My head and heart are full with empathy for our tourism and hospitality employers who, in many cases, bore the full brunt of consequences of the provincial response to increasing case counts and growing numbers of variants of concern. I commiserate with the short time frame in which employers have had to pivot, and applaud those that did.
Photo Credit: Province of British Columbia (Flickr)
Job Protected Leave for Vaccine
As Phase 3 of the vaccination program continues to move forward, the province of BC has mandated that employers offer time off to workers to gain access to this critical health measure. Full and part-time workers must be able to take the time they need to receive the vaccine. This provision also applies if a worker needs to take a dependent family member.
A new online booking system was unveiled by the province last week where you can register online 24 hours a day. You can also register by phone or at a BC service office.
If you would like to access the information in a language other than English, the province has translators available as well as the material available in 12 languages to insure that you will get the information you need in a way that is easy to understand.
As vaccine distribution continues to ramp up in the province, please do your part and register today. It’s simple and easy to do.
Photo Credit: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
Day of Mourning
April 28th marks the Day of Mourning, a workers memorial day dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives or have suffered major injury or illness on the job. The annual event, global in nature, is observed in more than 100 countries and has been observed since 1991. It is a day when we honour the lives and memory of those who have fallen while also highlighting the critical importance of workplace health and safety.
In the age of COVID-19,workplace safety has never been more important. Did you know that the BC Labour Heritage Centre has an interactive map detailing more than 190 plaques, memorials that holds significance?
Given the current gathering restrictions due to COVID-19, BC Day of Mourning invites workers, families, employers and others to come together to honor the those who have passed and to renew the commitment to creating safer workplaces virtually.
go2HR continues to partner with key organizations to bring valuable tools to our industry. Our recent partnership with the BC Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA BC) has created a new online portal for mental health and wellness resources specifically for the tourism and hospitality industry.
FOODSAFE is a great option for employers who want to provide training to employees on a flexible schedule. No classroom courses, no internet connectivity issues, self-paced learning and exams available in 10 languages. It’s a cost-effective way to provide essential training for those employees who require it.
The onboarding experience is more than just a new hire orientation program, can start long before the person shows up on day one, and enables new employees to be part of the company culture the moment they are hired. It gives them access to materials, information, and tools needed to work toward common goals in the most productive way and also improves retention rates, particularly within the crucial first 90 days of employment.
Now more than ever, tourism and hospitality employers need help to access tools and resources to support themselves and their staff through challenging times. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA BC) has partnered with go2HR to offer a webinar designed to help. Join us on April 15th for practical tips, expert advice, insights, and resources to help business owners and managers.
Bewildered by the complexities of immigration processes for hiring foreign workers in the age of COVID-19? Join the Vancouver Coast & Mountains Tourism Region, managed by Destination BC, and go2HR for an informative session on Navigating the New Normal When Hiring International Workers in the age of COVID-19 on May 5th from 10am-12 pm.
B SAFE is a new 90-minute, online course oriented toward staff in BC’s tourism and hospitality industry. The training aims to provide staff with a strong foundation in COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and to assist them in understanding ever-evolving best practices. Upon successful completion of the course, participants are awarded a certificate that demonstrates their knowledge of and commitment to COVID-19 health and safety. Our objective is for B SAFE to become an industry standard: a recognizable indicator of the extent to which health and safety is a priority for BC’s tourism and hospitality employers.
B SAFE stands for BC Safety Assured For Everyone
Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, B SAFE aims to build community and staff confidence in the health and safety protocols of BC’s tourism and hospitality industry as the province navigates and emerges from the COVID-19 era. Pre-register today!
go2HR's job board has traditionally been THE place to find a job in the tourism and hospitality industry. We've seen a steady increase since the start of 2021 in the number of postings each month. In January, we had 144 postings; February saw 238 new postings and March was remarkable for 425 positions posted.
And people are noticing! In January, we had 10,000 visits to the site, February saw another increase to 13,000 visits and March wrapped up with a substantial uptick with 17,500 visits. It's easy to post a job!
Take action to improve the safety of your employees who drive for work.
Participate in this complimentary driving safety webinar offered by Road Safety at Work on April 28th at 10:00am. Learn about some basic and simple steps you can take to keep you and your employees safe while driving.
Indigenous Tourism BC presents free online sessions, where you will share ideas on how Indigenous tourism operators and people can succeed in working and building careers in Indigenous tourism leading up to the development of the first BC Indigenous Tourism Labour Strategy. Sign up for the virtual open house today!
Serving British Columbia’s tourism and hospitality industry with program and services in human resources, health and safety, and industry training that support growth and success since 1979.
go2HR, 910-850 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1E1, Canada, 604-633-9787
