sign there’s a lack of trust can even be seen during a meeting. Are there crickets, Newton asks? It sends the message that there’s a lack of feeling safe to speak up.

Active listening is important. “Listening to somebody, and maybe you’re not going to follow through on their idea, is empowering when somebody comes up with an idea and they have an opportunity to share it. And it’s in a safe space.”

How well does the company communicate? “Communication is huge. When you think how often you might hear somebody on the front line say, ‘Well, we don’t know what’s going on.’ That creates an ‘us versus them’ kind of atmosphere.”

Trust and communication create a pathway to have healthy debate, to express ideas, he says. “When that happens, then innovation can come alive. But it goes through a process of trust that leads to allowing for healthy conflict, which can lead to commitments and people buying in. If everybody’s had the opportunity to speak their mind on something, you’re going to get better buy-in—because people have made that contribution, which leads to accountability and ultimately results.”

Purpose helps people to align the work they do with the purpose of the business. Newton shares a bricklayer analogy and how it relates to someone working on the front lines. When asked what each is doing, bricklayer number one says he’s laying bricks. Bricklayer two says he’s building a wall. Bricklayer three says he’s building a cathedral. “When people understand why they’re doing something, they can connect the work they do to the key results of the business.”

It helps define purpose: knowing that what they’re doing matters, Newton says. “That contributes to people saying, ‘I like working here.’”

Learning and development is empowering. When companies provide support, Newton says, it’s encouraging. “Even having a good mentor on the job. That, too, is learning.”

Initiatives like these should always start at the top. “If the culture isn’t created from the top, it comes up from the bottom,” where Newton says it can create a negative experience. “It’s rooted in gossip. But when it’s coming from the top and it’s intentional, it works its way down.”