February 27, 2024 by Sean Grant-Young
2024 British Columbia provincial budget tax highlights
On Feb. 22, 2024, the British Columbia government released its 2024 budget. The following are highlights of the key tax measures.
Recent Publications - Human resources advisory
Recent Publications
November 9, 2023 by Leon Sacks
Partnership – dotting the i’s: identity, integration & incentives
Perhaps second only to brand and reputation, partners represent a law firm’s most valuable asset.
April 20, 2023 by Mike White
Remote work and law firm culture: more than just foosball tables and kegs !
The biggest chokepoint in law firms these days is the inability to align most lawyers – particularly younger lawyers – around behaviors that keep their firm most healthy. I am often asked, “This remote/hybrid work model is shielding our people from the collective ambition and shared expectations that are the mother’s milk of firm success. How do we motivate our lawyers to really extend themselves for our firm, and what should those contributions look like?”
April 20, 2023 by Heather Gray-Grant
Why should associates stay with their law firm?
While I help law firms deal with a myriad of issues, the top focus of my consulting advice in 2022 had to be associate churn. So, here is a two‑part post on this issue. First, I want to speak to associates who are considering leaving their firm. Next, I will speak to law firms about how to create conditions that will lessen associate temptations to leave.
November 17, 2022 by Mike White
Recruitment and retention: deliver a “signature” career experience!
So, what am I hearing these days from firm leaders? It’s something along the lines of, “We have no trouble finding demand for our services—all practice groups are maxed out and then some! We are having trouble attracting, recruiting and retaining the right lawyers we need to do the client work. Over time, of course, we know the inverse will be true, but how do we deal with the here and now?”
November 17, 2022 by Kristen Dallman
Four things to know about establishing an employer branding strategy
As the fight for talent rages on, law firms are looking for new and different ways to attract and retain employees. In this highly competitive marketplace, the name of the game is differentiation.
November 17, 2022 by Jordan Furlong
The associate salary deception
When your average baseball fan goes to a ballgame these days, invariably they grumble about the expense—$50 tickets, $15 beers, $9 hot dogs, and so forth. “It’s those greedy players,” they complain to the fan in the next seat, “They make millions of dollars, so the club has to charge high prices for everything. They should be grateful just to have a job in this economy.”
November 1, 2022 by Kimber Amping
Gratuities and tips – time to revisit payroll practices
Tips are in the news, again! Recently, a restaurant’s tips policy made it all the way to the Federal Court of Appeal to decide whether the service staff tips are subject to Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI). With customers increasingly tipping electronically, the decision in this appeal is very relevant.
October 22, 2021 by John F. Oakey
Government announces targeted COVID-19 support measures
On October 21, 2021, two days before most of the Federal government’s COVID-19 recovery programs were set to expire on October 23rd, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the expansion of these programs under a more targeted approach. This announcement was subsequently supported by information published by the Department of Finance on their website.
June 23, 2021 by John F. Oakey
Easing the transition
The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) has been an important program for businesses struggling with the economic fallout of the pandemic. This program (which began on March 15, 2020) was designed to keep employees on the payroll during a time when businesses were experiencing unprecedented disruption in revenue. The federal government is phasing out this program by reducing the subsidy rate over the remaining four periods, from June 6 to Sept. 25, 2021.
June 22, 2021 by Leigh-Anne Finch
How to attract and retain talent in the new labour market
As society advances through the pandemic, 2021 could see the highest number of people (re)entering the workforce and changing jobs in recorded history.
April 1, 2021 by Kari Viglasky
Burning out? Help is on the way!
The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative impacts on our working world and economy. Jim Clifton, chair and CEO of Gallop stated, “Only 15 per cent of the world’s full-time workers are engaged at work and that’s what the whole world wants is a good job, and we are failing to deliver it.” In other words, a full 85 per cent of workers on this planet are not engaged at work. Imagine the economic, social, physical and mental health ramifications of that fact.
March 16, 2020 by Kari Viglasky
Employers – Are you prepared and protected?
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is changing our lives and our world by the minute, and it is increasingly difficult to keep abreast of it all. Employers in Canada have a legal and moral obligation to protect the health and safety of their employees, but most don’t realize to what extent and the ramifications of non-compliance.
January 6, 2020 by Leigh-Anne Finch
Remote work arrangements: considerations for success
The past few decades have seen the accelerated growth of remote work arrangements, from roles traditionally performed off-site to a trendy and popular fringe benefit. This perk was largely offered by progressive organizations to its previously on-site workers. Today, remote work arrangements are no longer a passing trend, but an option that employees across Canada’s diverse industries expect to be offered. A 2018 study by Indeed revealed that 62 per cent of Canadian employers offer some type of remote work option. It is now less a question of whether employers should offer a remote work option, than how employers can ensure the success of their remote work program. Softchoice’s 2017 study “Collaboration Unleashed” revealed that 74 per cent of workers would be enticed to quit their jobs for the chance to work remotely more often.
December 17, 2019 by Kari Viglasky, Accounting Services Manager, Andrew Koczerzuk
Wrongful dismissal: When reasons do not constitute cause
Without a doubt, the single most common issue brought to employment lawyers is dismissal of employees. Although most human resource (HR) professionals are educated and certified in this field, many find it impossible to keep up with changing case law, court decisions and penalties. Those employers who do not have onsite HR professional managers or directors also tend to terminate based on their views, winding up in court after the fact, as employees become more aware of their rights.
July 25, 2019 by Leigh-Anne Finch
Workplace parties: worth the risk?
At Baker Tilly, we know our people are integral to our business excellence. Our people solutions strategies support this success by providing healthy workplace cultures for our employees and leaders who treat them as people, not simply human capital.
May 28, 2019 by Kari Viglasky
The talent acquisition time bomb
At Baker Tilly, we believe there are people solutions that can help your business thrive. Canadians are facing the daunting realities outlined below, but we know that knowledge is power. By taking proactive measures, we can provide valuable support to our clients in their pursuit of excellence. Here are some of the major issues we are facing, along with recommendations that will assist in your continued success.
June 21, 2018 by Liz Benoit
Infographic: Put your best foot forward
On Jan. 1, 2018, the Alberta Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act (also known as Bill 17) was passed into law.
June 11, 2018 by Heather Milburn
Approaching process improvement
Our lives and the world around us are in a constant state of change. Why then, do so many organizations struggle to make time for continuous process improvement? There are a lot of programs and tools out there – including Six Sigma, Lean, Kanban, 5 S’s, Kaizen and TQM – so it is easy to get overwhelmed. However, you do not need your staff to have months of training to enjoy the benefits of continuous improvement. While many organizations have reaped the benefits of in-house continuous improvement programs, a great deal can be gained from a quick and easy review process.
April 24, 2018 by Mario Patenaude, Tammie M. Sorensen
Preventing labour code changes from killing your business
It is clear to business leaders, either motivated by profit or not, that government and its legislation will continue to make it increasingly challenging to run a profitable or financially viable not-for-profit venture. These legislative changes, most recently dealing with taxation and labour, will negatively impact the bottom line.