The way to make people feel included is by giving them equal opportunities to everything your company has to offer, says ComIT.org founder
Employers want to find and retain top talent while also actively recruiting from underrepresented groups to ensure adequate representation of women and minority employees. Both can be accomplished, says Pablo Listingart, founder and executive director of ComIT.org, as long as employers show respect and think a little outside of the box.
“Diversity comes from inclusion,” he says. “And the way to make people feel included is by giving them equal chances and equal opportunities to everything your company has to offer.”
Despite a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), employers still have room to improve when it comes to hiring minority or vulnerable Canadians, says a survey by ComIT.org. It shows 62.40 percent of Indigenous Canadians have experienced bias when applying for a job because they are Indigenous and over half (58.6 percent) have experienced discrimination in their current workplaces. Additionally, 56.2 percent say they have played down their Indigenous backgrounds to 'fit in better at the workplace.' On top of that, 61.60 percent think they are less likely to be promoted simply based on being Indigenous.
Startlingly, almost all (97.2 percent) of Indigenous Canadians surveyed say, that to some degree, there is a lack of representation of Indigenous voices in c-suite positions in the tech industry.
Stats around bias and discrimination are concerning
"The stats around bias and discrimination are concerning," says Listingart. "If Indigenous Canadians are being cast aside or locked out of even applying for jobs, we clearly have a long way to go to ensure an even playing field.” He adds the picture being painted is that there is bias and discrimination for some people right across the board, from the interview to the c-suite. “There clearly has to be a better way for HR to approach each and every one of these stages.
“Employers need to think outside the box. They need to ensure their cultures are inclusive, that people don’t feel ostracized, and that every employee has the same opportunity to grow with the company as every other employee, or else they are not going to stay.”
Whether it’s training on the job, offering personalized benefits and perks, or working with not-for-profit training programs like ComIT.org, there are alternative ways to find and retain top talent from all demographic groups. Many solutions are already available such as the Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker Program (FWSP), diversity hiring platforms, school programs, and charity organizations. Listingart says Canada is in a unique position because it has strong Indigenous communities, a high rate of immigration, and a robust education system.
Listingart founded ComIT.org in 2015 to help break down the barrier of training and education for the IT industry. ComIT.org is registered charity that provides free training and professional development opportunities in information technology. Its courses are taught by IT professionals working at leading companies, with a curated curriculum built to ensure graduates are equipped to meet the needs of the immediate labour market.
“We are a 100 percent charitable organization registered under the CRA, so we don’t charge our students and we provide talent for free – companies don’t have to pay anything to hire one of our graduates.”
He adds that there is still a shortage of people in the IT industry. His role is to reduce barriers to help fill the labour shortage while providing opportunities to people of minority groups and people who may have some degree of economical vulnerability.
“We believe the democratization of education and opportunity is Canada's path forward.”
