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Diversity in the Workplace
September 24, 25 & 26, 2008 Toronto |
Conference Agenda
Session 3:
9:00-9:40 -A TWO-WAY STREET: TIPS FOR INTEGRATING INTERNATIONALLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS INTO THE CANADIAN WORKPLACE
Marni Johnson, President, Workplace Communication & Diversity Inc.
As Canada’s population ages and our birth rate decreases, there will continue to be significant skills shortages in the labour market unless organizations can take full advantage of the skills that immigrants bring. In this interactive session, participants will discover how it takes well-planned strategies and a great effort on the part of Internationally Trained Professionals (ITPs) to ensure their successful integration into the Canadian workplace.
- The business advantage of hiring ITPs
- Challenges faced by both managers and ITPs
- Strategies to overcome the challenges
- Tips for integrating internationally trained professionals into your workplace
9:40-10:20 -EMPLOYEE DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Kristine Amaral, Human Resources Manager, Pelmorex Media Inc./The Weather Network
Workforce equity data can be a powerful audit tool that helps to guide, shape and refine your employment diversity initiatives. But for many organizations, reporting employment data is a routine task separated from any diversity program. This presentation will look at this valuable resource and how it can help provide focus for your diversity initiatives.
- What workforce data you should consider collecting
- How to collect data in your organization that is of use to diversity programs
- Methods you may use in analyzing these data
- What you can do with this data to support diversity initiatives
11:00-11:15 NETWORKING BREAK
10:20-11:00 -LEVERAGING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT TO IMPLEMENT YOUR DIVERSITY STRATEGY
Harold Ball, Vice President, Human Resources, Toronto Community Housing Corporation
The success of an organization today is directly linked to the level of engagement of its employees. Developing sustainable partnerships with unions is a key indicator of success. By fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion as a competitive advantage, an organization can initiate change in its corporate culture at all levels.
- Building bridges between differences, starting at the senior leadership level
- Incorporating diversity as a measurable strategic imperative
- Integrating diversity in labour relations strategy
- Increasing diversity awareness internally via communication and training programs
- Sustaining diversity and inclusion by identifying internal champions and by encouraging employees to promote diversity
11:15-11:55 -Building Cross-Culture Competence in a Global Organization
Brad Salavich, Diversity Program Manager, IBM Canada
In today's increasingly global world, cultural awareness and understanding have become crucial. It is important for leaders to gain an overall understanding of the effects globalization can have on their staff. This session will examine the cultural and organizational issues that arise when working in new markets and integrating your business globally.
- How will cultural differences affect communication, relationships and management styles?
- How will language barriers and differences in customs impact personal relationships and work teams?
- How can you leverage domestic diversity to increase organizational capacity globally?
- How does an organization work 24 x 7 when there are 24 different time zones?
- What does a global diversity policy look like when the visible minority are the visible majority in another country?
11:55-12:35 -Keynote Presentation: Implementing a Diversity Strategy
Debra Nelson, Vice-President, Corporate Diversity and Community Affairs, MGM Mirage
Integrating diversity initiatives into business operations is easier said than done. Failure to do so can result in diversity programs being seen as having little relevance to core business. To ensure that new policies come alive within the organization, special efforts must be made to follow a comprehensive and clear implementation system. In this keynote presentation, Debra Nelson will explore the latest strategies for succesfully implementing a diversity plan.
- Developing a clear set of guidelines and goals
- Infusing diversity into daily practices and procedures
- Communicating, implementing and monitoring the progress of diversity initiatives
- Strengthening ties to the community
12:35-1:35 Lunch