Diversity Research Confirms That Change Is On The Horizon!
There are five relatively recent research projects that have collectively changed the Diversity Management landscape. For the first time, scientific research clearly contradicts the prevailing belief among many Canadians that the minority population, (particularly the growing immigrant population) is made up of lower educated, unskilled laborers. Until April 2004, there has been very little information, or research, around the impact that the growing minority population has had on the Canadian economy.
The Conference Board of Canada’s two reports entitled Making a Visible Difference: The Contribution of Visible Minorities to Canadian Economic Growth and Maximizing the Talents of Visible Minorities provided the first comprehensive studies of this nature --confirming that the exact opposite is true –the minority population is more educated and more skilled than mainstream averages.
The Government of Canada's report entitled Recently Hired Visible Minorities provides detailed insight into the Public sector. More recently, Catalyst and The Diversity Institute in Management & Technology (Ryerson University), have taken the next major step by quantifying the perceptions of Visible Minorities related to job advancement with their report Career Advancement in Corporate Canada. The significant breakthrough is that this study has scientifically linked job satisfaction, performance and retention to Senior Management commitment to diversity.
Finally, the Ontario Workforce Shortage Coalition's The Challenge Ahead: Averting a Skills Crisis in Ontario sums up why understanding diversity has become mission critical.
So the question to Canadian CEO's has transitioned from "Is Diversity Management really important?" to "What Diversity Managemnt initiatives have you committed to in order to maximize shareholder value?".
1) Career Advancement in Corporate America: A Focus on Visible Minorities - Survey Findings
Published: June 2007
Document Type: Report, 67 pages
Source: Catalyst and the Diversity Institute in Management & Technology (Ryerson University)
Document Highlights: In June 2007, Catalyst and the Diversity Institute in Management & Technology completed their “Career Advancement in Corporate Canada: A focus on Visible Minorities”. The general findings of this study show that visible minorities are less satisfied with their careers, less likely to report positive experiences and perceptions regarding their workplaces, and more likely to perceive workplace barriers than their white/Caucasian colleagues.
Click HERE to download report.
2) Business Critical: Maximizing the Talents of Visible Minorities—An Employer's Guide
Published: March 2005
Document Type: Report, 118 pages
Source: The Conference Board of Canada
Author(s): Bente Baklid, Allison Cowan, Judith MacBride-King, Aretha Mallett
Document Highlights: This practical guide is designed to help Canadian organizations maximize the talents of visible minority employees. It provides concrete strategies and tools that can be used by leaders, human resource managers and line managers to create inclusive workplaces that respect, value and promote visible minority talent.
For more than two decades there has been much talk about the need to foster diverse and inclusive workplaces, yet too few organizations have been able to demonstrate measurable success in attracting, developing and promoting visible minority talent. Changing global and national demographics have made it a business imperative to recognize and value the talents and potential of visible minority employees.
This guide for employers is based on comprehensive research of successful practices used by national and international organizations representing both the public and private sectors. It offers practical tools, strategies, guidelines and insights for maximizing the talents of visible minority employees, including how to:
- Develop a diversity strategy and align it with organizational goals and values;
- Hire visible minorities;
- Build and promote visible minority talent;
- Create inclusive workplace cultures; and
- Build the business case for a focus on visible minorities.
Click HERE to download complete report
3) Making a Visible Difference: The Contribution of Visible Minorities to Canadian Economic Growth
Published: April 2004
Document Type: Briefing, 6 pages
Source: The Conference Board of Canada
Author(s): Pedro Antunes, Judith MacBride-King, Julie Swettenham
Document Highlights: This briefing explores the impact of a quickly growing segment of our population, visible minorities, on Canadian economic growth. It explores their contribution since 1992 and projects their contribution to economic growth to 2016. The rapid growth of visible minorities is changing the very face of Canada and boosting our economy. By 2016, almost one in five workers will belong to a visible minority group. This segment of our population has accounted for over 0.3 per cent per year to growth of potential output and, in turn, to real gross domestic product between 1992 and 2001. Looking ahead, their contribution promises to be at least as important as it already has been.
As strong as the contribution of visible minorities is, it could be even stronger were it not for the 14.5 per cent wage gap that exists. And this gap is a persistent, and even a deepening one. Evidence suggests that a learning recognition gap, due to a failure to recognize foreign credentials or foreign work experience, explains a portion of the wage gap. And full elimination of this wage gap would benefit not only visible minorities, but the Canadian economy.
Click HERE to download complete report.
4) Recently Hired Visible Minorities: Redruitment Experience, Job Satisfaction and Career Plans
Published: February 2002
Document Type: Report, 67 pages
Source: Labour Market Analysis Unit, Research Directorate, Public Service Commission of Canada
Author: Andrea Chatterton
Document Highlights: This report focusses on the experiences and perceptions of survey respondents who self-identified as members of a visible minority group. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of what attracts visible minorities to the Public Service, the quality of their job experience, and how their perceptions of and experiences within the workplace may differ from their colleagues who are not members of a visible minority group.
Click HERE to download report.
5) Ontario's Workforce Shortage Coalition
Published: September 25, 2007
Document Type: Report Summary, 8 pages
Source: Ontario's Workforce Shortage Coalition
Document Highlights: In the coming years, Ontario faces a looming serious skills shortage as greater numbers of workers prepare to retire and fewer young people enter the workforce. Even today, many of Ontario’s most promising young
people are being lured to positions in western Canada’s hot job market – a trend that is expected to continue. Yet hundreds of thousands of young people in Ontario don’t have the necessary skills and education to find a good job.
Click HERE to download report.
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