leadership matters
ANY ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES IN A
RETAIL, HOSPITALITY OR PUBLIC-FACING
ENVIRONMENT WANTS TO DIFFERENTIATE
THEMSELVES FROM THEIR COMPETITORS
WITH TWO THINGS: THEIR PEOPLE AND THEIR
CULTURE. AND HR PRACTITIONERS MAKE A LARGE
CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF BOTH.
BECOME CERTIFIED
with Multi-Health Systems to
administer the emotional intelligence
assessment tools
EQ-I 2.0 / EQ 360
CERTIFICATION
The certification course includes:
• Two-day live training program
• Training kit (with access to online
VIEWPOINT LEADERSHIP
VIEWPOINTLEADERSHIP.CA
modules)
• The EQ Edge book
• Individual assessment and debrief
• $280 tokens towards administering
assessments
• Lunch and refreshments are included
COST: $1895 + TAX
Upcoming Training Dates
(Toronto, ON):
• August 24 & 25, 2017
• October 19 & 20, 2017
REGISTRATION & CONTACT:
RUMEET BILLAN, PhD
rbillan@viewpointleadership.ca
In the Lululemon example, it’s possible
this was a recruitment error – perhaps the
individual was simply not a good fit for the
organization (or perhaps retail work in
general). However, as Gordon suggests, it’s
also possible the problem was partly due
to inadequate training.
Either way, there is a key takeaway for
HR practitioners. Any organization that
operates in a retail, hospitality or publicfacing
environment wants to differentiate
themselves from their competitors with
two things: their people and their culture.
And HR practitioners make a large
contribution to the success of both.
As a business function, HR has
increasing responsibility today more than
ever before, and creating an organizational
culture that supports positive customer
experiences is within that realm of
responsibility. If a retail employee at the
mall makes inappropriate comments to a
customer, it should no longer be dismissed
as a simple matter to deal with. It could
indicate a larger risk to the organization,
its brand and reputation, and therefore,
perhaps its bottom line.
In Ontario, HR also has the added
responsibility, on behalf of their
employer, to ensure the employer
is in compliance with human rights
legislation and the requirements set out
in the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act. Employees are required
to be trained on the accommodation of
customers and members of the public,
and to ensure no discrimination occurs
under the protected grounds such as
gender, sexual orientation, country of
origin or religious beliefs.
It’s a tall order and takes a great deal of
work. These responsibilities are an integral
part of what makes HR an increasingly
strategic business function – and an
increasingly invaluable one. n
Karen Stone, CHRE, is chair of the Human
Resources Professionals Association.
HRPROFESSIONALNOW.CA ❚ AUGUST 2017 ❚ 7