Human Resources Management in Canada explores both a breadth and depth of core issues, processes, and strategies aimed at maximizing how the human resources of the organization contribute to organizational success. The strategic importance of HRM activities is emphasized throughout the text by using recent examples from the Canadian employment landscape.

As in previous editions, this edition provides extensive coverage of all HRM topics, such as job analysis, HR planning, recruitment, selection, orientation and training, career development, compensation and benefits, performance appraisal, health and safety, and labour relations. The scientific, evidence-based, and academic contributions to the world of human resources are embedded throughout the book, blending updates from academic journals with practical discussion of HRM.

This resource is designed to provide a complete, comprehensive review of human resources management (HRM) concepts and techniques in a highly readable and understandable form for a wide audience: students specializing in HRM, students in business programs, adult learners in supervisory or managerial roles, and existing or future small-business owners.

Hallmark Features

• Strategy case. A fully integrated strategy case (Translating Strategy into HR Policies and Practices: Improving Performance at the Hotel Paris) is provided to help make strategic human resources management come alive for readers. It shows how the Hotel Paris’s HR director uses that chapter’s human resources management concepts and techniques to create HR policies and practices that produce the employee skills and behaviours the Hotel Paris needs to improve its service and thereby achieve its strategic goals.
• Experiential exercises. Each chapter includes multiple individual and group-based experiential exercises that provide learners with the opportunity to apply the text material and develop some hands-on skills.
• Case incidents. Case incidents can be found at the end of each chapter. These cases present current HRM issues in a real-life setting and are followed by questions designed to encourage discussion and promote the use of problem-solving skills.
• Continuing case. A continuing case (Carter Cleaning Centres) is provided to illustrate the types of HRM challenges confronted by small business owners and front-line supervisors. For each chapter, the case advances the small business owner and HR manager’s dilemma in detail, and the accompanying critical thinking questions provide an opportunity to discuss and apply the text material in a highly transferrable and practical way.
• The Workforce Diversity boxes describe some of the issues and challenges involved in managing the diverse workforce found in Canadian organizations. The broad range of types of diversity addressed include generational, age, ethnic, gender, racial, and religious.

New GenAI Study Tool

We’ve heard how important it is for students to use reliable AI tools in responsible and productive ways. To that end, Pearson is focused on creating tools that combine the power of generative AI with trusted Pearson content to provide students with a simplified study experience, delivering on-demand and personalised support that compliments your teaching and aligns with the text you’ve chosen. The Study Tool is available to students who access the Pearson eText on its own or through MyLab.

What can the AI Study Tool do?

• Generate simplified explanations of challenging sections
• Summarize material to help learners focus on key topics and ideas
• Students can ask for multiple choice or short answer questions related to a specific chapter or section to help fill knowledge gaps
• For extra practice, students can also generate flashcards and notes based on their chat interaction with the tool

New and updated features of this title

• Industry 4.0, AI, and Other Technological Advancements. With artificial intelligence (AI) in a hype-cycle and readily accessible to the masses, many employees are encountering the fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO), while employers are struggling with how technology is changing jobs and organizational demands. This edition was thoroughly updated to address these concerns, framing them not only within the limited scope of generative AI, but along a spectrum of longstanding complex relationships between technology and HR. Chapter 3 (Human Resources Management and Technology) and Chapter 6 (Recruitment) were significantly updated, as were examples and research throughout the text
• New Normal in the Workplace. The concept of work, workplaces, and employment relations changed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions. The impact on workforce planning, HR supply, HR planning, e-recruitment, virtual onboarding, managing performance of remote workers, ensuring safety of essential workers, and legal obligations of employees is explored in depth in this edition.
• Where and How People Work: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. In recent years, where (remote, hybrid, onsite) and how (permanent or temporary, full time or part time, employee or contractor, single job holder or multiple job holder, etc.) have created an increasingly complex world of work for employers and employees to navigate. The text addresses these issues in multiple chapters (e.g., what is legally considered a dependent versus an independent contractor, how gig workers impact HR planning, the unionization of gig workers) and through major modifications to Chapter 1 (The Strategic Role of Human Resources Management). This ensures that readers become aware of the diversity in employment relationships and think more broadly about the world of work.
• Simplified Text and Concepts for Those New to Working in Canada. There is an increasing awareness among educators that students lack a preliminary understanding of the world of work in Canada. This is likely because of several factors. For example, some students have never experienced employment, there is an increase in international students who may have different experiences or assumptions, and some students do not have advanced reading skills. In recognition of these challenges, many sections of the text have been simplified, using more common language rather than the academic speak that is often used in peer-reviewed academic publications.