How to Reduce Employee Return to Office Anxiety

Employers are keener than ever to roll out in-office models and get employees physically back in the workplace. This plan has been met with resistance by employees, many of whom are pushing back against the move. Employees are hesitant to lose the flexibility and freedom remote has given them over the past few years, resulting in anxiety about returning to the office. The job market is in favor of employees these days, so here are some ways employers can reduce the return to work anxiety and get employees comfortable coming back.

 

Listen to Employees

Once your company has made the decision to bring employees back into the office, our HR experts at Nova Staffing suggest you start this move by opening up discussions with your workers. Get their input on what days they’d like to come in, what accommodations they need to feel safe, and answer any questions they have.

 

Embrace Hybrid Models

Many employees are open to coming back into the office part-time but may be resistant because they fear it will become a five-day-a-week thing again. Employers that have embraced the hybrid model, where workers come in only a few days a week, have had much less pushback from employees. Employees are less anxious about returning a few days if they know they still get the flexibility of WFH the other days.

 

Make a Plan

A big cause of back-to-office anxiety is the unknown. Will it be a permanent thing or just temporary? What about vaccination? Will there be changes to sick leave policies? Having a clear, comprehensive back-to-office plan will make employees feel more comfortable and secure. Our HR experts suggest making a plan after talking with employees and then going over it with them once management has drafted it to see if there are any major issues.  

 

Create Guidelines & Rules

For many companies, things turned more casual when working from home. Employees may be feeling anxious about returning to the office because they don’t know whether they’re stepping back into corporate culture or if the new more-lax attitude is carrying over. Before bringing people back in, great guidelines and rules around things like dress code, social distancing, mask use, vaccination, sick days, etc.  

 

Provide Mental Health Support

Burnout is one of the biggest causes of the Great Resignation and a major source of people’s reluctance to return to the office. Remote working did wonder in helping employees establish a healthy work-life balance. Having more control over their work environment and schedule helped employees improve their mental health. Make sure your company has support for those who may have mental health struggles about returning to the office.

 

Do you need help filling job positions or HR advice on how to bring employees back into the office effectively? Contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of hiring experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience, and we’d be happy to help. 

 

Ontario’s “Right to Disconnect” Law Now in Effect

Ontario’s right to disconnect policy has officially been enacted as of June 3rd, and this new law has major implications for workers and employers. According to our hiring experts at Nova Staffing, here is everything you need to know about this new work policy and how it will impact your company. 

 

What is the policy?

In late 2021, Ontario enacted Bill 27: Working for Workers Act 2021. This bill requires employers with 25 or more staff as of January 1st, 2022, to have a policy that outlines how workers can disconnect from the workplace after hours. It has been dubbed the “Right to Disconnect” law and is now officially in effect. Companies have un

 

What does “disconnect from work” mean?

The boundaries between work and personal life got blurred during the pandemic and work from home, resulting in burnout and poor work-life balance for some workers. The new Act now legally protects employees from working after hours. The Act formally defines disconnecting from work as “not engaging in work-related communications, including emails, telephone calls, video calls or sending or reviewing other messages, to be free from the performance of work.” In other words, your employers can no longer ask you to do tasks related to work outside of formal work hours. 

 

When does this policy go into effect?

The Right to Disconnect law formally went into effect in Ontario on June 3rd. However, companies have a grace period to draft a written policy related to this. Starting in 2023, businesses with 25 workers or more will need an official written policy on disconnecting from work in place before March 1st of that year. 

 

What inspired this new Act?

The new Act was inspired by France’s 2016 law that gave workers the right to turn off electric work devices outside of business hours. Canada’s federal government began reviewing labor standards in 2018, mulling whether this would also be useful here. A federal committee began analyzing the issue last October, but Ontario chose not to wait for federal regulations and instead drafted its own provincial policy. 

 

What should companies do now?

If this new policy impacts your company, it’s time to start drafting a workplace policy about disconnecting after hours! Feel free to contact our HR experts at Nova Staffing for any help. Our team has over 200 years of combined industry experience, and we’d be happy to help guide you and fill any open positions you have. 

 

5 Common Interview Questions to Retire

Interviews are always a little nerve-wracking, and the last thing you want to do is ask questions that make candidates even more on edge. Asking the right questions during the process can make all the difference. Many traditional interview questions are unnecessarily stressful and don’t actually give you a good idea of who your candidates are. According to our hiring experts at Nova Staffing, here are some common interview questions companies should retire.

 

Question 1: “How Would You Deal With…”

Hypothetical questions are extremely stress-inducing and, at best, leave you with a rough guess of how a candidate would react in a situation. This isn’t a reliable indicator of performance, and often people react completely differently in an actual situation versus a hypothetical one. Past behavior is a better indicator of future behavior, which is why the better way to phrase this sort of question is “Can you describe a situation where you successfully dealt with….” This will allow the candidate to go over a past accomplishment and provide you with concrete examples.

 

Question 2: “What Are Your Greatest Strengths?”

This is one of the most traditional interview questions and is by far one of the most common interview questions. As common as it is, it’s pretty useless as far as questions go. Not only do candidates know to expect this question and prepare carefully crafted answers, but there’s also no real way to substantiate their response. Anyone can say they’re detail-oriented or hardworking, but what proof do you have? Instead, ask, “Can you describe a work situation that best demonstrates your personal strengths?”

 

Question 3: “What Are Your Greatest Weaknesses?”

This common question is often a follow-up to the one above. Asking about weaknesses is often more nerve-wracking for people, especially because no one wants to admit they have faults while trying to win over a company. Candidates know to prepare for this question, so they often edit out any real weaknesses and instead only share “good” ones that don’t give you an accurate picture of them. It’s better to ask questions like, “Can you describe a challenging situation that exposed a weakness of yours, and how did you overcome it?” This gives your candidate a chance to be honest about weaknesses and share how they worked around them.

 

Question 4: “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”

This question always feels like it should be asked by a high school guidance counselor or your grandparents at Thanksgiving dinner rather than a company interviewing you. Today, the concept of a lifelong job is outdated. Most people don’t expect to stay at the same company for more than a few years. Toss in the current volatile and ever-changing global landscape, and it’s pretty rare for people to have a clear five-year vision for themselves. If you do want to ask this question, frame it as “Where do you see yourself in a year or two” or “What would you like to learn over the next few years?”

 

Question 5: “Why Do You Want This Job?”

This is one of the questions recruitment agents hate asking the most, and we usually encourage companies to skip it. This type of question will never give you the honest answer you want. The truth is most people want a job for the money and financial security. It’s better to ask, “What about this job excites you” or “What about our company piqued your interest?”

 

Is your company looking to hire quality candidates? Contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of experienced hiring experts can help fill your job openings and ask the right interview questions that will ensure you hire the right people!

 

Cross-Border Truck Driver Requirements

Are you interested in starting a lucrative career as a commercial driver? Truck drivers are in high demand right now, and the industry has a lot of opportunities. There are many different types of commercial truck driver jobs, but cross-border trucking is one of the most common ones we hire for at our driver recruitment agency. According to our driver hiring experts at Nova Driver Services, if you’re interested in becoming a cross-border trucker, here are all requirements you should know about.

 

What is Cross-Border Trucking?

As the name implies, cross-border trucking involves driving and delivering goods across the border. In Canada, this is usually just between the U.S.-Canada border, but occasionally drivers will go down and cross the U.S.-Mexico border as well.

 

Cross-border trucking can mean high-paying jobs; however, there are a few requirements you’ll need to meet in order to qualify for these gigs.

 

Immigration Requirements

Canadian trucks looking to complete deliveries in the U.S. must meet the general entry requirements for admission as a B-1 visitor. This means commercial cross-border drivers must:

  1. Have a residence in Canada, with no intention of abandoning it
  2. Intend to depart the U.S. at the end of their temporary admission
  3. Have the financial means to finish the job and make it out of the U.S.
  4. Establish that they are not inadmissible to the U.S., including for health reasons, criminal convictions, or previous immigration violations.

 

The last requirement is especially important. If you have any serious health issues, any past criminal convictions, especially in regards to violence, weapons, or drugs, and any previous immigration issues, you probably will not qualify for cross-border trucker jobs as there is a very real chance you will not be allowed to cross the U.S.-Canada border.

 

Document Requirements

Crossing the border as a commercial driver is different than driving through as a visitor, but drivers will still need to present certain documents. Canadian citizens entering the U.S. as drivers must present the following documents to be allowed entry:

  • One of the following pieces of ID:
  • A Canadian passport
  • An enhanced driver’s license or enhanced ID card
  • An enrollment card from a DHS trucked traveling program

 

Inspection Requirements

All trucks and drivers entering and leaving the U.S. are inspected by border patrol. Inspections may differ each time however, they may include a number of elements, including:

  • Document verification
  • X-ray of cargo
  • Cargo inspection

 

DOT Requirements

The trucking industry is one of the most heavily regulated. In order to keep drivers and the roads safe, the Canadian and U.S. governments have certain Hours of Service Rules. These are designed to ensure drivers are getting enough rest so that they can safely make their deliveries. All commercial drivers are required to keep a logbook of their hours, which may be reviewed when you cross the board. Commercial drivers will be instructed on how to properly keep track of their HoS so that they pass inspection.

 

Are you ready to hit the road as a cross-board trucker? Nova Driver Services is one of the top driver recruitment agencies in the GTA, and we’d be happy to help you find the right position. Contact us today to check out our online job board.

 

5 Great Seasonal Summer Jobs in Ontario

Summertime is around the corner, and if you’re interested in a new job for the season, now is the time to start looking! Summer jobs are great for people looking to make extra money or fill up the time between school or other jobs. Many seasonal jobs pay well, and some even have long-term opportunities.

 

According to our hiring experts at Nova Staffing, here are some great seasonal summer jobs you should look for in Ontario.

 

Painter

You don’t have to be creative to get a summer job as a painter. Given Ontario’s weather, summer is often the only time of year people have to get their house painted. This is a low-stress, low-risk seasonal job. Not only will you make money, but you’ll also learn how to paint properly, which could come in handy when it’s time to paint your own place!

 

Landscaper

If you want to get outside and enjoy the warmth while making money, then landscaping might be for you. You’ll be doing things like mowing the grass, weed whacking, clipping hedges, and more. With a solid landscaping gig, you’ll make some money, get fit, and can work on your tan!

 

Lifeguard

Warm weather means pools and beaches! Ontario is lucky enough to have some beautiful lake-side beaches for people to enjoy and recreational pools. Many places hire summer lifeguards to keep an eye on visitors. There will be some training and certifications, but this is a great seasonal job option if you love the water.

 

Administrative Assistant

Are you more of a fan of staying cool inside during the summer? Then an office administrator job might be for you! Administrative assistants, or office interns, do everything from greeting guests and answering phone calls or filing papers and organizing the office. Many of these types of jobs have the potential to turn into long-term gigs if you’ve got the time once summer ends as well!

 

Tutor

Want to keep your mind sharp during the summer months? Look into tutoring jobs! Many kids have struggled with education throughout the pandemic and plan to use the summer months to get back on track. You can help them by being a paid tutor. Not only will you earn money and help kids in need, but you’ll also have flexible hours and stay sharp for classes in the Fall.

 

Are you ready to start looking for a seasonal summer job? Check out our online job board or contact us today! Nova Staffing is one of the top employment agencies in the GTA, and our team of experienced hiring experts would be happy to help you find a summer gig.

 

New Hiring Trends Companies Should Pay Attention To

Finding and hiring quality employees has never been more vital nor more challenging. Canadian companies are currently experiencing a “war for talent” with such a hot hiring market, and job seekers holding power have seen new hiring trends emerge. According to our hiring experts at Nova Staffing, if your company wants to stay competitive and seek quality candidates, here are some of the latest hiring trends you should pay attention to.   

 

Job Seekers Hold the Power

It’s safe to say that Canada and other places in the world are experiencing a labor shortage. With unemployment at its lowest since the start of the pandemic and with more job openings than ever before, job seekers hold all the power. This can be a new experience for companies that used to have thousands of applicants for one job. Candidates are now in the position of being picky and not just taking whatever is offered to them.

 

If your company wants to hire quality candidates, it’s important to understand where the power lies. Your hiring process should reflect this. Instead of your interview process being about candidates convincing you of their value and strengths, you should be wooing them about how great you are to work for. These days, it’s your company that is being interviewed, not the candidate.

 

Streamlined and Shortened Process

Our hiring experts know just how long and tedious the hiring process can be. For larger companies and certain industries, a new hire requires multiple people to agree and sign off on it. That sort of timeline just isn’t feasible anymore. Candidates don’t wait around for weeks waiting to hear if they got a job.

 

At our employment agency, we encourage our clients to make their hiring decisions within a week, two at the longest. Otherwise, you risk quality job seekers moving on to new opportunities.

 

Flexibility at the Forefront 

Flexibility is one of the top issues job seekers have these days. In fact, a huge reason people are leaving their old jobs is for not being flexible. A lot of candidates aren’t willing to commit to being forced to come into the office five days a week, especially if their job doesn’t require them to be on site.

 

Offering things such as work from home or hybrid models can appeal to more candidates. Additional flexibility around things like vacation and sick days can also attract new hires.

 

Are you ready to start filling open positions with the highest quality candidates? Contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of hiring experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is more than up to the task of finding you the right new hires.

 

When to Renew Your Driving Documents

The transportation industry has tons of amazing career opportunities. In order to access them, you’ll have to have the necessary driving documents. Thankfully all you usually need is a record of driving training and the correct commercial driver’s license. While these aren’t too challenging to get, don’t make the mistake of letting them lapse. Our driver recruitment experts at Nova Staffing explain how often you need to renew all your driving documents so that you can keep on trucking!

 

Standard Driver’s License

Some transportation jobs just require a basic Ontario driver’s license. In this province, your license is valid for 5 years. After that time, you’ll have to renew it online or at a ServiceOntario centre. If you don’t renew before it expires, you may have to start the graduating system over again if you don’t have your full G yet or pay a fee to get a new one.

 

Commercial Driver’s License

Most commercial trucking jobs in Ontario require a special class of license, such as Class A, B, C, D, E, or F. These allow you to try specialty vehicles like tankers, semi-trucks, buses, and more. You will get a notice 90 days before your license expires in Ontario, either via e-mail or mail. Most licenses last five years before needing to be renewed.

 

Drivers under 80 with a class A, B, C, E, or F, and drivers over the age of 65 with a Class D license are required to pass a vision and knowledge test in order to renew their license. Class D drivers under the age of 65 are required to pass a vision and knowledge test to renew their license. Depending on their age, some commercial-class license holders will be required to periodically submit a medical report to maintain their license. Failure to do so will result in them being downgraded to a Class G license.  

 

How to Renew Commercial Driver’s License?

Unlike standard G-class driver’s licenses, commercial-class licenses cannot be renewed online at this time. If you are not required to take any tests, you must renew your commercial license in person at any ServiceOntario centre.

 

Take the form to any centre in the province. You will be asked to sign the form, show identification, pay a fee, and have a new photograph taken. You will get a temporary license on the spot, and a permanent one will be mailed to you. Carry the temporary one with you until the permanent one comes so that you can produce it if needed.

 

Are you looking for a lucrative commercial driving job? Contact Nova Driver Services today or check out our online job board! We’re one of the top driver recruitment agencies in the GTA, and our team of experts would be happy to help.

 

What is the Great Resignation?

It’s been over two years since a global pandemic crippled the world. Even with COVID-19 restrictions lifting, things aren’t back to normal yet. As the world starts to move towards some resemblance of normalcy, its workers have resisted. This tension between companies and workers has resulted in what many have called “The Great Resignation .” But what exactly is it, and how is it impacting Canada? Our employment experts at Nova Staffing break it down for you.

 

What is the Great Resignation?

The term “the Great Resignation” was coined to describe the mass of workers in the U.S. that started quitting their jobs after the first few months of the pandemic. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs between November 2020 and November 2021. This number has only gone up as companies have started to demand their workers return to pre-pandemic conditions.

 

What caused the Great Resignation?

Workers have been very clear about why they’re quitting lately. They’re tired of low wages, unsafe working conditions, and toxic company cultures. All of these issues weren’t new, but the pandemic exacerbated them. Now, as more companies move back to on-site working and look to end work-from-home, a secondary wave of the Great Resignation is hitting. Employees feel they proved they can work effectively at home, enjoy the lack of commute, flexible schedule, and more relaxed environment that comes with it, and aren’t willing to give it up.

 

Is Canada experiencing a Great Resignation?

As an expert hiring agency, Nova Staffing can say there is a labour shortage in Canada. However, Canada has not experienced mass resignation on par with the United States. Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey found the labour market held steady at 65.3%, virtually the same as it was before the pandemic.

 

That doesn’t mean everything is perfect up here in the great north. Many Canadians are struggling, with one in four reporting their personal and work lives have suffered since the pandemic. Some reports found that 35% of Canadians are considering leaving their jobs. Canada has been slower to ask employees to return to work-from-home, but we may see a larger spike in resignation as that happens.

 

How can companies respond to the Great Resignation?

Due to the labour shortage, Canada is experiencing, it’s an employee’s job market. This means companies need to make their job openings enticing with a competitive salary, a solid benefits package, and extras such as WFH flexibility, extra vacation days, commuting costs, and more.

 

Is your company in need of quality candidates to fill job openings? Contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of hiring experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience. We’re ready to help your business find the right people for the job!

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: December 2021

Ontario’s employment continued to improve in December 2021, making it the seventh consecutive month the province saw employment increase. This was despite COVID-19 restrictions coming into place late in the month due to the Omicron variant.

Here is a look at how employment in Ontario was impacted in December 2021, compiled by our employment experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government December 2021 Labour Market report.  

Employment Summary

In December, Ontario had 7.7 million (61.6%) employed individuals, up 46,900 (0.6%) jobs from November. Overall, the province was 2.1% (160,600 jobs) above its pre-COVID-19 February 2020 levels. 

As employment increased, unemployment in Ontario dropped. In December, there were 491,900 unemployed individuals in the province, down 5.1% from the 519,100 unemployed individuals in November.  

Employment by Age

Youth employment (15-24) saw an increase of 18,800 in December, following a decline in the previous month. Unemployment for this demographic dropped to 10.8%, down from 11.4% in November. 

Adult employment (25-54) also saw an increase of 28,500 new jobs in December, meaning this age group was 3.3% above its pre-COVID levels. Unemployment for adults dropped from 5.1% in November to 5.0% in December. Senior employment (55+) had no significant employment change in December, but unemployment for this demographic did drop 6%, down from 6.9% from the previous month. 

Employment by Sector

Employment sectors continued to gain at different rates in December 2021. Those that saw the greatest employment gains in Ontario were led by Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+96 K), and followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (+59.2 K), Information, Culture, and Recreation (+39.3 K), and Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (+36 K). 

Ontario industries that saw the greatest employment loss in December were Accommodation and Food Services (-50.5 K), Other Services (Except Public Administration) (-45.9 K), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-31.3 K), and Construction (-17.8 K).  

Employment by Region

Fourteen of Ontario’s CMAs saw employment growth in December. The regions that saw the greatest growth was Toronto (+210.7 K), followed by Windsor (+31.2 K), London (+25.9), Hamilton (+20.0 K), Ottawa-Gatineau (+18.6 K), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+17.2 K), Oshawa (+11.6 K), Guelph (+10.2 K), St. Catharines-Niagara (+9.8 K), Peterborough (+8.4 K), Barrie (+4.4 K), Greater Sudbury (+2.7 K), Thunder Bay (+2.2 K), and Belleville (+0.8 K). 

 The two Ontario regions that saw employment loss in December were Kingston (-1.7 K) and Brantford (-0.6 K). 

Is your company looking for help hiring top talent or need staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing! Our team of employment experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is here to help.