On November 6th, the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) hosted their 8th Annual Business Leaders Breakfast at the Alberta Art Gallery in Edmonton.
This year’s breakfast speaker was Dr. Rachael Pettigrew, an Assistant Professor at Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University in Calgary. Rachael’s research focus is currently on organizational policies and culture surrounding employees’ management of work and life responsibilities, with a specific focus on both gender and diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She has also managed several large research projects on newcomer settlement and employment.
Dr. Pettigrew’s presentation Building a Welcoming Organizational Culture for Professional Newcomers provided a compelling overview of the diversity and inclusion environment in many Canadian workplaces and some valuable tips on how organizations can enhance their office culture to attract and retain their talent pool.
Here are some comments from some of the event participants:
- Thank you very much for organizing the event! It was exceptionally valuable for a newcomer & job seeker. Dr. Pettigrew’s presentation resonated with my own personal experiences.
- Good session this morning! This is a reminder of past learnings & some new ideas to move forward on!
- Great presentation by Rachael. A great discussion and info sharing opportunity after the presentation.
- I believe it was a great way to open up about the topics of diversity and inclusion. It was amazing to have the workshop to generate discussion and bring ideas forward about a working business culture.
The keynote address was followed by a brief workshop, facilitated by the EBDN (Edmonton Business Diversity Network) that addressed the following best practice theme: A Focus on Practical Tips for Creating a Welcoming Business Culture. Each table group discussed 3 questions.
- What has worked well in your organization when it comes to creating a welcoming business culture?
- What challenges have you faced in your organization when it comes to creating a welcoming business culture?
- What resources have you utilized to help build a welcoming business culture?
Creating a welcoming organizational culture is crucial because it sets business up for success with things like employee happiness, productivity, engagement and more. A welcoming culture is key in making or breaking the business’ future because it’s often the determining factor in their ability to attract and retain the talent needed to serve customers or target markets.
Edmonton Business Diversity Network workshops are an opportunity to hear and discuss various issues facing local business leaders with respect to the hiring, integrating and retaining all professionals within the Edmonton region.