Availability of skilled personnel is one of the most urgent challenges faced by many businesses.
Lack of available skilled personnel poses many problems for employers: the cost of hiring and training employees; the knowledge gap created when senior employees retire and newer employees are hired to fill the jobs; the problems created when a company has too few staff; and other issues that affect a business’s productivity, innovation and profitability. Filling the talent pool with diverse employees is one of the most effective ways to solve issues that arise from a labour shortage.
The Diversity Lives Here conference (May 9 and 10 in Campbell River) will help organizations on Vancouver Island find solutions to the many challenges presented by a lack of available, skilled personnel.
Diversity Lives Here provides solutions to the skilled labour shortage that will help employers maintain their workforce while improving their bottom line. Diverse workforces increase innovation, productivity and profitability in an organization. By attracting and retaining skilled personnel, businesses have fewer costs associated with high turnover rates and training expenses.
Furthermore, by having a diverse talent pool, an employer can access not only international markets but also international communities within the local market, opening an organization to new customers and clients.
“The Diversity Lives Here conference is about connecting with solutions in workforce development,” says Rachel Blaney, executive director of the Immigrant Welcome Centre of Campbell River. “As we face a labour shortage, welcoming diverse people into business will bring new perspectives and expand markets. Because we live in an increasingly global economy, having people in an organization who know multiple languages and cultural perspectives can open doors that were once closed.”
Diversity Lives Here brings together a wide range of talented speakers and experts in diverse labour markets, from various industries and backgrounds, to help local business and community leaders address issues associated with the shrinking domestic workforce. Workshops will provide local organizations with vital information on the value of immigrant employees, credential evaluation, recruiting young professionals, the impact of retirees on the local economy and tips on hiring and retaining Aboriginal employees.
“A diverse workforce gives business a competitive edge,” says Colleen Evans, executive director of the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce. “Many businesses are reporting that increased diversity is becoming less about what they should do and more about who they are and what they have to do. Attracting and retaining the skilled workforce each business needs to compete means having enough people with the right skills, and the Diversity Lives Here conference is an excellent opportunity for businesses to address the skill gap and a shrinking domestic workforce.”
Diversity Lives Here takes place on May 9 and 10 in Campbell River.