BCBusiness

ILLUSTRATIONS: VICTORIA PARK FEBRUARY 2017 BCBUSINESS 25 INK IT Reuter recommends having clear policies that make it easier to advise employ- ees when certain conduct crosses the line."This will inform decisions about the consequence," such as how a worker should be disciplined and in some cases terminated for breaching the employer's policy, he says. The four types of poli- cies employers should consider putting on paper: social media conduct, mobile device use, overtime pay and intellectual property rights. The latter, especially crucial for the high-tech sector, should specify if inventive work outside o•ce hours belongs to the person or employer. GET CREATIVE Setting o•-hours boundaries can be a way for employers to send a mes- sage about company culture. One company considered a great place to work is plant-based-nutrition spe- cialist Vega, says Wetherow. There, management supports women in the workforce by empowering men to take an active parenting role. Parental leave top-up is available for mothers and fathers, as is ƒexible scheduling, allowing employees to come in early or work remotely. WALK THE TALK Wetherow says Great Place to Work encour- ages its clients to model the behaviour they want to see. For instance, Elana Rosenfeld, CEO of Kicking Horse Co•ee, publicly states that she doesn't want anyone working more than 40 hours per week. "Management can't extol the virtues of work-life balance if the entire management team is sitting at their desk on any given Tuesday night at seven," Wetherow says. "They have to role model the behaviour they want to see, which is, 'Get in, do your best, and go home.'" CONSIDER THEIR LEVEL An employee's o•-work responsibili- ties should vary according to their job level, Reuter explains. Some more senior employees might be expected to monitor their phone and emails when they are out of the o•ce. "It's important to let people know what your expectations are and if your expectation is for people to monitor their email and respond." Employers often don't realize that employees (except management and unionized workers) are entitled to claim over- time wages according to the Employ- ment Standards Act. 1 2 3 4 LET IT GO The best workplaces don't have stated policies around ƒexible work arrangements, Wetherow says. Rather, she argues, they create an atmosphere of mutual trust. This bene˜ts both sides. "Managers who trust their employees allow them to be risk- takers and innovators, and allow ideas to bubble up from all levels of the company. In the best workplaces, we see organized management that really go to great lengths to ignite passion in their employees." 5 Managers can set off-work boundaries as a way to build office culture. Georg Reuter, partner at law firm Richards Buell Sutton LLP, and Jen Wetherow, senior director of workplace consulting and training firm Great Place to Work Canada, explain where to start by Jenny Peng A Question of Balance D-I-Y MANAGEMENT

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