Martina Pileggi never figured, when she got COVID for the second time, that she’d be in for the long haul. But that’s exactly what hit her: a version of the virus that is still dogging her almost a month after she should have been symptom- and virus-free.

As senior director of human resources for the Hillman Group Canada, the hardware and fastener company, Pileggi and her team have been on the front lines getting the company through the pandemic. That includes ongoing communication with the staff. Part of that communication involved a regular series of town hall-style meetings at the end of 2021. On the way back from one such meeting shortly before Christmas, she had a strong urge to secure rapid tests for the company. After speaking with Hillman Canada’s president Scott Ride, the decision was made to ensure a safe entry back to work for all staff and by the end of the year, Hillman had enough tests for the entire company.

Somewhere along the way, she caught COVID herself—for the second time. “I am double-vaxxed and everything, but I still got sick.”

Pileggi heads up an HR team of six, with Hillman’s safety specialist Katelyn Smith and HR manager, Nailah Tyrell, running the company’s COVID protocols. When the staff came back to work on Jan. 3, after a week off before Christmas, she was forced to stay home herself.

Those tests purchased turned out to be vital for screening the over 500 employees across the country working in their distribution and manufacturing facilities, especially as a few people in many locations tested positive. Those tests were done every Monday morning throughout January. After missing the Jan. 3 date due to her illness, Pileggi was on the job every Monday morning at 6 a.m.

The tests were important as well for the staff who were healthy, as the Omicron wave was surging. “We told staff that ‘we’re going to keep you safe. We’re going to rapid-test you,’” she says.

The entire month was spent chasing after the virus, a process made all the more exhausting by her being struck with long-haul symptoms that have left her debilitated weeks after she should have been virus-free. “I’ve got my sense of smell back, but not my sense of taste, and my brain still gets foggy sometimes.” All that combined resulted in a month that was nothing less than “a disaster,” she recalls.

“It was the best thing because our staff were very thankful that we’re able to keep them safe. We got them back working. I’m happy to say February’s off to a much better start. Our cases are more manageable now.”

How are companies in the hardware industry adjusting to the new realities of the disrupted workforce? According to a recent survey, most of them intend to grow their teams in 2022.

In a business survey of his clients and contacts, Wolf Gugler, president of Wolf Gugler Executive Search, found that 78 percent of his respondents anticipate either adding to their headcount or remaining at the status quo for 2022. “Half of our respondents indicated they’re happy and not considering a move, while the other half are open to or contemplating changing employers.”

Workers looking for a change, he says, “will keep corporate and external talent acquisition specialists very busy.” Their work is especially rigorous currently because of the competitive nature of the hiring process—something that has not been the case in the past. “There truly is a war for good talent, which requires employers to get creative.”

That means being upfront with the pros and cons of a company and its culture, and the need to be ready to offer hiring bonuses, increase vacation packages, and just be more flexible in general around the work culture.

Gugler has been busy hiring in the outdoor living and hardware categories, both in Canada and the U.S. His clients come from across the spectrum of the industry. Vendors, stocking distributors, and retailers are all in the hiring mix. And the pressure is on recruiters to find individuals who are experienced in the hardware and home improvement industry.

“We are seeing more clients request that we headhunt from specific organizations to try and acquire talent that’s already familiar with their category,” Gugler says. “This is especially true in the Canadian market, with the doing away with non-compete employment contracts.”

Gugler says 2021 proved to be the third-best year he’s had in a quarter-century in business. “I predict that 2022 will match or better that.”

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants LLC, a marketing, events, and branding firm. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry, working across all types of retail formats and categories, for more than 30 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. You can contact her at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com. 

Last month, I wrote about dealing with mental health in the workplace while maintaining profits. It was a chance to address the declining mental health of employees accelerated by the pandemic, with ideas to help normalize mental health issues and demonstrate flexibility and empathy toward employees. This time, we focus on one real tactical suggestion to help companies consider designing benefits that improve employees’ mental health.

Leaders of any type of organization need to be fully involved to defuse the stigma of talking about mental health. Their action has to be purposeful to truly open the lines of communication throughout the organization. It doesn’t help that, in today’s world, companies unintentionally add pressure by expecting employees to be constantly connected.

This is particularly true now when many employees are working remotely. In addition, retail workers are considered to be the employee group suffering the most from mental health issues since the pandemic. According to a report by Retail Trust, 84 percent of retail workers said their mental health declined during the pandemic.

One suggestion is to create a mental health care program that supports the needs of the individual and helps them feel financially secure. How do you get started? Let’s focus on one benefit that is perhaps the easiest to roll out—plus, it’s measurable. Companies have long recognized that engagement around community charities can help build a team feeling while paying for gym memberships can create healthier employees. Both of these benefits result in less absenteeism and more productivity. It’s a win-win.

Now, let’s take that same philosophy and apply it to introducing well-being benefits like calmness and mindfulness. There are a number of larger corporations in the news already applying these types of tactics throughout their organizations. The easiest way to do this is through software applications. Some of the most popular apps include CALM and Headspace for Work. Corporations are seeking their support and rolling out programs to help employees sleep better, manage anxiety, and develop mindfulness.

Most people already use apps. It’s an individual approach that maintains the employees’ privacy. This offers one tactic on how to start creating a mental health care program that supports employees. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!

By HR and health & safety consultancy Peninsula Canada

Employers have the legal obligation to take all reasonable precautions to ensure a safe workplace. This includes identifying seasonal hazards and taking the necessary steps to reduce any related risks. Failure to do so can result in injuries and absences as well as litigation.

We first recommend reviewing and updating your Health and Safety policies, so all employees are prepared for the following most common winter hazards:

Slips and falls. The risk of falls is significantly higher due to snowy conditions so it’s important to identify any areas around your workplace that can be dangerous when wet or icy, such as parking lots, pathways, and side entrances.

Winter commutes. Travelling to work whether by car or public transit can be challenging during severe winter weather. Having an inclement weather policy to provide clarity on the procedures to follow on severe weather days is important. It can help you prepare for sudden work closures due to an emergency.

An inclement weather policy establishes the procedures your business will follow if it temporarily closes due to harsh weather, a natural disaster, or an emergency. The policy should also communicate how employees would be notified of a business closure and whether they will be paid during the closure.

Mental health. The cold winter months can sometimes feel very long and cause some people to experience seasonal depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

The fear, anxiety, and prolonged isolation imposed by the COVID pandemic have also highlighted the importance of mental health. Wellness programs and activities are a great resource for employees to have in place. If you don’t have any programs available, you can offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). An EAP provides confidential counselling services to employees who may be going through personal challenges.

Peninsula is an HR and Health and Safety consulting firm serving over 80,000 small businesses worldwide, including dealers in home improvement. Clients are supported with ongoing updates to their workplace documentation and policies as legislation changes. Additionally, clients benefit from 24/7 employer HR advice and are protected by legal insurance.

To get an idea of what the hiring market will look like in the year ahead, we spoke with three executive search professionals who all specialize in the hardware and home improvement sector.

Wolf Gugler of Wolf Gugler Executive Search says the year has started off well for him, with new searches being generated in the roles of sales, operations, and sales leadership. He notes that the first two months of the year are typically active as many employees wait until they are paid their annual bonus before quitting for another position.

While the market is indeed active, says Stephen Borer, partner at DMC Recruitment Group, it’s “challenging,” and “the most difficult recruitment market for an employer that I’ve ever seen in 25 years.”

For this industry, issues like succession are being felt, especially at the dealer level, with a lack of candidates from a new generation to fill the gap in stores. For salespeople, supply chain disruptions mean they often don’t have anything to sell, so they’ll seek a company that does have the inventory and vitality to meet their needs.

Add to that the fact that other sectors are actively hiring now. “For the most part the market’s good and people are sucking up candidates,” Borer notes.

Matt Frost, recruitment consultant at Lock Search Group, expects 2022 will largely be about recalibrating client expectations. “Gone are the days where you could expect three to four candidates to be a part of the final interviews.” This approach may not work so well in such a fast-moving market as exists today, he warns. “If you have a candidate that meets all of your requirements, the recommended approach is to not waste time getting to the offer stage.

“We have seen a number of clients wanting to look at similar candidates to compare. This has led to companies losing out on great candidates, because the process was simply too drawn out.”

Gugler agrees. “There truly is a war for good talent, which requires employers to get creative.” In fact, in 2021, for the first time in years he saw a client offer a substantial hiring bonus to land a coveted candidate.

As we continue through the pandemic, Frost says employers are looking more than ever for hires who display resiliency and digital fluency. “Candidates are often looking for a hybrid work model. Some companies have adapted, while others have not. This will no doubt have a direct impact on retaining top talent throughout 2022 and beyond.”

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants LLC, a marketing, events, and branding firm. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry, working across all types of retail formats and categories, for more than 30 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. You can contact her at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com. 

The acceleration of mental health issues has forced society to take notice. Now, more than ever, well-being is tied to mental fitness. Prior to the pandemic, very few admitted their mental health issues. Since, many struggling with this disease have spoken out to elevate the conversation. Finally, mental health is starting to be addressed in the workplace.

It’s obvious that the pandemic pushed this topic into the spotlight. Most employees are comfortable discussing physical ailments like allergies, diabetes, cancer diagnoses, and COVID-19 positive results. Yet, many feel judged when sharing a mental illness diagnosis.

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review states that at least 68 percent of millennials (up from 50 percent in 2019) and 81 percent of Gen Zers (up from 75 percent) have left roles for mental health reasons. Mental health challenges permeate organizations affecting C-level roles too.

Regardless of size, many companies can show flexibility and empathy towards employees struggling with mental illness symptoms—without sacrificing profits. Company profits can be maintained by acting on this shift in the workplace. Those profits diminish with low productivity, poor quality of work, job dissatisfaction, and low loyalty, which can all result in critical negative profit measurements such as high absenteeism and turnover.

What can companies do to help employees succeed in managing mental wellness without giving up profits? Ultimately, employees need to feel recognized, supported, and accepted. A mental health diagnosis should not be a stigma. It should be treated like any other illness.

Incorporating a mental health care program into your company’s value system with benefits spelled out would be a start. Yet, it is more than just providing mental health funding. It is an emotional investment too. Employees need to be encouraged, at every level, to talk about the subject to help remove the shame.

Here are some suggestions to help normalize mental health issues and show employees flexibility and empathy:

• Create a mental health care program that supports the needs of the individual and helps them feel financially secure.
• Encourage employees to talk about mental health and create a safe space. Consider developing peer groups.
• Make regular check-ins on mental health status just like with job performance reviews.
• Train from the top down.
• Establish supervisor support at every level.
• For burnout, stress, or long hours, try introducing mindfulness groups or yoga sessions on-site that can help to offer relief.
• Paid time off should include mental health days.

It remains to be seen whether the pandemic has helped to normalize mental health struggles in the workplace. Companies showing flexibility and empathy towards their employees’ mental health will be the brands that will maintain—and gain—profits by creating a culture of support and acceptance.

By HR and health & safety consultancy Peninsula Canada

Given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant and cold winter weather, more and more employees are calling in sick. To ensure your business continues to operate in the event of staff shortages, you are wise to put in place a contingency plan. This is an action plan prepared in anticipation of an event that may disrupt normal business operations.

A contingency plan varies according to your business and industry, but here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when preparing a backup operational plan for your business.

Train substitutes for key roles. Identify your core services and critical employees and their roles. Ask yourself which services would you be able to continue with limited staff? Cross-train employees so that, if your staff handling key services get sick, you have employees ready and trained to step in.

Have a communication plan in place. Designate a point person for addressing all internal queries from staff. Update your sick-leave policies and share them with your team. Assign a staff member the responsibility to communicate any modification in your services or hours of operation to your customers and vendors.

Make use of government financial assistance programs. The federal and provincial governments have rolled out grants to assist with costs such as rent, utilities and maintenance, and staff wages. If your business operations have been impacted by local lockdowns or operating capacity restrictions implemented due to Omicron spread, you can apply for the new support programs.

Review your COVID health and safety measures often. While the purpose of a contingency plan is to function with a limited staff, you should make all possible efforts to avoid such a scenario in the first place. Review your COVID health and safety measures frequently and identify areas for improvement.

Peninsula is an HR and Health and Safety consulting firm serving over 80,000 small businesses worldwide, including dealers in home improvement. Clients are supported with ongoing updates to their workplace documentation and policies as legislation changes. Additionally, clients benefit from 24/7 employer HR advice and are protected by legal insurance.

An aging workforce, coupled with low pay, long hours, and vaccination and training mandates, has severely drained the driver pool, especially for long-haul transport. That’s putting a strain on many dealers and suppliers, who rely on timely deliveries to keep their customers happy.

Companies must offer higher wages and improved work conditions to attract—and keep—trained drivers. That can include ensuring they get enough rest.

“If one of our drivers needs a day off, he gets it,” says Dayton Point, general manager for Gibsons Building Supplies in Gibsons, B.C. This dealer has nine drivers and 12 trucks. Point credits third-generation managing director and CEO Julie Reeves for Gibsons’ “open arms policy” that “treats people like human beings” by “expanding your being to all of the staff.”

Finding experienced operators is becoming increasingly difficult, as a seasoned workforce heads into retirement. On top of that, bringing new people on board is getting more complicated, with some provinces imposing stiffer training mandates. Anyone now applying for a Class 1 license in British Columbia is required to complete mandatory entry-level training courses before a road test. The cost of this new program: $15,400 per applicant.

Any investment dealers and distributors make in their drivers runs the risk that once trained, the driver will bounce to another company that pays slightly better. Point probably speaks for many dealers when he expresses the hope that loyalty is a two-way street.

“We had an employee recently who wanted to be a driver and said he needed to take courses. Our owner asked, ‘who do I make the cheque out to?’ While we don’t ask them to sign contracts, we do expect some commitment.”

That attitude does appear to pay off, at least at Gibsons. “Our drivers seem to stay with

us for years,” Point says.

Afifa Siddiqui has worked in the remote space for more than a decade. So, she has some perspective on the challenge facing so much of the working world today.

As CEO of Cronos Consulting Group—whose team of recruitment consultants works in the fields of IT, development, engineering, and analytics—Siddiqui manages remote teams across Canada that handle recruitment and payroll for companies overseas.

She admits that she finds her performance more effective working at home, and her team of 15 people is managing similarly under COVID. But she still has to maintain effective contact with them.

Staying in touch and keeping people accountable are big aspects of her role these days.

She has one call a day per team function, whether it be HR, data, etc. Pre-COVID, she could go from office to office and speak with the team members, to check on them and track their performance. She could see first-hand what they had up on their whiteboards and measure progress on projects and goals.

“Now, it’s really about providing the team with the structure and metrics to do their jobs better remotely.”

While she works at a team level to benchmark performance, she also digs down to the individual level to create metrics for each person. “Everybody I have working for me is smarter than I am,” she says. “But they don’t all have the organizational skills you think they should have, so keeping everyone focused on their metrics is a big part of my job. It’s important even for my senior people.”

She says even the most dedicated people “can get lost in this environment, so even they need help to stay on task sometimes.”

Sarah McVanel is the founder of Greatness Magnified, an organization that specializes in providing training programs and certifications for employees at large. She is a recognition expert, professional speaker, coach, author, and creator of F.R.O.G.—Forever Recognize Others’ Greatness. With 25-plus years of experience, she invigorates companies to see their people as exceptional so that, together, they can create a thriving culture where everyone belongs.

A recent Globe and Mail article claims that for those of us in Canada, the “Great Resignation” is not a real thing.

“Official” trend or not, I have clients in an unprecedented staffing crisis. For them, attracting, onboarding, and retaining top talent has never been more challenging. We need to talk about turnover and what to do about it.

Your biggest “competition” for talent isn’t necessarily other employers. You are at risk of losing your best people to the employee themself. Now, employees and leaders alike are making intentional choices about sticking with a company based on:

• Commute they can avoid

• Lifestyle they want

• Hobby they can turn into a business

• Side hustle they can scale up

• Team with people nicer to them

• Lifestyle changes they’ll make to compensate for less pay

In other words, people are redefining what career and life success looks like for them.

Employees, middle managers, and even executives are realizing they don’t have to sacrifice sleep, civility, lifestyle, focus, work-life balance, and happiness (among other things) in a role they climbed to because they thought they had to be there. The world of work is being redefined as you read this.

The Great Resignation—real or not—isn’t the issue. It’s a symptom.

Now, more than ever, we must pay close attention to employees to determine whether they find their work meaningful. Do they feel valued and appreciated, do their values align with the organization, and most of all, are they healthy and well?

These last 19-plus months have shown us that we have to cherish our health and decide what’s important to us. We are forever changed, and one of the first things to go was our assumptions about work.