benefitsMental Health in the Workplace
Mental health contributed to 21% of all short and long-term disability claims

Awareness of mental health issues has increased significantly over the past few years. While absenteeism and presenteeism in the workplace due to stress and mental health issues have been well known to employers, proactive treatment and prevention has not been seen as a priority.
 
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More than half  (57 per cent) of Canadian employees and managers are currently suffering from a mental health problem or sleeping disorder or have done so in the past.
HRSexual Harassment in the Workplace
Legislation and the Employer's Responsibility

In many ways the HR profession is like the legal profession. For the most part, both operate silently as part of the corporate landscape until there is a dominant news headline. The current wave of sexual misconduct headlines has once again focused the spotlight on the need for greater leadership involvement in shaping the workplace culture to address these matters. Viewed through a moral lens, these instances have both psychological and social costs. They can also create significant financial costs for organizations as well.

ASSOCIUM Consultants has over 30 years of expertise educating clients and expanding their HR capabilities for addressing harassment/misconduct claims. We provide advisory services at all key employee and employer touchpoints including: policy and program development; awareness building and training solutions; workplace investigations and reporting; and case management support.

From time to time we invite our partners across the HR spectrum to share insights on these issues from their vantage. MidSouthWest, a firm which provides online training, presents some compelling reasons why employers need to be more mindful of their approach for addressing the topic of harassment and its related impact on the Canadian workplace.
 
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GAINThe Psychology of the Procurement Process
Part 1 of 3

Non-profit organizations need innovative programming, resources, talent, and advertising just like their private sector business counterparts. More and more, Executive management are looking at the importance of fiscal planning and strategic choices for the administration of their overall procurement services....and often that choice is an ASSOCIUM GAIN membership.

Increasing costs are prompting Executive Directors, VPs of Finance and Operations to take a more active role in decisions pertaining to budgetary spend at all levels. Looking toward Cost Containment is one aspect of the Psychology of the Procurement Process. Control of expenditure is emphasized through keen budget management; an important tool for ensuring value for money, while managing output of costs.

In both the private and non-profit sectors, ensuring a good idea is economically viable is the backbone to the success of the idea.

ASSOCIUM GAIN is thrilled to play a big part of this role with our members, in helping to increase the bottom line, save huge on soft costs, introduce cost containment strategies, and streamline procurement processes on over $ 1 billion worth of operational budgets.

Contact the ASSOCIUM GAIN team today and find out the full extent to our membership advantages!

PharmacyMedical and Recreational Cannabis
Do you have a workplace policy?

Cannabis, whether medical or recreational, can cause apprehension for employers and supervisors. There are many questions that arise whether employees consumption of cannabis affects them at the workplace or while they perform their duties. Employers should be aware that there are 2 streams of cannabis use that will be permitted in Canada in 2018. The recreational and medical streams will bring challenges to employers in terms of workplace policies and accommodation requirements under the human rights code for medical patients. Employers need to ensure that there are appropriate policies in place to deal with medical and recreational cannabis consumption at the workplace and how these two contexts are treated differently.  

PillarsPillars of the Community - Hope Place Centres
We've been providing Hope for over 40 years

We know that the hardest part of recovery begins right after your treatment ends. That is why we have created a network of community-based supports and services to help you build a recovery that is strong enough to last a lifetime. At Hope Place Centres, many of us have 'been there' and our own lived-experience makes us great when it comes to knowing what it takes to succeed in early recovery.

If you would like to be recognized in this section of our newsletter or website, please forward a short article to [email protected]. Your content can include an introduction to your organization to help generate awareness; it can give a history; highlight your mandate; or even give details of an event. It's your space. We would love to help promote your organization and its initiatives!
ASSOCIUM has a Calendar of Events, and we offer exclusive use to our ASSOCIUM GAIN members!

We welcome and encourage you to send us your event information

Let us help you get the word out to the public about the initiatives you'd like them to know about! We can add a link to your website for more information about your event and your organization.

This is ideal for upcoming galas, festivals, performances - any event you want to invite the public to.

ASSOCIUM Divisionsdivisions
Since 1984, ASSOCIUM Consultants continues to lead the industry in specialized human resource services, organizational development and provides HR expertise across a broad range of services.
We're unique in the marketplace providing innovative and customized Advisor services: Managing General Agent , Third Party Administrator, Claims Adjudication, Specialty Drug Management / Preferred Pharmacy Network and Human Resources Consulting.

ASSOCIUM Benefits 

Our employee group benefits division, being in business since 1997, gives us the experience to provide customized alternative plans and reduce administrative costs for our clients, while quoting sustainable rates at start up - and at renewal.  

Our procurement services division launched in 1996 as an added source of assistance to the not-for-profit sector ( GAIN). Recently this service has been expanded to include private small business under the Advantage banner. Our goal is to help your organization access preferred pricing for products and services as well as resolve any purchasing issues you may encounter.
Supporting the success of Canadian organizations since 1984.