3.7 Summary

The chapter discusses how HR processes must adapt to the changing workforce, which is diverse in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age, physical ability, religion, education, and lifestyle. HR managers work hard to recruit, hire, develop, and retain employees from different backgrounds to comply with legal standards. Also, because diversity is good for business. Studies show that businesses with greater diversity report higher sales revenues, more customers, larger market shares, and greater relative profits than those with more homogeneous workforces. People from varied backgrounds are more effective at working together than those who are from similar backgrounds, as they offer different approaches and perspectives in the development of solutions.

Employee rights and ethics in the workplace are important. Employees are becoming more informed and willing to advocate for their value rights and ethics bring to their companies. Some of the issues that have become important for employees include sustainability, privacy, and work-life balance. Employers are recognizing the importance of these issues and developing programs to support their employees. HR managers need to have a clear understanding of the legal framework to navigate these issues effectively.  Diversity and multiculturalism are becoming essential for businesses to better serve customers and increase profits.

The HR Manager must understand business law, employment law, legislative law, and the expectations of employers and employees. The government balances the relationship between employees and employers by implementing  the legal frameworks. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act are significant laws that guarantee fundamental human rights and protect employees against discrimination. Protected grounds are defined under the Canadian Human Rights Act and include race, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. The law also defines harassment and provides a systematic process to handle complaints related to discrimination.

The text discusses the concept of “bona fide occupational requirement” (BFOR) and its use in situations where discrimination may be acceptable. Examples of acceptable discrimination include hiring only Catholic school teachers who are Catholic, mandating a retirement age for airline pilots, and a men’s clothing company hiring only male models. The text also introduces the concept of the duty to accommodate, which requires employers to adjust rules, policies, or practices to enable individuals to fully participate, especially those with physical disabilities. The text emphasizes that there are limits to this duty to accommodate, and employers must stop accommodating if it creates an undue hardship. The text concludes with an overview of sexual and psychological harassment, and employers’ obligations to prevent and address such behaviour in the workplace.