high arctic
HR PROFILE / HIGH ARCTIC
HIRING FOR THE
HIGH ARCTIC It invariably shrinks your talent pool if potential employees think they’ll have to live in igloos to work for your company. But HR professionals in the Northwest Territories have found creative ways around that to build a brand even those in the balmy south can learn from
I
It’s a tough time for recruiters in many key sectors as they grapple with signiicant gaps between job openings and available candidates. In short, they’re hardly spoiled for choice. But hiring for Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories has added challenges. How can one of Canada’s least-known regions differentiate itself, and what can an HR director learn from its successes in employer branding? The bulk of the Northwest Territories’ economy is fuelled by mining, which is one of the most competitive recruiting ields in Canada. As well as experienced mine workers and engineers, the region needs workers for the construction industry, transportation and logistics, and medical ields such as nurses and doctors. With several new mines opening in the next eight to 10 years, the territory will need about 3,000 new workers, say analysts. That could be a conservative guesstimate.
Some smaller aboriginal communities have a 30 to 40 per cent unemployment rate, so training programs are vital for the region, but bringing in new, skilled workers is going to be one of the territory’s major challenges in the coming decade. The territorial government is involved in a rebranding campaign, but some local organizations are working to attract people from outside Canada. One non-proit, CDETNO, works to attract French speakers to the region with annual trips to job fairs in France and Belgium through Destination Canada, and initiatives in Yellowknife to improve opportunities for French speakers. “We’re competing against Canada, but against the world, too. Everyone’s trying to recruit the most qualiied people,” CDETNO acting Executive Director Anne-Christine Boudreau said. “We’re trying to attract people to the NWT to work, visit, live and invest.”
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LESSONS FROM YELLOWKNIFE The key message is to play to your strengths – the people attracted to the area are excited about the isolation, opportunity and adventure. “There’s that proile of people who want to try something new, have interesting career advancements,” Boudreau says. “It’s commonly known that the North is a very good place to start a career and make some good money, but more than that it’s a place where you can experiment a lot and try new things.” Key to any employer branding strategy is addressing concerns, which for CDETNO and other recruiters in the territory, mostly involves correcting misconceptions. No, they don’t live in igloos or have to run from polar bears on city streets. “A lot of people think we don’t have any summers, which is absolutely false. This summer our thermometer at home hit 42 degrees. It’s not long – maybe three months – but I think that’s one of the biggest myths,” Boudreau says. Some people move and think that Yellowknife residents live in very rugged conditions and are surprised to ind they have electricity, Internet and even Walmart. However, some immigrants end up living rough for a while, if they’re underprepared. A few years ago a family moving from Quebec had sorted out all kinds of details including moving their belongings and making connections in Yellowknife, still, they overlooked one key detail: accommodations. They ended up living at a campsite for three weeks – luckily they had chosen to move in summer. It’s indicative of the tight housing market in Yellowknife. It’s better than it was at the time, but there still aren’t a lot of vacancies, Boudreau said. “People think ‘Oh we’ll just move and ind something,’ but sometimes you want to look ahead and not be stuck camping for three weeks. “I know a couple other individuals who have done the same... Although the people here are very friendly so you can usually ind a place to stay.” The 2006 census found most people moving to Yellowknife were coming from within Canada, but the city is surprisingly diverse. Yellowknife has 108 nationalities represented in its population of 20,000, making it feel welcoming to newcomers. Many will stay just a few-months or years in the transient city, but there are exceptions. Like many, Boudreau came initially for a ive month contract. Three years later she’s running the organization that hired her. “People you meet tell you ‘I came for a year and
What can an HR director takeaway from Yellowknife’s recruitment strategies? • Employees are brand ambassadors Why are your top employees still working for you? They like the culture, the perks, the pay or the managers – hopefully all of the above. These engaged, enthusiastic employees are your best recruitment tool because that energy is infectious and will inspire and attract other top talent. • Know your strengths and weaknesses High pay and career opportunities can certainly outweigh isolation and cold, dark winters. Know what your company’s selling points are and what concerns people might have about working for you. Your organization might have a relaxed culture and great opportunities for growth and advancement, but a reputation for disorganized performance management. • Address misconceptions Does your company really expect 60-hour weeks and frequent weekend work, or is that a myth based on old policies or times of crisis? Know what people believe to be true, and then ind ways to address it. • Reach beyond your standard talent pool The skill shortage is only getting worse, so ind ways to reach beyond your standard talent pool. Numerous groups exist to connect your organization with inter
it’s been 30 years.’ That’s what happened to me. I was here for ive months and it’s been three years. It just happened. You stay because it’s a cool place and people like it.” Boudreau’s story is an example of the career growth opportunities the Northwest Territories are using as a selling point to potential immigrants – she started as a consultant and is now the acting executive director. What keeps her in Yellowknife are all the factors the territory is using to recruit within Canada and beyond. “There’s also the sense of community and the lifestyle, and for people who like outdoor activities it’s one of the best places to live.” There’s one more beneit to Yellowknife that might have the most resistant city-dweller buying a plane ticket. “We don’t have congestion and when I go to Montreal or Toronto, I don’t know how people cope with constantly being stuck in trafic.”
FACTS AND FIGURES
43,000
Population of Northwest Territories
10.3%
Northwest Territories unemployment rate
20,000
Yellowknife population
5.6%
Yellowknife unemployment rate
8%
proportion of Yellowknife residents who moved there in the last year (Compare that to Ottawa’s 4%.)
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HIRING FOR THE
HIGH ARCTIC It invariably shrinks your talent pool if potential employees think they’ll have to live in igloos to work for your company. But HR professionals in the Northwest Territories have found creative ways around that to build a brand even those in the balmy south can learn from
I
It’s a tough time for recruiters in many key sectors as they grapple with signiicant gaps between job openings and available candidates. In short, they’re hardly spoiled for choice. But hiring for Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories has added challenges. How can one of Canada’s least-known regions differentiate itself, and what can an HR director learn from its successes in employer branding? The bulk of the Northwest Territories’ economy is fuelled by mining, which is one of the most competitive recruiting ields in Canada. As well as experienced mine workers and engineers, the region needs workers for the construction industry, transportation and logistics, and medical ields such as nurses and doctors. With several new mines opening in the next eight to 10 years, the territory will need about 3,000 new workers, say analysts. That could be a conservative guesstimate.
Some smaller aboriginal communities have a 30 to 40 per cent unemployment rate, so training programs are vital for the region, but bringing in new, skilled workers is going to be one of the territory’s major challenges in the coming decade. The territorial government is involved in a rebranding campaign, but some local organizations are working to attract people from outside Canada. One non-proit, CDETNO, works to attract French speakers to the region with annual trips to job fairs in France and Belgium through Destination Canada, and initiatives in Yellowknife to improve opportunities for French speakers. “We’re competing against Canada, but against the world, too. Everyone’s trying to recruit the most qualiied people,” CDETNO acting Executive Director Anne-Christine Boudreau said. “We’re trying to attract people to the NWT to work, visit, live and invest.”
62 | NOVEMBER 2013
62-63-Hire_North.indd 62
9/11/2013 2:42:23 AM
HRMONLINE.CA
LESSONS FROM YELLOWKNIFE The key message is to play to your strengths – the people attracted to the area are excited about the isolation, opportunity and adventure. “There’s that proile of people who want to try something new, have interesting career advancements,” Boudreau says. “It’s commonly known that the North is a very good place to start a career and make some good money, but more than that it’s a place where you can experiment a lot and try new things.” Key to any employer branding strategy is addressing concerns, which for CDETNO and other recruiters in the territory, mostly involves correcting misconceptions. No, they don’t live in igloos or have to run from polar bears on city streets. “A lot of people think we don’t have any summers, which is absolutely false. This summer our thermometer at home hit 42 degrees. It’s not long – maybe three months – but I think that’s one of the biggest myths,” Boudreau says. Some people move and think that Yellowknife residents live in very rugged conditions and are surprised to ind they have electricity, Internet and even Walmart. However, some immigrants end up living rough for a while, if they’re underprepared. A few years ago a family moving from Quebec had sorted out all kinds of details including moving their belongings and making connections in Yellowknife, still, they overlooked one key detail: accommodations. They ended up living at a campsite for three weeks – luckily they had chosen to move in summer. It’s indicative of the tight housing market in Yellowknife. It’s better than it was at the time, but there still aren’t a lot of vacancies, Boudreau said. “People think ‘Oh we’ll just move and ind something,’ but sometimes you want to look ahead and not be stuck camping for three weeks. “I know a couple other individuals who have done the same... Although the people here are very friendly so you can usually ind a place to stay.” The 2006 census found most people moving to Yellowknife were coming from within Canada, but the city is surprisingly diverse. Yellowknife has 108 nationalities represented in its population of 20,000, making it feel welcoming to newcomers. Many will stay just a few-months or years in the transient city, but there are exceptions. Like many, Boudreau came initially for a ive month contract. Three years later she’s running the organization that hired her. “People you meet tell you ‘I came for a year and
What can an HR director takeaway from Yellowknife’s recruitment strategies? • Employees are brand ambassadors Why are your top employees still working for you? They like the culture, the perks, the pay or the managers – hopefully all of the above. These engaged, enthusiastic employees are your best recruitment tool because that energy is infectious and will inspire and attract other top talent. • Know your strengths and weaknesses High pay and career opportunities can certainly outweigh isolation and cold, dark winters. Know what your company’s selling points are and what concerns people might have about working for you. Your organization might have a relaxed culture and great opportunities for growth and advancement, but a reputation for disorganized performance management. • Address misconceptions Does your company really expect 60-hour weeks and frequent weekend work, or is that a myth based on old policies or times of crisis? Know what people believe to be true, and then ind ways to address it. • Reach beyond your standard talent pool The skill shortage is only getting worse, so ind ways to reach beyond your standard talent pool. Numerous groups exist to connect your organization with inter
it’s been 30 years.’ That’s what happened to me. I was here for ive months and it’s been three years. It just happened. You stay because it’s a cool place and people like it.” Boudreau’s story is an example of the career growth opportunities the Northwest Territories are using as a selling point to potential immigrants – she started as a consultant and is now the acting executive director. What keeps her in Yellowknife are all the factors the territory is using to recruit within Canada and beyond. “There’s also the sense of community and the lifestyle, and for people who like outdoor activities it’s one of the best places to live.” There’s one more beneit to Yellowknife that might have the most resistant city-dweller buying a plane ticket. “We don’t have congestion and when I go to Montreal or Toronto, I don’t know how people cope with constantly being stuck in trafic.”
FACTS AND FIGURES
43,000
Population of Northwest Territories
10.3%
Northwest Territories unemployment rate
20,000
Yellowknife population
5.6%
Yellowknife unemployment rate
8%
proportion of Yellowknife residents who moved there in the last year (Compare that to Ottawa’s 4%.)
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