Canadian HR Reporter

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Works on Mac and PC. valid until February 11, 2019 Details at : www.workplace.ca/HR-Reporter.html This program covers a set of key management skills. The goal is to help you manage the workload, communicate more e ectively and use resources wisely. Successful completion of all 12 Modules of this program makes you eligible for membership in the Canadian Management Professional's Association, CMPA, with the CMP (Canadian Management Professional) designation. $745 regular $945 ... save $200 And many still believe "hiring the best" is at odds with focusing on immigrant talent, she said. "ey don't necessarily see that by removing the biases, by looking at best practices, that is how they will hire the best. at's still a gap in awareness and understanding." Signs of progress But it's not all bad news. For one, the unemployment gap has re- cently narrowed, said McLean. Fifteen years ago, university- educated newcomers were four times as likely to be unemployed as Canadians. Today, that gap is down to 2.5 times, she said. e benefits of hiring immi- grant professionals are also better known today, said McLean. "Four out of five employers in our survey told us when they fo- cus on hiring immigrants, they can see the positive impact on their organizations," she said. "at's a big step forward." Diversity and inclusion has be- come an increased focus, with 61 per cent of employers changing hiring practices because of height- ened awareness, said McLean. Canadians' ability to benefit from immigrants' contributions depends on their full economic integration, said Margaret Eaton, executive director of TRIEC. "Now, more then ever, we need to ensure newcomers feel wel- come and included," she said. "We need immigrants to grow our economy and to ensure pros- perity for all... How do we close the gap between the expectations that immigrants have when they come to Canada... and the reality of what happens on the ground?" Beyond simple integration It's time for integration groups to look beyond simply finding immigrants a first job, said Iren Koltermann, senior management consultant at eCaliber Group. "Most immigrants, depending on their circumstances, are inter- ested in getting a survival job." But employers should push to uncover immigrants' hidden tal- ents and help them progress in their career, she said. e Canadian experience re- quirement should be left in the past, said Koltermann, and em- ployers need to rethink how they view international credentials. "People who have degrees from abroad often are not able to access meaningful jobs… or jobs that are commensurate with their experi- ence," she said, noting bridging and mentoring programs have helped newcomers become bet- ter connected. "We are making great progress, but how do we scale it so more im- migrants can access this?" Even as more employers enter the discussion on diversity and inclusion, more action is still needed, said Kristine Remedios, director of diversity and inclusion at KPMG Canada, during a panel discussion following the release of TRIEC's report. "If you want to be intentional… spend some time and put some dollars against actually having a team and a structure in place to support it," she said. Collection of data to measure successes is also imperative, said Remedios. "e simple benefit is just the conversation and the creativity and the innovation." Unfortunately, the barriers im- migrant workers go up against don't disappear after people enter the workforce, said Allison Pond, president and CEO of ACCES employment in Toronto. "at's a reality," she said. "e challenges they face are often rec- ognition of credentials... and lack of networks." Immigrant workers don't sim- ply need doors opened, but also support once inside the organiza- tion, said Remedios. "ere's no point in bringing them in only for them to turn around and then leave, or not progress." Immigrants need to act, too Development opportunities and sponsorships for high-potential people should be given consider- ation, though not all of the onus is on employers, said Remedios. Im- migrant employees also need to take some responsibility in terms of applying pressure to advance their careers. It's a shared responsibility be- tween leadership and individuals, said Emiliano Mendez, co-found- er of the Latin American MBA Alumni Network (LAMBA). "ere's a lot of work that needs to happen to help that newcomer, new employee understand the rules of your workplace — how things actually work," he said. New immigrants could also use a change in perspective around re- cruitment, as cultural upbringing around humility and traditional gender roles can affect workplace interactions, said Remedios. "It is not enough to sit behind your desk and just do hard work," she said. "You can't sit there and expect that people will see that and you'll just advance. You need to speak up." Building trust with peers is important for employees, as is the development of relationships through coffee chats, lunches and personal conversation, said Mendez. "e more people trust you, the more they will give you other op- portunities to do more work," he said. "Sometimes it's just as simple as building that personal relation- ship… You need to build that trust with your team first, and then the rest will follow." Work is changing, said Cath- erine Chandler-Crichlow, presi- dent and chief human capital of- ficer of 3C Workforce Solutions and chair of TRIEC's board of directors. And it's on workers to not rely on the education system alone, but rather "learn the system," and shift their mindset to alternative careers, she said. "If people come in and think they want to get just that one job, and they hold out for that one job, which might not exist… they are opting out of potential opportunities." Career progression must be partnership IMMIGRANTS < pg. 1 From left: Allison Pond, Catherine Chandler-Crichlow, moderator Nil Köksal of CBC News, Kristine Remedios, and Emiliano Mendez take part in a panel discussion in November on the challenges facing immigrant workers. Photo courtesy of TRIEC

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