Employers, are you seeking resources that can support your future workforce and enhance your student work placements?
The Learning Resources provides tools and resources that can be viewed, downloaded and adapted to meet your needs. The employer validated content within the Learning Resources is designed to be practical and relevant and includes resources regarding recruitment, onboarding, mentorship, performance management, and so much more.
20 Tips for Accessible Communications
This resource, compiled by Accessibility Services Canada, provides useful tips to ensure that communication is more accessible for digital and print based mediums.
20/20/20 Rule: Brain and Body Mind Breaks for De-stressing
This resource recommends a strategy that your team members can use to reduce stress in the workplace by taking breaks from looking at your computer. This technique will reduce eye strain, stress, and headaches that occur due to long periods looking. . .
70:20:10 Principle
The 70/20/10 principle of learning in the workplace suggests that personal and professional development in a work environment is most often derived from a combination of different sources. According to this model, approximately 70% of learning and. . .
Accessibility Services Canada Website
Accessibility Services Canada Website
Accessible Document Guidelines
This document written by Accessibility Service Canada gives some best practices to help you to get started in accessible document design for Microsoft Word. Learn about how to format text, images, elements, documents and language to be more. . .
Accessible Interviewing Checklist
This checklist allows employers to ensure that their workplace is accessible for people with disabilities. By using this checklist, you can ensure you are one step closer to creating a more inclusive workplace.
Accessible Interviewing Considerations
Ensure a more accessible, inclusive interview process for candidates by following these tips from Accessibility Canada.
Appropriate Terminology to Talk About Disabilities
This resource by Accessibility Services Canada provides users with a list of appropriate terms that can help make communication and interactions with or about people with all types of disabilities more successful.
Assistive Devices
Accessibility Services Canada compiled this resource to inform businesses or organizations of the customer service standard, a customer’s right to be provided with instruction on how to use assistive equipment or devices that are on the premises that. . .
Attracting Diverse Job Candidates
Learn about best practices to implement that will help you attract a diverse range of job candidates.
Autism & Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Inclusive Management & Supervisory Best-Practice
This resource provides tips on how managers and supervisors can create an inclusive workplace environment for Autistic and Neurodivergent workers. It outlines clear and effective communication strategies, as well as how to create space for workers to. . .
Candidate Tracker Spreadsheet
Keep track of the different recruitment stages and candidate status with this spreadsheet. You can also use this to capture potential student employee contact information. This will help create a smoother recruitment process for everyone involved.
Clear Print Accessibility Guidelines
This resource by Accessibility Services Canada gives guidelines for businesses and organizations for using accessible digital and print based text.
Development Plan Template
A development plan is a tool that helps student employees achieve both their personal learning goals and opportunities to gain exposure to new areas that may be of interest to them. This template includes specific activities and a timeline framework. . .
Disabilities in Canada
You can also check out the Canadian government’s description of disability on their website.
Disabilities in Canada
You can also check out the Canadian government’s description of disability on their website.
Emergency Response Form
Use the information collected in the emergency response form to create an individualized workplace emergency response for each employee with a disability. This form can be modified if an employee needs different types of accommodations for different. . .
Emergency Response Worksheet
Use the information collected in the emergency response worksheet to create an individualized workplace emergency response for each employee with a disability. This worksheet can be modified if an employee needs different types of accommodations for. . .
Employee Information Form
Capture key student employee information, including emergency contact and payroll information, using this Employee Information Form template.
Examples of Job Accommodations
Examples of job accommodations you can make to make your workplace more accessible.
G.R.O.W Coaching Summary
Taking a coaching approach to employee development is key to managerial success.Coaching is a process that helps individuals unlock their potential and improve their performance.It is your job to ask open-ended questions and help your team members. . .
Getting to Know Your Employees Better
Everyone has different preferences for receiving feedback. This resource gives employers a template to use with new employees in order to discover the method they prefer for getting feedback from managers.
Goal Setting Across Three Dimensions: Learning, Exposure & Output
Help student employees accomplish both their personal learning goals and the work (output) they were hired to do through effective goal setting across three dimensions: learning, exposure and output.
Goal Setting Form
The Goal Setting Plan focuses on your development goals to ensure you are on track to achieve your career aspirations.
How to Promote an Inclusive Work Culture for Autism & Neurodiversity
In order to promote an inclusive work culture for Autism & Neurodiversity, the best practice is to adopt an Allyship role.
How to Promote an Inclusive Work Culture for Autism & Neurodiversity
This resource provides best practices for onboarding and accommodating employees with disabilities. It outlines the steps in the accommodation process and offers examples of workplace arrangements and physical/structural modifications that can be. . .
How to Use Slack for Networking
Leverage communication tools like Slack to enhance your networking and access valuable virtual networking resources.
Ice-Breaker Activity Resources
Fun, easy ice-breaker activities can help create connections between student employees and their peers. Try out these when working with student peer groups, whether virtually or in person.
Identifying Factors of Stress
Stress contributes to not only physical illness, but also poor mental health. Knowing the items that can become stressors in the workplace will help in identifying healthy ways of coping with stress when it pops up. This document highlights some of. . .
Inclusive Hiring Practices in Tech
This resource will guide you through some tips to implement a range of practices during hiring that will help attract, hire and retain a more diverse group of people.
Inclusive Interviewing Practices
Best practices for making the interviewing process inclusive and accessible.
Job Posting Template
Adapt this job posting template to attract the right student employee for your specific needs and to ensure a smooth recruitment process.
Job Task Analysis Form
This job task analysis form helps employers develop a comprehensive list of tasks that define job positions. The return to work (RTW) coordinator can look at this worksheet when determining whether an employee returning to work from a disability. . .
Learning and Performance Plans
Learning and Performance Plans
Manager 1 on 1 Check-In “Cheat Sheet”
Get tips and tricks for how to prepare for and conduct one-on-one meetings with student employees at different stages of their employment, in order to better manage their performance.
Mental Health Check-ins: How they work and why!
Incorporating mental health strategies into the workplace can create immense value for employees and their work. It fosters communication, collaboration, and healthy relationships for
both the individuals and the team, often leading to more efficient. . .
Mental Health Conversations Tips: Conversation Starters and Replies for Mental Health Awareness, Reducing Stigma, and Shifting Workplace Culture
Knowing how to engage in conversations that support mental health and wellness topics is a critical skill for all individuals as it supports healthier, happier, and more whole societies for people to thrive in. For those in leadership and management. . .
Mental Health Conversations Tips: Leadership Styles: Empathy vs Sympathy Fostering Connection With Employees
Understanding the difference between a sympathetic response vs an empathetic response can go a long way in making your staff feel valued, safe, and respected, as well as meaningfully help them as they process difficult situations. In this resource,. . .
Mental Health Tips: Sample Suggestions for Employers: 1-on-1
This resource provides employers with several suggestions on how to support employees when having 1-on-1 conversations about mental health.
Mental Health Tips: Personal Self-Care Plan
Did you know that 47% of Canadians reported that their work is the most stressful part of their day¹? 38.6% report they would not tell their manager if they are experiencing a mental health problem². We all have deliverables, meetings and. . .
Mental Health Tips: Responsibilities for Mental Health and Wellness YOURS and MINE
We all have a responsibility in our own mental health and wellness as well as that of others. It can be advantageous to have a clear understanding of what is in your control and what is in others control when it comes to supporting healthier lives. . .
Mental Health Tips: Sample Suggestions for Employers: Groups/Workplace Setting
In order to have a healthy workplace, employees should feel their wellness is prioritized. This resource provides a number of strategies an employer can implement in order to create a culture of wellness in the workplace.
Mentorship Feedback Do’s and Don’ts
Find out how to provide effective mentorship and give constructive, focused feedback to student employees – and what to avoid – and how to communicate your expectations in order to keep student employee performance on track.
Mentorship Guidebook
The Mentorship Guidebook describes the important elements of creating an effective mentorship program in the workplace. Use this resource in collaboration with the Effective Mentorship module to enhance mentor/mentee relationships in your workplace.
Mentorship Questionnaire
The Mentorship Questionnaire is an assessment tool to help identify strong potential mentors within the workplace.
Mentorship Success Scale
The Mentorship Success Scale is a self evaluation tool which helps mentors evaluate their mentorship relationship.
Micro Movements
Approaches to stress often focus on big goals and meaningful habits, but micro-improvements can be particularly powerful during stressful times because they offer the ability to make small changes that can have a powerful impact. This resource. . .
Mindfulness Moments
You don’t have to be a zen master to incorporate mindfulness into your daily work routine. Sometimes all that is needed is a few moments to reduce stress in the workplace. This resource explains the benefits of mindfulness, how it can be incorporated. . .
Networking Checklist
This checklist will help you get clear on your purpose while networking – whether you’re looking to grow or revive your business network. It includes specific steps you can take, including how to schedule in time for networking.
Networking Meetings: Follow-Up Communication Template
Ensure that you follow up on any meeting you’ve had – virtual or in-person – with a contact. Use this template as a guideline to craft a meaningful thank you message.
Networking Meetings: Questions to Ask
Use this list of questions to guide you on what to ask when you set up networking meetings with your connections.
Networking: Organizing Your Strategic and Exploratory Contacts
Strategically organize your business contacts to get the most out of your networking efforts, ensuring you’re talking to the right people at the right time about the right topic.
Onboarding and Accommodations
Best practices for making the onboarding process accessible and making appropriate accommodations for diverse candidates.
Onboarding Checklist
Use this checklist to ensure you cover all the steps of the onboarding process for both in-person and remote student employees.
Performance Management Communication Do’s and Don’ts
Find out how to give constructive, focused feedback to student employees – and what to avoid – and how to communicate your expectations in order to keep student employee performance on track.
Psychological Health and Safety Statistics
Research data that shows how effective psychological health and safety is in the workplace. Statistics for the costs of absenteeism, disabiity and mental illness are also included.
Ready, Willing and Able: Business Case – Hiring People with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder
This article details the cost and the impact of hiring people with disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder, along with the impact of building an inclusive workforce.
Recruitment Benefits Reference Sheet
The Recruitment Benefits Reference Sheet helps employers understand the benefits of hiring an ethnically and cognitively diverse workforce.
Recruitment Process Checklist
Follow this helpful checklist as you move through each stage of the recruitment process, tracking who is responsible for what action and marking off completed actions.
Recruitment, DEI and Improving your Brand Resource
Gain useful knowledge and tips about how to improve your overall employer brand through expanding your Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices. Learn about the positive impacts this can have on your recruitment efforts and attracting top. . .
Regrets Email to Unsuccessful Candidates Template
Use this template to contact unsuccessful candidates during the recruitment process and to maintain effective communication.
Role Continuation Conversation
Use this resource to establish whether you will retain the student employee at the end of their work placement and to communicate information about role continuation to the student in a timely manner.
Sample DEI Statement
Adapt or adjust this sample DEI statement to demonstrate your organization’s commitment to a supportive, diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace.
Sample Email Template for Final Presentation
Set expectations and deliver key information to student employees for a final presentation at the end of their work placement period.
Sample Employee Development Action Plan Tool
Use this tool to help student employees develop clear SMART goals related to their career development and to enable long-term performance progress reporting and tracking.
Sample Goal Setting Template
Use the questions in this template to guide you as you work with student employees to set SMART goals.
Sample Individual Accommodation Plan
Sample Interview Questions
Conduct effective job interviews to select the best candidates for your needs using these sample interview questions. This is not an exhaustive list but will provide guidance on the types of questions that will help you attract the best fit for your. . .
Sample Interview Script Guidelines
This sample interview script gives guidelines to support the process of hiring a strong and diverse workforce.
Sample Orientation Schedule
Map out a detailed weekly schedule to help orientate your student employees and create a successful onboarding experience. You can use this schedule for both remote and onsite student employees.
Sample Outreach Messages
Use these message templates to reach out on social media to existing and new business contacts while networking.
Sample Outreach Messages and Questions to Ask Your Network
Enhance the student work placement experience by tapping into the experience and expertise of your network, Use these sample outreach messages and questions to help you.
Sample Performance Improvement Plan
Ensure student employees have a chance to work on improving their performance by using this template to record performance items, identify blocks or needs, lay out specific plans for improvement and track dates for follow up.
Sample Performance Review Form
Use this performance review form to encourage student employees to self-reflect and to self-assess their work performance. Make this same form available to managers to complete and then discuss with the student employee at the end of their term.
Stoplight Report Template
Have student employees complete stoplight reports; they can use them to regularly record 3-5 bullet points for completed work, work in progress, and stalled items (with reasons and needs). This greatly helps with Performance Management.
Stress and Burnout
Stress and burnout is common in the workplace, but it doesn’t have to be. Recognizing symptoms of stress and burnout helps you feel good, perform optimally on the job, and have positive relationships with coworkers. This resource will help you. . .
Template Company Wide Announcement
Use this email template to welcome new student employees to your organization and let the rest of your staff know that you have a new hire.
Template Welcome Email for Employees
Use this template to properly welcome and onboard new student employees, clarify expectations for the first day, provide important information such as login details, some “get to know you” questions, and more.
Think Pair Share in the Workplace
Sometimes, one of the best practices to work through stress, conflict, or deliverables is to collaborate with co-workers and teammates. As we continue to consider tips and strategies to preventatively reduce stress and burnout, employers and. . .
Tip Sheet – When to use what
Reducing stress doesn’t have to be complicated. This resource provides learners with tips on how to manage stress that comes from the mind, the body and relationships in the workplace. Incorporate these strategies to prevent and reduce stress.
Tips for Delivering Redirecting Feedback
This resource breaks down how managers can deliver feedback to help employees improve their performance or behavior. By using this framework, a manager can be confident they are helping their employees improve without any negativity.
Tips for Providing Reinforcing Feedback
This tip sheet gives employers advice on how to reinforce productive behaviour in the workplace.
Tips for Serving Customers with Disabilities
This resource, written by Accessibility Services Canada, gives guidelines and tips for interacting and communicating with customers who have disabilities
Tips for Student Employee Performance Review Meetings
Hold effective, focused and useful performance reviews by following these tips for before, during and after performance review meetings.
Tips for Virtual Networking Events
Get the most out of virtual networking events by engaging, using the spaces provided, and following up afterwards.
Video Interview with Mark Shafer
This video walks through Tim Hortons’ franchisee owner Mark Shafer’s experience in hiring individuals with disabilities as a business owner and a person with a disability himself, as well as business advantages gained by Walgreens doing the same.
Why Workplace Mentorship?
Mentorship can be a powerful tool for autistic professionals in the workplace, helping them to find more meaningful work, greater success, and greater job satisfaction. This resource from ACT! Consulting explains the benefits of workplace mentorship. . .
Workplace Environment Adjustments to Support Autism & Neurodiversity
Creating an inclusive workplace for Autistic individuals requires specific adjustments in the environment, such as providing more structure and providing visual cues for tasks and expectations, to better support the individual in their work.. . .
