Canada is an inclusive society: we welcome refugees, our cities are truly multicultural and we are leaders in LGBTQ+ rights. With Canada setting itself apart as a leader in cultural diversity, fostering an atmosphere of inclusion is becoming more crucial than ever when developing your employer brand. More and more, having a diverse culture is critical to keeping employees engaged. Inclusivity also drives business, and is vital to keeping your competitive edge in today’s global market.
The cornerstone of diversity is honouring people’s backgrounds, which includes valuing and appreciating their cultures, experiences, and viewpoints as diverse individuals. Today, let’s look at a few simple steps to enhance an atmosphere of inclusion in your workplace and when developing your employer brand.
Assess where you stand.
Your brand is what people say it is. How your employees talk about your company determines what public opinion about it will be. This means whether or not your employees view your organization as diverse and inclusive is essential for your employer brand.
Although a leadership team or employee base may appear to be diverse, it may not actually be. Biases may exist among employees that go unseen by management if workers are not being checked in on regularly. Keep an open line of communication between employee and employer, asking questions, including those on diversity and inclusion, to ensure biases are shut down. The goal for employer branding should be to align employee experience and practice with a diverse and inclusive culture.
Set goals and make a plan.
After soliciting employee opinion, devising a strategy to correct any issues regarding diversity becomes easier. One possible initiative could be developing a steering committee for your organization. This committee should be comprised of people dedicated to building a more diverse and inclusive culture. Their mission will be to frequently set goals and measure progress when it comes to diversity. Having employees specifically focused on fostering an attitude of inclusion will raise the perception of positive diversity throughout your company. Diversity should not be a stand-alone program but rather, part of your organization’s overall strategy.
Celebrate and share your success.
Once your organization feels as though it has made progress in developing a diverse and inclusive culture, it helps your employer brand to share these successes. “Canada’s Best Diversity Employers” is an annual competition that recognizes employers who prioritize inclusivity. This competition celebrates successful diversity initiatives in a variety of areas, including women and members of visible minorities. For instance, among the honourees this year was Rogers Communications Inc., which partnered with the Career Bridge internship program, to provide employment opportunities to internationally educated professionals. Another was Accenture Inc., for their global Persons with Disabilities Champions program, which is focused on workplace accommodations. Having your organization recognized in a public forum such as this one will help boost your employer brand when it comes to diversity and inclusion. And the more diverse your organization becomes, the stronger your employer brand will be.
About Blu Ivy Group
Blu Ivy Group is a leading employer branding and employee engagement consultancy that aligns your organization with contemporary workplace paradigms. Our mission is to help client’s build award-winning people practices, inspire extraordinary employee engagement, and cultivate unique and desirable workplaces. We provide integrated solutions in employer brand and engagement research, strategic consulting, employer brand integration, creative and talent communications.
Blu Ivy Group is a trusted partner to many of North America’s most respected employer brands. For more information, visit us online at bluivygroup.com or contact us at info@bluivygroup.com.