names, authentic-looking websites and references, which quickly
disappear when issues arise.”
In some provinces, legislators are cracking down on this issue.
In Québec, for example, the new Bill 176 will target fly-by-night
agencies that don’t uphold ethical, safety and professional stan-dards
by requiring all staffing agencies to obtain a permit to ensure
they are performing in adherence to provincial standards.
Even among reputable staffing agencies, there are important
distinctions.
“Many are regional and understand and specialize in the needs
of their local market and have developed strong relationships with
their business communities,” said McIninch. “Others are global
leaders that specialize in a specific industry and skills such as engi-neering,
accounting, IT or the trades.”
STAY ON TOP OF LEGISLATION
While the contingent workforce offers plenty of benefits, missteps
can mean tax troubles and legal hot water. Hiring contractors who
essentially function as full-time permanent employees, for exam-ple,
has been a hot-button issue for the Canada Revenue Agency
for several few years now.
Equal pay is another contentious issue, with serious repercus-sions
for anyone not compensating contingent workers according
to the law. Recent legislation in Ontario, for example, enforces
equal pay for equal work.
“In Ontario, Bill 148 says if you have contactors who are get-ting
$20 per hour sitting beside someone making $100k a year
for the same work, that person could sue you for the difference,”
said Nugent.
“As the work landscape becomes more varied and com-plex,
HR professionals who manage contingent workers need
to partner with their internal experts to hone up on the leg-islative
requirements of each employment arrangement,” said
McIninch. The staffing industry is among the most highly reg-ulated
industries in Canada. “It’s critical for HR professionals
who manage contingent employees to keep abreast of legislative
changes to ensure they are complying with all laws and pro-tecting
the mutual interests of their organization, clients and
candidates.”
FUTURE OF HR IS SCIENTIFIC
Clearly, there’s a lot to consider when planning a talent ecosystem.
“To be strategic, HR needs to become like a science unto itself,”
said Peña. “The future of HR is a scientific one. It’s about being
able to create a complicated strategy that leverages cognitive
resources to be able to solve business problems and seek compet-itive
advantage.”
Peña sees the pace of change as an opportunity.
“So much of what we hold near and dear is going to be chang-ing,
so for the function of HR to survive, it needs to move beyond
doing what you were taught at university,” he said. “Be curious.
Become a student of the workforce of the future and be prepared
to solve workforce challenges in a new way. The companies that
can embrace the non-traditional workforce with the same fervor
and attention they give their salaried employees are the ones I see
being really successful.” n
ACSESS: HELPING
ORGANIZATIONS HIRE
WITH CONFIDENCE
The Association of Canadian Search, Employment
and Staffing Services (ACSESS) is the national voice
of the recruiting, employment and staffing services
industry in Canada.
HR professionals in need of contingent workers
can check the organization’s member directory to
search more than 1,000 Canadian agencies bound by
ACSESS’s code of ethics.
For more information, visit www.acsess.org.
andreypopov / 123RF Stock Photo
cover feature
22 ❚ MAY 2018 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL