Customized Human Resources Training for the Healthcare Sector

In the ever-evolving sector of healthcare, one thing remains constant—change. The same can be said about the legal field. The laws, regulations, and obligations of provincial are constantly changing. That is why it is important that employers and employees alike remain up to date on the legislation that is applicable to them and recent decisions on the subject as well as their obligations under them. Training is a key component of remaining up to date and with the help of the employment law team at Suzanne Desrosiers Professional Corporation we can make sure our training materials not only meet your legal obligations but is delivered in a manner that is customized to your needs. Whether it be human resources (HR) training for administrative staff, management staff, or nurses, we are more than happy to help!

The Purpose of HR Training for Healthcare Organizations

HR training plays an invaluable role in the healthcare sector. The unique demands of healthcare, with its fast pace, life-saving responsibilities, and regulatory complexities, requires specialized and ongoing training. HR training is instrumental in ensuring the workplace is competent, compliant, and capable of delivering high-quality services. With the help of the legal team at Suzanne Desrosiers Professional Corporation, employers and employees will have customized training material that will improve their awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to ensure a positive and productive workplace, while also complying with the applicable legislations.

How We Customize Our Training

Our customized training aims to create a personalized training experience for your organization. This is achieved by tailoring the training materials to align with an organizations collective agreements, workplace policies, logos, images, and branding. We include recent cases affecting the healthcare sector and its members, including labour arbitrations, human rights proceedings, and regulatory complaints so you can get a better understanding of how the law is being applied.

Suzanne Desrosiers Professional Corporation can also adapt our training delivery method as so that it best suit the needs of your organization and its employees. The preferred delivery method is in person but, or in the context of a retreat, or online via seminars or live webinars.

How Our Training is Designed

Our HR training will initially consists of 9 lessons, each of which is typically presented within a 2-3 hour timeframe. It is important to note that all the lessons will apply the topics to the terms of your collective agreement, and policies if applicable, and will use case law and scenarios as they relate to the healthcare sector. An example of the training that was recently delivered to a Hospital.

Lesson 1 deals with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the protected human rights grounds that may constitute discrimination if infringed. This lesson will incorporate your collective agreement to demonstrate the connection between the protected grounds under the Human Rights Code.

Lesson 2 deals with the employer’s duty to accommodate an employee who falls under a protected human rights ground, such as a disability. This lesson will inform your leadership team what we mean when we refer to a duty to accommodate to the point of undue hardship for an organization such as yours as well as your duty to inquire, which is often overlooked and can result in costly consequences to an employer.

Lesson 3 deals with workplace harassment and an employer and management team's obligation to protect its workers and prevent harassment in the workplace. We go at length to explain what harassment means in the context of the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)

Lesson 4 deals with workplace violence and an employer and management team’s obligation to protect its workers and prevent violence in the workplace. This includes family violence that is occurring outside of the workplace.

Lesson 5 deals with the employer’s and management team’s obligation to address conflict in the workplace. Not all conflict raises to the level of harassment or violence and the employer has a duty to investigate any conflict that arises in the workplace, including conflicts that occur on social media.

Lesson 6 deals with disciplining employees for inappropriate conduct and behaviour such as lateness, insubordination, or harassment and violence in the workplace, and ensuring discipline is applied appropriately. This lesson will focus on what your collective agreement says about discipline and the limits to discipline as provided under the Labour Relations Act, if applicable.

Lesson 7 deals with progressive discipline and its importance in disciplining employees. There are four steps to the progressive discipline process, verbal warnings, written warnings, suspensions, and if necessary, termination. This lesson will breakdown each step and how they should be applied and documented and discuss the common misunderstanding that progressive discipline is not a “three strikes and you’re out” process!

Lesson 8 deals with termination and the importance of ensuring compliance with the applicable laws and regulations. This lesson will look at the steps an employer should take before and during the termination process, as well as the risks and consequences the employer may face if termination is not dealt properly.

Lesson 9 deals with any questions or concerns the participants may have relating to HR issues as well as containing several interactive scenarios as they relate to the topics discussed in the previous lessons. This lesson is aimed at clarifying any misunderstandings and allowing participants to see how the topics are applied in the healthcare setting.

How HR Training Can Help Improve Your Healthcare Organization

Effective training also includes knowledge and understanding of labour laws and employee rights. This is essential in fostering a harmonious working environment, preventing conflicts, and promptly addressing any labour issues that may arise. Furthermore, it helps in establishing a fair and transparent system for dealing with grievances, which significantly boosts employee morale and trust in leadership.

How to Implement Customized HR Training for Your Healthcare Organization

Begin by evaluating your current collective agreement and workplace policies. Take note of employee morale and productivity. Identify what's working well and which areas could use improvement. Has there been an increase in harassment and discrimination claims? Are there high levels of employee turnover? Are many employees going on sick leave? Do your employees seem engaged and satisfied with their work? Honest answers to these questions can help us tailor our training catalog to fit the needs of your workplace and create an HR training plan that is customized to your organization’s needs. Next, you should reach out to the legal team at Suzanne Desrosiers Professional Corporation so we can help customize our training to fit your needs. Please feel free to reach by emailing learning@sdlawtimmins.com or calling us at 705-268-6492.