Report on Strategic Workforce Planning and IEPs:

An Employer Perspective

Commissioned by PCPI in conjunction with the 2007 IEP Conference

Rhonda Singer, CEOOctober 19, 2007

Why This ConferenceWhy This Research

Connecting IEPs to the system in their chosen career

while

Raising awareness of the benefits of hiring from this

important talent pool

The Missing Piece of the Puzzle

Strategic Workforce Planning in relation to the employment of IEPs is an underdeveloped, oftentimes missing area of research

Results 4 Major Areas:

1. Survey Demographic Responses2. IEP Considerations in Workforce Planning3. Employer Viewpoints on IEP Employment Challenges4. Developing the Cultural Intelligence of Front-Line Managers

Who Responded

Almost equal representation of public, private and non-profit employers

A broad range of different sizes of employers Approximately one-quarter of the respondents were

large private and public sector organizations operating in the Toronto region

38%

35%

Public Sector

Private Sector

Non-Profit Sector27%

Employers See it Coming Toronto region employers recognize the

importance of immigrants to their business success

17% of respondents are strongly committed to cultural diversity with 70% confirming this goal but expressing challenges

87% of respondents believe that immigrants have a vital and important role in filling their future skills needs

Given changing demographics  the aging population and less than replacement birth rate  employers know they must integrate immigrants more quickly into their workplaces.

Interesting That Employers Reveal…

54% either marginally agree or disagree that Canadian experience is critical

60% are relatively neutral on the challenges posed to recruitment by IEP behaviours not in accord with Canadian norms

Nearly 80% consider competency-based interviews effective in hiring IEPs

However, Employers Want A New Approach

Employers report that traditional forms of diversity management are no longer working

Only 50% deem online learning as “moderately effective” in delivering diversity training

Attendance at formal learning workshops and participating in “community practice” sessions are identified as the two most effective ways of training front-line managers

Cultivating ‘Cultural Intelligence’

Hiring and supervisory practices must accommodate the new demographic reality of a hyper-diverse workplace 

It is no longer good enough to expect immigrants to adapt to our culture; we now need a balance where both the immigrant and the Canadian workplace adapt to each other

Image Credit: Culture Clash

digital-library.csun.edu/LatArch/cultureclash/

A Call to Action for Cultural Intelligence!

Everyone from the CEO to those working on the shop floor must be culturally intelligent

Hyper-diversity + Cultural Intelligence = Innovation, Creativity and Increased competitiveness

Thank you For more information

please contact:

Rhonda Singersinger@careerplan.net