A recent TELUS Health Mental Health Index indicates that employees experiencing workplace conflict lose up to 55 days in productivity per year. The impacts of conflict at work are clear – lost productivity, but also stress and lower mental health scores for the staff who experience it. In this episode, we explore the factors that contribute to workplace conflict, including power dynamics, racism and microaggressions, and mounting workloads, outline an organization’s legal requirements to take action, and provide some practical tips for leaders and staff to address conflict when it happens in your workplace. 

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Meet Our Guests

Meet Our Guests (in order of appearance)

Paula Allen

Global Leader, Research and Client Insights 
TELUS Health (Formerly LifeWorks)

Paula Allen is the Global Leader, Research and Client Insights at TELUS Health (formerly LifeWorks). In this role she manages the research agenda for TELUS Health, which includes primary research, exploratory data science, research collaborations and meta-analyses. Her focus is on discovering, defining and communicating industry trends; service development that aligns with emerging market needs; and supporting TELUS Health’s clients with insights and data-driven decision guidance.

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Paula is a well-recognized expert in all areas of workplace mental health, learning strategies, disability management and drug plan management. She is a sought-after speaker by media, organizations, and conferences for her knowledge and expertise in current issues and the future direction of health, wellbeing, productivity, and related risk management.

Paula is a member of the Women’s College Hospital’s Board of Directors; on the technical committee for the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace; on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Club of Toronto; a member of the One Mind at Work Guiding Council; a member of the Virtual Learning Advisory Board consulting to the public sector’s post-secondary on-line learning strategy; and a Civic Action Diversity Fellow mentor. She was also Co-chair of Civic Action’s Champions Council on workplace mental health; was a member of the Income Security Working Group providing advice to the Ontario Government on issues relating to disability and income support; and sits on several research and strategy advisory boards that address issues ranging from e-mental health solutions to substance abuse in the workplace.

Paula completed undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Toronto in psychological research and neuropsychological testing and clinical intervention. She has more than 20 years of experience relating to workplace research, product development and operational leadership that spans the range of EFAP, Workplace Learning, Attendance and Disability Management and Health and Benefits Consulting.

 

Eileen Chadnick

Principal of Big Cheese Coaching

Eileen Chadnick, PCC, is a two-time Prism award-winning ICF credentialed executive coach, workshop facilitator, and writer specializing in career navigation, executive and leadership development, culture-building, and communications. Principal of Big Cheese Coaching in Toronto, Eileen draws from the disciplines of positivity, neuroscience, emotional intelligence – and Conversational Intelligence®(C‐IQ). Eileen is trained in Conversational Intelligence® as a Core Skills Practitioner.

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She is author of the book, Ease: Manage Overwhelm in Times of Crazy Busy (www.EaseRX.com) . Eileen has been a contributing columnist with the Globe and Mail’s Careers since 2007. See more at www.bigcheesecoaching.com

 

Sarah Albo

Founder of Novel HR
Sarah Albo is a Conflict Coach and Qualified Mediator who works with employees and organizations to manage conflict in their workplace. She founded Novel HR to support organizations to improve the mental health and wellbeing of their employees through a focus on conflict resolution. Sarah is also a CMHA Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor and is passionate about using this framework to help organizations understand the impacts of improving mental health in the workplace. She is also a Workplace Fairness Analyst, and has training in Mental Health Law, Human Rights, and Neuroscience.  

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Sarah holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, an Executive Certificate in Conflict Management from Stitt Feld Handy and the University of Windsor. She is a member in good standing with the ADR Institute of Ontario, serving her second term on their Board of Directors. 

 

Rensia Melles 

Manager, Clinical Operations Canada, Lyra Health 

Rensia Melles is a certified Psychological Health and Safety advisor with over 20 years of experience managing and designing international employee support programs for fortune500 employers. She is a passionate advocate for creating a difference in the workplace for both employers and employees on the topic of mental health and psychological safety.

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She has published and presented internationally on a wide range of employee support topics, including leveraging the workplace for health, global trauma support, mental health and employer liability.  In 2019 she founded Integral Workplace Health, providing organizations psychological health and safety consultancy from a systems perspective.

Donna Marshall, MA, RP

CEO, Workright Ltd.
Donna Marshall is a thought leader, professional speaker, lecturer, content developer, and writer specializing in AODA and OHSA compliance training, workplace mental health, harassment, discrimination, psychological safety, and interpersonal skills training (soft skills). Along with Dr. Stephanie Bot, she founded Workright Ltd.(www.workright.ca) in 2004, an organization that offers professional online training and certification courses in Soft Skills, Mental Health, Leadership and Compliance (training.workright.ca). 

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She wrote and facilitated leadership curriculum for the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning and has appeared numerous times on a CBC television affiliate as a specialist in interpersonal skills, mental health, bullying and harassment.

Donna served as Chair of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA) Toronto Committee on Leadership, spearheading a province-wide assessment of HR Leaders and contributing to developing a curriculum of programs in response to the results. Her articles on mental health, bullying and harassment in the workplace are published in HR Professional magazine.

She has presented at the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Human Resource Professional Association (HRPA), Lancaster House legal conference, Health and Safety forums, the Ontario Psychological Association, the Mental Health Commission, and other notable national and international conventions. As a Registered Psychotherapist in private practice at the Forest Hill Centre, Donna also treats patients on an individual basis.

Jackie Laviolette

Partner at Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP
Jackie has supported employers in all areas of workplace law for over two decades. Jackie represents provincially and federally regulated employers, in both the public and private sectors, and provides strategic advice in managing complex legal situations involving employees and unions. She has extensive experience assisting employers on day-to-day matters in the areas of workplace conflict, labour arbitration, collective bargaining, wrongful dismissals, union certifications and policy development.

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Prior to joining the firm, Jackie acted as in-house counsel for the largest unionized employer in Alberta and appeared as lead counsel before Boards of Arbitration, Labour Boards, human rights tribunals and all levels of Court in the province. Her experience as in-house counsel provides the foundation for arming clients with practical solutions that align with the business’s operational goals.

In addition, Jackie is trained in trauma-informed investigations and is frequently retained to conduct independent workplace investigations into allegations of workplace harassment, discrimination, or other employee complaints.

Jackie has served on many volunteer boards throughout Calgary, most recently appointed as a Board of Director to both CPHR Alberta and Sport Calgary. She offers her time as an instructor to the Trial Advocacy program at the University of Calgary and is the past-Chair of the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch, Labour and Employment Section. Jackie is a frequent speaker at various labour and employment conferences and seminars.

About your Host

Mary Barroll

President of CharityVillage

Mary Barroll, president of CharityVillage, is an online business executive and lawyer with a background in media, technology and IP law. A former CBC journalist and independent TV producer, in 2013 she was appointed General Counsel & VP Media Affairs at CharityVillage.com, Canada’s largest job portal for charities and not for profits in Canada, and then President in 2021. Mary is also President of sister company, TalentEgg.ca, Canada’s No.1, award-winning job board and online career resource that connects top employers with top students and grads. 

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