Preparing the Workplace

Culturally inclusive work environments foster innovation and create dedicated employees. Learn how to develop policies that recognize, celebrate and acknowledge the workforce benefits of diversity.

Follow step-by-step guides on training managers, supervisors and workers to become more culturally competent. Discover easy ways to encourage cultural exchanges.

Boost the productivity and loyalty of new immigrants by helping them learn English and connecting them to training opportunities. And find out how measuring diversity helps to maintain a thriving multicultural workforce.

Area of Preparation		Step One	Step Two	Step Three	Step Four
Developing PoliciesDeveloping Policies on Cultural Diversity and Anti-racism		Understand Human Rights and Employment Equity Regulations Understand Human Rights and Employment Equity Regulations Protection from Discrimination: A brief description of the coverage provided by the Human Rights Code - Human Rights in BC Diversity at Work - Legislation and Policies	Review and Evaluate Current Cultural Diversity and Anti-racism Policies Review and Evaluate Current Cultural Diversity and Anti-racism Policies Tools of evaluation for cultural diversity HR practices - Employment Systems Reviews and Evaluations (page 20), Be Aware of Your Own Biases and Prejudices (page 30 – 31) Good things about Canada: Success in Toronto: A Guide for New Immigrants  (page 14)	Understand Common Issues Understand Common Issues Challenges Facing Visible Minorities in the Workplace - An online video of racism in the workplace with a downloadable PowerPoint presentation The Case Against Racial - Colorblindness in the Workplace  - Click here Video: How to prepare for a diverse workforce - Click here Video - Accommodating Religious Diversity	Develop Policies Develop Policies The Case Against Racial - Colorblindness in the Workplace  - Click here Best Practice -IEC BC Business Case - Click here Success stories – By ALLIES - Click here Employer Practices for Attracting, Retaining and Integrating Skilled Immigrants: An Analysis of Canada’s Leading Employers, 2011 – ALLIES  - Click here Employee Diversity Policy at TD Financial Group - Click here Religious Accommodation Checklists - Click here Sample Policy - Code of Conduct and Ethics
Providing TrainingProviding Training for Managers, Supervisors and Workers		Understand and Identify Training Needs Understand and Identify Training Needs BC HRMA Tool 5 - Approaches for Integrating Skilled Immigrants Diversity and Inclusion Practitioner Competencies Model (page 6-7) - Click here Language Skills and Immigrant Labour Market Outcomes  - Page 1 Does Returning to School after Immigration Affect Labour Market Outcome for Immigrants? - Page 1 Understand the Immigrant Integration Challenges Faced by Employers and New Immigrants, Assess Cultural Readiness of Workplace - Click here.  Identify and Share the Cultural Diversity - Demographics of your Community	Identify Training Approaches Identify Training Approaches The results are in: Mentoring improves employment outcomes for skilled immigrants (2013) - Click here A Full Complement of Learning Opportunities (page 47), and Nine Steps to Effective Diversity Training (page 64) - Click here Facing Racism in a Diverse Nation - A six-session discussion guide to help all kinds of people take part in meaningful dialogue to examine gas among racial and ethnic groups. - Downloadable Guide How to Start a Resource Group - Click here  Foreign Credentials and Skills Assessment for the Construction Industry (2009)  Essential Skills and Information for Newcomers - Click here Best Practice: 3M Uses Language Game to Build Cultural Competence - Click here	Access Training Resources / Materials Access Training Resources / Materials Welcome to Canada: A new, more comprehensive guide and a new web tool to help newcomers settle and integrate in Canada - Click here  Training About Cultural Diversity - Click here “Keys to Success” for the Integration-and-Learning Approach - Click here (page 17)  Employer-focused program to assist small and medium-sized businesses to integrate immigrants into their labour pool - Click here to access a list of projects Bridging Programs in BC: Find out bridging programs to assist ITW employees to obtain their licensure - Page 128: Appendix  Training Tools - Downloadable Presentation Personal Cultural Timeline - Downloadable sheet  Metro Morning: 90 Days Crucial - interview Videos Clips: M.E.E.T. on Common Ground. This new straightforward diversity video provides practical skills that all your employees can use to create a respectful and inclusive workplace.  Videos Clips: Integrating Talent  Video Clips - Cultural Competence Videos Online Management Game - TalentNet – Leadership Diversity
Identifying InformationIdentifying and Sharing Information About Cultural Diversity Within Your Organization		Understand Common Cultural Differences Understand Common Cultural Differences What are Immigrants’ Experiences of Discrimination in the Workplace? - Page 1: Key Points Video Clips - Cross-cultural Teamwork - Maximizing Talent Audio Clip - Understanding Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges and Solutions	Help Immigrant Employees to Understand Canadian Culture Help Immigrant Employees to Understand Canadian Culture Canadian Cultural Awareness - Click here Success Stories – Mentoring: By mentoring newcomers, leaders prepare for Toronto’s diverse workplace  - Click here Discover Canada - Audio and booklet WelcomeBC - Click here	Understand Other Cultures and Learn About the Home Countries of Your Staff Understand Other Cultures and Learn About the Home Countries of Your Staff Multicultural Calendar - Click here
Promoting CommitmentPromoting Your Organization's Commitment to Cultural Diversity		Create a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment (maps, weekly quotes, etc.) Create a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment (maps, weekly quotes, etc.) The Employer Innovation Fund (EIF) will support innovative projects that address immigrant talent hiring and retention challenges faced by BC employers - Clieck here Mentoring Technology - Click here Mentoring Practices of Leading Employers - Report -Employer Practices for Attracting, Retaining and Integrating Skilled Immigrants (page 10) IEC BC mentoring program - Click here Weekly Quotes and Cultural Events - Cultural Diversity Yearbook Encouraging the creation of affinity groups is a popular way to foster organizational inclusiveness (page 35) - Click here	Enhance Understanding the Cultural Diversity in the Workplace (discussions, events, etc.) Enhance Understanding the Cultural Diversity in the Workplace (discussions, events, etc.) Best Practice: 3M Uses Language Game to Build Cultural Competence - Click here  The Chief Diversity Officer Today: Inclusion Gets Down to Business - Click here Cultural Diversity Discussion - Click here	Set Up a Two Way (up to bottom and bottom to up) Diversity System (gain support from top management, identify champions, etc.) Set Up a Two Way (up to bottom and bottom to up) Diversity System (gain support from top management, identify champions, etc.) Create the specialist, Internationally-Trained Professionals role within the HR department to oversee and develop initiatives for new Canadians in the company The benefits of diverse leadership for organizations and communities - Click here (page 6)  Select a diversity Champion - A individual who has volunteered (or been appointed) to head the diversity initiative within the organization (Page 5)
Developing/UpgradingDeveloping/Upgrading Skills		Assess Language Skills and Provide Access to Language Training Assess Language Skills and Provide Access to Language Training Understanding Workplace Language Requirements - Click here English for Construction Trades - a free course to help immigrant workers improve their ability to fit in and get ahead in construction trades. - Click here International English Language Testing system (IELTS) – (page 8)   Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)  - Click here A Guide for Trades & Professional Organizations - Developing an Occupation-Specific Language Assessment Tool Using the Canadian Language Benchmarks Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) - Click here  Provides In-house English training or Subsidizes the cost of English language courses for new Canadians (practice of Best Employers to New Canadians)	Assess Soft Skills and Provide Access to Skill Development Training Assess Soft Skills and Provide Access to Skill Development Training The Learning and Development Needs of New Canadians (table on page 11) - Top attributes BC employers are looking for (Page 9) Practices of Leading Employers - Report -Employer Practices for Attracting, Retaining and Integrating Skilled Immigrants (page 11)  2010 Biennial Skills and Attributes Survey Report - Click here Communication Challenges & Solutions - Click here Inter-Cultural Communications - Top 10 Misunderstandings (Page 73)	Assess Technical Skills and Provide Access to Skills Upgrading Assess Technical Skills and Provide Access to Skills Upgrading In-house professional mentoring programs or information buddy programs Provide financial support for immigrants career development Guide to Terminology Usage in the Field of Credentials Recognition and Mobility in English in Canada - Click here	Assess Networking Skills and Provide Opportunities for Enhancing Networking Skills Assess Networking Skills and Provide Opportunities for Enhancing Networking Skills Group mentoring proves to be a success amongst professional immigrant networks - Click Here “Keys to Success” for the Integration-and-Learning Approach - Click here (page 17)  Work Place Mentoring (page 30 – 31) - Click here Audio - Mentoring - Why Corporations Are Onboard
Career PlanningCareer Planning and Advancement		Understand ITWs Better Understand ITWs Better  Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors Profiles - Best and promising practices learned from the delivery of the Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors’ Project. - Click here My experience as an internationally educated professional - Click here Immigrants’ Stories at Workplace - Click here Untold Stories: History of Immigrants in Vancouver - Videos	Recognize International Credentials Recognize International Credentials Video: Assessing Academic Credentials - Canadian Foundation for Economic Education: Assessing & Selecting Internationally Trained Workers - Click here Terminology Guide for Academic Credential Assessment in Canada - Click here Practices of Leading Employers - Report -Employer Practices for Attracting, Retaining and Integrating Skilled Immigrants (page 10)  International Credential Evaluation Service(ICES) - Click here Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) - Click here WorkBC Licensing and Recognition - Click here	Developing Leadership Skills Developing Leadership Skills How is Promotion in the Workplace Affected by Nativity, Period of Immigration, Ethnicity, Gender, Education, Occupation and Employment Tenure? - Click here (page one: key points) DiverseCity Counts: The Importance of Diverse Leadership in the Greater Toronto Area - Page 7: The Imperative of Diversity to Canada   The Executive Development Strategies (page 17) - Click here Leadership Model (page 17) - Click here Mentoring for Leadership and Group Mentoring (page 42-45) - Click here Video: Mentoring Moments
Keep Diversity IntactKeep Cultural Diversity Intact		Measuring and Celebrating Diversity Measuring and Celebrating Diversity Toolkit: Implementing or Improving Diversity Measures (2013) - Click here (page 20) Use Metrics to Drive Change (page 16) - Click here Canadian Leadership Diversity Index (2012) - Click here Visible minority & aboriginal representation on Canadian boards - Click here Is Your Organization’s Succession Planning Process Transparent? (page 39) and Is Your Promotion Process on Track? (page 50) - Click here Best Practice of Leading Employer -RBC Diversity Progress Report – 2011 - Click here  Publish progress updates on their various diversity projects and goals in their corporate E-newsletter Recognize employees who promote Inclusiveness in the workplace through a diversity peer recognition award