A new handbook crafted by the public and private sectors is designed to help Saskatoon employers attract and retain Indigenous employees.
The Indigenous Engagement Employer Handbook includes topics like “lessons learned in Indigenous hiring” and “changing your workplace culture.”
Companies including Nutrien, K+S Potash and Kelly Panteluk Construction Ltd. contributed to the document. The City of Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan are involved as well, along with Indigenous institutions like the Gabriel Dumont Institute and Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies.
“Indigenous people are the fastest-growing labour resource in our province. It only makes sense that we make the effort to engage in a meaningful way to ensure that we connect opportunities with Indigenous communities and people,” Lisa Mooney of Nutrien said in a news release.
The 18-page document is the result of a series of workshops and consultations held in early 2019. Small and medium-sized businesses are the target audience.
“While not every suggestion in this handbook will be relevant for every organization, we hope that many of the suggestions will resonate with most employers,” Gilles Dorval, the city’s director of Indigenous initiatives, said in the release.
The document is now available online, accompanied by a video series featuring Saskatoon employers and employees.