Help for small employers

Can a government-funded program turn small businesses into better, smarter employers?

My column in this week's Financial Post highlights a federally funded program that is helping a more than 30 industry groups encourage their members to adopt more professional and strategic employment standards.

In particular, I look at the Canadian Food Industry Council, which has created an online Turnover Calculator, to help grocery store managers tote up the high cost of employee turnover. More importantly, it has also produced a Human Resource Toolkit for Independent Grocers, a $99 binder packed with tips, systems and templates to help business owners become more robust recruiters, better bosses, more caring coaches and more effective mentors.

Here’s an excerpt:

“While the same labor issues nag big businesses as well as small, [CFIC chair Cheryl] Paradowski contends entrepreneurs can seize an advantage because it's easier for them to create a more employee-centred culture. "If you don't have people skills, your employees won't stay. People leave bosses, not businesses."

For the full story, click here.

To read about the HR Toolkit, which is NOT just for Independent Grocers, click here.