Perry Work Report: work&labour news&research, May 20, 2016

May 20, 2016

Announcements:

As we say goodbye to Melissa Wawrzkiewicz, our wonderful co-editor, now a PhD candidate at the CIRHR, we welcome Caitlin MacLeod. Caitlin has been doing stories for the PWR: work&labour news&research since September.  Caitlin is entering her second year in the Master of Information program at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information, where she studies Culture and Technology and Critical Information Policy Studies. In 2015 she received her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and History and Philosophy of Science and Technology from the University of Toronto. 

The Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources 50th Anniversary Celebration
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the CIRHR and the 40th anniversary of the MIRHR join us for a day of learning from top IR/HR experts and thoughtleaders, network with CIRHR alumni and colleagues, and enjoy a day of informative discussions and innovative speakers. Click here to see the event program. To register please send an email to cirhr.alumni@utoronto.ca. Be sure to include your full name and RSVP by May 30, 2016.

Follow us on the CIRHR Library Tumblr and on the CIRHR Library Twitter.

TRaCE: Future Humanities: Transforming Graduate Studies for the Future of Canada

The TRaCE project, a one-year experiment in data gathering and community building, took shape in the months following the Montreal meeting. Funding comes from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, partner organizations and the participating universities. The specific goal of the project is four-fold: (1) to track humanities PhDs; (2) to report on where they are, whether inside or outside the academy, and what they have achieved; (3) to connect them with each other and with faculty and students inside the academy; and (4) to sponsor exchanges of knowledge and knowhow among PhD students, faculty members and PhD grads pursuing careers in non-academic sectors.

University Affairs, May 17, 2016: “Where are our PhD grads? A report on the TRaCE Project,” By Paul Yachnin

TRaCE Project Blog: "Here we reflect on the processes of TRaCE itself. We weave together insights from your narratives (qualitative data) and the data we have collected (quantitative)."

TRaCE is the next phase of Future Humanities: Transforming Graduate Studies for the Future of Canada.

Future of the PhD in the Humanities Conference 2016

The Future of the PhD in the Humanities conference [will be] held on May 16-18, 2016 at Carleton University. It is a follow-up to a groundbreaking conference on the same theme that was held last year at McGill University. That conference brought together senior administrators, faculty, students, and graduates from 25 Canadian universities, as well as representatives of a number of related organizations. The challenge it posed was a bold one: to rethink graduate humanities education, to develop new programs, to begin to change the culture of the academy, and to enhance how humanities graduate degrees are viewed outside the academy.

Notes on #FutureHumanities Discussion on Graduate Panel (2 pages PDF)

White Paper on the Future of the PhD in the Humanities, December 2013: Institute for the Public Life of Arts and Ideas, McGill University. December 2013 (22 pages, PDF)

Some Conference Resources (see more here):

Beyond Academia: Connecting PhDs With the World

Grad Logic: Navigating the Ups and Downs of Graduate School

#NTWRKDPHD: FURTHER PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES FOR PHDS TO NETWORK THEIR SKILLS OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY

The UC Faculty Family Friendly Edge Projects: Turning a problem into UC’s competitive advantage

Business Council of Canada: Developing Canada’s Future Workforce: A Survey of Large Private-sector Employers

@FromPhDToLife: Organizing an Academic Conference? Don’t Forget Twitter

Back to top

Additional Protections for Trans People in Canada

“The federal government is already working with the transgender community to get ready for the vast social changes that will come with the protection of gender identity and expression in the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code.”

“In the short bill, the government will add ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression’ alongside characteristics such as race, religion, age and sexual orientation for protection under the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code.”

“The legislation is expected to affect matters such as identification documents, including passports in which Canadians are asked to identify their gender. In addition, the legislation will have an impact on employment practices in the federal bureaucracy and industries that are federally regulated. The legislation will apply to areas of federal jurisdiction only, but the Liberals are hoping provincial governments will follow suit.”

The Globe and Mail, May 16, 2016: “Ottawa hopes gender-identity bill will ‘lead by example,’“ by Daniel Leblanc

Government of Canada, May 17, 2016: “Bill C-16 An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code First Reading May 17, 2016"

The Globe and Mail, May 15, 2016: “Liberal bill seeks to safeguard Canadian transgender community,” by Daniel Leblanc

CBC News, May 13, 2016: "Transgender rights legislation coming ‘very shortly,'” by  Susana Mas

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia: “What is May 17th?”

CBC News, May 3, 2016: “Arson at Montreal clinic concerns trans people awaiting surgery,” by Melissa Fundira

CTV News, May 15, 2016: “Protesters clash in Alberta over transgender rights bill,” by Dario Balca

“After the photo opportunities are over on Tuesday, however, ... the Liberal cabinet must do more than simply pay lip service to transgender human rights. They need to get to work on a range of federal laws and policies.”

“Take, for example, the legal regulation of transgender women in federal prisons. In prisons across Canada, transgender women who have not undergone gender-affirming surgery are forced to be housed in men’s institutions. Prison administrators know that placing transgender women in men’s facilities is likely to make them vulnerable to violence and sexual assault. Administrators often place them into solitary confinement -- a practice that has devastating mental-health consequences. While Ontario and British Columbia recently enacted policies to remove surgical requirements, the federal government has failed to show the same leadership.”

The Globe and Mail, May 17, 2016: “New bill just a start to protect the rights of transgender people,” by Kyle Kirkup

The Globe and Mail, May 18, 2016: “It’s time for Canada to right historic wrongs against LGBTQ community,” by John Ibbotson

The Toronto Star, May 6, 2016: “Census needs to reflect modern reality about gender,” by Spencer Underwood

The Globe and Mail, May 17, 2016: “Protecting gay employees where being gay is a crime,” by Laura Colby

Back to top

Unsafe and Underpaid

“Tesla says it will look into allegations that a subcontractor at one of its paint facilities was paid as little as $5 US an hour in an unsafe work environment. According to a report in the San Jose Mercury News, Tesla has gotten around U.S. labour laws by getting subcontractors to bring in foreign workers and paying them below market rates in often unsafe conditions.”

“The report is told through the story of Gregor Lesnik, a Slovenian man who was hired by one of the electric carmaker’s subcontractors to work in a paint facility. Ostensibly coming to the U.S. in a supervisory role at a BMW plant in South Carolina, Lesnik instead found himself working in numerous hands-on positions at Tesla’s facility in California, which led him to have many injuries, including two broken legs and a concussion suffered during a third-storey fall.”

“He was one of 140 foreign workers who came to the country to work for Tesla subcontractors either with tourist visas or business visas, known as B1/B2 visas, the report alleges, often paying them as little as $5 an hour as independent contractors without benefits or other protections. American workers performing similar jobs in that part of the country earn an average of $52 US an hour, data from the Government of California shows.”

“Tesla put out a formal statement after the article came out which acknowledged mistakes were made, and that steps were being taken to rectify them.”

CBC News, May 16, 2016: “Tesla vows to address labour issues after report alleges cheap and unsafe jobs for foreign workers”

The Mercury News, May 13, 2016: "The Hidden Workforce Expanding Tesla’s Factory,” by Louis Hansen

Tesla Motors, May 16, 2016: “Response to Mercury News article, entitled ‘The Hidden Workforce Expanding Tesla’s Factory’”

The Plight of Migrant Workers in Canada

“The family of a migrant farm worker who died several months after a severe head injury says the program that brought him to Canada stripped him of his labour rights after he was hurt, then tried to cut off his access to health care.”

“A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal Open reports that between 2001 and 2011, 787 migrant farm workers in Ontario were terminated and sent back to their countries of origin for medical reasons. It found the workers were a 'unique and vulnerable occupational group,' because the federal government will take away an individual’s work visa if they get ill or hurt, then the provinces cut off access to health care.”

CBC News, May 16, 2016: “Migrant worker program called ‘worse than slavery’ after injured participants sent home without treatment,” by Rosa Marchitelli

Canadian Medical Association Journal Open, 2014: “Medical repatriation of migrant farm workers in Ontario: a descriptive analysis,” by Aaron M. Orkin, Morgan Lay, Janet McLaughlin, Michael Schwandt, and Donald Cole (7 pages, PDF)

Montreal Gazette, May 5, 2016: “Plight of Canada’s migrant workers profiled in 'Migrant Dreams’ documentary,” by Victoria Ahearn

Migrant Dreams Documentary website

List of Resources on Migrant Workers

Back to top

BBC Names Toronto the Most Multicultural City in the World

“A new study by BBC Radio crunched the numbers and declared Toronto the world’s most multicultural metropolis. According to the study, 51 per cent of Toronto’s population is foreign born, and some 230 different nationalities call the city home.”

“The results didn’t surprise to Patricia McCarney, director of Global Cities Institute at the University of Toronto. She saw them as proof of Toronto’s welcoming attitude towards newcomers.”

“It’s historically been difficult to declare one city the most diverse, McCarney said. For example, over 80 per cent of Dubai’s population is foreign born, but the total number of countries where those residents hail from is quite low.”

“Regardless of how you measure it, McCarney said researchers consistently score Toronto at or near the top the diversity list. That’s important, she said, because a diverse population is an engine of economic and demographic growth.”

Metro News, May 16, 2016: “Toronto the diverse: BBC study declares city most diverse in the world,” by Gilbert Ngabo

BBC Radio 4, May 13, 2016: “WS More or Less: The world’s most diverse city” (9:30 minutes)

Back to top

Shameful Neglect: Indigenous Child Poverty in Canada

“Indigenous children in Canada are more than twice as likely to live in poverty than non-aboriginal kids, according to new findings released Tuesday by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.”

“The study, which delves into poverty rates on reserves and in the territories as measured by income, documents the dire conditions being experienced by status First Nations children, including 60 per cent of those who live on reserves. Poverty rates are highest for First Nations kids on reserves in Manitoba at 76 per cent and Saskatchewan at 69 per cent, the study found.”

“The rates of poverty on-reserve worsened between 2005 and 2010, the researchers found, citing long-standing barriers such as underfunded schools and child welfare services that stand in the way of kids achieving their full potential.”

“’It is important to point out that Statistics Canada reports on poverty rates do not include people who live on a reserve or people living in the territories where roughly half of all Inuit people are located,’ the report said. ’Because this data is excluded, official poverty rates in Canada are lower than they would be if these populations were counted. Poverty rates for indigenous people, especially status First Nations and Inuit, are reported to be much lower than a full count would indicate is truly the case.’”

CBC News, May 17, 2016: “60% of First Nation children on reserve live in poverty, institute says,” by Kristy Kirkup

“The authors call for immediate action to resolve the ongoing crisis affecting Indigenous people across the country, and recommend a poverty reduction plan for reserves that would: report poverty rates on reserves and in the territories; improve direct income support; improve employment prospects on reserves; and begin to implement longer-term solutions.”

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, May 17, 2016: “Shameful Neglect: Indigenous Child Poverty in Canada,” by David Macdonald and Daniel Wilson (36 pages, PDF)

Back to top

Young Drivers Needed

“The [trucking] industry is facing a looming labour shortage that could reach 48,000 drivers by 2024, according to the Canadian Trucking Alliance. There are multiple reasons for the looming shortage, but many believe the lifestyle simply isn’t attractive to a younger generation. The average age of a truck driver is over 47 -- up from 45 in 2013 -- and almost 30 per cent of the driving force is 55 or over, which makes it one of the oldest workforces in Canada, according to the organization’s president.”

“The average salary for a truck driver was listed as $40,728 in 2011, although David Bradley says long-haul truck drivers can easily make $70-80,000 a year. However, they’re often paid by the mile, which means their income can fluctuate based on unexpected delays or traffic. They also tend to work longer hours than the rest of the population.”

“It’s also difficult to hire immigrants, except under the Temporary Foreign Worker program, since truck driving is not considered a skilled occupation and drivers therefore aren’t eligible for most federal economic immigration programs.”

“The industry is working to change the classification of truck driving to semi-skilled or skilled, which Bradley says is key to getting more resources for training and attracting career-oriented candidates. Provinces are also working on implementing their own regulations and mandatory training standards.”

The Toronto Star, May 16, 2016: "Trucking industry faces labour shortage as it struggles to attract young drivers,” by Morgan Lowrie

CTV News, April 26, 2016: “'There’s no stopping us’: Women breaking down barriers in trucking industry”

“Trucking HR Canada has unveiled a new report making the sound business case for increased diversity in the nation’s trucking industry. ‘Changing Workforce’ draws on a combination of labour data and best practices already introduced in many workplaces.”

Canadian Trucking Alliance, May 10, 2016: “Report Makes Business Case For Diversifying Industry”

Trucking HR Canada, May 2016: Changing Workforce: The case for diversity in Canada’s trucking industry” (download the full report for free here)

Back to top

The Allure of the Public Sector

“A recent survey of Canadian workers has revealed that a majority of the country’s most recommended employers are public-sector and government-subsidized organizations.”

“Forbes Magazine ranked the top 250 employers in Canada, based on an online poll of 8,000 Canadians. The poll asked respondents whether they would recommend their employer to friends and family as a good place to work. Six of the top 10 and 14 of the top 25 employers are taxpayer-funded, a ratio reflected from top to bottom of the list. A similar poll conducted in the United States turned up three government-supported organizations in the top 25, and eight in the top 25.”

“That public sector companies are so heavily represented in the top 25 may be interpreted from different perspectives. Some experts say that it points to publicly funded organizations overcompensating employees, while others argue that strong public institutions are characteristic of Canada.”

The Globe and Mail, May 18, 2016: “Public sector’s allure more than good pay,” Jared Lindzon

Forbes, February 24, 2016: “Canada’s Best Employers 2016,” by Kathryn Dill

“Students and recent graduates often complain about the complicated and seemingly opaque HR recruitment processes for positions advertised on the Government of Canada’s centralized job posting website, and are disappointed to learn how difficult it can be to obtain a permanent job in their field of study. Those who are able to obtain work placements in the public service often end up working various temporary contracts, without benefits or pension contributions.”

“As a result, many are opting for the private sector, which can be much more dynamic and timely in terms of its HR recruitment processes. The public service is missing out on a great opportunity to recruit, manage and utilize these bright minds.”

Open Canada, May 18, 2016: “Welcome to a hipper, younger, capable Canadian public service,” by Wisam Shalih

The Ottawa Citizen, February 15, 2016: “Brison says millennials will staff next ‘golden age’ of public service,” by Kathryn May

Open Canada, May 18, 2016: “Canada’s future foreign policymakers: Meet the millennials making a mark in international affairs,” by Catherine Tsalikis and Eva Salinas

Back to top

Improving Work-Life Balance for Canadians

“The Liberal government is launching consultations on legal changes that would give all federally regulated employees the right to ask for flexible work hours. The proposed change to the Canada Labour Code would apply to the roughly 12,000 businesses and 820,000 employees in areas such as banking and transportation. The rules would cover about 6 per cent of the Canadian work force. Ottawa says it is in discussions with the provinces regarding similar changes that would apply more broadly to provincially regulated jobs.”

“Under the proposal, a worker could submit a formal request to their employer for flex time, such as shifting the traditional work day to make time to pick up kids from daycare. The employer would be required to respond to the request within a set deadline and provide an evidence-based rationale in the event that the request is denied.”

“The government’s consultations seek input on how this would work in practice, whether fines would be involved, whether employees should have access to an appeal process and whether this should apply to unionized employees, given that such issues are normally addressed through collective bargaining.”

The Globe and Mail, May 16, 2016: “Ottawa examines proposal to give workers right to seek flex time,” by Bill Curry

Employment and Social Development Canada, May 16, 2016: “It’s time for flexibility”

Employment and Social Development Canada, May 16, 2016: “Consulting Canadians on flexible work arrangements”

Back to top

Public Pensions are the Equitable Solution

“A 65-year-old woman who gives $100,000 to a major insurance company will get an annuity of about $474 a month, while a man of the same age spending the same amount will get $519. A woman who waits until the age of 71 to buy her annuity will get $548 monthly, while a man of the same age will get $603.”

“This is not the case with the Canada Pension Plan, where men and women of similar ages, with similar contribution records, get the same monthly pension. It doesn’t happen in registered workplace pension plans either, where gender-based monthly payments are outlawed.”

“But it happens when we take our own retirement savings to the annuity market, including RRSPs, TSFAs, the new PRPPs (pooled registered pension plans), and other savings vehicles. The insurance industry claims statistics justify sex-based annuity pricing; women live longer on average than men, thus collect their annuities longer. ... The insurance industry argues that it’s impossible to distribute longevity risk fairly in any other way.”

“Politicians are currently debating how to manage the expected retirement-income shortfall for Canada’s aging population. Options include providing more policy support for individualized financial products or expanding the Canada Pension Plan. Under the first option, women’s dollars buy lower pensions than men’s; under the second, women’s dollars have equal value. The public pension solution is clearly the equitable solution -- let’s choose it and support it.”

The Globe and Mail, May 18, 2016: “But of course you get less in retirement. You’re a woman,” by Elizabeth Shilton

The Globe and Mail, May 15, 2016: “In your retirement planning, cash for life options are worth considering,” by Rob Carrick

The Globe and Mail, May 17, 2016: “Assuming big returns on pensions -- what could go wrong? (Plenty),” by William Robson

Back to top

10 Questions on the Future of Work

“Work is changing at a rapid pace. Terms like sharing economy and automation are increasingly entering everyday lexicon. What will work look like five, 10 even 15 years down the road? Douglas Rushkoff is the author of ‘Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus: How Growth Became the Enemy of Prosperity.’ He joins The Agenda for 10 questions on the future of work.”

TVO, May 17, 2016: “The Agenda: 10 Questions on the Future of Work” (8:20 minutes)

More With Douglas Rushkoff

“What if an economy predicated on growth is unsustainable? Growth at companies like General Electric (GE) used to mean jobs for hundreds of thousands of people. That same growth, at companies like Facebook and Google, yields, at most, tens of thousands of jobs. As growth-oriented tech companies absorb more jobs through smarter tech and automation, is this an opportunity to rethink the nature of work, jobs, and the overall economy?”

Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, April 27, 2016: “Douglas Rushkoff on Redesigning the Economy” (52:02 minutes)      

Big Think, April 30, 2016: “Are Google, Uber, and Digital Companies Trapped by Colonial Economics?,” by Douglas Rushkoff (9:52 minutes)

Back to top

American Nostalgia for Good Union Jobs

“On average, manufacturing jobs still pay better than most jobs available to people without a college degree. The median manufacturing worker without a bachelor’s degree earned $15 an hour in 2015, a dollar more than similarly educated workers in other industries. But those averages obscure a great deal of variation beneath the surface. Average manufacturing wages are inflated by high-earning veterans; newly created jobs tend to pay less. And there are substantial regional variations. The average manufacturing production worker in Michigan earns $20.80 an hour, vs.$18.86 in South Carolina, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

“Why do factory workers make more in Michigan? In a word: unions. The Midwest was, at least until recently, a bastion of union strength. Southern states, by contrast, are mostly ‘right-to-work’ states where unions never gained a strong foothold. Unions also help explain why the middle class is healthier in the Midwest than in the Southeast, where manufacturing jobs have been growing rapidly in recent decades.”

“For all of the glow that surrounds manufacturing jobs in political rhetoric, there is nothing inherently special about them. Some pay well; others don’t. They are not immune from the forces that have led to slow wage growth in other sectors of the economy. When politicians pledge to protect manufacturing jobs, they really mean a certain kind of job: well-paid, long-lasting, with opportunities for advancement. Those aren’t qualities associated with working on a factory floor; they’re qualities associated with being a member of a union.”

FiveThirtyEight, May 13, 2016: "Americans Don’t Miss Manufacturing -- They Miss Unions,” by Ben Casselman

UC Berckley Labor Center, May 10, 2016: “Producing Poverty: The Public Cost of Low-Wage Production Jobs in Manufacturing,” by Ken Jacobs, Zohar Perla, Ian Perry and Dave Graham-Squire (14 pages, PDF)

Pew Research Center, May 11, 2016: “America’s Shrinking Middle Class:  A Close Look at Changes Within Metropolitan Areas”

Back to top

Student Hackers' Salary Expectations

“Students seeking a full-time software job or internship are quite optimistic about their salary expectations, according to a new survey released May 18 by Devpost, which polled 1,700 US students this spring at hack events it organized on college campuses. The report found that the majority of students expect starting salaries of at least $70,000. Devpost’s report also found that more than 90% of respondents said receiving equity as part of their compensation was somewhat or very important to them.”

“Survey respondents also anticipate their salaries will rise by $20,000 to $30,000 after five years on the job market -- even as annual raises have become a thing of the past for many Americans. But their upbeat expectations do reflect one reality, says Devpost CEO Brandon Kessler: the surging demand for students with coding chops. ‘Wages for software developers are in fact dramatically going up, given the very real shortage of developers and the competition among companies,’ he says.”

Quartz, May 18, 2016: “These are the salary expectations of students who know how to code,” by Alice Truong

Devpost, May 18, 2016: “Student Hacker Report - Spring 2016”

Back to top

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Fights Fairness for Workers

"On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s final rule updating the overtime regulations, which will automatically extend overtime pay protections to over 4 million workers within the first year of implementation.”

Final Rule

Overtime Overview

Questions and Answers

Fact Sheet:

Overtime Final Rule (4 pages, PDF

Final Rule: Non-Profit 

Final Rule: Higher Education 

Final Rule: States and Local Governments

Guidance for Businesses

General Guidance

Non-Profit Guidance

Higher Education Guidance

Comparison Table: Current Regulations, Proposed Rule, and Final Rule

Small Business Guide

DOL Overtime Page

Overtime NPRM Page

Blog Posts

DOL Blog: Who Benefits from the New Overtime Rule (May 18, 2016)

DOL Blog: Plenty of Options with New Overtime Rule (May 18, 2016)

Huffington Post: Fair Pay for Postdocs: Why We Support New Federal Overtime Rules (May 17, 2016)

United States, Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (WHD), May 18, 2016:  "Final Rule: Overtime"

SHRM tries to Block Overtime Final Rule

“SHRM-supported legislation to block the rule, pending a full economic analysis of the changes to overtime regulations, is still needed. This legislation also contains critical provisions preventing the rule from including automatic updates to the salary threshold.”

SHRM Government Affairs Update, May 18, 2016: "Final Rule released: Fair Labor Standards Act Overtime Regulations”

Daily Caller News Foundation, May 17, 2016: “Here’s Why Obama’s Upcoming Overtime Rule Faces Fierce Opposition,” by Connor D. Wolf

Back to top

No More Developing Countries

“In the 2016 edition of its World Development Indicators, the World Bank has made a big choice: It’s no longer distinguishing between 'developed' countries and 'developing' ones in the presentation of its data.”

“The change marks an evolution in thinking about the geographic distribution of poverty and prosperity. But it sounds less radical when you consider that nobody has ever agreed on a definition for these terms in the first place.”

“The International Monetary Fund says its own distinction between advanced and emerging market economies 'is not based on strict criteria, economic or otherwise.' The United Nations doesn’t have an official definition of a developing country, despite slapping the label on 159 nations. And the World Bank itself had previously simply lumped countries in the bottom two-thirds of gross national income (GNI) into the category, but even that comparatively strict cut-off wasn’t very useful.”

“Part of the story is the success of development efforts in the last several decades. Consider this chart that plots countries on an axis of infant mortality and fertility in 1960 and 2013. In 1960, there are two clear groups -- one with low mortality and fertility, one with much higher. By 2013, the countries have converged into a much tighter group.”

“’This is about updating people’s mental models as well,' says Tariq Khokhar, a data scientist at the World Bank. 'If the regular person’s mental model of the developing country is a big family [and] bad health outcomes, that might be a shorthand. [But] in a lot of countries, you have far improved infant mortality numbers. The old way of thinking of the developing world as this place where there’s been no progress is not that helpful.’”

Quartz, May 18, 2016: "The World Bank is eliminating the term 'developing country' from its data vocabulary," by Tim Fernholz

Back to top

Book of the Week

Careers and Talent Management: a Critical Perspective, by Cristina Reis. New York, NY : Routledge, 2016. 97 p. ISBN 9780415735025

From the publisher: "Careers and Talent Management challenges and deconstructs the notion of the 'perfect career' in order to provide new perspectives on talent management and career creation. It argues that the skills that organizations typically look for as indicative of superstar performance are not necessarily those that lead to competitive advantage. Attracting and retaining talent is both challenging and complex for organizations, since it is not known, especially at the top level, which employee skills will be most valuable in helping the organization be competitive globally. In this thoughtful book, Reis bucks the trend on emerging super talents, critically analyzing topics related to the field of general management, careers and talent management -- such as leadership, entrepreneurship, gender, and diversity -- to demonstrate the range of employee skills that can benefit an organization globally. Chapter focuses include global entrepreneurship, remote business practices, and social responsibility. These new perspectives on talent management will help students of human resource management think critically about the implications of pursuing or encouraging a 'perfect' career trajectory."

Back to top


This information is provided to subscribers, alumni of the Centre for Industrial Relations & Human Resources (CIRHR), friends, interested faculty and students from across the country and around the globe. The Perry Work Report, formerly the Weekly Work Report 2002 – 2006, is a weekly e-publication of the CIRHR Library, University of Toronto.

The content is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to IR/HR disciplines for the purposes of research, understanding and debate.

The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of the University of Toronto, CIRHR, or that of the editors, and should not be construed as such. The service provides links to the primary documents and research behind the news stories of the day.

This publication is protected by Canadian copyright laws and may not be copied, posted or forwarded electronically without permission. All individual subscriptions, and complimentary copies for students and alumni are not to be redistributed - organizational subscription information is available at: Perry Work Report. The Perry Work Report was named in honour of Elizabeth Perry, editor 2002 to 2006.

Questions or comments: cirhr.library@utoronto.ca

For past issues see our Archives (there is a three month embargo on available issues).

Editors: Vicki Skelton and Caitlin MacLeod
Designer: Nick Strupat

Copyright © 2016 Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources Library, University of Toronto. All rights reserved.