2022 Employee Appreciation Holidays for Every Industry

It has been a challenging few years for everyone, and now is the time for companies to spread positivity by recognizing and showing appreciation for their employees. More than ever, employee appreciation is essential to morale, engagement, and worker retention. It doesn’t take much to make employees feel valued, and there are lots of dedicated appreciation holidays that companies can use to bolster employees. Our HR experts gathered all of the employee appreciation holidays for every industry.

 

Appreciation Holidays for Any Business

Below are some appreciation holidays that fit every industry:

  • National Mentoring Month: Jan 1-31
  • International Thank You Day: January 11
  • Employee Appreciation Week: February 28-March 4
  • Employee Appreciation Day: March 4
  • International Women’s Day: March 8
  • HR Professional Appreciation Day: September 26
  • National Custodian Day: October 2
  • National Customer Service Week: October 3-7
  • Bosses Day: October 16

 

Office Workers Appreciation Holidays

Does your company operate in an office? If so, here are some great holidays for you to show appreciation on:

  • Administrative Assistants Day: April 27
  • Receptionist Day: May 11
  • Intern Day: July 29
  • Programmers Day: September 13
  • IT Professionals Day: September 20
  • Accounting Day: November 10

 

Educational Worker Appreciation Holidays

Educational workers have the challenging job of molding the minds of future generations. These positions are high-stress and don’t get much recognition, so if you work in the education sector, here are some holidays you should acknowledge:

  • School Resource Officers Day: January 9
  • School Counseling Week: February 7-11
  • School Librarian Appreciation Day: April 13
  • Teach Appreciation Week: May 2-6
  • School Nurses Day: May 4
  • Coach Appreciation Day: October 6

 

Healthcare Worker Appreciation Holidays

If the global pandemic taught us anything, it’s that healthcare workers are truly heroes. These are people that work in high-stress, life-or-death situations. Here are some healthcare worker appreciation holidays to keep in mind:

  • National Pharmacist Day: January 12
  • CRNA Week: January 23-29
  • Women Physicians Day: February 3
  • National Caregivers Day: February 18
  • Dentists Day: March 6
  • Dental Assistants Recognition Week: March 6-10
  • Doctor’s Day: March 30
  • Nurses Day: May 6
  • Nurses Week: May 6-12
  • Hospital Week: May 9-15

 

First Responders Appreciation Holidays

First responders, military, police, and fire personnel work to keep everyone in Canada safe, so here are some holidays where you can show appreciation for their hard work:

  • Law Enforcement Appreciation Day: January 9
  • Military Appreciation Month: May
  • First Responders Day: May 1
  • Firefighters Day: May 4
  • Canadian Armed Forces Day: June 19
  • Remembrance Day: November 11

 

Other Worker Appreciation Holidays

Didn’t see your industry covered above? Here are some other worker appreciation holidays to celebrate:

  • Waitstaff Day: May 21
  • National Truck Driver Appreciation Week: September 11-17
  • Customer Service Week: October 3-7

 

Are you looking to grow your company, or do you need more HR tips? Contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of experienced hiring experts is here to help.

 

How to Protect Your Workplace During Flu Season

Summer is coming to an end, which means flu season is just around the corner. It’s hard for employees to work their best when they’re not feeling their best. And with Canada still, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, workplaces are more cautious than ever about keeping employees safe and healthy. Here are some tips from our HR experts at Nova Staffing on how you can protect your workplace and staff from flu and cold season.

 

Encourage Employees to Pay Attention to Their Health

It’s always crucial for workers to focus on their health, but it can be easy to forget about the more common diseases like the flu and colds when facing down a global pandemic. Encourage employees to get a seasonal flu vaccine, promote practices like handwashing, and allow them to take sick days if needed.

 

Evaluate Sick Leave Policies

One big thing companies had to rethink during COVID-19 are their sick-leave policies. At Nova Staffing, this is one of the top questions we get asked about when hiring new people. Employees want to make sure they’ll be protected if they must take time off due to illness, especially since it’s highly discouraged to come into workplaces with fevers and coughs, even if it’s not COVID-19. Employers should be flexible when it comes to employees and sickness. Allow work from home and provide extra sick days if possible.

 

Emphasize Cleaning

The good news about the pandemic is that workplaces have been focusing on cleanliness and sanitization. The increased cleaning means that employees are less likely to get sick from common illnesses like the flu as well as COVID-19. Employers may want to consider upping this even more, or at least keep it up even as health regulations slacken, to ensure workers are safe during flu and cold season.

 

Educate on Health Practices

Now is a good time to send out an email or post signs re-educating workers on health practices. Post reminders in the bathroom about washing hands and in eating spaces about covering one’s mouth and nose. You can also remind employees of policies about coming in when they have a fever or other flu-like symptoms.

 

Is your company looking to hire new staff, or do you need more employment tips? Contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of hiring experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is ready to help.

 

Workplace Etiquette Reminders Before Heading Back into the Office

With vaccination rates on the rise, many companies are now looking at bringing employees back into offices and physical workplaces. The shift from work-from-home to back on-site may be challenging, but employers can help ease the transition by reminding employees of these simple workplace etiquettes. The workplace has evolved since the pandemic, so while some of this will be a quick refresher for employees, other tips may be new habits they’ll have to learn.

 

 Here are a few workplace etiquette tips for today’s workplace from our employment experts at Nova Staffing.

 

Dress Appropriately

What people wear while working will be one of the biggest changes people will have to adjust to when returning to the office. For many people, their work clothes have gone untouched in their closets for the past year. While rocking sweatpants and messy hair at home was fine, be sure to remind employees of the office dress code before they return. Now is the time to review dress expectations or create new ones if you feel your company culture has shifted.

 

Prioritize Personal Space

Personal space has always been important, but even more so since COVID. Employers should do what they can to ensure the workplace follows socially distancing guidelines, like moving desks further apart and organizing chairs in meetings so that they’re spaced out. Also, be sure to encourage employees to respect personal space and social distance. You can even try to develop a color-code system so that employees can signal how comfortable they are with physical contact.

 

Focus on Health

One of the biggest things employers should address about workplace etiquette is sickness. Employees are more concerned than ever about ill co-workers coming in at this time. Make sure you have clear guidelines on what they should do about physical health. It’s also important for your company to review and possibly revamp its sick policy. While it might have been okay for workers to come in and work while sick in the past, that isn’t acceptable anymore. Employees who are sniffling, have a fever, or have other contagious symptoms should stay home. The good news is that workers showed they can work from home effectively, so there are options!

 

Remember how to Socialize

It’s been so long since co-workers interacted with each other in person, many of them are probably out of practice. Consider hosting a social event prior to bringing everyone back into the office. This will give them a chance to reconnect without distracting them from work and give them a chance to remember how to socialize in a professional environment.

 

Establish Conversation No-Nos

Some things haven’t changed when it comes to the workplace. Certain subjects still aren’t good for work time discussions. Employers might not want to ban conversation, but it’s still good to remind employees that it’s unprofessional to discuss things like religion, money, sex, and politics while on the clock. That also goes for COVID-19. Opinions about origins, vaccinations, statistics, and others might cause rifts. Companies should be open to discussing employee concerns about working with unvaccinated co-workers and other health and safety guidelines.

 

If you’re looking for more employment tips or need to hire new staff, contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of staffing experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is here to help.

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: February 2021 Report

After a rocky start to the year in January, which saw employment sharply drop as a result of a second lockdown, February saw employment bounce back. Ontario’s employment rate increased by 1.4%, the largest increase month-from-month since last September.

 

Here is a quick market summary report of Ontario’s employment outlook for February 2021, compiled by our staffing experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government February 2021 Labour Market Report.

 

 

Employment Outlook

Employment dropped significantly in January 2021 as a result of the second provincial-wide COVID-19 lockdown. February saw it pick up, with Ontario’s employment rate rising to 58.5% from 57.7% in January, adding 100,300 new jobs.

 

In addition to employment increasing, unemployment also went down. The unemployment rate dropped from 10.2% in January to 9.2% in February. Overall, Ontario saw the number of unemployed individuals drop by 9.5%.

 

Employment by Age

Age continued to play a factor in employment in February, with Youth (15-24) remaining the furthest from pre-COVID levels than any other age group. Youth Employment did increase in February, though, adding 23,100 new jobs. Youth unemployment in Ontario also dropped to 20.9% from 21.8%.

 

After taking a major hit in January, Adult Employment (25-54) added 66,700 new jobs in February and saw unemployment in this demographic drop from 8.3% to 7.3%. Senior employment also added 10,500 new jobs and saw unemployment drop to 7.1% from 8.3% in January.

 

Employment by Sector

Employment in certain industries was hit harder than others due to what Ontario considered “essential” during the lockdown. Certain sectors fell well below their pre-COVID employment numbers in February, while others saw increases. In February, the industries that saw the greatest employment growth were Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+40.3%), Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Leasing (+28.5%), Manufacturing (+27.2%), and Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil (+0.6%).

 

Other sectors saw significant employment loss in February and were far from their pre-COVID levels. The greatest employment loss was in Accommodation and Food Services (-121.9%), Wholesale and Retail Trade (-85.3%), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-51.5%), and Transportation and Warehousing (-36%).

 

Employment by Region

After a rough January, employment increased in ten of the sixteen Ontario CMAs in February. The regions that saw employment growth were Ottawa-Gatineau (+13.2%), London (+4%), Hamilton (+3.9%), Peterborough (+2.1%), Windsor (+2%), Belleville (+1.6%), Guelph (+1.2), Barrie (+0.2%), Brantford (+0.2%), Kingston (+0.1%).

 

Not all regions of Ontario saw employment growth in February 2021. Six of Ontario CMAs saw a decrease. These regions were Toronto (-38.3%), St. Catharine’s-Niagara (-4.5%), Oshawa (-2.25), Thunder Bay (-0.9%), Greater Sudbury (-0.4%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (-0.1%).

 

Are you looking for more employment insight or staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the top employment agencies in the GTA and have a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your staffing needs.

 

How to Keep Employees Motivated During Lockdown

Ontario recently entered its third COVID-19 lockdown, which has left many people feeling disheartened and burnt out. Employers should think about what they can do to ensure employees remain engaged, motivated, and healthy as we continue to battle the pandemic. Here are a few tips from our HR experts at Nova Staffing on how to help your employees during this difficult time.

 

Establish Clear Guidelines

One of the hardest things about the COVID-19 pandemic has been not knowing what to expect. There are not many things businesses can do about the virus, but employers can help their workers by establishing clear guidelines on what they expect during this latest lockdown. Whether your employees are work from home or still in the workspace, make sure you once again articulate job expectations, work hours, and COVID-19 policies. Taking away as much uncertainty as possible will make it easier for your employees to focus on their work. 

 

Open Channels of Communication

Communication is key to any effective workplace, but especially during lockdown when employees already feel more isolated. The last thing you want to do is make your workers feel like they are on their own and unsupported. This will increase the chance of them feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Ensure you’re clearly communicating what you need from your employees and opening up a communication line for them to come to you with any problems.

 

Be Transparent and Honest

Entering lockdown for a third time, especially as other parts of the world are starting to open up, has been incredibly hard and frustrating for everyone. It has impacted everyone in Ontario- employers and employees alike. Employers should be open about this so that employees don’t feel like they’re the only ones dealing with these issues. Employees will feel better just knowing that those above them are dealing with the same struggles.

 

Celebrate Success

It can feel like there’s not much good left right now, which is why it’s so important for businesses to celebrate all the success employees have, no matter how big or small. When employees that go above and beyond their duty don’t get acknowledged, they’re more likely to become disengaged and unmotivated. That’s why employers should make an effort to praise and appreciate employees for every achievement.

 

Be Understanding and Compassionate

As Ontario enters another lockdown, your employees are probably dealing with more changes than just working from home or new workplace health and safety guidelines. Working parents now have to handle kids being at home and virtual schooling. Employees may have elderly or at-risk family members they have to take care of. Even simple things such as getting necessities is now more challenging due to reduced hours. Employers should try to make this lockdown as easy as possible for their employees by understanding that things may come up. Be compassionate about things that may pop up during the workday, such as dogs barking in the background or kids running around. Right now, everyone is just trying to do their best.

 

Arrange Employee Bonding

Employees may be feeling isolated and disconnected from their co-workers after not being in the same workspace as them. It can be hard to connect virtually, especially when everyone is dealing with their own challenges. As an employer, you should step up and try to arrange some activities to encourage employee bonding and just bring a little fun to their lives. Consider hosting virtual social events such as catch-up coffees or trivia nights.

 

If you are looking for more HR tips or need help with hiring quality candidates, contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of employment experts is ready to help you with all of your staffing needs.

 

Why Appreciating Employees is Important

It’s National Employee Appreciation Day! Having a day recognizing and celebrating the hard work employees put in is essential, but employee recognition shouldn’t be limited to one day. It’s an important part of company culture all year long and significantly impacts company performance. Here are a few key reasons why employee appreciation is vital to the workplace from our HR experts at Nova Staffing!

 

Increases Engagement and Productivity

A happy employee is a good employee. When workers feel appreciated, that’s going to reflect in their work. By recognizing the work your employees put in, they’re more likely to be productive and engaged. Don’t expect employees to go the extra mile or work harder if you don’t take the time to acknowledge it. It doesn’t take much for employers to recognize and praise good work, so be sure to do it all year round! It’s a simple way to boost efficiency and satisfaction.

 

Retains Talent

As a hiring agency, we know that finding talent is the easy part. It’s retaining it long-term that requires more work! Many companies make the mistake of thinking that a good paycheck is enough to keep talented employees around. Quality employees want to feel that their work is appreciated. Giving a simple thank you or praising good work costs employers nothing, but it can go a long way in retaining talented workers. It can also save your company money! Bringing in new hires costs time and money, so it’s always better to try to keep good workers around.

 

Boosts Company Loyalty and Morale

Did you know company culture and morale play a huge role in productivity? People want to work in environments that make them happy and value them. Celebrating employee accomplishments is a great way to improve company morale and help boost loyalty to the company. The happier a person is in your company, and the more respected they feel, the more likely they are to stick around! Word will also get around, attracting quality recruits and making hiring talent easier.

 

Commit to Year-Round Recognition

Special days like National Employee Appreciation Day are important but don’t fall into the trap of limiting celebrating employee contributions to one day. Saying a few positive words or a simple thank you throughout the year can go a long way.

 

At Nova Staffing, we have more than 20 years of experience placing the right people with the right company. Our focus has always been to find the right fit for our client’s companies and understanding that appreciating quality employees can make all the difference. Feel free to contact us for all of your staffing needs!

 

5 Ways to Support Employees’ Mental Health

It’s safe to say the past year has been a struggle for just about everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic hit businesses and employees hard, both professionally and personally. It’s no surprise then that a recent study found that 42% of global employees have experienced a decline in mental health since the pandemic began, not to mention seasonal winter blues. So, what can employers and managers do to check-in and support their teams during these trying times? Here are a few suggestions from our HR experts at Nova Staffing.

 

Be Vulnerable

One silver lining to the pandemic is that everyone has been hit, and it has normalized mental health challenges. Almost everyone has experienced some level of discomfort. Business owners and managers should start the mental health conversation and decrease the stigma by opening up about their own struggles. You don’t have to tell more than you’re comfortable, but letting employees know that those higher up have been struggling as well will let them feel more comfortable coming to you with their challenges.

 

Model Healthy Habits

A lot of companies say they support mental health, but very few actually model it. It’s one thing to tell employees to prioritize self-care and set boundaries, and it’s another for businesses to do it themselves. Share that you’re taking a staycation or a mid-afternoon walk. This will help employees feel more comfortable taking much-needed breaks themselves.

 

Check-In Regularly

Intentionally checking in with each of your employees is more important than ever. Now that many people are working from home, it can be harder to notice if someone is struggling. Make it a point to ask your employees if they’re doing OK. During these times, communicate more than you think you need to.

 

Be Flexible

This pandemic has shown that businesses that are flexible are the ones to survive. Being adaptable and flexible is key to managing stressful situations that may pop up, like a global pandemic! Employers should be open to the fact that employees are facing unprecedented challenges. Virtual learning or closed schools mean many working parents don’t have childcare. Health concerns may limit certain employees from coming in. Not all employees may have a quiet, dedicated workspace to operate from. Being flexible and accommodating will help alleviate stress for your employees and allow you to come together to find solutions.

 

Modify Procedures and Policies

Now is the time to update practices and policies to be more flexible and reflect the realities of the workplace today. Look at things such as work hours, communication practices, sick leave policies, and performance reviews. The ‘normal’ work environment doesn’t exist right now, so traditional procedures no longer fit.

 

Need help finding qualified candidates or other staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing today! With over 200 years of industry experience, our team of HR experts is ready to help. 

 

6 Tips for Successfully Onboarding New Drivers

6 Tips for Successfully Onboarding New Drivers- Nova Staffing

The transportation industry played a vital role during the pandemic, and increased demand for delivery services has resulted in job growth in this sector. Grocery stores, restaurants, online retailers, and warehouses are all looking to hire qualified drivers in Canada right now. As your company expands, being able to quickly and successfully onboard new drivers will be essential to the success of your business. Here are a few simple tips to help you efficiently train new drivers.

 

Plan Orientation

One of the most common issues cited for driver turnover is lack of training and support. It’s essential to provide a structured orientation to smoothly onboard new drivers. It can be tempting to toss new employees into the deep end and hope they can figure it out, but even the most experienced drivers will need to be eased into a new company culture. Orientation is the perfect time to create a positive long-term impression for new hires so that they feel comfortable staying with your business. Most drivers will decide within the first 72 hours if they’ll stay with their new employer, so it is important to have a positive orientation experience.

 

Structure Training

Orientation is all about introducing new drivers to your company, but make sure you have formal training as well. Every company does things differently so even the most qualified drivers will still need to be trained on how you want things done. Outline all of the expectations and rules for the job, provide all necessary documentation and answer any questions they may have. 

 

Provide Introductions

Being the “new” person is never easy. Companies that take the effort to make new drivers feel more comfortable are more likely to retain talent. Be sure to introduce new drivers to others in the company such as fellow drivers, warehouse staff, management, and anyone else they may work. Employees that build relationships within the company are more likely to stick around and be happier.

 

Cover New Policies

The transportation industry was crucial during the pandemic but in order to keep drivers and other workers safe a lot of new policies are being adopted. Many of the health and safety policies being introduced in companies are new for everyone but don’t forget to take extra time explaining everything to new employees. Clearly go over all new policies you may have around social distancing, cleanliness, and what protective equipment you want them to wear.

 

Check-In Regularly

Onboarding shouldn’t be a one-time deal. Companies that want to retain talent should be sure to check in regularly during the first few weeks of employment. Keep a close eye on new drivers to make sure they’re keeping up with the workload and happy. You can even assign a fellow driver to act as a mentor to guide them in the beginning.

 

Ask for Feedback

Once your new driver is settled into their role, check-in again and ask for honest feedback on how they thought the onboarding process went. They might have valuable opinions on how you could improve things for future new hires. Research shows that nearly one-third of new driver hires will quit within 90 days so it’s important to have a great onboarding process to reduce turnover.

 

Nova Staffing is one of the top recruitment agencies in Toronto and we can assist you in finding qualified candidates for your driver needs. We’ll provide your business with the support in needs in expanding during this time. Contact us today to discuss your hiring needs!

 

Companies Are Encouraging Remote Work in Times of the Coronavirus

HR recruiters

Have you been one of those who wished they could work from home? Well, the Coronavirus is making that happen. In times of social distancing where our actions could potentially prevent the spread of the virus, employers are rolling out mandatory remote work across the globe and across departments. That goes for all our HR recruiters too.

Working from home is a new reality at least until the situation is under control and no one knows how long that might take. Amongst us, there will be some that will be working from home for the first time, which means figuring out how to stay on track in a new environment that may not lend itself to productivity.

Here Are Some Tips to Help You Get By:

1. Increase Communication

Most people spend their days in close proximity to their boss or their teams, meaning communication is easy and effortless. Whether you’re checking in with your team or checking in with your boss, make sure you are in constant communication with them. This helps to clarify each one’s responsibilities and tasks for the day.

2. Make a To-Do List

There’s no better way to stay on track than a to-do list. A to-do list holds you accountable for your day-to-day tasks and ensures you meet your deadlines. Just like any workday, list down all your tasks for the day and as you

3. Allocate a Certain Location

You need a ‘spot’. By allocating a certain location of your house for only work-related activities, you can program your mind to focus on tasks better.

4. Think of It as a Work Day

If you spent 30 minutes traveling, swap that 30 minutes with a quick exercise session. Make sure you take a shower and ‘dress for work’, even if it means putting on a shirt over your sweat pants. This will wire your mind into work mode and help you get through the day.

5. Take Breaks

It is overwhelming at first to move away from a work environment to a make-shift work environment and being in a lock-down, can leave some struggling to get accustomed to the change. Take regular breaks to give yourself a moment to get on a call with a friend or family member to feel less isolated, you need it.

If you’re looking for HR solutions from experts in these tough times, Nova Staffing is equipped to handle your needs. As one of the renowned HR recruiters in Toronto we are committed to helping employers in Ontario meet their needs. Our in-house HR recruiters can find, hire and train those looking to figure out how working from home.