The world is changing at an ever accelerating pace. Over the past 10 years, technological developments have radically changed how business is done for virtually every type of organization in virtually any place. Most notably, the continuing rise of the internet and the advent of the smartphone has fundamentally changed the way people interact and communicate with each other, both at home and at work.

In 2017, more than half of the Canadian population is on Facebook and one out of three Canadians check social media daily.  Even the President of the United States is an avid ‘tweeter’, and not just the incoming one.  For better or worse, the prevalence of social media has brought new prominence to many workplace issues and led to a great many changes in the way that workplaces operate.

As technology evolves, so do the complex problems surrounding employee privacy and employer property.  Contemporary times have seen other complicated issues brought to the forefront of discussion, including the sensitive issues involved in dealing with allegations of bullying and harassment in the workplace.  Societal attitudes have changed in tandem with expanding technology, but perhaps not always as might have been expected. For example, Canadian employers can now anticipate legalization of marijuana in the next year or two, while the specter of protectionism in immigration policy looms with changing attitudes just a few degrees of latitude (or maybe an election) away.

It can be challenging for employers to stay ahead of the shifting currents of modern times.  We are here to help.  This seminar will give your organization a solid framework to effectively manage its workforce and avoid liabilities that might only be a tweet away, as well as practical tools to address the changing times.

Topics will include:

• A Bunch of Bully: Workplace Investigations and the Era of Bullying and Harassment
• 420 and the Real Safety Meeting: Legal/Illegal Marijuana in the Workplace (including Occupational Health and Safety Considerations)
• I, Employer: Emerging Technology and the Workplace (including Privacy, Remote Work, Social Media and Discipline)
• Making Applicants Great Again: A Look at the Current state of Business Immigration in Canada (including Timelines, Upcoming Changes as well as Business Visitors v. Work Permits)