Turn Conflict into a Competitive Advantage For Your Team

Jun 16, 2022

By Ashli Komaryk, MBA, ACC, Chemistry Consulting Group

Yes! You heard that right – conflict as an advantage!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could channel all the energy, focus and passion invested in conflict so that it yields a positive outcome? As a leader at any level, think about all the extra time you would get back! You’d have more time and energy to devote to your strategic work of leading instead of dealing with exhausting and stressful conflict resolution.

We’re used to thinking about conflict as bad, negative, unhelpful, dysfunctional, decidedly undesirable. Yet not all conflicts are created equally and some of them can be downright helpful. Let’s take a closer look and make a distinction between two main types of conflict:

 1. Relationship Conflict (Dysfunctional)

This type of conflict is characterized by personal attacks, ego-driven agendas, focusing on one party’s personality or communication style, facial expressions, or even tone of voice. Relationship conflict is quite common. This is not surprising when we consider that we don’t get to choose our colleagues. Sometimes (often) we can find ourselves on a team or having to collaborate with individuals we may not have chosen, were we given the opportunity.

Relationship conflict is decidedly dysfunctional, destructive and demoralizing. Through it, we’re not working to resolve any important issues, or find better or new ways to do things. Instead, it distracts our attention, absorbs our energy and destroys our team’s functionality.

2. Task or Process Conflict (Functional)

This type of conflict deals with issues, ideas, different ways to do a task, the prioritization of action items, or choosing which process or methodology to adopt.

If the conflict is task- or process-focused, then having your team engage in what we would call functional or productive conflict makes sense. The exchange of differing points of view (even heated exchanges) regarding the way to accomplish a task, set out a process, or put priorities in order of importance, could be of great benefit! Especially if you have diversity on your team.

It’s important to remember that leveraging the benefits of diversity doesn’t come easily. It takes time and patience because this very element that could yield rich dialogue and debate, requires a deliberate investment of time and effort for that richness to be given the chance to flourish.

Task- or process-conflict are not personal. Thus, when your team engages in these types of functional or productive conflict the results will likely include:

  • More viewpoints
  • Diverse viewpoints
  • More options
  • Higher quality solutions
  • A greater sense of collaboration as the debate may fuel additional new ideas and solutions
  • Creative thinking

Psychological Safety is a Key Ingredient  

So how do we achieve this wondrous and productive practice of functional conflict?

One fundamental element is creating and maintaining a climate of sincere psychological safety within your team. Dr. Amy Edmundson, author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, defines psychological safety as “the belief that the work environment is safe for individual risk taking” and “the experience of feeling able to speak up with relevant ideas, questions or concerns…when colleagues trust and respect each other and feel able – even obligated – to be candid”.

We want all members of the team to feel at ease expressing their thoughts and ideas.

When everyone knows the rules of engagement and that it’s safe to say “I don’t agree!”, that’s when everyone has permission to share and explore ideas. The benefits of psychological safety to an organization’s financial health, overall safety, the quality of the customer experience and also the degree of engagement and retention of top talent are well-documented in research by Dr. Edmundson and others.

Strategies to get more Comfortable with Conflict

Here are six strategies you can experiment with on your team to build trust and psychological safety. These strategies set the stage for more creative solution-finding, improved operational efficiencies in every department and a generally heightened state of well-being on your team.

  1. Co-create rules of engagement for discussion in meetings, including behaviours that all agree are acceptable.
  2. Thank others for their ideas and perspectives.
  3. Apologize for inappropriate behaviour (taps into vulnerability-based trust).
  4. Speak up when something is bothering you about what’s being discussed.
  5. Whiteboard different points of view and their pros and cons to help everyone follow the discussion.
  6. Use the “yes, and…” technique: follow each team member’s contribution with “yes, and…” instead of NO… (this is a collaboratively constructive approach, rather than a confrontational one that could potentially make your team members defensive)

Good luck implementing some (or ALL!) of these strategies to help your team kick dysfunctional conflict to the curb, on the road to becoming an even more cohesive, creative and high-performing team!

Call us at Chemistry Consulting to discover how our customizable Leadership Development programs will help you learn and implement MBA best-practices in leadership. Give your team a competitive edge and reap the benefits.

Chemistry Consulting Group offers HR consulting services to clients across Canada.  We have consultants based in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Toronto and Montreal with virtual services offered in all other cities. We offer a range of solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of businesses in these regions.

Chemistry Consulting Group offers Leadership Development services that are designed to enhance the skills and capabilities of individuals at various levels within an organization. These services often include personalized coaching, team development programs, and organizational leadership solutions. Chemistry Consulting Group offers a range of services such as leadership training, 360° feedback assessments, and workshops tailored to both individuals and organizations. Additionally, Chemistry Consulting provides comprehensive, research-based leadership development programs that can be customized to fit the unique culture and needs of any organization. These programs aim to broaden mindsets, develop critical leadership skills, and drive transformational change across all levels of leadership.

Contact us today!

Leading a Multi-Generational Workforce

Apr 21, 2022

By Renée Safrata, Founder and CEO, Vivo Team

The generation you grew up in can influence your behaviors. In the workplace, you might even notice fundamental generational differences regarding expectations, culture, performance, and engagement. Smart leaders will learn to work with these differences rather than against them.

Simply start by recognizing and understanding the generations and consider generation-specific values and blind spots (from Management Library):

  • Generation Z (1997-2015) is motivated by security, may be more competitive, desires independence, will multi-task, is more entrepreneurial, wants to communicate face-to-face, is truly digital-native, and wants to be catered to.
  • Millennials (1981-1996) value collaborative workplaces, are achievement-oriented, highly creative, positive, diverse, fun, flexible and continuously provide feedback.
  • Generation X (1965-1980) values workplaces that are positive, fun, efficient, fast-paced, flexible, informal, and have access to leadership and information.
  • Baby Boomers (1946-1964) value workplaces that have flat hierarchies, democratic cultures, humane values, equal opportunities, and warm and friendly environments.
  • Traditionalists/Silent Generation (1928-1945) value workplaces that are conservative, hierarchical, and have a clear chain of command and top-down management.

Once you’ve identified these values and potential blind spots, it’s time to transition your focus to the workplace: How can you actively apply these differences and more importantly, how can you use them to your advantage? The key is clear and open communication.

We all make assumptions; we can’t help it! The kinds of assumptions one makes can differ greatly from one generation to the next. This can lead to misunderstanding and low collaboration.

Manage assumptions and misunderstandings by learning and practicing The Communication Loop—a model for effective team communication that facilitates active listening.

Let’s dig into this a little more.

Step 1: Person A (the sender of the message) should be clear and succinct.

Step 2: Person B (the receiver of the message) may make assumptions or filter the message based on their generational values. If the communication ends there, there could be misunderstandings that lead the receiver to defend, attack or avoid instead of understanding the intended message.

Step 3: Here, the receiver of the message should engage in a two-way conversion by listening for clarity/understanding and repeating the message back to the sender. This can be done with either precision listening (“I heard you say…”) or active listening (“My understanding of what you said is…”).

Step 4: The sender then has the opportunity to agree (“Yes, that is what I said…) or clarify if there is a misunderstanding—in the latter case the receiver would continue to repeat back until the sender acknowledges that the message received is correct.

Step 5: Now that the message is clear and agreed on, the sender and receiver can agree on a plan of action.

Actively trying to understand what the other person is saying by repeating back is the most constructive approach for clear communication and to bridge the generation gap. If the receiver brings an ability and a willingness to consider the message, the two-way conversation can be very effective.

The best part is, with an agreed-upon model of effective communication assumptions and perceived differences between the generations will not come into play.

Commit to The Communication Loop; be mindful of the filters and assumptions you make; commit to active listening to increase cohesion and productivity; and ask for and give feedback to make necessary course corrections.

By following these steps and upholding these commitments you’ll be set up to successfully lead a multi-generational workforce.

About Renée Safrata, Founder and CEO, Vivo Team

Having worked with more than 3,000 companies and executives over the past 30+ years, Renée firmly believes that connection is what ultimately drives productivity and directly contributes to results. Recognizing early on the future demand for digital workplace learning, she now has over 10 years experience creating and delivering educating, entertaining, and unique virtual learning experiences.

About Vivo Team

Watch your workplace culture and profitability soar! Vivo Team’s full spectrum learning experience develops competence, motivation, and collaboration among your leaders and teams through live, online training, coaching, and people analytics. The content and format are based on the latest, proven research in learning and development.

 

Building Your Policy Manual From the Ground Up

Feb 16, 2022

By Chemistry Consulting Group

Why Investing in an Employee Policy Manual Benefits Your Organization

Employee Policy Manuals are essential for businesses of all sizes. Whether your team is 10 or 500+, a well-crafted employee manual serves as a critical tool to set clear expectations for workplace behavior, outline your organization’s mission and values, and provide comprehensive policies and procedures.

While Employee Policy Manuals are not legally required, there are mandatory policies that employers must implement, such as a Bullying & Harassment Policy under the BC Workers Compensation Act. Partnering with Chemistry Consulting Group, organizations can create manuals that mitigate risk, consolidate policies, and ensure employees have a single reference point for both required and best-practice procedures.

So, how do you develop one of the most important employment documents aside from an employment agreement? Here are four tips from Chemistry Consulting Group on creating an effective, engaging Employee Policy Manual.

Four Tips on Developing Your Employee Policy Manual

  1. Naming Your Manual

Employee Handbook? Staff Manual? Culture Book?

The title should resonate with your team and reflect your organizational culture. A casual, fun environment might benefit from a playful title, while a more traditional corporate culture may call for a conventional name. Regardless of the title, focus on clear, accessible language that communicates policies and expectations effectively.

  1. What to Include

For small businesses, an Employee Policy Manual can focus on core policies and procedures, without overwhelming detail. Your manual should help employees understand workplace norms, company values, and organizational culture.

Typical policies may include:

  • Code of Conduct (behavioral guidelines, harassment & discrimination policies, progressive discipline)
  • Attendance & Work Hours
  • Payroll & Benefits Information
  • Paid Leave Entitlements
  • Training Programs
  • Dress Code & Workplace Etiquette
  • Parking & Facilities
  • Observed Holidays
  • Equal Opportunity Statement

To make your manual even more relevant, consider including policies tailored to your team, such as a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Policy or a Maternity & Parental Leave Top-Up Program. Consulting with Chemistry Consulting Group, a team of certified CPHR HR professionals, can help ensure your manual reflects your unique business needs and regulatory requirements.

  1. Review and Approval Process

Whether developed internally or with an HR consulting firm like Chemistry Consulting Group, involve leadership from the outset. The owner, GM, or top executive should review and approve the final document.

Solicit input from senior leadership, culture champions, and communication teams to ensure clarity, inclusivity, and alignment with organizational values. Regular revisions help ensure policies remain current and effective.

  1. Accessibility and Distribution

Your Employee Policy Manual should be shared during onboarding—either before a new employee’s start date or on their first day. Avoid printed copies to prevent outdated versions from circulating. A PDF attachment via email, an employee dashboard, or an internal web portal ensures policies are always accessible and up-to-date.

Most organizations review their Employee Policy Manual annually, but it’s wise to revisit the document whenever there are regulatory or organizational changes. Engage your HR team or an external HR consultant to ensure your policies remain compliant and effective.

Additionally, solicit feedback from new employees after their first review of the manual. Fresh perspectives can help identify areas for improvement.

Chemistry Consulting Group: Your Partner in HR Solutions

Chemistry Consulting Group provides comprehensive HR consulting services to businesses across Canada, with consultants in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Toronto, and Montreal, and virtual services available nationwide.

Partnering with Chemistry Consulting Group ensures your Employee Policy Manual not only reflects your organization’s culture and values but also aligns with best practices and legal requirements.

Contact us today!

6 Things You Need to Build a Successful Cross-Functional Team

Dec 15, 2021

By Renée Safrata, Founder and CEO, Vivo

TeamBuilding and leading cross-functional teams, especially in this new hybrid world, can be daunting. But, leaders and managers who embrace the challenge will be rewarded with increased productivity and satisfaction – for themselves and their teams.

If you’ve ever been a part of a cross-functional team you probably already know some of the difficulties that can arise. It can be challenging to prioritize, motivate, make decisions, and manage performance when collaborating with people across different departments.

All successful teams, at their core, have these six skills in common: communication, accountability, feedback, structures, cohesion, and emotional intelligence. The more developed in these areas your teams are, the more productive and successful they will be. By evaluating leader and team effectiveness within these indicators you can predict future success, and if you can measure and track improvement over time, even better!

  1. Communication: It is critically important in cross-functional teams to break down silos and turf-protecting behaviors by openly sharing information and agreeing on norms of engagement. With an effective communication model, not only can you achieve clarity of shared information, but you can make collective decisions, even when priorities are different!
  2. Accountability: Reviewing overarching organizational objectives is essential to avoiding tunnel vision, which can lead to a collapse of accountability. Accountability requires a shared perspective – holding one another accountable to project completion by way of specific, related tasks. If Sales has a big presentation coming up, they will naturally focus on that, while the Marketing department might be focused on launching a new website feature. The two teams need to come together to collectively weigh priorities and establish what is most urgent and important.
  3. Interactive Feedback: It’s important to provide noticed, behavioral feedback on stuck points in interdepartmental conversations to gain alignment and set expectations. After putting these agreed on behaviors and processes into place, they should be revisited, reviewed, and followed up on (e.g., in 30 days and 60 days) to ensure the discussed feedback is still sufficient.
  4. Structures: Creating structures and organizational processes that put collaboration at the forefront helps keep team members from being siloed. Consider establishing regular meetings where cross-functional team members come together to discuss a given item, topic, or project. For example, a scheduled weekly or monthly meeting to review and discuss current initiatives and priorities. This will also decrease ad hoc meetings which can disrupt productivity.
  5. Emotional Intelligence: In particular, with cross-functional teams, you have to focus on bringing forward your empathy, social skills, and leader assertiveness. Teams and leaders need to practice empathy by trying to understand others’ worlds in comparison to their own. They need to use social skills to have effective conversations, weigh pros and cons, and to understand and align with the overall objectives. Finally, all team members need to be leader assertive and bring forward their viewpoint when working together to find a solution.
  6. Cohesion: It takes multiple perspectives and opinions to effectively and innovatively complete a project. To achieve the best outcome, don’t be afraid to break outside of your lane! Be inclusive. Indulge new ideas. Create a safe place to bring different viewpoints together. It’s also important to recognize that you’re not always the expert; ascertain who is and bring them on board.

When building your cross-functional team, make sure to provide the tools and training to set them up for success and ensure everyone puts in the effort to stay connected.

Don’t know where to start? Get a snapshot of where your teams rank within these six key indicators. Simply answer a few short questions and get your results right away: https://train.vivoteam.com/demo

About Renée Safrata, Founder and CEO, Vivo Team

Having worked with more than 3,000 companies and executives over the past 30+ years, Renée firmly believes that connection is what ultimately drives productivity and directly contributes to results. Recognizing early on the future demand for digital workplace learning, she now has over 10 years experience creating and delivering educating, entertaining, and unique virtual learning experiences.

About Vivo Team

Watch your workplace culture and profitability soar! Vivo Team’s full spectrum learning experience develops competence, motivation, and collaboration among your leaders and teams through live, online training, coaching, and people analytics. The content and format are based on the latest, proven research in learning and development.

Maximizing the Employee Experience

Oct 18, 2021

By Chemistry Consulting Group

At Chemistry Consulting Group, we know that exceptional employee engagement starts with effective communication. For decades, employee surveys have shown that communication consistently ranks as one of the most critical factors impacting the employee experience. Three essential elements—often referred to as the 3 C’s of communication—drive this: clarity, conciseness, and consistency.

Over the past year and a half, we’ve seen that when even one of these elements is missing, workplace issues can quickly spiral into what we call the 4th C: chaos. While engagement is often associated with job satisfaction, high morale, and productivity, it is fundamentally rooted in the quality of communication employees receive about the aspects of their work that matter most. When communication is clear, consistent, and concise, employees feel more connected, committed, and proud of their organization.

The Challenges of Modern Workplace Communication

Today’s workplace leaders face unique communication challenges. From remote work arrangements and shifting health and safety protocols to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and changing workforce demographics, the landscape of employee communication is complex. At Chemistry Consulting Group, we help organizations navigate these challenges with proven human resources consulting strategies that enhance employee engagement and workplace culture.

Clarity

Effective communication begins with ensuring your audience understands the key messages you want to convey. Before communicating, consider your audience’s level of knowledge, provide context, and fill any information gaps. Avoid jargon or overly technical language that could alienate employees and distract from your core message.

Our HR consultants recommend developing your message before delivery, ensuring it’s focused, accessible, and aligned with your employee engagement strategy. This approach improves understanding, fosters trust, and promotes alignment across all levels of the organization.

Conciseness

In the era of instant messaging and social media, brevity is more important than ever. Short, direct sentences help your message land effectively, regardless of whether you’re using email, video conferencing, or in-person meetings. Clearly define what you want employees to understand and identify any calls to action.

For written communication, format matters. Using bullet points, headings, and bold text makes important details—such as deadlines, meeting times, and policy updates—stand out. At Chemistry Consulting Group, we help businesses implement communication templates and systems that keep messages clear, concise, and consistent, while ensuring compliance with BC Employment Standards.

Consistency

Consistency in communication is about repetition, frequency, and compatibility. During periods of change—such as the COVID-19 pandemic—policies and procedures can shift rapidly. Leaders who communicate regularly, repeat key messages, and ensure all channels align build trust and reduce uncertainty.

Our HR experts often help organizations set a communication schedule to ensure employees receive regular updates and feel informed, even during turbulent times.

Two-Way Communication

The employee experience isn’t just shaped by what leaders say—it’s also influenced by how they listen. Providing opportunities for employees to share feedback, voice concerns, and contribute ideas significantly improves engagement and retention.

This is where performance management programs, ongoing training and development opportunities, and a culture that values innovation play a crucial role. At Chemistry Consulting Group, we design HR strategies that encourage open dialogue, allowing employees to see how their contributions directly impact organizational success.

Respect at the Core

No communication strategy is effective without respect. Employees must feel seen, heard, and valued, and workplaces must remain free from harassment and discrimination. Recognizing individual contributions and fostering a respectful environment not only improves morale—it enhances employer branding, making it easier to attract and retain top talent.

The Bottom Line

A culture of effective, respectful, and consistent communication transforms the employee experience. Organizations that prioritize these strategies enjoy higher retention rates, improved recruitment results, and greater productivity.

At Chemistry Consulting Group, our team of certified HR professionals works with organizations across BC to implement employee engagement programs, streamline communication practices, and create workplaces where employees thrive. The result? A win-win for both employees and the business.

Chemistry Consulting Group offers HR consulting services to clients across Canada.  We have consultants based in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Toronto and Montreal with virtual services offered in all other cities. We offer a range of solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of businesses in these regions. 

Chemistry Consulting Group offers Leadership Development services that are designed to enhance the skills and capabilities of individuals at various levels within an organization. These services often include personalized coaching, team development programs, and organizational leadership solutions. Chemistry Consulting Group offers a range of services such as leadership training, 360° feedback assessments, and workshops tailored to both individuals and organizations. Additionally, Chemistry Consulting provides comprehensive, research-based leadership development programs that can be customized to fit the unique culture and needs of any organization. 

Contact us today!

How to Improve Your Benefits Plan Through Employee Feedback

Sep 16, 2021

By K. Cantwell, Benefits Advisor, Montridge Advisory Group Ltd.

As a benefits advisor for over twenty years, I can’t begin to count how many times an employer has looked to change their benefits offering without first assessing what their employees really require.

Their “research” will be based on what employees mention in passing; trends they read about; what their competitors are doing; or something they themselves are looking to utilize.

One of the biggest shifts to come from the COVID pandemic is the employer-employee relationship, and the need for not only creativity, but also sustainability in an employer’s compensation offering. Benefits make up a significant portion of an employee’s overall compensation, so fine-tuning it takes more than haphazard research.

Benchmarking is Feedback

Most employers don’t have buckets of cash lying around. As well, depending on the industry, there’s potentially a serious labour shortage to consider. Consequently, knowing what’s needed to bring the right people in the door and keep them from walking out it is paramount.

Benchmarking is the perfect place to start. What’s being offered by your industry in your current size band? How about a larger size band if that’s where you look for talent? In your geographical area?

Knowing what’s being offered out there is fantastic groundwork to explore your plan further.

Look at Your Claim Pattern

Your employees may already be telling you what they need in the form of what’s already being claimed under your current plan. Unless your staff count is very small, the data will tell you:

  • types of prescription drugs (and what they’re used for) that are being claimed,
  • how much of a certain benefit is being submitted, how much was eligible, how much was paid elsewhere (province, spousal plan), and then what your plan paid.

This is valuable data to see what types of issues your employees are already dealing with. Are drugs for depression and anxiety consistently making your top 10? Maybe your plan needs more mental health resources. Is the dollar amount of submitted claims substantially different for paramedicals than paid claims? This may be worth exploring in more detail.

Asking Employees, the Right Way

When asking employees their thoughts on the current benefits plan, keep in mind that there will be an expectation by staff that you’ll do something with the info. Therefore, don’t ask unless you’re ready to act.

Some tips for going through this process:

  • Based on benchmarking, claim analysis, and what you think will be the requests, ask your insurer to run some amendment options first. You’ll know how much it costs before taking it to your staff and can leave the too-expensive options off the table for now.
  • Conversely, ask some questions with the caveat that they’re being asked for future-looking strategic planning if you’d like that info now.
  • Keep the questions simple, straightforward, and keep the survey on the shorter side.
  • Some people yell louder than others, listen to everyone’s opinion, and not just the few.
  • Don’t simply ask about specific benefits offered in the plan also ask about:
      • Employee benefits communication (being unsatisfied may simply be a lack of understanding)
      • Financial wellness – it’s severely lacking with employers across Canada, and employees are begging for help. It doesn’t mean you need to splash out for a pension plan if it’s not in the budget, it could simply be lunch seminars on topics such as budgeting, saving for a home, how to prepare for retirement, etc.)
      • Non-traditional benefits (pet insurance, virtual care, Health & Lifestyle Spending Accounts, innovative drug programs, etc.)
  • If you share premiums with staff, ask how much more they’d be willing to pay if the plan was enhanced. Many studies have shown that employees will not only take better benefits vs. cash but will be willing to contribute more if benefits are meaningful to them.
  • If your survey will be anonymous, ask some questions that segment your answers by age band, single vs. family, etc. This will give you valuable data about the generational needs of your employees, and you can track these changes over time.
  • If you implement something resulting from this survey, market that! In your communication materials, have a graphic that says, “you asked, we listened!” beside those benefits that resulted from this process.

Many employers are nervous to glean employee feedback about the benefits plan understandably, there’s always some “ask and you shall receive” mentality when this question is raised. However, when careful thought and phrasing is involved, the feedback process can be rewarding for all involved.

Workforce Restructuring: Four Legal Landmines to Consider

Aug 12, 2021

By Kristen Woo, Fasken

As we continue our efforts toward economic recovery, many businesses are contemplating a workforce restructuring, which may involve downsizing and eliminating jobs, merging the responsibilities of two or more positions, and reorganizing reporting structures. While restructuring a business may result in reduced labour costs, it can also attract costly and stressful litigation if poorly handled. Below is a list of four legal landmines to consider when planning a workforce restructuring:

      1. Individual and Group Termination Liabilities. Preparing for termination liabilities is an essential step. Employers will need to consider employees’ statutory, contractual, and/or common law entitlements to notice of termination, whether to provide employees with working notice, severance pay, or a combination of both, whether additional group termination obligations under employment standards legislation are triggered by the restructuring, and whether to seek a release of claims from employees, among other things.
      2. Constructive Dismissal. If an employer changes fundamental terms of employment without the employee’s consent, the employee may treat the employer’s actions as a constructive dismissal and sue for damages as if they had been terminated without cause or notice. Reduced compensation, changes to hours of work or job responsibilities, or new reporting hierarchies are just some examples of changes that may give rise to constructive dismissal. To secure an employee’s consent to the changes, the employer may want to communicate that the changes are necessary to keep the business viable and to allow for their continued employment, as job security has been top of mind for most employees throughout the pandemic.
      3. Employees on Leave. Employers are often hesitant to eliminate the positions of employees who are on a maternity leave, disability leave, or another leave of absence. However, the fact that an employee is on a maternity or disability leave does not automatically mean their employment cannot be terminated without cause in the context of a legitimate business restructuring. Employers should document their restructuring plans in writing to prove that no ground protected by human rights legislation, such as sex or disability, was a factor in the decision to eliminate an employee’s position. Employers should also be mindful of termination liabilities for employees on leave, as working notice cannot be provided if the employee is not working.
      4. Discrimination and Retaliation Complaints. Employees may claim that decisions to promote, demote, or terminate were discriminatory on an individual basis (for example, where an employee is terminated because of their race, age, or gender) or on a systemic basis (for example, where objective selection criteria has an adverse impact on a group of employees of the same race, age, or gender). Employees may also claim that decisions to demote or terminate were unlawful retaliation for complaints they filed against their employer, such as unsafe work refusals or bullying and harassment complaints. Accordingly, the importance of carefully considering and documenting the selection criteria used for restructuring decisions cannot be stressed enough.

With proper planning, these landmines can be successfully navigated to mitigate the risk of employment-related litigation. Seeking legal advice is recommended, as the impact of workforce restructuring on individual employees will need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Kristen Woo is an associate in the Labour, Employment and Human Rights practice group at the law firm Fasken. Fasken is one of Canada’s leading business law firms, with more than 700 lawyers, spread across 7 offices in Canada and 3 offices around the globe. More information can be found at www.fasken.com.

This column is intended to convey brief, timely, but only general information and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are encouraged to speak with legal counsel to understand how the general issues noted above apply to their particular circumstances.

Outsourcing your HR or keeping it In-House? Which way to go and why?

Jul 14, 2021

By Kim Osborne, Partner, Chemistry Consulting Group

When it comes to managing human resources, the decision to outsource or keep HR in-house can directly affect compliance, efficiency, and overall business growth. Across BC, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are partnering with Chemistry Consulting Group for expert HR outsourcing, executive search services, and compliance support—allowing them to focus on their core business while reducing risk.

Why HR Outsourcing Makes Sense

HR outsourcing is when a business hires a professional human resources consulting firm—such as Chemistry Consulting Group—to oversee some or all HR functions. For SMEs, this is often a smarter business strategy than assigning HR to accounting staff, operational managers, or handling it themselves “off the side of their desk.”

Managing HR without formal HR training or up-to-date knowledge of Employment Standards and human rights legislation can expose a company to costly compliance risks. Business owners who attempt to manage HR themselves often lose valuable time they could be spending on strategic growth and profitability.

The Value of Professional HR Expertise

Research from the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Business shows that 70% of businesses outsource all or part of their HR needs. Yet, 81% of small business owners still manage HR themselves—and over 45% are unsure if they’re fully compliant with employment law.

By outsourcing HR to Chemistry Consulting Group, organizations gain access to certified HR professionals who stay current on legislative changes, employment law updates, and workplace best practices. This helps protect the business, support employee well-being, and mitigate risks. For growing startups and SMEs, outsourcing is one of the most cost-effective ways to scale up quickly while maintaining compliance.

When to Consider HR Outsourcing

It may be time to work with Chemistry Consulting Group if:

  • You lack in-house HR expertise.
  • Your HR policies and documentation are outdated or not aligned with BC Employment Standards.
  • HR administration is slowing productivity.
  • Your business is expanding rapidly or recovering from downsizing.

Core HR Services for SMEs

Chemistry Consulting Group offers a wide range of outsourced HR solutions, including:

  • New hire documentation and onboarding programs
  • Employee policies and procedures
  • Recruitment and executive search services
  • Performance management systems
  • Disciplinary process and termination support
  • Workplace health, safety, and compliance
  • Wellness and culture development

Outsourcing for Larger Organizations

Even larger companies often outsource specific HR functions, such as:

  • Executive recruiting and leadership coaching
  • Strategic workforce planning
  • Organizational development and change management consulting
  • Specialized training and skills development
  • HR technology implementation (including HRIS)
  • Downsizing and termination assistance

A Strategic Partnership for Business Success

Outsourcing HR to Chemistry Consulting Group allows lean organizations to benefit from the expertise of a full HR department—without the overhead costs. Our team works as a true business partner, aligning with your company’s brand, culture, and goals. Whether you need executive search, ongoing human resources consulting, or project-based HR support, we provide scalable, compliance-focused solutions that keep your business competitive and prepared for the future.

Contact us today!

Getting on Solid Ground with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Jun 15, 2021

By Chemistry Consulting Group

At Chemistry Consulting Group, we work with organizations across Canada to build strong, sustainable workplace cultures rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). But one challenge we often encounter is that these terms — while widely used — are not always fully understood. Sometimes, it can feel like two people are speaking the same language yet hearing different meanings.

When certain words or phrases are repeated too often without clear definition, they can lose their impact. This is what’s happening with DEI: important, meaningful concepts risk being reduced to corporate buzzwords or clichés. That’s why it’s critical to revisit what diversity, equity, and inclusion truly mean, and how each plays a distinct yet interconnected role in creating an inclusive workplace culture.

Understanding the Three Pillars of DEI

We often compare DEI to a three-legged stool — each leg representing diversity, equity, and inclusion. If one leg is weak or missing, the entire structure becomes unstable. For a DEI strategy to succeed, all three pillars must be strong and balanced.

Diversity
In the Canadian workplace, diversity often refers to characteristics protected under Human Rights Legislation, including race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, and more. But true diversity means going beyond simply stating “we want to diversify our employee base.” It requires intentional action to welcome and represent a broad range of identities, experiences, and perspectives.

Inclusion
Inclusion goes further — it’s about creating an environment where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. A workplace can have diversity without inclusion if those diverse voices are not heard, recognized, or given equal opportunity to contribute. Inclusion means more than just “having a seat at the table”; it’s about making sure everyone is engaged, empowered, and able to thrive.

Equity
Equity ensures fairness in access to opportunities and resources. Unlike equality, equity acknowledges that not everyone starts from the same place and works to remove systemic barriers. In the workplace, equity involves reviewing processes like recruitment, promotions, performance evaluations, and succession planning to ensure they actively level the playing field.

As DEI advocate Verna Myers famously said: “Diversity is being asked to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” We like to extend that: equity is making sure everyone has the means to get to the party in the first place.

Putting DEI into Action in the Workplace

An effective DEI plan should address both processes and activities:

  • Processes: recruitment, onboarding, promotions, salary progression, team creation, mentorship programs, and communication practices.
  • Activities: team building, recognition programs, learning opportunities, meeting facilitation, and cultural celebrations.

At Chemistry Consulting Group, we help organizations assess their current state, identify systemic barriers, and develop actionable DEI strategies. This includes equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) plans that are tailored to each organization’s unique goals, culture, and industry.

Key questions to consider when shaping a DEI strategy:

  1. How does equity strengthen diversity and inclusion efforts?
  2. Who are we making the workplace more inclusive for?
  3. What systemic barriers prevent true inclusivity?

Keeping DEI Commitments Strong

DEI is not a “set it and forget it” initiative. Like the legs of a stool, it requires regular inspection and reinforcement. Processes that once worked can weaken over time if they are not monitored and updated. That’s why Chemistry Consulting Group recommends ongoing measurement, feedback, and employee engagement to ensure DEI remains an integrated cultural value, not just a line item on a checklist.

Without equitable practices and intentional inclusion, diversity efforts alone will fall short. But with the right strategies in place, organizations can create workplaces where diversity is represented, inclusion is practiced, and equity is achieved — building stronger teams and better business outcomes.

How Chemistry Consulting Group Can Help

With offices in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Toronto, and Montreal, and virtual HR consulting services across Canada, Chemistry Consulting Group partners with organizations to build lasting DEI frameworks and strengthen organizational culture.

At Chemistry Consulting Group, our team of certified CPHR strategists excels in major HR development projects,
including organizational reviews, people and culture audits, 360 evaluations, employee engagement surveys, performance
management tools, policy development, orientation and onboarding programs, compensation reviews, job descriptions,
EDIB strategies, and team-building workshops. We also offer HR on-call and on-site services for workplace support.
By working with Chemistry Consulting Group, your organization can move beyond simply talking about DEI — and start embedding it into every process, policy, and interaction.

Contact us today!