With the holiday season approaching quickly I've been looking for a "good" topic to blog about. With various economists making wildly varying predictions for Canada's growth in 2011 and the ongoing problems in Europe it's been hard but a story in yesterday's Globe and Mail caught my eye.
The story in question reports that according to Statistics Canada Women's income has been growing faster than men's in Canada since 2000. The story goes on to report that between 2000 and 2008 average income for women rose 13% versus 7% for men which is a good thing. There is still though a wide gap in average incomes between men and women that see women make 71 cents for every dollar men make.
So while there is still a gap and thus room for improvement it's good to see that the gap in pay equity is shrinking. But it reminds me of a question I sometimes get on what TalentOyster can do for companies looking to shrink their own gender pay gap and the answer to that is truthfully not much.
Certainly we can help drive female candidates to your roles but addressing diversity related issues generally, and gender ones specifically in any organization starts with changing the culture of your organization. I previously wrote on how the compensation gap starts with the negotiation and hiring process and it's still a good example of where "everyday" biases, the kind of which we are not always aware of, contribute to the equity gap.
I often talk about the need to "make sure you are looking at everyone" but part of that means to be looking at everyone fairly. Do all the processes regarding hiring, compensation and career advancement at your organization really treat people equitably? Sometimes it's hard to recognize, mainly because a process "works" and has been in place for a long time that it's not actually fair. That the process "works" better for people who fit a certain image or in this case gender. I believe that a process that "works" but isn't looking at everyone makes for a process that actually doesn't work very well at all. When diversity in an organization works it works because it is an essential part of the organizations culture, not just a box we ticked off to make us feel better.
Stories like the one in the Globe show us that we are all making some progress and that is good, but they also show us we have a ways to go. As we approach a new year it would be my wish to see the progress continue so that the same story in December 2020 reports on how the pay equity gap in Canada has been closed. I don't know if that makes me too idealistic or not, but I think we can get there and I hope we will.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Networking: The Diversity Disadvantage
A question I have been asked, from the time of my Monster years through the present at TalentOyster is "Do job boards really work?" and my answer has always been "yes". Okay, I know, no earth-shattering surprise but there is more to it.
Yes I know that job boards do work, but I'll also be the first to tell you that no single job board, or single talent source in general is the best answer to all of your hiring needs.
If you use just once source, be it a mainstream job board, recruiting agencies, networking or the classic ads in newspapers you can probably still fill all your roles but... with the looming talent crisis that's unlikely to stay true. Moreover talent shortage or not, using one source is a guarantee that you aren't filling your roles with the best available talent. Of course you do want your organization to have the best people so that means you need a holistic approach to hiring and that means drawing from multiple sources for your talent.
So in short, yes you should be using job boards both mainstream (like Monster) and niche (like TalentOyster) but you should also be using networking and recruiting agencies and other means you can to get a strong flow of candidates to your careers. This idea leads to the next question which is "When is enough, enough?", in other words if your organization is already using two candidate sources have you done enough?
This question is more difficult to answer then a simple yes or no response because it depends on a combination of what methods you are using and the candidate audience you are trying to attract. Specifically if you want to draw applications from diverse candidates you need a niche diversity job board like TalentOyster.
Why?
I often talk about how the diverse audience is often missed by mainstream media. For example for the majority of first and second generation Canadians the main, trusted new source is not a mainstream one but one specific to their own culture. It's not just newcomers though. A similar tenet holds true for other diversity groups like aboriginals, persons with disabilities and LGBTQ. I think we also tend to forget that being outside the "mainstream" isn't just limited to a person's source of news but extends to the network of friends and colleagues they may have. That seems a simple and somewhat obvious point but the implications for the hiring cycle are huge. It means that there is a candidate pool that not only isn't part of the traditional mainstream in hearing about and applying for jobs but is also "outside" the traditional networking circle.
I actually think that you can make a strong case that being outside of mainstream networking circles is the biggest disadvantage that diverse candidates face. You use job boards to advertise your roles and the benefits of employment with your company but the reality we are all aware of is that the candidates most likely to be hired are those who have been networked in. Being that that is the case what does that say for the chances of someone, no matter how qualified or experienced they may be, in finding a suitable role if they simply aren't connected to the same network that you are in?
To return to the question posed earlier, "when is enough, enough?" what this means is that if you are really interested in hiring diverse candidates, if you realize that the future of your company depends on it, you need a comprehensive, holistic hiring strategy. Knowing that Canada's diverse pool of hidden talent isn't just hidden on or by mainstream job boards but also by personal networking and recruiting agencies connected to them means that your strategy must also include a niche diversity job board. Enough is a combination of mainstream job boards, niche ones, recruiting agencies and networking in the balance that works for you.
Only by understanding why and how you make your hiring strategy complete will you be able to not only fill your roles, but also know that you are filling them with the best possible candidates.
Yes I know that job boards do work, but I'll also be the first to tell you that no single job board, or single talent source in general is the best answer to all of your hiring needs.
If you use just once source, be it a mainstream job board, recruiting agencies, networking or the classic ads in newspapers you can probably still fill all your roles but... with the looming talent crisis that's unlikely to stay true. Moreover talent shortage or not, using one source is a guarantee that you aren't filling your roles with the best available talent. Of course you do want your organization to have the best people so that means you need a holistic approach to hiring and that means drawing from multiple sources for your talent.
So in short, yes you should be using job boards both mainstream (like Monster) and niche (like TalentOyster) but you should also be using networking and recruiting agencies and other means you can to get a strong flow of candidates to your careers. This idea leads to the next question which is "When is enough, enough?", in other words if your organization is already using two candidate sources have you done enough?
This question is more difficult to answer then a simple yes or no response because it depends on a combination of what methods you are using and the candidate audience you are trying to attract. Specifically if you want to draw applications from diverse candidates you need a niche diversity job board like TalentOyster.
Why?
I often talk about how the diverse audience is often missed by mainstream media. For example for the majority of first and second generation Canadians the main, trusted new source is not a mainstream one but one specific to their own culture. It's not just newcomers though. A similar tenet holds true for other diversity groups like aboriginals, persons with disabilities and LGBTQ. I think we also tend to forget that being outside the "mainstream" isn't just limited to a person's source of news but extends to the network of friends and colleagues they may have. That seems a simple and somewhat obvious point but the implications for the hiring cycle are huge. It means that there is a candidate pool that not only isn't part of the traditional mainstream in hearing about and applying for jobs but is also "outside" the traditional networking circle.
I actually think that you can make a strong case that being outside of mainstream networking circles is the biggest disadvantage that diverse candidates face. You use job boards to advertise your roles and the benefits of employment with your company but the reality we are all aware of is that the candidates most likely to be hired are those who have been networked in. Being that that is the case what does that say for the chances of someone, no matter how qualified or experienced they may be, in finding a suitable role if they simply aren't connected to the same network that you are in?
To return to the question posed earlier, "when is enough, enough?" what this means is that if you are really interested in hiring diverse candidates, if you realize that the future of your company depends on it, you need a comprehensive, holistic hiring strategy. Knowing that Canada's diverse pool of hidden talent isn't just hidden on or by mainstream job boards but also by personal networking and recruiting agencies connected to them means that your strategy must also include a niche diversity job board. Enough is a combination of mainstream job boards, niche ones, recruiting agencies and networking in the balance that works for you.
Only by understanding why and how you make your hiring strategy complete will you be able to not only fill your roles, but also know that you are filling them with the best possible candidates.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Quotas : Where Utopia meets Reality
When I talk in public, to employers and others about diversity hiring and diversity in the workplace I often say that companies shouldn't be "holding" jobs for diverse persons. Instead I state that
I think it would be great if every company looked at every candidate and I know that diversity would be more represented at every level of the workforce. However, I also recognize that this is a future, utopian vision. There is a reality built into hiring practices across organizations, even progressive ones, that simply don't value diverse candidates as much as they should. It means that even when you have diverse candidates in your talent sourcing stream you may well not hire them even when their skills are equal to or better than that of other candidates.
Why is this?
The reality is that the hiring process is much more subjective than we'd all sometimes like to admit, and certainly more subjective than the utopian ideal. The result of this subjectivity is that candidates get filtered based on feelings of comfort and familiarity that one person has for unseen candidates. It's not an unnatural process but in fact a very human one, people are just going to feel more comfortable in feeling they *know* someone if they have a familiar name, work history and education but when that feeling dictates who is being offered work it no longer becomes "looking at everyone" despite best intentions.
This isn't a real big "secret" either, I find it interesting into talking with representatives from many diverse groups, for example aboriginal Canadians, just how many of these groups are very interested in jobs and opportunities that companies have identified as ideal for that group. I initially found such attitudes surprising because most of the time members of diverse groups want to be accepted as part of the "mainstream" but it has become clear to me that the reason groups actually want to be placed into silos, at least for employment purposes, is based on experience. These groups have felt and experienced the inherent biases of in existing hiring models, they know that their members often just don't get a "fair" opportunity in competing for jobs against non-diverse candidates.
So what's the answer? Should we just give up and use "quotas" as the only pragmatic solution to a real problem or should we strive for utopia? I think the answer is probably both.
Using quotas, or some sort of comparable type solution will cause more diversity integration into the workplace and in the long run will probably help. But we shouldn't ever lose sight of the utopian vision of a workplace that is diverse simply because we really are looking at and evaluating every candidate on an equal basis. I suggest that in practical terms "not losing sight of the vision" means that when you use quotas you should at least recognize that this is not the ideal. Recognize that quotas are a solution to a systemic problem in the way you are evaluating and hiring candidates and that's the real problem that you need to solve.
And if you do solve it please do let us all know. Turning the hiring process from a subjective one to an objective one is a common goal and not just one limited to diversity. I do know that it's hard but I think in the end it's achievable and more importantly the only realistic long terms solution to the problems of Canada's shrinking labour force.
"You should only hire the best candidate. But make sure you are looking at everyone."I believe that this is true and that in most cases by simply making sure you are actually speaking to everyone, you will have a diverse talent source, and you will then be hiring diverse candidates. I think that this is a better approach than a "quota" style system for many reasons, not the least of which is that quota systems have negative connotations like promoting inferior candidates and being patronizing to the groups they are supposed to be helping.
I think it would be great if every company looked at every candidate and I know that diversity would be more represented at every level of the workforce. However, I also recognize that this is a future, utopian vision. There is a reality built into hiring practices across organizations, even progressive ones, that simply don't value diverse candidates as much as they should. It means that even when you have diverse candidates in your talent sourcing stream you may well not hire them even when their skills are equal to or better than that of other candidates.
Why is this?
The reality is that the hiring process is much more subjective than we'd all sometimes like to admit, and certainly more subjective than the utopian ideal. The result of this subjectivity is that candidates get filtered based on feelings of comfort and familiarity that one person has for unseen candidates. It's not an unnatural process but in fact a very human one, people are just going to feel more comfortable in feeling they *know* someone if they have a familiar name, work history and education but when that feeling dictates who is being offered work it no longer becomes "looking at everyone" despite best intentions.
This isn't a real big "secret" either, I find it interesting into talking with representatives from many diverse groups, for example aboriginal Canadians, just how many of these groups are very interested in jobs and opportunities that companies have identified as ideal for that group. I initially found such attitudes surprising because most of the time members of diverse groups want to be accepted as part of the "mainstream" but it has become clear to me that the reason groups actually want to be placed into silos, at least for employment purposes, is based on experience. These groups have felt and experienced the inherent biases of in existing hiring models, they know that their members often just don't get a "fair" opportunity in competing for jobs against non-diverse candidates.
So what's the answer? Should we just give up and use "quotas" as the only pragmatic solution to a real problem or should we strive for utopia? I think the answer is probably both.
Using quotas, or some sort of comparable type solution will cause more diversity integration into the workplace and in the long run will probably help. But we shouldn't ever lose sight of the utopian vision of a workplace that is diverse simply because we really are looking at and evaluating every candidate on an equal basis. I suggest that in practical terms "not losing sight of the vision" means that when you use quotas you should at least recognize that this is not the ideal. Recognize that quotas are a solution to a systemic problem in the way you are evaluating and hiring candidates and that's the real problem that you need to solve.
And if you do solve it please do let us all know. Turning the hiring process from a subjective one to an objective one is a common goal and not just one limited to diversity. I do know that it's hard but I think in the end it's achievable and more importantly the only realistic long terms solution to the problems of Canada's shrinking labour force.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Increasing your chances for success in finding and keeping Top Talent
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, Google is now in a Battle to Keep Talent. It's a pretty stunning state of affairs. Let's face it the economy in the U.S. is worse off currently than Canadas and this isn't just any "boring" old company we're talking about. It's Google, a company with a reptutation for attracting top talent simply on the strength of its name alone.
What does this mean for Canadian companies? Well we think it's a another sign that that finding and keeping top talent in Canada is going to be increasingly difficult. We're all at least somewhat familiar with the work done by Statistics Canada and the Conference Board of Canada that predicts a shortage of 350,00 skilled workers in Canada by 2015, this is a example of how that shortage isn't going to just suddenly appear. There simply won't be enough workers until midnight December 31st, 2014, followed by the vanishing of over 300,000 people. The labour shortage is a process that will be ongoing, and in many cases has already started.
So what can you do to make sure your company doesn't feel the pinch?
At TalentOyster we talk about Canada's Hidden Talent Pool, what that means and our access to it. In short there is a currently a candidate pool of nearly 5,000,000 Canadians who are seldom reached by "traditional" media. We connect with this pool using non-mainstream media like in-language, community or "ethnic" newspapers, websites and radio. It's a unique audience of virtually untapped sourcing potential.
We would be the first to agree that you should be posting on mainstream job boards like Monster, using talent and recruiting agencies for candidate intake and continuing to make efforts with your employment branding strategies. But you should also look to diversify your sourcing strategies to make sure you are including everyone, and we think TalentOyster helps you do exactly that. In the end we think having a sourcing strategy that is truly all-inclusive increases your chances for success in finding and retaining top talent. If you're not in a battle for talent yet the Google example should serve as a warning of what's to come.
What does this mean for Canadian companies? Well we think it's a another sign that that finding and keeping top talent in Canada is going to be increasingly difficult. We're all at least somewhat familiar with the work done by Statistics Canada and the Conference Board of Canada that predicts a shortage of 350,00 skilled workers in Canada by 2015, this is a example of how that shortage isn't going to just suddenly appear. There simply won't be enough workers until midnight December 31st, 2014, followed by the vanishing of over 300,000 people. The labour shortage is a process that will be ongoing, and in many cases has already started.
So what can you do to make sure your company doesn't feel the pinch?
At TalentOyster we talk about Canada's Hidden Talent Pool, what that means and our access to it. In short there is a currently a candidate pool of nearly 5,000,000 Canadians who are seldom reached by "traditional" media. We connect with this pool using non-mainstream media like in-language, community or "ethnic" newspapers, websites and radio. It's a unique audience of virtually untapped sourcing potential.
We would be the first to agree that you should be posting on mainstream job boards like Monster, using talent and recruiting agencies for candidate intake and continuing to make efforts with your employment branding strategies. But you should also look to diversify your sourcing strategies to make sure you are including everyone, and we think TalentOyster helps you do exactly that. In the end we think having a sourcing strategy that is truly all-inclusive increases your chances for success in finding and retaining top talent. If you're not in a battle for talent yet the Google example should serve as a warning of what's to come.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Recruiter frustrations with candidates - not what you think
I have spent much of the last ten years working in the job board industry and working with recruiters and hiring managers. During that time I've heard just about every recruiting and hiring story there is. Good and bad, about candidates, interviews and hires, there's not much I haven't heard before. But a recent chat I had with a female recruiter made me stop and think.
During the course of our conversation she expressed the frustration she felt in hiring women and men into the same roles. Her company would go through the normal talent selection process and come out with great candidates of both sexes. She indicated that one off the most frustrating aspects of her job is the disparity she sees when it comes time to make candidates final offers.
Time after time when the final offers are made she watches as the men negotiate more money and into management training - and the women do not. More often then not, the women take the first offer and are just happy to get the job they wanted with a top employer.
During the course of our conversation she expressed the frustration she felt in hiring women and men into the same roles. Her company would go through the normal talent selection process and come out with great candidates of both sexes. She indicated that one off the most frustrating aspects of her job is the disparity she sees when it comes time to make candidates final offers.
Time after time when the final offers are made she watches as the men negotiate more money and into management training - and the women do not. More often then not, the women take the first offer and are just happy to get the job they wanted with a top employer.
This recruiter was torn between her loyalty to her employer (who was strategically putting a lesser offer in front of candidates in anticipation of negotiation) and her inner voice which was telling her she should advise the women to negotiate - just as the males offered the same role were doing.
It seems to me that in some cases equity in the workplace is hamstrung right from the very first step. And I wonder how much this negotiation gap between gender holds up for other sets of candidates. Like newcomers, or aboriginals, or persons with disabilities. Do all these groups tend to suffer from over-eagerness in accepting positions with top employers?
I also wonder what can be done to help resolve the issue. It would seem that it would take both candidate education but also progressive employers, being, well, progressive in how the process of negotiation and hiring works with diverse candidates, or at the very least the women of their workforce. Food for thought at least.
It seems to me that in some cases equity in the workplace is hamstrung right from the very first step. And I wonder how much this negotiation gap between gender holds up for other sets of candidates. Like newcomers, or aboriginals, or persons with disabilities. Do all these groups tend to suffer from over-eagerness in accepting positions with top employers?
I also wonder what can be done to help resolve the issue. It would seem that it would take both candidate education but also progressive employers, being, well, progressive in how the process of negotiation and hiring works with diverse candidates, or at the very least the women of their workforce. Food for thought at least.
Monday, November 1, 2010
New Immigrants and the Culture of Innovation
According to Royal Bank of Canada president Gordon Nixon, newcomers are "one of Canada's great competitive advantages". Other speakers at the innovation conference held at the MaRS centre in Toronto last week agreed. And so do we.
Why is this? For one thing newcomers will have, wherever they have come from, a different point of view, ideas and opinions and this helps to break up the "group-think" that is so stifling to innovation. Even more as Mr Nixon went on to say "This is a country that to a large degree has been built by newcomers willing to take risks" and that's a very notable point to consider. Newcomers to Canada are people who were willing to bet on a better life in Canada. They are people used to examining pros and cons of large life decisions and willing to take risks for what they see as opportunities and that is simply a mindset that coalesces well with innovation.
It's just another example of how adding diversity to your workforce, including newcomers to Canada, isn't just about "doing the right thing". It's really about making your business stronger. Sourcing from the widest possible talent pool, adding diverse experiences and encouraging a culture of innovation are all items with real bottom line impact.
Why is this? For one thing newcomers will have, wherever they have come from, a different point of view, ideas and opinions and this helps to break up the "group-think" that is so stifling to innovation. Even more as Mr Nixon went on to say "This is a country that to a large degree has been built by newcomers willing to take risks" and that's a very notable point to consider. Newcomers to Canada are people who were willing to bet on a better life in Canada. They are people used to examining pros and cons of large life decisions and willing to take risks for what they see as opportunities and that is simply a mindset that coalesces well with innovation.
It's just another example of how adding diversity to your workforce, including newcomers to Canada, isn't just about "doing the right thing". It's really about making your business stronger. Sourcing from the widest possible talent pool, adding diverse experiences and encouraging a culture of innovation are all items with real bottom line impact.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Why the reluctance?
Another study was issued this past week which reported that "FP 500 boardrooms are not reflective of the broader population of Canada".
Somewhat more alarmingly the study (by the Canadian Board Diversity Council) showed a big gap between how boards perceived their own diversity and the actual reality. For example, even though a good number of directors felt that diversity was very important the study reported that while 62% of company directors believe their boards are diverse only 15% of board members are women. These numbers simply don't add up!
It's hard to understand, when study after study proves that diversity has a positive bottom line impact, why diversity isn't being embraced more fully by Canadian corporations. Tellingly, the larger the company is the more likely they are to have a more diverse board and to have policies and strategies in place for increasing the diversity of their board.
The message seems pretty clear. Want to create a successful company? Make sure you have a diverse workforce, and when it comes to creating a diverse workforce you must start at the top.
Somewhat more alarmingly the study (by the Canadian Board Diversity Council) showed a big gap between how boards perceived their own diversity and the actual reality. For example, even though a good number of directors felt that diversity was very important the study reported that while 62% of company directors believe their boards are diverse only 15% of board members are women. These numbers simply don't add up!
It's hard to understand, when study after study proves that diversity has a positive bottom line impact, why diversity isn't being embraced more fully by Canadian corporations. Tellingly, the larger the company is the more likely they are to have a more diverse board and to have policies and strategies in place for increasing the diversity of their board.
The message seems pretty clear. Want to create a successful company? Make sure you have a diverse workforce, and when it comes to creating a diverse workforce you must start at the top.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Diversity Resources for Employers
There are many resources for employers looking to increase the diversity of their workforce but one can argue that there are so many that it can be overwhelming to know what services you actually need or who to actually speak to about it.
This is where the TalentOyster Partner Network comes in. Our partners range from settlement and training agencies to law firms and recruiting agencies and everything in between, the common element is that they are all groups and/or organizations who work with or help support the various diversity affiliate groups that TalentOyster reaches and that companies like yours may be interested in.
Here are a look at a few of our partners that provide services and/or information as resources for employers.
There are other partners that you can find on our site but these are the ones who tend to be most employer facing. If you know of another great employer resource that we haven't mentioned here be sure to leave a comment and let us know.
This is where the TalentOyster Partner Network comes in. Our partners range from settlement and training agencies to law firms and recruiting agencies and everything in between, the common element is that they are all groups and/or organizations who work with or help support the various diversity affiliate groups that TalentOyster reaches and that companies like yours may be interested in.
Here are a look at a few of our partners that provide services and/or information as resources for employers.
- Settlement Agencies - Settlement agencies work directly with newcomers to Canada on skills and language assessment and when required Canadian workforce training, interview preparation and language training. These agencies also provide services in the areas like diversity and sensitivity training and recruiting/hiring for diversity for progressive companies interested in increasing their diversity. On TalentOyster these agencies, who support different geographic areas, include Skills for Change, The Newcomer Centre of Peel and COSTI immigrant services.
- Business and Diversity Thought Leadership - There are a couple of companies who provide consulting and/or other services regarding recruiting, hiring and expanding your workforce through diversity. For example Head2Head is a TalentOyster partner who provides Canadian based organizations of all sizes with traditional and non-traditional recruiting services and consulting. Leadership Reframed provides consulting and additional services to companies looking to improve their leadership and mentoring capabilities, especially when it comes to recruiting young people, including recent graduates into their workforce.
- Information, News and Topical Issues - Diversity in the workplace is Canada's only, online publication dedicated to diversity in the workplace. Each month their newsletter features relevant news and information about diversity in the workplace as well as ideas, tips and suggestions from industry leaders. It's a great way to stay on top of the latest trends and topics when it comes to diverse workforces in Canada.
There are other partners that you can find on our site but these are the ones who tend to be most employer facing. If you know of another great employer resource that we haven't mentioned here be sure to leave a comment and let us know.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Newcomers and unemployment
The Community Foundations of Canada recently reported that unemployment levels among university educated newcomers to Canada are four times higher than the national average. It's a pretty damning statistic.
Let's face it by itself the idea that new immigrants would have more trouble finding work isn't too surprising. Work experience is so vital in choosing the right candidate after all. But these are university graduates! And four times is quite a disparity at that level.
What this stat suggests more than anything is that many companies are not in fact hiring the best candidates for a job, but the ones that are the easiest to hire. Just like stopping for a drive through burger instead of making a sandwich, sometimes doing the quick and easy thing just seems okay but for your long term health it's simply a recipe for disaster. Sometimes when your hiring process includes a healthy serving of diversity it can take longer to complete, but the results are worth it.
Hiring someone based on the work they can actually do for you rather than just the fact that someone felt the name on the resume was more "familiar" is just a smart thing to do. Statistics though say that many companies simply aren't doing it.
Let's face it by itself the idea that new immigrants would have more trouble finding work isn't too surprising. Work experience is so vital in choosing the right candidate after all. But these are university graduates! And four times is quite a disparity at that level.
What this stat suggests more than anything is that many companies are not in fact hiring the best candidates for a job, but the ones that are the easiest to hire. Just like stopping for a drive through burger instead of making a sandwich, sometimes doing the quick and easy thing just seems okay but for your long term health it's simply a recipe for disaster. Sometimes when your hiring process includes a healthy serving of diversity it can take longer to complete, but the results are worth it.
Hiring someone based on the work they can actually do for you rather than just the fact that someone felt the name on the resume was more "familiar" is just a smart thing to do. Statistics though say that many companies simply aren't doing it.
Friday, October 22, 2010
The TalentOyster Newsletter : Are you a subscriber?
The TalentOyster Newsletter is a weekly email newsletter that speaks to job seekers and progressive employers alike. Each week there are two or three short articles on a number of subjects, some geared towards job seekers and some employers.
If as an employer you are interested in having some appropriate content featured in our newsletter please contact us at support@talentoyster.com with your ideas and we will be happy to discuss them. Content that shows real-world insight into diversity hiring practices helps us provide value to our candidate users and newsletter subscribers.
If you aren't already getting the newsletter you can subscribe here.
If as an employer you are interested in having some appropriate content featured in our newsletter please contact us at support@talentoyster.com with your ideas and we will be happy to discuss them. Content that shows real-world insight into diversity hiring practices helps us provide value to our candidate users and newsletter subscribers.
If you aren't already getting the newsletter you can subscribe here.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Why you really should be committing to diversity
The biggest mistake companies can make when trying to diversify their workforce is to treat it as a passing fad. Diversity in the workplace isn't a passing fad, but a real long-term solution for talent sourcing in Canada.
Statistics Canada and the Conference Board of Canada predict that by 2015 there will be 350,000 more jobs than workers in Canada. The problem is even worse when you look at skilled workers or candidates with specific experience.
And don't expect simply to flip a switch in 2015 and suddenly become a workplace that's enticing to diverse candidates. Like any organizational culture change success won't come overnight. Creating a more diversified workforce means creating a company culture that embraces diversity and that takes time, energy, and commitment from the top down.
Real success in diversification can only come from taking a longer, strategic view. Don't create a six-month "quick fix" plan to diversify your workforce. Develop a multi-year integrated strategy that allows you to learn from mistakes and build on your successes.
What elements should your plan consider? Here are some ideas to get you started.
These aren't all the steps you'll need to take but they are a start. Remember if you aren't committed to diversity then you won't be effective at making your workforce diverse. And if you're not diverse then you simply won't be hiring the best talent, or soon enough any talent at all.
Statistics Canada and the Conference Board of Canada predict that by 2015 there will be 350,000 more jobs than workers in Canada. The problem is even worse when you look at skilled workers or candidates with specific experience.
And don't expect simply to flip a switch in 2015 and suddenly become a workplace that's enticing to diverse candidates. Like any organizational culture change success won't come overnight. Creating a more diversified workforce means creating a company culture that embraces diversity and that takes time, energy, and commitment from the top down.
Real success in diversification can only come from taking a longer, strategic view. Don't create a six-month "quick fix" plan to diversify your workforce. Develop a multi-year integrated strategy that allows you to learn from mistakes and build on your successes.
What elements should your plan consider? Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Improve the diversity readiness of your organization. The reality is that many people don't work well with "different" or the "other". There are many diversity agencies who offer assessment and training of your current workforce to educate and promote ideas of acceptance and the importance of a diverse workforce. Knowing that your current team will be welcoming to a diverse workforce is a critical first step.
- Make sure you get your employment brand in front of everyone
- Define and measure success. Like any people strategy your diversification strategy should have objective goals which can and are measured so you know you're on the right track.
These aren't all the steps you'll need to take but they are a start. Remember if you aren't committed to diversity then you won't be effective at making your workforce diverse. And if you're not diverse then you simply won't be hiring the best talent, or soon enough any talent at all.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
GM's Approach to Workplace Diversity
Late last month as part of its 11th Annual Automotive Summit the Rainbow PUSH Coalition presented a Trailblazer award to Kevin Williams, President and Managing Director of GM Canada for innovation, leadership and commitment to workplace diversity.
GM's extensive diversity strategy includes communicating with over 5 million diverse Canadians through Diversity Media Services (a sister division of TalentOyster) partner publishing network and thus Doreen Iannuzzi, blogger and new media person for Diversity Media Services had a chance to interview Mr Williams on GMs diversity strategies and initiatives. Topics covered include how GM defines diversity, the need for commitment to diversity initiatives and some specific examples of how GM is working to increase inclusiveness in their company.
To read the interview please visit http://diversitymediaservices.com/blog/2010/gms-approach-to-workplace-diversity/ and and be sure to leave a comment to let us know what you think about how GM defines workplace diversity and the initiatives they are taking to create an inclusive work environment.
GM's extensive diversity strategy includes communicating with over 5 million diverse Canadians through Diversity Media Services (a sister division of TalentOyster) partner publishing network and thus Doreen Iannuzzi, blogger and new media person for Diversity Media Services had a chance to interview Mr Williams on GMs diversity strategies and initiatives. Topics covered include how GM defines diversity, the need for commitment to diversity initiatives and some specific examples of how GM is working to increase inclusiveness in their company.
To read the interview please visit http://diversitymediaservices.com/blog/2010/gms-approach-to-workplace-diversity/ and and be sure to leave a comment to let us know what you think about how GM defines workplace diversity and the initiatives they are taking to create an inclusive work environment.
Welcome to the Diversity Employment Blog
Hello and welcome to the diversity employment blog, brought to you by the fine folks at TalentOyster, the leading diversity job board in Canada. In this blog we will look at trends, issues and innovations when it comes to diversity employment in Canada. This blog is open to anyone to read of course but the intended audience is companies, HR staff, recruiters and hiring managers who are interested in diversity employment issues.
What does "diversity employment" actually mean? Well, in Canada it means companies who successfully hire from the widest possible sourcing pool. This pool includes visible minorities, new immigrants, aboriginals, women, persons with disabilities and GLBT and it's rare to find organizations, even progressive ones, who speak to all these groups successfully.
The "success" in hiring part is also (somewhat obviously) important but it can be at times overlooked. Finding diverse candidates is one thing, being able to successfully integrate them into your workforce though is something else again. One of the issues we'll be touching on in this blog as a regular issue is how do you really make an inclusive work environment open to everyone?
So, again welcome and please browse through some of our posts and tell us what you think.
What does "diversity employment" actually mean? Well, in Canada it means companies who successfully hire from the widest possible sourcing pool. This pool includes visible minorities, new immigrants, aboriginals, women, persons with disabilities and GLBT and it's rare to find organizations, even progressive ones, who speak to all these groups successfully.
The "success" in hiring part is also (somewhat obviously) important but it can be at times overlooked. Finding diverse candidates is one thing, being able to successfully integrate them into your workforce though is something else again. One of the issues we'll be touching on in this blog as a regular issue is how do you really make an inclusive work environment open to everyone?
So, again welcome and please browse through some of our posts and tell us what you think.
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