Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia (HRANS)

The Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia (HRANS) is the professional association for Human Resources in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and is the grantor of the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation in the two provinces. With more than 1,000 members representing more than 550 organizations, HRANS represents a diverse group of Human Resources Professionals and Business Leaders and is the largest professional association serving human resource practitioners in the Atlantic Provinces.

Strategic Human Resource Management and the HR Professional

This module will provide a contextual view of the evolution of Human Resource Management and Strategic Human Resource Management including the impact Human Resources can have on organizational success. Topics to be covered will include the role of the HR professional, linking HR to organizational direction, the Canadian Council of Human Resources Association, provincial HR associations, the National Code of Ethics, and the CHRP designation

Conor Vibert

Conor Vibert, Ph.D. is a Professor of Business Strategy at the Fred C. Manning School of Business http://business.acadiau.ca of Acadia University www.acadiau.ca in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He obtained a Ph.D. in Organizational Analysis from the University of Alberta in 1996. At Acadia University, he teaches Business Strategy and Organization Theory while his current research interests focus on the application of the Internet to contemporary business issues. He is currently examining how small business managers in Canada, and Japan use Internet technologies to identify foreign market opportunities. He is the author of Web Based Analysis for Competitive Intelligence, Theorizing on Macro-organizational Behavior: A Handbook of Ideas and Explanations, and, Competitive Intelligence: A Framework for Web-based Analysis & Decision-Making. Conor has published in Competitive Intelligence Review, Education and Information Technologies, the Journal of Competitive Strategy and the Canadian Journal of Administrative Studies. He is also a co-author of a 1st and 2nd Canadian edition of Management published by Thomson Nelson. At Acadia, he developed the Acadia Distinguished Business Speaker series http://business.acadiau.ca/cur_Distinguished.html and along with colleagues has commercialized the Acadia International Executive Insight Series http://aieis.acadiau.ca with Pearson Canada http://www.pearsoned.ca/highered/divisions/acadiavideos/index.html.

Organizational Design and Development

Whether a small entrepreneurial entity or a large multi-national corporation, most organizations have structural features that are similar. There are also processes of change and development that appear timeless and applicable to most organizations. Understanding the nature of these similar processes and structures will help managers create positive change while understanding some of the events that characterize their environments within and beyond organizational boundaries. In this workshop you will be offered an introduction to some of the concepts of organizational structure, design and change. It will also provide the opportunity to acquire a basic knowledge of some of the key concepts of organizational development and then apply them to industry. At the conclusion of this workshop you will: * Understand the role and purpose of an organization. * Be able to define an organization or a unit of an organization according to a set group of structural features. * Define the typical life cycle of an organization. * Grasp the steps associated with leader driven change. * Be aware of some of the common indicators evident when change efforts are being resisted.

Jan McKenzie

Jan McKenzie, LLB, LLM, QC has practiced Labour and Employment Law for over 25 years. She has worked extensively with Employers, Unions and Individual Employees on workplace issues ranging from collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, human rights, injury and disability, workplace safety and employee benefits. Jan has taught at Dalhousie Law School, the Nova Scotia Barristers Society Bar Admission course and the Nova Scotia Department of Justice Foundations of Administrative Justice program. She has presented papers, seminars and workshops on a wide variety of topics relating to employee relations and alternative dispute resolution in both professional and community settings. Jan has a particular interest in alternative dispute resolution and enjoys assisting in the resolution of workplace disputes by the use of creative conflict resolution techniques.

Employee Relations

This module will introduce the legal aspects of the workplace. Topics to be covered will include the nature of the employment relationship, the distinction between provincially and federally regulated employers, the legal structures of unionized and non-unionized workplaces as well as a survey of relevant legislation such as the Human Rights Act, the Workers' Compensation Act, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Contemporary workplace issues, including violence and bullying, stress related illness and employee diversity, will be explored. There will also be an overview of progressive techniques for resolving workplace disputes.

Kelly Dye

Kelly Dye (PhD) brings with her more than twelve years of industry experience in sales and marketing, corporate training, small business ownership, and business consulting. She began her career in sales and marketing, and received several sales awards. Her sales career led her to sales training. Kelly enjoyed training so much that she set her sights on a career in academia. Along the way, she opened her own successful small business, sold two franchises, and began consulting. She has been teaching in the field of business management since 1998, in various capacities, including one-day seminars, customized training, and master’s level management courses. She holds a diploma in adult education. She currently teaches Organizational Behaviour, Gender and Diversity in Organizations, and Change Management at the F.C. Manning School of Business, covering topics such as leadership, conflict management, team dynamics, and stress management. Key areas of her research include organization change management, gender and diversity in organizations, and stress management. Kelly’s work has been published in various books and scholarly journals, and has been presented internationally at conferences in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Poland. Her most recent projects include a presentation of her work at Keele University in the U.K., an organization change textbook (to be published by Routledge), and an encyclopedia entry for the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. She also serves on the editorial boards of the Workplace Review and the Journal of Workplace Rights.

Organizational Learning, Training and Development

This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills required for the successful design, delivery, and evaluation of training and development programs. Coaching, counseling, and principles of adult learning will be introduced. Consistent with the goal of developing employees to their full potential. career development strategies will also be introduced and analyzed. Finally, students will gain an understanding of the strategic importance of knowledge management initiatives.

Cassandra Dorrington

Cassandra Dorrington is the President of Vale & Associates Human Resource Management and Consulting Inc., a company specializing in the provision of Human Resource Management Services and/or consulting advice to small to medium-sized companies. With more than twenty five years of corporate and consulting experience, Cassandra has worked in the high-tech / telecommunications / consulting industry for organizations such as Aliant Inc., xwave, and Deloitte Consulting. Specializing in Human Resource Advisory Services, Diversity/Employment Equity, Training and Development and Team Building and Effectiveness, Cassandra has provided consulting services to a number of national and international clients in the private, para-public, public and not-for-profit sectors. Cassandra’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Commerce, a Master of Business Administration Degree (Executive Program), a CMA (Certified Management Accounting) designation as well as her CHRP (Certified Human Resource Professional) designation. Cassandra’s community involvement has continued to occupy a large part of her time and most recent initiatives include memberships in the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, the Certified Management Accountants of Nova Scotia organization, and the Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia. Currently Cassandra sits as the Chair for the Black Business Initiative, Treasurer of Techsploration (an organization that works to promote young women in non-traditional roles in trades and technologies) and sits as the Nova Scotia representative on the National Board of Directors CMA Canada. Cassandra’s commitment to community service has resulted in her being the recipient of the Commemorative Medal for the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation and the YWCA Woman of Distinction award for Community Service.

Staffing

Achievement of business success equals having the right people in the right spots. Staffing in today's economy is riddled with many issues that range from a limited school of people from whom to choose, delineating the details fo the job, how to attract and retain the best candidates, in addition to the use of the best practice tools to achieve the purpose. The changing market has revealed that prevailing "one size fits all" HR practices are no longer effective and organizations must constantly ensure that the staffing strategies employed for their most critical segments that directly align with and support the business strategy. This workshop focuses on the challenges organizations face in attracting key talent while introducing participants to emerging recruitment trends in the industry. In addition to assisting candidates with the design of a customized tools and best practices, this seminar works with candidates to assist them as they design their own staffing strategy.

Cassandra Dorrington

Cassandra Dorrington is the President of Vale & Associates Human Resource Management and Consulting Inc., a company specializing in the provision of Human Resource Management Services and/or consulting advice to small to medium-sized companies. With more than twenty five years of corporate and consulting experience, Cassandra has worked in the high-tech / telecommunications / consulting industry for organizations such as Aliant Inc., xwave, and Deloitte Consulting. Specializing in Human Resource Advisory Services, Diversity/Employment Equity, Training and Development and Team Building and Effectiveness, Cassandra has provided consulting services to a number of national and international clients in the private, para-public, public and not-for-profit sectors. Cassandra’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Commerce, a Master of Business Administration Degree (Executive Program), a CMA (Certified Management Accounting) designation as well as her CHRP (Certified Human Resource Professional) designation. Cassandra’s community involvement has continued to occupy a large part of her time and most recent initiatives include memberships in the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, the Certified Management Accountants of Nova Scotia organization, and the Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia. Currently Cassandra sits as the Chair for the Black Business Initiative, Treasurer of Techsploration (an organization that works to promote young women in non-traditional roles in trades and technologies) and sits as the Nova Scotia representative on the National Board of Directors CMA Canada. Cassandra’s commitment to community service has resulted in her being the recipient of the Commemorative Medal for the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation and the YWCA Woman of Distinction award for Community Service.

Understanding the Basics of Compensation and Benefits

A large component of attraction and retaining talented employees can be linked to a company's ability to manage it's total compensation (e.g. compensation and benefits). Total compensation comprises the largest expense which most companies face, and as such it is imperative that managers and HR professionals understand what constitutes total compensation and how to effectively manage compensation to attract and retain your employees in their delivery of the company's vision and mandate.

Terrance Weatherbee

Dr. Terrance Weatherbee brings 30 years of work experience as a manager, in both the private and public sectors, to the classroom. He has held positions as Line Manager, Chief Operations Officer, Corporate Training Staff, and Chief Executive Officer in various organizations, and has a wealth of direct experience at performance management and personnel systems. After a long and distinguished career, he turned to academia with the aim of bringing practical understanding of real-life challenges in organizational settings to the classroom. His research centers on the effects of the introduction of technology on work practices, with a specific focus on information and communication technology. His work has been published internationally in several books, numerous journal articles, and various conferences. He has taught at both Saint Mary’s an d Acadia University, and currently holds a position within the FC Manning School of Business in the management group.

Performance Management

This course will provide students with an understanding of the knowledge and skills required for the successful design and implementation of performance management systems. Students will first be introduced to the principles of performance management, organizational culture, and goal setting. Students will then learn about performance appraisal systems and the linkage with performance management. Finally, students gain important insight and understanding into both the practical benefits and related challenges and pitfalls of performance appraisal in organizations.

Jim Grant

Jim Grant is professor of employment relations in the Manning School of Business at Acadia University. He brings more than 20 years experience in corporate, union, and volunteer organizations, including several of his own businesses. In addition, as a business consultant he has assisted many individuals to realize their dreams of small business ownership. Jim has been teaching in the field of management since 1991 and currently teaches organizational behavior, human resource management, and employment relations covering topics such as employment law, labour relations, compensation, organization theory, job design and analysis, and occupational health and safety. Key areas of his research include employee relations, the history of management thought with respect to workers and labour, as well as worker emancipation through alternative or radical organization. His research has been published in scholarly journals such as Management & Organizational History, Sex Roles, Labour Law Journal, Perceptual and Motor Skills, as well as in the International Handbook of Human Resource Management. He has presented at international conferences in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. He maintains memberships in the Academy of Management, the Labor & Employment Relations Association, the Canadian Industrial Relations Association, and the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada. Jim has a particular interest in the common law of wrongful dismissal and is currently writing several papers which examine performance and human resource management practices in the workplace and in the law.

Job Design and Analysis

This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills required for successful job design and analysis. Elements of job design, including job characteristics, person-job fit, and job enrichment, enlargement. and rotation will be discussed. Job design will be discussed in terms of its impact on performance, job satisfaction, and physical and mental health. Students will be introduced to various methods of job analysis, and will gain hands-on experience in the design of job descriptions and specifications. Emerging trends, including job flexibility and telework, will also be discussed.

Kelly Dye

Kelly Dye (PhD) brings with her more than twelve years of industry experience in sales and marketing, corporate training, small business ownership, and business consulting. She began her career in sales and marketing, and received several sales awards. Her sales career led her to sales training. Kelly enjoyed training so much that she set her sights on a career in academia. Along the way, she opened her own successful small business, sold two franchises, and began consulting. She has been teaching in the field of business management since 1998, in various capacities, including one-day seminars, customized training, and master’s level management courses. She holds a diploma in adult education. She currently teaches Organizational Behaviour, Gender and Diversity in Organizations, and Change Management at the F.C. Manning School of Business, covering topics such as leadership, conflict management, team dynamics, and stress management. Key areas of her research include organization change management, gender and diversity in organizations, and stress management. Kelly’s work has been published in various books and scholarly journals, and has been presented internationally at conferences in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Poland. Her most recent projects include a presentation of her work at Keele University in the U.K., an organization change textbook (to be published by Routledge), and an encyclopedia entry for the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. She also serves on the editorial boards of the Workplace Review and the Journal of Workplace Rights.

Workforce Strategies for the Future

Students will be introduced to the diverse world of work by examining the demographic trends, patterns of work, and current and emerging trends in Human Resource Management. Emerging trends include creating more flexible work options, making workplaces more accommodating and inclusive, the promotion of life-long learning, and diversity management. Legislative and non-legislative attempts to manage diversity will be critically assessed. Finally, students will be introduced to the particular barriers, latent or otherwise, inherent in many North American organizations. Topics will include the gendering of work; masculinity and femininity at work; sexuality and sexual orientation at work; race, class, and ethnicity at work; and ability/disability at work.