HR Matters

Plan now for 2012 Professional Recognition Dinners

2012-01-23T17:06:00.000-06:00

If you had just put 3,600 hours in on-the-job training, toiled through emerit Tourism Professional Certification, spent countless nights studying for exams and sweated through a multitude of performance evaluations, don't you think you deserve a spectacular graduation party?

We certainly think you deserve it. So, circle these dates on your calendar to help us celebrate our 19th Annual Tourism Professional Recognition Dinners.

Saskatoon dinner: June 11, Sheraton Cavalier.
Regina dinner: June 13, Regina Inn.

These dinners recognize the culmination of years' worth of effort that Saskatchewan's tourism workers have dedicated toward building substantial long-term careers. While they don't often get the public attention of, say, high school or university graduation ceremonies, these dinners represent a significant achievement in the lives of the young people - and sometimes not-so-young people - who have completed their training. Maybe you know someone, such as a friend or family member, who has made Journeyperson or who has completed their Tourism Professional Certification. Make sure you congratulate them for their achievement. There are more than 4,000 such people in Saskatchewan currently.

The two annual dinners also recognize the contributions of the people and businesses that provide training, facilities and other support, as well as the people and businesses that show outstanding professionalism in Saskatchewan's tourism sector. It's one heck of a night that's not soon forgotten by those who are there.

Recognition categories

Certification Honourees

Certified tourism industry professionals recognize the value of lifelong learning and personal development. Many tourism professionals have attained certification in two or more occupations.

Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors

The Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC) advances the professional development of travel counsellors and managers. It promotes the national industry designations of Certified Travel Counsellor (CTC) and Certified Travel Manager (CTM).

Journeypersons

Tourism apprenticeships are offered through STEC in partnership with the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission. Apprenticeships are available in two trades: Guest Services Representative and Food and Beverage Person. To become journeypersons, apprentices must have 3,600 hours of work experience, receive professional certification in their chosen trade, complete a range of occupational, safety and trade-related training, and successfully pass a series of examinations.

Property Recognition

Education and training opportunities for frontline staff are key to the success of Saskatchewan’s tourism sector. Employer support and encouragement are critical. The tourism sector acknowledges Saskatchewan businesses for their commitment to staff development through emerit National Occupational Standards and Professional Certification.

Service Best Recognition

Businesses that attain a high level of achievement – at least 60% staff or management participation in Service Best – are recognized in our Business Recognition program.

Employer of Choice Recognition

STEC's Employer of Choice program is designed to assist tourism businesses across the province in attracting and retaining staff by providing employers with the tools and resources to engage in best practices, increase staff training, improve organizational human resources practices, and be recognized as a leader in the tourism sector.

Ambassador Awards

The tourism sector is made up of five industries: accommodations, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation, and travel services. There may not be an award given for all industries in every year. Nominees for an Ambassador Award must meet the following criteria: certified in a tourism occupation, active in tourism, embody the values of certification, and exhibit an ongoing commitment to professionalism in tourism.

More information on our Professional Recognition Dinners.
See last year's program or announcement.

Three new downloadable workbooks available from emerit

2012-01-20T14:59:00.004-06:00

If you've earned your national emerit certification in one of Canada's recognized tourism professions, you're likely familiar with the training workbook that you received. While you were able to complete other components of your training online, that workbook was only available in its printed edition - until now.

This week, emerit released the workbook in a new, downloadable format, starting with these three occupations:

The cost for each of the downloadable versions is $70, compared with $85 for the hard-copy workbooks. You can still download and use the national occupational standards for free.

emerit is recognized by tourism employers across Canada. Tourism Certified Professionals meet job standards set by industry. To become certified, individuals must pass exams demonstrating their knowledge and practical skills, and complete a minimum number of hours to gain experience. It takes from six months to two years to become emerit certified, depending on past experience and knowledge.

emerit Professional Certification is available for 27 of the 46 tourism professions with National Occupational Standards. STEC is the local representative of the emerit training brand, offered through the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council. Certification obtained in Saskatchewan is recognized nationally across Canada. In 2011, STEC recognized the province's 2000th certified professional.

Designations are available for Tourism Certified Professional (TCP), Tourism Certified Supervisor (TCS), and Tourism Certified Manager (TCM).

Meadow Lake readies for Service Best

2012-01-18T16:58:00.000-06:00

"Customer service is key to tourism," notes 55 West Enterprise Region Economic Development director Corey Bowers.

That's why he's looking for Meadow Lake and area businesses to sign up for Service Best in March.

There's a real need, Bowers says. There aren't a lot of businesses that have customer service training available to them.

He chose the program offered by STEC because it's "one of the best ones out there," he says.

The entertaining and interactive workshop provides useful tools to help front line staff create memorable customer experiences, identify and respond to customer needs, and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal allies. Service Best is ideal for anyone who deals with customers, including trades, retail and health care. The program content is wide-ranging, not focused exclusively on tourism and hospitality work.

In addition to finding employees in local businesses to fill the workshop, Bowers plans to include volunteers who will be working with the 2012 Saskatchewan Summer Games, being held in Meadow Lake, July 29 to August 4.

Businesses that have 60 per cent or more of their staff or management completing Service Best, receive recognition through STEC's Business Recognition program.

This edition of Service Best workshop is being offered at special group pricing to make it easier for businesses to enrol.

Workshop details:

Date: March 8, 2012
Location: Meadow Lake
Length: 7 hours
Cost: $79.00 plus GST (Compare with our regular prices: $109 for Tourism Saskatchewan members, $129 for non-members)
Register by: March 1, 2012

Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com
For questions about Service Best: stec.training@sasktourism.com
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

Open to the public. Pre-registration required.

Download the Service Best promotional flyer.

Lake Diefenbaker Service Best workshops

2012-01-18T15:31:00.000-06:00

Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area aims to have 60 per cent of businesses and 60 per cent of staff in those businesses participating in Service Best.

That's why STEC is offering it's award-winning Service Best workshop in communities throughout the region, at special group pricing* that makes it easier than ever for businesses to empower their frontline staff to deliver superior customer service. Service Best is ideal for anyone who deals with customers, in any industry, from tourism to retail to health care.

Upcoming Workshops:

Elbow, February 15.
Central Butte, February 21.
Whitecap, February 22.
Outlook, February 28.
Davidson, February 29.

Enrolment:
Visit steconlinelearning.com to sign up for the scheduled workshops.

For questions about Service Best: stec.training@sasktourism.com
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

*Special Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Service Best Initiative Rate: $79 for all registrants + GST (Regular Fee is $109 for Tourism Saskatchewan members, $129 for non-members).

RTW launches in Ile a la Crosse

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

STEC and its northern partners Can-Sask Career and Employment Services, Primrose Lake Economic Development Corporation and Northern Career Quest launched Camp Services – Ready to Work in Ile a la Crosse today, January 16. Participants will develop workplace essential skills, and will be introduced to culinary arts and the standards for housekeeping, as well as earn certificates in First Aid / CPR, WHMIS and Food Safe.

The RTW program combines classroom instruction, hands-on skills training, and on-the-job mentoring to under-represented groups making a transition from unemployment or underemployment into the tourism workforce. Since its inception in 1994, more than 40 communities in Saskatchewan and more than 2,900 individuals have participated in RTW, found long-term rewarding careers, returned to school, completed journeyperson trades certification, or received promotions from frontline to supervisory positions.

New year, workshops gear up

2012-01-12T11:27:00.000-06:00

I've just posted new workshop dates, such as HR Essentials and Starting a Fruit Winery. Now that the holidays are behind us, workshops and programs are getting into full swing. Check out the full listing, updated regularly, on STEC's Training and Events Calendar or Online Learning portal.

Starting a Fruit Winery

2012-01-12T11:10:00.003-06:00

Five-day workshop, January 23 to 27, 2012

Led by Dominic Rivard, internationally-renowned and award-winning wine master, this five-day program is an excellent source of training and information for those who wish to make fruit wine. Lectures, assignments and tests as well as the textbook will be presented by qualified instructors (Dominic and two others for the regulatory and funding programs).

Dominic has been a consulting wine maker for the last 15 years, specializing in making wine from fruit. Dominic’s training and experience have led to his involvement in successful fruit wine startups worldwide and dozens of medals for the products he produces. Visit Dominic's blog, The Daily Fruit Wine.

Date: January 23 - 27, 2012. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. daily
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Price: $995 + GST / person
Register by: January 15, 2012
Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com

Contact: Tim Ouellette, Industry Consultant, Industry Development, tim.ouellette@sasktourism.com
Phone: 306-933-5900
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

HR Essentials for tourism business owners and managers

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

HR Management - for people who aren't HR Managers

STEC is holding two workshops on human resources management for people who aren’t HR managers. HR Essentials provides a five-step process that shows you in less than six hours how to find reliable employees, create a productive workplace and reduce expensive staff turnover. With your own copy of the emerit HR Toolkit, you’ll learn how to prepare job advertisements that get results, create application forms that ask the right questions, and conduct interviews that weed out unqualified candidates. The workshop shows you how to build a winning team that keeps your business competitive and lets you plan for a secure future. The workshop also covers occupational health and safety, employee orientation, and staff training. Your HR Toolkit contains all the forms and templates you need to get started right away.

Two HR Essentials workshops are scheduled: in Saskatoon, Tuesday, February 7; and in Regina, Wednesday, February 8. Cost is $175/person, plus GST. For more information, visit www.steconlinelearning.com.

RTW Culinary Arts holds VIP luncheon in Regina

2012-01-11T12:07:00.000-06:00

Mouth-watering duck salad starts VIP
luncheon as participants showcase their
talents at the conclusion of Ready to
Work (RTW) – Intro to Culinary Arts –
Tourism Careers.

Participants concluding their Ready to Work (RTW) – Intro to Culinary Arts – Tourism Careers program in Regina hosted a VIP luncheon at the Adult Centre for Employment Readiness and Training (ACERT), November 18. The luncheon allowed 19 adult students to showcase their skills to their families and local MLAs.

Ready to Work is a career awareness, skills development, and transition-to-employment program that assists individuals in finding long-term, rewarding careers in the tourism sector. It is coordinated nationally through the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) and delivered in Saskatchewan by the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC), a division of Tourism Saskatchewan, with support from federal, provincial and community partners. In Regina, these partners include the City of Regina, Regina Trade and Skills Centre (RTSC), Regina Food Bank, First Nations Employment Centre and Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

SHSA completes STEC facilitator's workshop for staff

2012-01-11T11:33:00.001-06:00

The Service and Hospitality Safety Association of Saskatchewan (SHSA) arranged STEC’s Facilitator Skills Development Workshop for nine staff in November.

The 3½-day “train the trainer” workshop builds a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for anyone who delivers training or presentations to adults. The workshop is required for all contract facilitators of STEC training programs, but in this instance the SHSA was looking for a program that would help its staff deliver its own training and services more effectively. The STEC program was a perfect match because it’s tailored to industries in the tourism sector, providing participants with skills and practice that make them better communicators and trainers.

Any organization can use the facilitators’ workshop to help staff create more productive working relationships, and to engage and motivate their clients. The SHSA participants said that in addition to discovering those benefits, they valued the way the workshop approaches planning and facilitating.

More Service Best workshops in Prince Albert

2012-01-10T11:29:00.000-06:00

STEC has scheduled Service Best workshops in Prince Albert at a reduced rate to help area businesses create Canada's first Service Best City.

Prince Albert Tourism, Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce, Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District and North Central Enterprise Region have challenged local and area businesses to become designated as Service Best Businesses. Prince Albert becomes a Service Best City when 300 of the 500 businesses that are members of the Chamber of Commerce achieve Service Best Business designation.

For workshop dates and registration information, visit www.steconlinelearning.com.

Lake Diefenbaker area teachers ready to deliver Service Best in high schools

2012-01-10T11:22:00.000-06:00

Mid-Sask Enterprise Region organized a Teachers’ In-Service workshop in Outlook in November. Seven teachers from schools in the Sun West School Division, and another from Prairie Spirit School Division in Blaine Lake, certified as facilitators to deliver Service Best in the destination region’s high schools to give students a competitive advantage in their summer jobs. Most people get their first job experience working in tourism, so early customer service training can really help.

Diefenbaker Destination Developments is setting the groundwork for becoming the first Service Best Area. As part of its destination strategy designed to improve tourism infrastructure, training and awareness, the non-profit organization and its partners, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, Tourism Saskatchewan, Lake Diefenbaker Tourism, and the Mid-Sask Enterprise Region are working to create a culture of service excellence.

From now until the end of March, the destination area is setting up Service Best in Outlook, Elbow, Central Butte, Lucky Lake and Davidson. STEC is making the workshop available at special group pricing that makes it easier to empower frontline staff to deliver superior customer service. For workshop dates and registration information, visit www.steconlinelearning.com.

Tourism Saskatoon looking for marketing director

2012-01-09T12:06:00.002-06:00

Tourism Saskatoon is looking for a Director of Markets & Advertising. Application Deadline is January 20. For details, visit the Tourism Saskatoon careers page.

Upcoming Service Best workshops

2011-12-15T15:52:00.000-06:00

Sign up today for STEC's award-winning, internationally recognized workshop, designed to help your frontline staff deliver superior customer service. This entertaining and interactive workshop provides useful tools to help you create memorable customer experiences, identify and respond to customer needs, and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal allies.

If your business achieves 60 per cent or greater staff or management participation in Service Best, it will receive recognition through our Business Recognition program.

If you want to give your business a competitive edge, register for this one-day workshop today!

January 10, Regina
January 17, Saskatoon
January 18, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
January 24, Humboldt
January 25, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
February 1, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
February 8, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
February 15, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
February 22, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative
February 29, Prince Albert Service Best Initiative

Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com User registration and ID required. We never share your personal information. Registration is fast, easy and free. If your organization is a member of Tourism Saskatchewan, your discounts are applied automatically each time you register for a workshop.

Contact: stec.training@sasktourism.com

Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

Open to the public. Pre-registration required.

Download the Service Best flyer.

HR Essentials workshops, Saskatoon and Regina, February 7 and 8

2011-12-15T15:45:00.002-06:00

Human Resource management for those who don't work in human resource management

The Human Resource Essentials Workshop provides essential tools and templates to help you with:

HR Planning
Staffing and Orientation.
Training
Performance Reviews
Retention

All participants receive an emerit HR Toolkit, designed to give business owners, managers, and supervisors a starting place for building a more effective workplace. The emerit HR Toolkit provides a wide array of tools and templates for organizations to customize. Our facilitator guides you through the topics and tools, helping you gain the confidence to apply these concepts to your own organization.

What did participants say they took away from the workshop?

"A whole new outlook on HR."
"Information shared and exchanged among facilitators and participants."
"A toolkit and action plan."

February 7, Saskatoon; February 8, Regina
Length: 6 hours
Cost: $175/person + GST
Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com
Contact: stec.training@sasktourism.com for registration information
Questions about the workshop: Jan Rodda, STEC Manager of Industry HR Development
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529

“Bridging the Gap” Workshop

2011-11-17T15:28:00.000-06:00

The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC), is offering a free, half-day workshop for employment service providers and community-based service organizations called "Bridging the Gap" – Preparing Internationally Trained Workers for Careers in the Canadian Tourism Industry.

The workshop addresses common challenges that these organizations face when assisting their clients who may be transitioning into the tourism sector:

Identify the needs of employment service providers working with newcomers working in tourism.
Introduce specialized tools and resources that ease newcomers’ transition into the Canadian tourism sector.

The workshop will take place in Saskatoon on Wednesday, November 30 from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information, or to register, please contact Darla Wyatt, STEC Career Coordinator at 1-800-331-1529 or darla.wyatt@sasktourism.com.

Help create a National Occupational Standard for Hotel General Manager

2011-11-17T15:26:00.000-06:00

The Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC) is looking for hotel managers to participate in a one-day focus group to provide feedback on a proposed emerit National Occupational Standard for Hotel General Manager. The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council is developing the National Occupational Standard and Essential Skills Profile in collaboration with STEC.

We are looking for managers responsible for day-to-day management of their properties and staff, including those working in limited service or full service properties, and independent or chain hotels. Your knowledge and experience will help create an emerit standard that accurately reflects the realities of the occupation.

The focus group will be held in Saskatoon on Tuesday, November 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reimbursement is available for pre-approved travel expenses, accommodations and incidentals.

For more information, please contact Darla Wyatt, STEC Career Coordinator at 1-800-331-1529 or darla.wyatt@sasktourism.com.

10th Annual Tourism & Hospitality HR Forum

2011-10-20T15:24:00.000-06:00

The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) and the Tourism Industry Association of PEI (TIAPEI) present the 10th Annual Tourism & Hospitality HR Forum, November 14-16 in Charlottetown, PEI. The Forum is open to HR and non-HR professionals, both inside and outside of the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Hands-on sessions will focus exclusively on helping you find solutions for the toughest challenges you face today:

Staffing seasonal operations
Handling labour shortages
The impact of social media on your workplace
Integrating new Canadians and temporary foreign workers in the workforce
Partnerships connecting education and industry
Finding the right talent
Compensation
Succession planning
Recruitment and retention strategies Register online today by visiting the CTHRC website.

Nominate a business for the Hotel Association of Canada’s Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence

2011-10-20T15:20:00.000-06:00

We have some of the best employers in the country – and they deserve to be recognized for their hard work. The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) is now accepting nominations for the 2011 Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence.

The Canadian Tourism Human Resources Council sponsors the Human Resources Award, given to programs that develop a human resources culture that attracts, develops, and retains highly qualified employees. The result is motivated staff who are able to generate new or repeat business, create goodwill among guests, provide special services, reverse negative public relations situations, and effectively resolve guest complaints.

Information about all of the awards, eligibility criteria, and nomination forms are available on the HAC website. Applications must be submitted by Monday, November 28.

Service Best workshops around the province

2011-10-20T15:17:00.000-06:00

The Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council has organized province-wide Service Best workshops for this fall and winter, making right now the perfect time to register your front-line employees for training in the delivery of superior customer service. This entertaining and interactive workshop provides useful tools for creating memorable customer experiences, responding to customer needs, and turning dissatisfied customers into loyal allies.

Workshops are scheduled throughout the province: Estevan/Weyburn, Humboldt, Meadow Lake, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current and Yorkton.

If you do business in Prince Albert or the Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area, you can register for one of four special Service Best workshops, Service Best Management, or Service Best Teacher In-Service. Prince Albert aims to be Canada's first "Service Best City", with at least 60% of the city's businesses achieving the designation. Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area also plans to have 60% of businesses designated, creating a culture of service excellence and drawing more visitors to the area.

For more information, visit www.stec.com or www.steconlinelearning.com.

CTHRC 10th Annual Tourism HR Forum

2011-09-29T15:02:00.000-06:00

An exciting program is being developed for the 10th Annual Tourism HR Forum, which is taking place November 14-16, 2011 in Charlottetown, PEI at the Rodd Charlottetown. Visit the Forum website.

Lake Diefenbaker aims for region-wide Service Best delivery

2011-09-01T17:14:00.000-06:00

The Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area aims to become recognized as a Service Best Region.

Mid Sask Enterprise Region, Diefenbaker Destination Developments, Whitecap Dakota First Nation, and the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council are working to designate the region as a Service Best Region, with 60 per cent of the businesses and 60 per cent of the staff in those businesses participating in STEC's Service Best program. The region wants to create a "culture of service excellence" that draws more visitors.

Good service doesn't happen by accident. Creating a service culture requires an investment in training to develop the skills, and to engage fontline staff, supervisors and managers in conversations around what it means to give customers superior service.

We're opening up opportunities throughout the Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Development Area to learn more about providing great customer service.

Service Best Teacher In-Service workshops. The Service Best Teacher In-Service workshop certifies educators to deliver the Service Best workshop in their schools and to the public.
Service Best in High Schools. Most students get their earliest job experiences in tourism businesses, yet they often enter the job market without a good understanding of customer service. Providing the Service Best workshop in high schools not only gives students valuable skills to land their first job, but also to help them in subsequent work in the tourism sector and throughout their careers.
Service Best. Enrolling your frontline staff in a Service Best workshop gives them the skills and confidence to deliver superior customer service. They'll learn useful tools that create memorable customer experiences, identify and respond to customer needs, and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal allies.
Service Best Management. Enrolling frontline staff in Service Best gets the customer service conversation rolling, but it doesn't end there. For business owners and managers, the Service Best Management workshop will help you create the right environment for delivering superior customer service. This workshop will benefit your business on every level, from a more positive work environment and higher staff retention to satisfied customers, repeat business, new patrons, and increased profits.
Service Best Business Recognition. A businesses that attains at least 60 per cent staff or management participation in Service Best is recognized as a Service Best Business. Business recognition sends a strong message to consumers, creates a powerful promotional punch, and opens opportunities for businesses to cooperate in demonstrating their Service Best competitive advantage.
Service Best Region Recognition. When at least 60 per cent of businesses in a region have achieved Service Best Business designation, that region receives recognition as a Service Best Region. Service Best communities are cities and towns across Saskatchewan that have achieved 60 per cent or greater frontline and management participation in Service Best. Our goal is to see the entire Lake Diefenbaker Tourism Destination Area recognized for its participation in Service Best, becoming our first Service Best Region.

To learn more about the Lake Diefenbaker Destination Area Service Best initiative or to find out how your school, business or community can benefit from this training, please call:
Holly Vollmer, Economic Development Officer, Mid Sask Enterprise Region, (306) 860-7404.

To register for a workshop or to find more about how Service Best can help your organization perform better, contact STEC:
Register online: www.steconlinelearning.com

NOTE: User registration required. We never share your personal information. Registration to gain access to the online learning site is fast, easy and free. If your organization is a member of Tourism Saskatchewan, your discounts are applied automatically each time you enrol in a workshop.

Contact: stec.training@sasktourism.com
Toll Free: 1-800-331-1529
STEC Service Best Programs: http://www.stec.com/training/workshops/service-best

Find upcoming workshops listed on our training and events calendar.

Tourism Scholarships Awarded

2011-06-30T14:59:00.000-06:00

Chelsea Woolhouse has been awarded one of two Tourism Saskatchewan Scholarships. A $500 scholarship is awarded annually to a second year SIAST Recreation and Tourism Management student. Woolhouse worked previously as Economic Development officer in Gravelbourg and served on the town’s tourism and museum boards. She was instrumental in planning the annual Summer Solstice Festival D’été. Last summer she worked at the Ness Creek Music Festival in Big River.

Troy Crowe received a $500 scholarship awarded annually to a Saskatchewan student enrolled in the Adventure Tourism & Outdoor Recreation (ATOR) program at Lakeland College in Vermillion, AB. Crowe fell in love with the outdoors after taking part in a Kinsmen Telemiracle 10-day trail ride at the age of eight. After high school, he explored the USA and Canada, inspired by the book Into the Wild by John Krauker, an adventure that ultimately led to entering the ATOR program. While there, he started riding bulls and certified as a PADI professional rescue diver.

Certified Professionals and Journeypersons Honoured

2011-06-16T14:57:00.000-06:00

Saskatchewan’s tourism sector honoured 131 new nationally certified tourism professionals and 34 apprentices at the 18th Annual Tourism Professional Recognition Dinners, June 13 at the Travelodge Hotel Saskatoon and June 15 at the Ramada Hotel & Convention Centre in Regina.

Two honourees received special recognition at the Saskatoon dinner. Lena Mah, who worked at the Park Town Hotel in 1994, was the first person in Saskatchewan to complete a professional certification, as Bartender. Lisa Poundmaker, certified in Food and Beverage Server and Bartender at Dakota Dunes Casino, received STEC’s 2,000th certification. Both women were presented with special gifts in recognition of the milestones their professional certifications represent for tourism.

The dinners also acknowledged the contributions of 28 Saskatchewan businesses committed to employee development through National Occupational Standards and emerit Professional Certification, 36 organizations that have achieved Service Best Business designation and nine businesses recognized as Employers of Choice.

Tourism Ambassadors and Educator of the Year Announced

2011-06-16T14:54:00.000-06:00

Three individuals received Ambassador Awards, presented at the 18th Annual Tourism Professional Recognition Dinners in Saskatoon and Regina, June 13 and 15, respectively. The awards are presented to outstanding certified professionals who demonstrate exemplary dedication to professional development in Saskatchewan’s tourism sector.

Rita Mayes, Housekeeping Manager at the Radisson Hotel, Saskatoon, received the award for the Accommodations industry.
Kathy Fitton, Manager of the Western Development Museum, Moose Jaw, was named Ambassador for the Recreation and Entertainment industry.
Rob Campbell, Divisional Manager for Athabasca Catering, La Ronge, is Ambassador for the Food and Beverage Services industry.
Sharon Hopkins, Continuing Education Consultant in the Business division and Community Services division at SIAST Woodland Campus in Prince Albert, received the Educator of the Year Award.

The Employer of Choice program for 2012 is now open

2011-05-18T15:00:00.000-06:00

Start now to earn your Employer of Choice designation in 2012. Log in or set up a new account at www.steceoc.com. You have until November 30 to complete the employer audit and employee survey.

It will take about 50 to 60 hours to complete you application. Employers of Choice are announced at the 2012 HOST tourism convention next spring.

Tourism industries are facing a potential labour short-fall of 6,500 workers within the next 15 years. Employers of Choice are in a prime position to attract – and keep – the best workers.

View the 2011 Employers of Choice.

Log in our sign up for Employer of Choice and begin your application now.

Find out more about the Employer of Choice program.

Dates: May 1 - November 30, 2011

Charter signatories take the lead on making Saskatchewan a safer place

2011-05-12T14:51:00.000-06:00

On June 10 last year, 128 Saskatchewan employers signed the province’s first Health and Safety Leadership Charter, an initiative co-sponsored by WorkSafe Saskatchewan and Safe Saskatchewan. The charter was founded as an opportunity for business and community leaders to make a public commitment to help solve what has been described as Saskatchewan’s “injury epidemic.” So far, an additional 75 senior leaders have committed to adding their names to the charter at the second annual signing at TCU Place in Saskatoon, June 9.

The principles of the Saskatchewan Health and Safety Leadership Charter are based on the CEO Leadership Charter developed by Bruce Power in 2005. The Conference Board of Canada has now adopted the Bruce Power charter, expanding its scope to become the national Senior Executive Health and Safety Leadership Charter.

WorkSafe Saskatchewan and Safe Saskatchewan received permission to adapt the principles of that charter and to create one that would apply to both the private and the public sector.

“We wanted to bring that national charter to Saskatchewan, but we wanted to accommodate the interest of the provincial government in signing onto the charter,” says Safe Saskatchewan CEO Gord Moker.

WorkSafe Saskatchewan and Safe Saskatchewan began planning with modest goals.
“When we started out, we thought if we could get 100 signatories we’d be doing really well,” Moker says. At the inaugural event, 200 leaders representing 128 companies signed the charter. In September, the North Saskatoon Business Association hosted a second signing event and another 47 companies joined the initiative, followed by 20 more at a third event hosted by the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce. The current total number of signatories is just under 200.

“This response shows the character of Saskatchewan people and its leaders,” Moker says. “While the Conference Board charter has just over 300 signatories since 2007, in two short years we will have 275 government, business and community leaders who are demonstrating their commitment to health and safety, in and away from the workplace.”

Safe Saskatchewan and WorkSafe Saskatchewan have now created an annual event around the leadership charter. The gathering of Saskatchewan senior leaders will welcome new charter signatories, honour past signatories, and provide an opportunity to establish a dialogue on health and safety.

Moker stresses that signing the Charter is not simply a photo opportunity. It’s making a commitment to work toward the elimination of unintentional injuries in Saskatchewan. “It’s a leader making a pledge on behalf of their company,” he explains. “Any change in a safety culture has to start at the top. Even if employees want a change to occur, it’s not going to happen unless the leaders embody the change.”

“We want help putting an end to this injury epidemic,” Moker says. “We have the second highest injury rate in the workplace and the highest injury rate away from the workplace in Canada. People don’t realize that after work in our province, there’s twice the chance that people will have an injury, four times the chance that they’ll suffer permanent injury and five times the chance that they’ll die from a preventable injury after five o’clock or after their work shift.”

“We accept injuries as a part of everyday life here in Saskatchewan, and we can’t continue this way,” he adds. “The answer lies in transforming our culture to the point where injury prevention is a core value with every business, every government agency, and every citizen in our province.”

Please email info@safesask.com and a charter organizer will be in touch with you, or phone Gord Moker of Safe Saskatchewan at (306) 352-3810.

Return-to-Work plans: lessening the impact of workplace injuries

2011-05-12T14:49:00.000-06:00

Guest post
By Heather Becker, Manager, Social Marketing, Planning and Communications, Workers' Compensation Board

“It happened so fast. I wish I could turn back the clock.”

Unfortunately, you can’t undo an injury, but there are steps employers and injured workers can take to help life stay as normal as possible during recovery.

A work injury affects more than just the injured worker. The person’s family may suffer from the change in routine or financial loss. The community may lose a valued coach or committee member. Co-workers who witness an injury can be impacted emotionally or their work duties may change. Injuries are always costly to the employer, whether it is through lost productivity, additional hiring, retraining or surcharges. There may even be damaged equipment from the incident.

When a worker is injured, the everyone’s goal is to have the worker recover as quickly and as fully as possible. This is where a well developed return-to-work (RTW) plan is key.

Grant Van Eaton, Director of Case Management South at the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), says: “The best scenario is where the return-to-work program is set up ahead of time, and the employers let the workers know what it is. In these situations, an injured worker knows what information the employer needs before they go to their health care provider. This saves repeat visits to the healthcare provider. In many cases, the worker is able to return to the workplace the day of the injury or the day after with their restrictions in hand.”

Van Eaton explains that in the best RTW plans, the employer already has meaningful, productive employment planned for injured workers.

Annette Goski, Account Manager at the WCB, explains that a RTW plan is like having a fire drill or emergency plan.

“It’s something you want in place before you have an injury,” Goski says. “It makes it efficient if you’ve established alternate duties for all of your workers. Having a pre-determined RTW plan means that every injured worker in a workplace will be treated fairly and consistently.”

She explains that implementing the RTW plan helps both the worker and the employer. For workers, she says: “They stay connected to the workplace, helping them get back to their regular jobs faster. The longer they are away, the harder it is and the less likely they are to return to work. There could be new people, new equipment and new ways of doing things. A RTW program makes the transition back to work easier. The social contact also helps people to recover faster.”

Goski points out that returning to work also allows workers to retain benefits that could be lost when they are out of the workplace.

She says that maintaining routine has a great psychological benefit for the worker and the worker’s family.

“It lessens the impact and perception of disability when you get out of the house and you are back with your co-workers on a day to day basis,” she says.

RTW programs also help employers. Goski says, “I tell employers, your employees are your most valuable asset. You’ve spent a lot of money hiring and training them. You want to retain that knowledge in your workplace.”

You can’t change an injury once it has happened, but through a thoughtful RTW plan, you can mitigate its impact for your employees and your company.

The WCB offers a free two-day Effective Return-to-Work training course for employers. Participants leave with knowledge and tools to establish their own RTW program. For more information about RTW or the Effective RTW Training Course, visit www.worksafesask.ca.

Safety management systems reduce time-loss claims in Saskatchewan

2011-05-12T14:45:00.000-06:00

Our colleagues at the Service and Hospitality Safety Association (SHSA) are making great strides toward reducing service and hospitality industries’ time-loss claim costs. Accommodation properties, in particular, pay more than twice the WCB rate of their counterparts in Canada’s other three western provinces, reflecting an historic trend that Safe Saskatchewan and Worksafe Saskatchewan have described as Saskatchewan’s “injury epidemic”.

The SHSA put a good dent in that trend last year, reducing claims by 159 industry wide – exceeding their goal by 260 per cent and saving an estimated $650,000 in direct costs plus $3.3 million in indirect costs for the employers involved.

The SHSA adopted a renewed strategic focus that includes helping businesses to establish comprehensive safety management systems.

A safety management system uses a systematic approach to identifying hazards and managing risks. It involves goal setting, planning and performance measurement. Most importantly, it puts the emphasis on creating a safety culture.

“We can show businesses how to do this successfully,” says Larry Glow, the SHSA’s senior safety advisor. “All they require is the willingness to improve.”

“There are some parts to it that must come first,” Glow adds. “There needs to be actual commitment – up front.”

Making that commitment public, coming from the CEO or top management, increases the likelihood of follow-through and success. So, the SHSA insists that every business that wants to improve safety start by signing the Saskatchewan Health and Safety Leadership Charter.

“If you would like to participate in the next signing of the Charter, June 9, then that means that you’re publicly saying you want to make a difference,” Glow Says.

The SHSA then works with the business to conduct a safety evaluation, essentially a one-day “mini-audit” to identify priority areas that need to be addressed. When it has completed the evaluation, the SHSA returns with an action plan for improving safety in the workplace.

“It may mean training, it may mean coaching on our part, but it’s all services we provide here out of our offices,” Glow says. “Finally, after they’ve got all that rolling, one year later we’re back in there again with another safety evaluation to show them how they’re doing.”

It might sound like an onerous task, but Glow emphasizes that it’s not at all difficult.

“We’re showing them the values of doing these things – not only reducing injuries, of course, but we’re showing, as well, the values of reduced absenteeism, we’re showing the values of improved workmanship and improved quality and so on. There’s a net benefit.”

The SHSA’s strategy includes identifying the 30 businesses within its 3900-strong membership that needed the most help to overcome their safety issues. Dubbed the “Priority 30”, these businesses accounted for 338 time-loss claims in 2009 at an estimated shared cost of $1.7 million to $3.4 million to the industry.

Glow describes it as a “best practices” group, focusing the majority of the SHSA’s resources on a whole sector, starting with hotels. The initiative provides site-specific training, claims management, incident investigation and hazard analysis. The SHSA helps those members set up the procedures, practices and policies needed to make it all work.

“Instead of working with one or two hotels per year, we’re now working with them all at once,” Glow says.

“The efficiency of bringing a whole industry sector together, as opposed to just working with one or two per year, is really going to make a difference,” he adds. “We’re giving them much more value than ever before.”

The targeted approach also makes it possible to measure success throughout the industry. Employers can see whether injury and incident rates are dropping. As claims decrease, WCB rates will follow, resulting in lower premiums for all employers.

“I predict we’ll see them going even lower than Manitoba’s and Alberta’s rates,” Glow says.

Some employers need a more rigorous standard that’s recognized across industry sectors, such as when they supply services to large construction companies. In that case, businesses can look at the Certificate of Recognition (COR) Program. Primarily developed for construction safety, COR was introduced to Saskatchewan service and hospitality industries by the SHSA in 2010, in conjunction with the Joint Industry Committee and the Saskatchewan Construction Industry Association.

In its strategic plan, the SHSA aims to certify one employer per year. It’s already advancing ahead of that plan, with one member completing certification last year and two in the works for 2011.

Most employers’ needs can be met by implementing a safety management system, Glow says. In some circumstances, however, a business needs COR before it can do business with a major employer, such as a construction company or mine site that requires the certification among all the sub-trades it contracts. Service companies that provide catering or security, for example, might need to certify.

In those cases, the SHSA is able to help its members meet their COR standards.

“We’re qualified and fully auditable,” Glow says.

The best successes come from building a safety culture, regardless of the certifications attained, he adds.

“We’re working on culture. We do that through a safety management system. Most of our employers – large employers – don’t use COR for their successes, and they are major successes. COR is important if you want to have your business recognized by another business. To go work for them, COR is very important. But most businesses don’t need that.”

Wellness: Why spending on your employees’ well being is good business

2011-05-12T14:32:00.000-06:00

Absenteeism and turnover cost a lot more than you might think

Absenteeism and turnover are costly, as well as disruptive to your enterprise. A Statistics Canada labour force survey found that the average worker missed 10 days of work 2009, nearly double what it was just a decade earlier, costing employers about $2,500 per absent employee. Replacing employees lost through turnover costs even more, the equivalent of 18 months’ salary to replace a manager or professional or six months’ wages to replace an hourly worker. A survey last year by the Conference Board of Canada found that most employers don’t track absenteeism, so they aren’t likely to know how much it’s actually costing them.

The top reasons for missing work, the labour force survey found, boil down to:

illness or disability,
caring for family members,
and personal or family responsibilities.

Much of that absenteeism is tied to workplace stress. Other studies show that sick or stressed-out employees who remain at work performing less than their best cost employers far more in lost productivity than absenteeism.

In short, employee wellness – or lack of it – costs Canadian businesses hugely, an estimated $15 to $25 billion per year.

Among the steps that organizations can take to get a handle on the problem, the Conference Board recommends:

Identifying causes of absenteeism;
Taking steps to improve the health and well-being of employees; and
Having a return-to-work program in place.

Creating a workplace that supports employee wellness makes a dramatic difference. Among the benefits:
attract and retain the best employees.

improve productivity.
reduce employee turnover.
increase morale.
reduce absenteeism, injuries and illness.
reduce health, insurance and benefits costs.

Workplace wellness programs can reduce absenteeism and turnover by as much as half, cut time-loss injury rates by two-thirds, and save $5,000 to $10,000 per employee in benefit payouts per year. Discussing options with employees is important, as leading experts on work such as University of Alberta professor emeritus Graham Lowe and York University professor Dalton Kehoe point out.

Tourism Saskatchewan leads by example

Tourism Saskatchewan introduced an employee wellness program three years ago, following discussions between management and union representatives.

“We all agreed that this was a good thing,” says Joan MacPhail, Tourism Saskatchewan Manager of Human Resources. “It was beneficial to our employees and also beneficial to the organization.”

“A wellness program recognizes that we value each employee as a whole person, rather than as just the individual that we get for eight or nine hours a day. It’s something that is reflective of trying to get a work-life balance.”

“I look at it very much as an investment in the people,” MacPhail adds. “We invest in our employees, whether it’s through training, whether it’s through workshops, be they in the office or outside the office. This as an investment as well.”

The size of the benefit can vary. Tourism Saskatchewan decided that reimbursing up to $300 per year for wellness related spending makes sense. For a smaller employer, $100 per year could be very meaningful to employees. Instead of giving money, a business might participate in corporate volunteerism, let employees leave early in summer or organize a company-sponsored trip. Plans can grow over time, expanding the range of activities and reimbursements covered.

“You need a starting point,” MacPhail says. “At the end of the day, the dollar value that the employer puts in will matter, but what matters most is that an employee can look at their employer and say, ‘they recognize that I have a life outside of work, that it can cause me stress and they’d like to help me with that’.”

A wellness plan is considered a taxable benefit. It will show up on T-4 slips, so employees need to know that in advance, MacPhail says.

“Not everything will appeal to a group of employees, whether they be six people or 600 people,” she says. “A range of services and options from which employees can choose is very valuable.”

Figuring out what to include in your wellness plan is as easy as sitting down and searching the Internet, MacPhail says. “Compared to other programs, a wellness plan is relatively easy to implement. Having that input by the employee group really makes it better customized to your organization.”

Human Resource Metrics - It’s all about Measurement!

2011-02-09T08:41:00.000-06:00

How do we know we are doing a good job as an organization if we aren’t measuring what we are doing?

Other departments are great at measurement. For example, the finance and accounting departments track expenses and revenues and compare how well the organization is doing through a number of measures: accounts payable, accounts receivable, assets, balance sheet, capital, cash flow, cost of goods sold, expenses, gross profit, gross revenue, etc.

The marketing department focuses on measuring their activities to ensure they are bringing in more revenue than they are spending and might measure performance through: customer generation, customer conversion rates, customer loyalty, market share, sales, etc.

How is your organization measuring the impact your human resource activities are having on business effectiveness? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

Employee Turnover – Find out your cost per hire, which includes both separation costs (time for exit interview, administrative processing, payment of benefits and/or severance to exiting employee, diminished productivity and morale of remaining employees, business down time, etc.) and replacement costs (job postings, recruitment activities, administrative processing, interviews, employee selection, orientation and training).

Productivity Ratio – Your organization can measure employee productivity in comparison to your human resource expenses. This will require you to define what your productivity outputs are.

Training and Development – What does your organization hope to get out of your training activities and how are you measuring it? Many organizations use a simple training evaluation form after the training occurs, but is your organization measuring whether employees actually learned what they were supposed to? Or if the employees are changing their on-the-job behaviour? What about measuring the effects this new behaviour is having on the organization?

Employee Engagement – You will get more out of an engaged employee than a non-engaged employee. Employee satisfaction surveys can provide your organization with a lot of useful information.

The human resource costs to an organization are generally one of the largest expenses an organization has, but many organizations don’t bother to utilize their people to their fullest capacity. Yes, people are more unpredictable than money and therefore can be more difficult to measure, but there are metrics available for your organization to utilize. Measuring these impacts will have direct benefits to your organization’s effectiveness and yes – even your profits.

The Human Resources Balancing Act

2010-11-23T10:30:00.001-06:00

Working in human resources can sometimes feel like you’re the main act in a circus.

The Juggler: The person responsible for human resources often has the task of juggling the implementation of management’s vision, while ensuring employees remain happy and motivated.

The Trapeze Artist: Human resources can take you from one extreme to the next. Sometimes you’re dealing with frontline recruitment, the next day executive recruitment.

The Lion Tamer: We’ve all had to deal with those employees who don’t want to follow company policies, culture or rules and regulations. Getting these employees to comply is another part of managing our human resources!

The Fire Eater: Putting out fires, usually conflict between employees, is a common HR function.

Tight Rope Walker: Works closely with the Juggler, trying to balance organizational, departmental, and employee needs.

This post was written by Darcy Acton, Manager of Industry Human Resource Development.

Labour Market Policy Project Survey

2010-10-27T14:05:00.001-06:00

Dear Saskatchewan Employer,

Congratulations! You have been selected to represent Saskatchewan employers from various business sectors in the province in the Labour Market Policy Project Survey.

The Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration has partnered with the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy to undertake a study of many aspects of our labour market. Specifically, this important survey helps the Ministry understand if their labour market programming meets the needs of Saskatchewan employers. We’d love to include your feedback in our research.

Your information is important to us … and to the success of our programs.

It should take only about 15 minutes of your time to complete the survey. The insights you provide will help the Ministry improve current programs to meet the needs of Saskatchewan’s employers in various business sectors throughout the province.

Your answers will be kept secure.

Your privacy is our first priority and we ensure that any information you provide remains secure. With your permission, we’ll share the information gathered by the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy project team with the Ministry so they can continue to develop and improve programs that will continue to meet the needs of employers in our province.

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

This research would not be possible without your participation. Your time is greatly appreciated!

The survey will close Friday, November 12th at midnight. Here is a link to the survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SK_Labour_Market_Survey_Johnson-Shoyama_School

This link is uniquely tied to this survey.

Thank you for your participation!

The Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration promotes provincial economic growth and prosperity through strategic leadership that encourages and supports the development of a diverse, highly skilled, and productive workforce; attraction of new residents to the province; creation of fair, safe, and supportive workplaces; a fair and balanced labour environment; and dynamic and integrated innovation. AEEI and its partners are committed to help Saskatchewan residents achieve their desired educational and employment outcomes.

The Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy is a provincial centre for advanced education, research, and outreach and training activities with campuses at both the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan. The school provides students and faculty the opportunity to work on contemporary public policy and administration challenges in an academic environment renowned for innovation and is fast becoming a destination for students from across the country and around the world.

Cost of Literacy: A Worthwhile Investment

2010-10-25T14:09:00.002-06:00

“Most businesses underestimate the importance of literacy. Higher literacy skills lead to increased output, higher productivity, greater ability to do on-the-job training, reduced error rates or workplace accidents, better customer service and greater employee retention. Ultimately, this all leads to higher profitability. Businesses tend to be comfortable with investing in specific skills training, such as learning a new piece of software. Regrettably, many firms fail to appreciate the merits of investing in basic skills development, like literacy in English or French.”

Craig Alexander, Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist, TD Bank Financial Group

Canadian HR Reporter, Page 31, September 20, 2010

Call for Participation

2010-10-07T10:32:00.001-06:00

In partnership with Social Research and Demonstration Corp. (SRDC), STEC and the CTHRC are undertaking a project aimed at assessing and planning for skills development in the accommodation industry of the tourism sector.

This project will implement a multi-stage program model, which recognizes that training is more than a one-time event in knowledge acquisition. It is a process that involves the careful orchestration of several key elements to ensure the performance and training needs of firms and workers are well understood. This process ensures that a training solution is designed and delivered in a way that matches learners’ needs and is aligned to the organization’s performance and business goals.

If you are an employer in the accommodation industry with 50-499 employees with training needs and are willing to commit to a Skills Development Research project, contact Darcy Acton, Manager of Industry Human Resource Development, at 306-933-7466 or darcy.acton@sasktourism.com.

Does the dress code at your organization convey professionalism?

2010-09-14T09:02:00.000-06:00

You’re likely very familiar with the attitudes, knowledge, experience, values, and beliefs that define your business culture. Operational policies and procedures, like an employee dress code, are designed to support the way you want to be seen by customers.

We know that up to 93% of communication is non-verbal, and it all starts with that first impression. Having a dress code that accurately reflects your organizational culture is an important step in getting a positive message to your customers.

For example, if you work at a zoo you may expect your employees to handle animals, clean cages, deliver tours, and interact with visitors. Deciding what is acceptable attire is tricky, because the clothing must be flexible enough to allow for cage cleaning but proper enough to lead a tour and professionally represent the organization. Customers appreciate being able to easily identify an employee by his/her clothing, which adds value to their positive visitor experience.

Hotels face very different challenges because there are many departments with specific operational requirements. Generally, a hotel will have a specific uniform that is slightly altered to reflect the department; for example, housekeeping, front desk agent, and catering. The one thing uniforms have in common is the brand--the style or logo that identifies them as a member of the hotel team. Guests of the hotel trust that employees who wear the uniform adhere to a certain standard of professionalism.

Retail outlets usually require their employees to purchase and wear the store’s clothing in order to better promote the brand. Some companies offer discounts to staff, but others don’t. This can become quite expensive for employees, especially if they are only making minimum wage and working part-time. When deciding on your store’s employee dress code, it is important to take these factors into consideration. If the expectation is that every employee must be clad in your brand, consider the cost to the employee and adjust wages and incentives accordingly.

Your organization’s culture can only be defined by you, taking into account the nature of your business, customer base, geographical location, and corporate goals. Employee dress code is an important part of your overall image and should be effectively communicated to your employees.

Does your organization’s dress code reflect your culture?

Winner of the Service Best Customer Service Contest Announced

2010-09-07T10:55:00.000-06:00

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Service Best customer service contest is Sharon Elder! Sharon will receive a Tourism Saskatchewan DVD, Place in the Heart, and a Land of the Living Skies CD.

Below is the entry that Sharon submitted:

For 25 years, we had a fly in fishing lodge in northern Saskatchewan, where we lived in the summer. Winters were spent in Minneapolis, MN. A great deal of emphasis was spent on GREAT customer service and new staff very quickly learned from experienced staff as to how this should be done. Dealing with store workers etc. in Minneapolis was a treat. Coming back to Saskatoon is NOT a treat. To this day, I very often find the store clerks, office workers, etc. very rude. It is obvious that they are not getting training in customer service. Maybe is is because their jobs are year round rather than summer resort jobs.

I would like to suggest that equal emphasis be put on upping the customer service as is spent on rewarding excellent service.

Staff who can not make eye contact, don't smile, don't acknowledge a customer with a nod or finger wiggle do not entice me to deal with their store/office, etc. As I am the one paying their wages, it is my choice to go where I'm welcome and I do.

Keep up the great job, hopefully other areas of the Saskatchewan economy will catch up to what the tourism business already knows.

Sharon Elder

New Pricing for Standards and Certification

2010-08-19T08:32:00.000-06:00

A new pricing plan for national occupational standards and certification will come into effect on September 1, 2010. All frontline certification will increase to $315 + GST. The cost of certification for supervisors and managers will be $400 + GST and $680 + GST respectively.

In addition, fees are now applicable for exam re-writes and re-evaluations.

Online Column in the Financial Post Executive Features HR Trends and Research

2010-08-13T08:29:00.001-06:00

The Financial Post Executive now offers an online column with a specific HR focus, written by regular HR Matters contributor Chelsea Willness. Check back regularly for news and commentary on the latest HR trends and research: http://business.financialpost.com/author/cwillness/. The latest posts offer insights on Corporate Social Responsibility, including "Why your Firm's CSR May Matter More than What you Pay".

Chelsea Willness, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour at the University of Saskatchewan's Edwards School of Business. Her research focuses on the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility and organizational reputation on recruitment, employee engagement, and consumer behaviour.

Participate in the 2010 Canadian Tourism Sector Compensation Study

2010-07-28T13:53:00.008-06:00

The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) and STEC respectfully request your participation in the 2010 Canadian Tourism Sector Compensation Study.

The CTHRC reports that while Saskatchewan was the province least affected by the economic downturn, it will be the first and only province to see a labour shortage in 2010. Ontario, on the other hand, is not expected to see a shortage until 2013, despite the severe economic consequences that were reported in this province (The Future of Canada’s Tourism Sector: Economic Recession Only a Temporary Reprieve from Labour Shortages, p. 3).

As a Saskatchewan employer, you cannot change economic or labour market trends, but you CAN change the way you respond to these issues. If you want to attract, recruit and retain skilled workers for peak performance in your workplace, employees need to know your compensation package is competitive.

You will be able to download the 2010 compensation study on the CTHRC website. This valuable information will help you better understand the tourism labour market and assess the competitiveness of your compensation offerings. This in turn will assist you in attracting and retaining the staff you need to run your business.

In addition to benefiting individual businesses, this research has been instrumental in assisting STEC and the Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association in demonstrating to both federal and provincial government agencies responsible for immigration that our industry provides excellent employment opportunities. It is critical that we keep our compensation data current in order to support our efforts in this area.

Hay Group, a national company that specializes in compensation research, is conducting this study on behalf of the CTHRC, provincial tourism human resource organizations across Canada, and various national associations. Take this opportunity to have your say and complete the survey today at:

https://www.haygroup.vovici.net/se.ashx?s=251137456F46B849

This survey is open to all tourism businesses in accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, and/or travel services for the occupations of:

Front Desk Agent, Housekeeping Room Attendant, Executive Housekeeper, Guest Services Attendant, Director of Sales and Marketing, Sales Representative, Accommodation Service Manager/Front Office Manager, Food Service Counter Attendant, Cook, Sous Chef, Executive Chef/Chef/Kitchen Manager, Host/Hostess, Bartender, Food and Beverage Server/Banquet Server, Food and Beverage Service Supervisor/Restaurant Supervisor/Maitre d’Hotel, Restaurant and Food Services Managers, Retail Sales Clerk, Outdoor Adventure Guide (Hunting, Fishing, Rafting, etc.), Heritage Interpreter, Head of Visitor Services, Tour Guide and/or General Manager as a Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Labourer, Superintendent Maintenance/Groundskeeper, Head Professional (Golf), Program Leader/Instructor, Operator/Attendant (Amusement, Recreation, Sport), Travel Counsellor, Travel Agency Manager, Tour Operator.

Thank you for participating! If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Darcy Acton, Manager of Industry Human Resource Development, at 306-933-7466 or darcy.acton@sasktourism.com.

To read more about the impact of the economic recession on Canada, click here.

Tell Us about Your Best Customer Service Story

2010-07-12T10:44:00.003-06:00

One of the reasons we have frontline staff is to provide great customer service to guests. This service can come in the form of a warm smile, attentive listening and helpful advice. Guests are full of inquiries and comments, and it's in our best interest as employers to ensure our frontline staff is in a position to provide the best service available. Staying one step ahead of the competition depends on it!

Here at STEC we're convinced that as an employer in the tourism sector you have many good (and maybe not so good) customer service stories, and we want to hear them!

The story should be no less than 100 words and no more than 500, and will emphasize the great customer service that one member of your staff provided to a guest or guests.

We'll choose the best story of the bunch! The winner (you and the employee who provided the service) will win a Tourism Saskatchewan DVD, Place in the Heart, and a Land of the Living Skies CD. Your story will also be published in our online newsletter, HR Matters, and on the HR Matters Blog.

Let's tell the world what great customer service looks like!

Submit all entries via email to jan.rodda@sasktourism.com by September 1, 2010.

Accommodation Industry Results from the 2008 Canadian Tourism Sector Compensation Study

2010-06-28T08:00:00.006-06:00

In 2009, the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, and the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council, partnered with Hay Group Limited to conduct the 2008 Canadian Tourism Sector Compensation Study. This was a national project that encompassed 2,016 organizations and 76,195 incumbents across Canada. Four primary industries in the tourism sector were covered by this study, including:

Food and Beverage Services

Accommodation

Recreation and Entertainment

Travel Services

As many as 166 organizations from across Saskatchewan participated in the study, 32 of which were identified as properties in the accommodation industry. More specifically, 6% were luxury hotels/resorts, 62% were mid-market hotels/resorts, 9% were economy hotels/resorts, 12% were inns/bed and breakfasts, 9% were cabins/campground/RV parks, and 3% identified as other. This wide range of respondents provided results that were representative of the accommodation industry as a whole.

Those occupations that were benchmarked in this study include: Accommodations Service Manager, Catering Manager, Director of Sales and Marketing, Executive Housekeeper, Banquet Server, Front Desk Agent, Guest Services Attendant, and Housekeeping Room Attendant. Not surprisingly, Saskatchewan’s base wages for most positions ranked lower than our provincial neighbours, Alberta and Manitoba, as well as nationally.

If Saskatchewan workers are earning less in base wages in the accommodation industry, are they making up for it elsewhere?

Yes and no. Using the same benchmark jobs in comparison with Alberta, Manitoba and national averages, the total cash (base wage plus bonuses and incentives), brought Saskatchewan into a more competitive pay range. In fact, Catering Managers made it to the top of total cash averages.

This study also provided information on challenges related to compensation that are specific to employers in the accommodation industry. The top three challenges listed were:

1. Shortage of labour and a competitive labour market.

2. Difficulty in attracting and retaining employees, as the industry is perceived as low paying and temporary.

3. Rise of fixed cost and salaries.

Many people think turnover is related to wages, but that’s not necessarily the case. According to the study, two reasons staff is leaving workplaces in the accommodation industry are because of:

Return to school – This reason was highest for full-time employees in small companies, and part-time employees in large companies when reward investment was low.
A better opportunity from a business outside the tourism sector – This reason was highest for employees in larger companies when work/life balance was low.

This study provides employers with compensation information they need to both hire and retain employees. As our province moves from a motto of “good enough” to “great” accommodation organizations should be mindful of what’s going on in the rest of the country.

Research for the 2010 Canadian Tourism Sector Compensation Study will begin this summer. Every participating organization will receive a detailed report of the findings. If your organization is interested in participating in the upcoming compensation study, please contact Darcy Acton, Manager of Industry Human Resource Development, at darcy.acton@saskatourism.com.

Training Increases Business Revenue--It Takes Money to Make Money!

2010-06-21T15:32:00.004-06:00

A Case for Training's Return on Investment (ROI)

Surprisingly, many managers in the tourism sector do not think training employees provides a return on investment for their organization.

We know that training is a good tool for improved human resource practices within organizations, but when it comes to recognizing the monetary benefits many of us are on different pages. Some employers view training strictly as a cost with no attached value. If we look to another business function—marketing, we can draw some parallels to the human resource function and understand there may be a return on investment for training your staff.

Organizations often engage in marketing to expand their customer base and increase the amount of money people spend on their goods and services. Marketing professionals outline their strategic plan and budget for items, such as advertising, with the intention that people will see these advertisements and spend money within their organization. If marketing plans are executed properly, the extra revenue the company earns will exceed the cost of marketing and a return on investment can be seen.

Can we use this same analogy when training our employees?

The same concept the marketing department illustrated for their advertisements can be applied to the human resources department (or function). In addition to budgeting for advertising, let’s create a budget for training. Because most organizations aim to increase revenue, let’s aim for the same outcome: customer expenditures. To illustrate further, in the examples below, let’s see how training has the potential to affect ROI.

Example #1 – An organization that does not support training in the workplace.

A customer walks into an organization in the accommodation industry, which she found in an advertisement on the Internet. The customer walks up to the Front Desk Agent, and is not greeted with a smile; in fact the Front Desk Agent is texting on a cell phone behind the counter. Instead of greeting the customer with a smile, the Front Desk Agent looks annoyed as the customer approaches. The customer provides her name and confirmation number. Rather than be discreet, the Front Desk Agent repeats the customer’s name and room number loud enough for everyone in the lobby to hear. As the Front Desk Agent hands the room key to the customer, she resumes texting behind the counter.

Example #2 – An organization that supports training in the workplace.

A customer walks into an organization in the accommodation industry that was referred to her by a friend. The customer walks up to the Front Desk Agent, who greets her with a smile and asks: “How may I help you today?” The customer provides her reservation information and is immediately given a directory of the hotel services, highlighting the spa that is world renowned and a restaurant that is known for its great wine menu. The Front Desk Agent provides the customer with her room key and directs her to the elevator. Before the customer leaves, a Guest Services Representative offers to carry the customer’s luggage and the Front Desk Agent encourages her to call “0” for more information or assistance. The customer is escorted to her room and proceeds to book a reservation for the restaurant that night and a massage in the spa the next morning.

In Example #2, both the Front Desk Agent and Guest Services Representative are trained professionals who know that providing customers with an experience that leaves them wanting more will increase sales, sometimes even more than a great advertisement in a magazine. While an advertisement may entice people, your employees can provide an experience that will not only keep them coming back, but will encourage them to refer your business to family and friends. More revenue means increasing your ROI.

Does your organization train employees to ensure that your customers are getting the experience they're looking for?

We’d love to hear your feedback! Let us know if your organization measures return on investment for training.

Managing Expectations through Consistent Process

2010-06-11T15:35:00.007-06:00

Over the years, I’ve had plenty of people share their experiences with me and ask my advice on whether the organization they work for is doing things properly. As a human resources professional, I love to hear everyone’s stories, but am sometimes disheartened at the outcomes and ponder: How could this situation have been handled differently?

Below are examples that outline how two different employers mismanaged their employees’ expectations through a lack of consistent process.

Example One:

An employee, who was with an organization for a year, traveled frequently and was being reimbursed for meals. There were no set guidelines and when this person was on the road, she bought food and submitted expense claims for reimbursement upon returning to the office. After following this process for a year, her boss unexpectedly denied an expense claim. The expense was for water and chips the employee bought as a quick lunch while on the road. Her boss didn’t think this was a “proper” lunch and didn’t want to reimburse the claim. As similar claims were always approved in the past, the employee met with her boss to clarify the situation. The boss informed her that all expense claims during the year of a similar nature were wrongly processed. The employee was confused, as the items on all these claims were clearly stated and approved by this same boss. When the employee asked for clear guidelines on what was eligible and what was not, the boss felt it was unnecessary and refused to provide these guidelines. The employee left the meeting confused and disappointed. Not only had her boss taken issue with a $2.49 claim, but had refused to provide any guidelines in order to ensure that no additional expense claims were denied in the future.

Example Two:

An employee worked shifts at the same organization and on the same site for three years. When the employee started, there was an expectation that any out-of-town work was given to the newest hire. The employee gladly obliged, as this seemed to be the organization’s practice. Naturally, three years later this person was no longer the newest employee. Even so, he was informed that because another work site needed extra workers he was being temporarily transferred. When the employee’s boss spoke to the staff, it was stated that all employees would take turns working in the remote location for two week intervals. Ironically, the last employee to work the out of town shift was the newest hire.

In each of these situations, it was not the outcome that bothered the employees, but the process in which it was handled by the employer.

Here’s my take on how both these situations could have been handled better: Employers should manage employees’ expectations by being consistent in applying processes. This generally makes employees more comfortable with the outcomes. Without any set expectations, employees will set their own. When management’s expectations differ from employees’ as a result, it creates a situation where staff feels like something has been taken away. Not doing anything about these situations runs the risk of employees becoming disengaged.

What’s the best way to prevent this from happening?

Set expectations and be consistent with them.

This blog entry was written by Darcy Acton, Manager of Industry Human Resource Development. For more information, contact Darcy at (306) 933-7466 or darcy.acton@sasktourism.com.

Don't Let This Happen to You

2010-06-03T12:14:00.005-06:00

Once upon a time, in a land not too far from here, an 18 year old entered a drinking contest at a local bar. As his friends and the bar staff cheered him on, he threw back 25 shooters made from two different liquors in 15 minutes, not to mention the six beers he consumed before his victory. About 45 minutes later, a friend put him in a taxi, took him home, and left him lying on the stairs in the heated entryway of his apartment building, thinking he would sober up and make it upstairs. He lost consciousness and died within two hours. His blood alcohol level was 0.32, about four times the legal limit.

This is a true story. A $230,000 lawsuit was filed against the owner of the bar and two employees who oversaw the drinking contest. The establishment was placed on a five month suspension and lost the right to operate VLT’s, pending charges. The case attracted national media attention and cost the owner of the establishment revenue and a lot of bad publicity.

There are countless cases like this popping up all over the country. Many provinces have responded by increasing fines for over-serving and have cracked down on reckless activities such as binge-drinking contests. In some cases, bar owners, servers, and party hosts have been criminally charged and found guilty of failing to provide duty of care. Here’s the truth: If you provide alcohol to an individual to the point where he/she becomes intoxicated, you are responsible for that person until they become sober. This is the law.

From 2007 to 2008, the number of alcohol-related injuries and fatalities increased in Saskatchewan. In 2008, there were 987 injuries and 74 deaths in alcohol-related crashes in the province. This is a substantial increase from 2007, when the province saw 849 injuries and 45 deaths. The need for good risk-management strategies is a must.

That's why the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC) developed the Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS) program. The SIRS program provides consistent training for the sale and service of alcohol to ensure that alcohol-related activities are conducted in a socially responsible manner. This program is applicable whether you work on premise (lounge, bar, club) or are involved in other activities (special events) that include the sale and service of alcohol. When implemented properly, SIRS training can help you and your staff reduce the risk of liability and enhance the safety of your premises.

Investing in the development and training of your staff will make a difference in the face of a risky situation. SIRS addresses ways of identifying intoxication, how to handle situations involving minors, effective approaches in discontinuing the sale or service of alcohol, and facts and figures on legal responsibilities and liabilities. The $30.00 per person investment will allow you to take a major step in ensuring that your staff is well informed and prepared to responsibly serve customers.

SIRS is supported by the Saskatchewan Server Intervention Program (SSIP) committee and is comprised of representatives from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), the Hotel and Hospitality Association (SHHA), the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, the Wines and Spirits Association, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Help reduce the risk. For more information, visit our website at www.sirs.ca or contact STEC at (306) 933-7186.

What can we do as an industry to reduce Saskatchewan’s recent increase in alcohol-related injuries and deaths?

The Ultimate Training Myth

2010-05-28T13:02:00.003-06:00

There's a myth about training lurking in the tourism sector and we think it's about time the truth prevails.

It's no secret that tourism is a hectic sector, constantly abuzz with things to do in order to meet the travel, accommodation, and gastronomic needs of visitors. As a result, many tourism employers are more concerned with the day-to-day operations of their organizations than they are with training staff.

This can make training programs hard to find and even harder to implement, thus lending credence to the myth that there are no good training programs for tourism sector professionals.

Myth: Training programs for staff in the tourism sector are difficult to find and even more difficult to implement.

Fact: There are three factors that affect your capacity as a tourism operator to find great training programs and to implement the lessons learned once the programs are delivered.

1. Employer and employee motivation: The motivation to learn is a desire that both employers and employees must have in order for an organization to be truly successful in training staff. Find out how your staff learns—classroom setting, discussion, workshops, hands-on, mentorship, feedback—and look for available programs that meet their needs. Delivering training programs that meet employees’ individual needs will not only motivate them to learn, but also will make participants feel more at ease and comfortable in the learning process.

2. Availability of organizations that offer training: In every province and territory across Canada, there is one organization that specializes in training tourism sector professionals. In our province, this organization is the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC). STEC provides a variety of training opportunities that have the potential to meet the learning needs of all employees, from face-to-face workshops to online learning, mentorship opportunities, and more. The best part of this training is that it’s standards-based, developed by the industry for the industry. All of your training needs should be met by going to www.stec.com, and if they’re not training consultants are available to discuss how they can meet your specific needs with customized training programs.

3. Goals and objectives to strive towards after training is delivered: A discussion needs to take place before, during and after training programs are delivered in order to determine the goals and objectives of both employers and employees. What do managers and frontline staff members hope to gain from the training? What lessons are being taught in the training program that applies to these goals? What changes and improvements is staff committed to make in order to meet them? Are there any measurements in place to ensure that the objectives of employers and employees are being met? Goals may include improved services, increased profit, and low turnover. Even if you belong to an organization where these goals may seem difficult to achieve at the outset, remember with the right motivation, training programs and objectives the only way to move is forward.

For more information on STEC training programs, click here.

Professional Recognition Dinners

2010-05-18T17:26:00.013-06:00

STEC's 17th Annual Professional Recognition Dinners are less than one month away and the office is abuzz with preparations for the big event. As many of you work in the accommodations industry, where event planning is a core component of the services offered, we know you understand how frantic it can get in the days leading up to a ceremony.

But do you understand the importance of recognizing those individuals in your organization who have gone above and beyond the call of duty? We're referring to employees who have taken a moment to reflect on their personal and professional lives to ask: What more can I do to improve?

These individuals have answered this question by obtaining Professional Certification and/or Journeyperson status in a tourism occupation in the past year. They've invested much of their own time and energy into making your business better by pursuing the training they need to be the best in their field.

Being the admirable employer you are, you've likely already congratulated these employees and acknowledged them in some way--mention in a company newsletter, a $0.50/hour pay increase, and/or some other equally rewarding acknowledgment.

Even though some of your employees may have completed the certification process months ago, it's still important to publicly recognize them at a dinner where they can share their accomplishments with colleagues, family, and friends. If you haven't already done so, encourage your employees to attend one of two dinners in Regina and Saskatoon, and don't forget to purchase tickets for yourself and other colleagues to attend.

The dinners only happen once a year, so now is your chance to show employees how much you value and appreciate their accomplishments and achievements.

To learn more about the dinners, click here.

Employers: You Should Want to Work for You Too!

2010-05-12T11:31:00.005-06:00

Coming up with ways to entice your employees to want to work for your company is a challenge. It means reviewing, and often revamping, your recruitment and retention policies, compensation packages, and diversity programs. But it also means asking yourself, as an employer, a question that is at once simple and complex: Do you want to work for your company?

Asking yourself this question (and answering honestly!) is the first step to becoming an Employer of Choice. After all, if you don’t want to work for your company how can you expect your employees to want to?

While some employers will answer the above question with a straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’, many will find themselves on the fence hemming and hawing. This invariably leads to more questions: Why do I like working for this company? Is it because of an excellent compensation package? Or is it a combination of benefits ranging from a health and wellness policy to flex hours, casual dress, and a year-end bonus?

Conversely, you may be asking yourself: What can be improved? What programs and policies are outdated? What are my competitors doing that I am not? How can I revamp my recruitment and retention policies?

Here’s the good news: Saskatchewan now has a program for tourism employers that will not only assist you in answering these questions, but also will provide you with the tools and resources you need to improve those areas in your organization that you may find lacking.

There are two major components to the Employer of Choice program, which is designed to assist tourism businesses across the province in attracting and retaining staff by providing employers with the tools and resources to engage in best practices, increase staff training, improve organizational human resources practices, and be recognized as a leader in the tourism sector.

The first is a comprehensive questionnaire that covers the seven functional areas of human resources: staffing; learning, training and development; compensation; employee and labour relations; professional practice; organizational effectiveness; and occupational health and safety.

The second is an employee opinion survey. All participating employers are asked to encourage a minimum of 25% frontline and 25% managerial staff to participate in an employee opinion survey. The survey allows for areas of excellence to be identified, shows which practices employees appreciate most, and enables employers to build on success.

Although the results of the employee opinion survey will not determine whether your business is successful in obtaining an Employer of Choice designation, the results will provide you with valuable feedback about how your recruitment and retention activities and training initiatives are perceived by employees.

In the 2010 program, four tourism operators in Saskatchewan were recognized as Employers of Choice, including the Days Inn, Regina; Gold Eagle Lodge, North Battleford; Prairieland Park, Saskatoon; and Radisson Hotel, Saskatoon.

Granted these are all larger organizations, participating employers from small businesses have said the program is not only providing direction on how to implement their own human resources plans, but also has reinforced their belief that human resources planning is essential.

Likewise, managers at larger organizations have indicated that the directional approach of the program is filling in the missing gaps in established human resources plans.

Regardless of business size, all participating employers expect that the program and the Employer of Choice designation will generate well-deserved recognition on their behalf as leaders in human resources development in the tourism sector.

How can your organization gain a competitive edge? Become a better employer. Become an Employer of Choice.

The 2011 program opened on May 1 and runs until November 30, 2010. To register, visit http://www.steceoc.com/.

To learn more about the Employer of Choice program, click here.

We're Having a Contest!

2010-05-07T14:48:00.014-06:00

We're having a contest, and we want your community to enter and win! It's easy. Just make sure your community has the most participants in attendance at one or more Create Curiosity Sell Saskatchewan workshops from May 1-31. The community with the highest number of participants in attendance at all workshops combined is eligible to win.

The objective of the Create Curiosity Sell Saskatchewan workshop is to generate an appreciation of all that your local area has to offer. Anyone in your community can participate - business owners, supervisors, managers, frontline staff, and even the young woman who you see working at the library every weekend.

As a tourism sector professional, you understand the importance of being an ambassador for your business and community. You know how important it is to be proud of where you work and live. Great customer service means better sales and higher profit. But there's only so much you can do.

That's why it's so important for the members of your community to be just as proud of your corner of Saskatchewan as you are.

Let's say Susan and her husband, Mark, are driving through your town on a hot day in July. The windows are down and their three young kids are getting restless in the back. Susan and Mark see the young librarian walking down the street and decide to pull over and ask her if there's a nearby park where they can have a picnic.

In this scenario, there's a number of things that could happen. The young woman may shrug lazily, mumbling that she doesn't know (or worse doesn't care). She may smile and direct the couple to a nearby location. Or better yet, suggest that if Susan and Mark's family really want to experience the local culture, they should stay overnight at a quaint little Bed & Breakfast just a few minutes out of town and attend the strawberry festival the next day.

The young woman in this story is more than just a resident of your community, she's an ambassador. After taking the Create Curiosity Sell Saskatchewan workshop, she appreciates the unique qualities of her small-town community and the tourist attractions it has to offer. She also has a better appreciation of the economic benefits tourism brings to the entire community.

If you want to ensure that everyone in your community, not just your staff, is on board when it comes to attracting visitors to your corner of Saskatchewan consider registering for a Create Curiosity Sell Saskatchewan workshop. With only three weeks left in the contest, now is the time to get your community involved!

To learn more about this workshop, click here. To learn more about the contest, click here.

Welcome!

2010-04-30T08:51:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the HR Matters Blog!

This blog is a feature of the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council’s bi-monthly online newsletter, HR Matters. Each issue of the newsletter focuses on timely human resources topics in the tourism sector, from staffing and labour relations to training and development, organizational effectiveness, compensation, professional practice, and occupational health and safety. It’s a great resource with easy to access knowledge and useable tips on how to improve human resources in order to increase business success.

The first issue of the HR Matters online newsletter is coming soon!

Watch this space for regular posts that will discuss timely human resources topics in Saskatchewan’s tourism sector. Why?

Because HR matters.