Half day open training event held in Toronto, Ontario

1. First Nations and Aboriginal peoples
in the Canadian workplace
by Toronto Training and HR
January 2014

2. CONTENTS
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
11-17
18-19
20-24
25-28
29-30
31-36
37-43
44-48
49-50
Introduction
Definitions
Current topics
The business case
Comparisons
Possible goals to set
Intercultural competence
Cultural differences
Drill
Working with First Nations and Aboriginal peoples
Retention of First Nations and Aboriginal
peoples in work
Best practices
Conclusion, summary and questions
Page 2

3. Introduction
Page 3

4. Introduction to Toronto Training
and HR
Toronto Training and HR is a specialist training and
human resources consultancy headed by Timothy Holden
10 years in banking
15 years in training and human resources
Freelance practitioner since 2006
The core services provided by Toronto Training and HR
are:
Training event design
Training event delivery
HR support with an emphasis on reducing
costs, saving time plus improving employee
engagement and morale
Services for job seekers
Page 4

5. Definitions
Page 5

6. Definitions
•
•
•
•
•
First Nations
Aboriginal
Métis
Inuit
Indigenous populations
Page 6

7. Current topics
Page 7

8. Current
topics
•
•
•
•
Image and identity
Relations with Government
Social Justice issues
Indigenous peoples and
the world
Page 8

9. The business case
Page 9

10. The
business
case
• Build a stable, local, skilled
and reliable workforce
• Develop a capacity and
reputation for corporate
social responsibility
• Achieve diversity in the
workforce
• Reduce support costs to
the local First Nations and
Aboriginal peoples
Page 10

11. Comparisons
Page 11

12. Comparisons
1 of 6
Page 12

14. Comparisons
3 of 6
• Completers
• Leavers
Page 14

15. Comparisons
4 of 6
• Among completers, the
percentages of men and
women who were
employed did not differthis was also true for
Inuit leavers
• However, off-reserve
First Nations and Métis
male leavers were more
likely than female
leavers to have a job
Page 15

16. Comparisons
5 of 6
• For First Nations
people living off
reserve and Métis, the
median employment
income range for
completers was
$10000 higher than
that for leavers; for
Inuit completers, the
median income range
was $20000 higher
Page 16

17. Comparisons
6 of 6
• Overall labour force
profile
• Off-reserve First
Nations workers
• Unemployed and the
not-in-work labour
force
Page 17

18. Possible goals to set
Page 18

19. Possible
goals to set
• Improve recruitment and
retention
• Increase cultural
competency to support
workplace environments
• Provide services specific to
the Aboriginal and First
Nations community
• Increase the number of
skilled workers based on
supply and demand
Page 19

20. Intercultural competence
Page 20

21. Intercultural
competence
1 of 4
•
•
•
•
knowledge
empathy
self-confidence
cultural identity
Page 21

22. Intercultural
competence
2 of 4
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
• collectivism and
individualism
• masculine and feminine
cultures
• uncertainty avoidance
• power distance
• monochrome and
polychrome
• structural characteristics
• Christianity and
Confucianism
Page 22

23. Intercultural
competence
3 of 4
ASSESSMENT
• quantitative assessment
instruments
• qualitative assessment
instruments
Page 23

24. Intercultural
competence
4 of 4
CHARACTERISTICS TO BE
TESTED AND OBSERVED
• ambiguity tolerance
• openness to contacts
• flexibility in behaviour
• emotional stability
• motivation to perform
• empathy
• meta-communicative
competence
• polycentrism
Page 24

25. Cultural differences
Page 25

26. Cultural
differences
1 of 3
• Community is the
foremost of all values
• The future tense is
dominant
• The world is understood
mythically
• Goals are met with
patience
• Ownership is often
communal
• Gifts are regarded as
social glue
Page 26

27. Cultural
differences
2 of 3
• Work is often motivated
by group need
• Aging is a source of
wisdom
• Eye contact is thought
over-assertive
• Silences are acceptable
anywhere
• Assertiveness is noncommunal
• Listening skills are prized
Page 27

28. Cultural
differences
3 of 3
• Soft spoken words carry
farthest
• Nodding signifies
understanding
• Handshake is
soft, signalling no threat
• Collective decisions are
consensual
• A faith in harmony with
nature
• Family is extended family
• Responds to praise of the
group

29. Drill
Page 29

30. Drill
Page 30

31. Working with First Nations
and Aboriginal peoples
Page 31

32. Working
Focus on what the individual
with First is saying
Nations and • Look at the speaker,
giving your full attention
Aboriginal
to what exactly is being
said-First Nations and
peoples
Aboriginal people tend to
1 of 5
tell stories as a way of
communicating with each
other, there is a lesson to
be learned or a discussion
taking place
Page 32

33. Working
• Don’t interrupt the
speaker; this is taken as a
with First
sign of disrespect
Nations and
First Nations and Aboriginal
Aboriginal people are taught to be
respectful to the speakerpeoples
many times they use a
2 of 5
talking stick with large
groups, waiting to hear the
speaker who has the stick
Page 33

34. Working
• Don’t interrupt the
speaker; this is taken as a
with First
sign of disrespect
Nations and (continued).
Aboriginal We are always in such a
rush that frequently we tend
peoples
to speak over each other;
3 of 5
this shuts down the speaker
and is a sign of disrespectand we ask when First
Nations and Aboriginal
employees leave, "Why
didn’t they just come and
tell me?”

35. Working
• Listen from the heart
with First This is a critical factor in
Nations and developing listening skills
with First Nations and
Aboriginal Aboriginal colleagues-if you
listen with your heart and
peoples
not just with your head you
4 of 5
will listen more clearly as
you will focus on what your
colleague is saying
Page 35

36. Working
• Clarify what is being said if
you are unsure what is
with First
being told to you
Nations and
This will show that you are
Aboriginal paying attention and are
interested in what the First
peoples
Nations or Aboriginal person
5 of 5
is telling you-like the
majority of people in the
workforce, First Nations and
Aboriginal people want to be
heard and feel that they are
contributing
Page 36

37. Retention of First Nations
and Aboriginal peoples in
work
Page 37

38. Retention • Training and advancement
Training is not relevant to
of First
the position
Nations and Limited course material
Aboriginal available
peoples in Denied access to training –
supervisor deemed it not
work
appropriate to work being
1 of 6
performed
Lack of training funds
Training is not a priority
Page 38

39. Retention • Training and advancement
(continued)
of First
Supervisor was too busy to
Nations and train
Aboriginal Supervisor was threatened
peoples in when employees received
training so no training was
work
provided
2 of 6
Page 39

40. Retention • Work environment
Stress in the workplace due
of First
to the unprofessional nature
Nations and of the organization, and staff
Aboriginal No willingness to maintain a
peoples in team
Inadequate support
work
systems, development
3 of 6
systems, unfair practices
Lack of motivation to
advance a First Nations and
Aboriginal workforce
Page 40

41. Retention • Work environment
(continued)
of First
Not professional
Nations and Racism
Aboriginal Lack of women, especially in
peoples in management positions
Too many hours and not
work
enough allocated to spend
4 of 6
time with family
Office politics
Page 41

42. Retention • On management
No rules, structure or followof First
up
Nations and
Problems with the supervisor
Aboriginal Management style
peoples in incompatible with desirable
method to be supervised
work
Feel like the token First
5 of 6
Nations or Aboriginal person
Not able to advocate for
First Nations or Aboriginal
issues or colleagues
Page 42

43. Retention • On management
(continued)
of First
Asked to take a salary cut
Nations and Not given proper
Aboriginal direction, clarification or
peoples in support on various projects
Poor management style work
lack of one on one support
6 of 6
Inadequate support
systems, development
systems, unfair practices
Page 43

44. Best practices
Page 44

45. Best
practices
1 of 4
• Commit for the long-term
• Bolster skills and education
• Review recruitment and
hiring practices
• Foster cultural awareness
• Reach out
• Prevent isolation
• Leverage goodwill
• Focus on retention
• Align programs
Page 45

46. Best
practices
2 of 4
• Support Aboriginal
businesses
• Break down myths and
prejudices
• Tell a new story
Page 46

47. Best
practices
3 of 4
• Partner with education
• Question standard job
requirements
• Review recruitment and
career planning processes
• Conduct cultural training
• Hire more than one
Aboriginal person
• Promote Aboriginal people
to senior roles
Page 47

48. Best
practices
4 of 4
• Assess business and
employment practices that
could cause barriers
• Develop an Aboriginal
hiring and retention
strategy
• Communicate and
celebrate success
Page 48

49. Conclusion, summary and
questions
Page 49

50. Conclusion, summary and
questions
Conclusion
Summary
Videos
Questions
Page 50