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UPFRONT
MAJORITY OF EMPLOYERS ARE NOT PREPARED
FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA
Marijuana legalization has been looming large on the horizon for
Canadian employers – yet the vast majority are still not prepared
for how legalization may impact the workplace.
A full 71 per cent of employers are still not prepared for the
legalization of marijuana, according to a new survey by the
Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA), Business
of Cannabis (BofC) and the Public Services Health & Safety
Association (PSHSA).
The top concern for HR professionals is ensuring safe work-places;
47.8 per cent cited this as their most pressing issue,
according to the January 2018 survey of 680 HRPA members.
Further clarity on best practices is also a concern, as employ-ers
report they are seeking guidance, guidelines and sample
policies in order to best address the legalization of marijuana in
their workplace.
The new survey builds on HRPA’s 2017 research report, enti-tled
Clearing the Haze: The Impacts of Marijuana in the Workplace.
“Employers are simply not yet equipped with the knowledge
and the resources they need to ensure that their workplaces are
prepared for legalized marijuana. Balancing these legal changes
with the imperative to provide a safe workplace for all is a chal-lenging
transition – and employers need the right tools for the
job,” said Scott Allinson, VP of public affairs at HRPA.
“The Canadian public is widely supportive of the decriminal-ization,”
said Jay Rosenthal, co-founder and president of BofC.
“However, BofC research suggests the industry could do more
around safety and responsible use. With medical and recreational
cannabis rates expected to rise, a deeper understanding and train-ing
is required for workplaces to effectively navigate forward. We
look forward to working with HRPA and others like PSHSA to
address these gaps.”
“It is important that workplaces focus on creating safe envi-ronments
and helping workers stay healthy at work as we move
through the transition to legalization,” said Kim Slade, director
of emerging markets and commercialization at PSHSA, one of
Ontario’s designated health and safety associations. “While some
workplaces feel they have policies and procedures in place to
address health and safety concerns, others are looking for clarity
on what legalization means to their workplace health and safety
practices, specifically as it relates to safety-sensitive roles.”
MANY CANADIAN EXECUTIVES MISSING OUT ON
THE BENEFITS OF BEING A MENTOR
Canadian executives may be missing the chance to help others and
grow their careers in the process. In a Robert Half Management
Resources survey, 61 per cent of CFOs reported they’ve never
served as a mentor. However, those who have been a mentor said it
provides the internal satisfaction of helping others and the oppor-tunity
to improve their leadership skills, among other benefits.
“For tenured professionals, serving as mentor can be an oppor-tunity
to sharpen their leadership and networking skills while
gaining fresh insight into their industry or company,” said David
King, Canadian president of Robert Half Management Resources.
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HRPROFESSIONALNOW.CA ❚ MARCH 2018 ❚ 9
/HRPA-Clearing-The-Haze.pdf
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