Impact of HR Policies

When thinking about your centre, consider the impact of your HR policies. Are they effective? Are elements missing, or could they be written more in alignment with your centre’s values and principles?

Are your policies reflective of the Nation? What cultural considerations have you created to support your families, staff and children? What do you need to change or create to reflect this Nation, community, or Tribe? What are their beliefs? Values? Language? Cultural? What is their normal? It may not be what you may have grown up with or may even consider normal; it is their beliefs and values, language, and culture and it is their normal, so you will have to learn to make some changes in what you may think or consider to be true. Each person in every Nation, community, or Tribe has personal experiences, memories, or stories that are unique to them and not for anyone to judge or treat differently.  It is about the Nation and what they want for their children.

Remember, you are a guest on their lands, programs, and Nation; you have to take your Leadership style and weave it into theirs as well, and by working together, you can build an amazing relationship and will grow and have a unique understanding and you will learn about various kinds of Leadership and how it will have an impact on your own thoughts own vision or thoughts.  

You have to be creative in your leadership.  It's not about what you want or your vision; you must be flexible and adapt your ideas and what you may have wanted, and be able to follow the lead of that Nation; that shows that you are respectful in your approach and leadership.  

In this section, you will consider the importance of developing clear and comprehensive human resource policies as essential for creating a well-functioning workplace. These policies provide all staff with clear guidelines on expectations, responsibilities, and procedures, fostering consistency and transparency.

Effective HR policies address key areas such as practices, conduct, conflict resolution, and workplace safety. They also outline employee rights, such as leaves of absence, vacation entitlements, and processes for addressing grievances. By establishing clear policies, leaders can ensure that staff feel supported, valued, and treated fairly while maintaining compliance with employment standards.

Reflect on what policies you have in your organization. How are these policies reflective of the Nation, community values and beliefs? Do they include cultural teachings, ensuring that culture and language are always at the forefront of policies?  

As you read the list, consider if some are missing or in need of revision in your organization:

  • Emergency policies and procedures so that staff are aware of what they are responsible for and that they are still in ratio in the event of an emergency.
  • Finding out who the Band designate is; who from the Nation has been assigned this position. They support and advocate for community members and children. They can be the voice for the family.  
  • Many Nations may have their own Child and Family Services, Health and Safety supports, Nurses, Dr., dental supports, firefighters, Education Department, Employment, etc. As a Nation, they may have emergency policies in place; find out what they already have and how it will affect the Childcare staff and parent policies 
  • They may have community members that work in the Early Years programs or Childcare; they will have a connection with the community, and they will know who you can reach out to if the family is not reachable
  • Reporting procedures and policies
  • Illness and Infectious disease policies and guidelines for when staff should stay home due to illness. Call in procedures if ill.
  • Connecting with the community Health department and working together to keep staff and children healthy and safe. What are the Nations H/R policies? Does it reflect what is needed in Parent and Staff policies? Needs to be reviewed
  • Procedures for storing medication at the centre to ensure children do not have access.
  • Worksafe, first aid and injury protocols for responding to and documenting injuries or incidents of staff and children
  • Standards for hygiene and sanitation such as handwashing and dealing with body fluids.
  • Guidelines/ responsibility for supervision, equipment checks, and weather-related decisions.
  • Expectations for professionalism and workplace behaviour.
  • What are the policies around death or a funeral? A family member? What cultural considerations do you need to understand? 
  • What are the cultural teachings when working with children under 1 year old? What do the parents and families want their children to learn? 
  • Being open to having community members come in and share their gifts. 
  • Procedures for addressing workplace disputes or grievances.
  • Creating cell phone policies and social media policies. The need to keep children, staff, and families safe 
  • No bullying, gossiping  - create policies for this 
  • Anti-racism zero tolerance: need to keep everyone safe. The Early Years programs must be safe for all, including visitors, guests, cultural support, students, teachers, families, community, and other guests 
  • Create junk food-free zones (energy drinks, pop, candy, etc.). 
  • Staff or parents coming under the influence of alcohol or cannabis, or children coming in smelling of such substances 
  • Ensuring that you have cultural leave in your staff policies - # of days need to be determined – budget review – added line item 
  • Clear expectations for respectful behaviour and procedures for addressing harassment and discrimination:
  • Guidelines for staff breaks
  • Policies for sick leave, vacation requests, and managing absences.
  • Procedures for guiding children and promoting positive interactions.
  • Create policies for anyone who may be disrespectful, harm, belittle, yell at, raise their voice, or be physically aggressive with a child; include clear expectations and consequences for such behaviours or actions.  
  • Policies for supporting children with diverse abilities, cultural backgrounds, and identities.
  • Guidelines for the appropriate use of technology, such as cell phone use by staff.
  • Statements on the centre’s approach to learning, play, and development.
  • Ensuring families’ personal information is kept private and secure.
  • Ethical Care Policies ensuring adherence to the ECEBC Code of Ethics for early childhood educators.
  • Clear procedures for reporting suspected abuse or neglect, aligned with provincial laws.
  • Finding out if there is a local Child and Family Services for families on reserve. 
  • Many communities may have their own procedures for whom you are to report to or connect with, such as the Band Designate; what does this look like when we are working in a First Nations community? Finding out who the family supports are? Who supports the children and families on reserve? Finding out if that family may want on-reserve support? They may not want this support because many members are related and may not want others to know their business; be patient, understand past histories, and use technology appropriately while protecting the privacy of children and families.
  • Guidelines for appropriate use of technology and protecting the privacy of children and families.