EnPoint – Digital Nova Scotia – Leading Digital Industry

Defining the “new normal” and designing the employee experience of the future, today

Online

The pandemic has shocked the economy and transformed how organizations operate, creating a “new normal” for institutes, economic development agencies, employees and job seekers. With the introduction of social distancing, digitalization has seen tremendous growth; research by Mckinsey & Company reported that 80% of organizations interact with customers digitally, three times more than before the pandemic. Furthermore, several trends have emerged, such as the need for upskilling/reskilling, change in flexibility from location to time, and shift from managing employee work experience to life experience, i.e., the “employee experience”. The global 2021 Employee Experience survey found that 92% of organizations prioritized employee experience enhancements over the next 3 years, higher by 52% from before the pandemic; yet 79% of organizations reported that they have not yet arrived at their new workplace reality. From the employee perspective, during the initial phase of the pandemic, 72% of employees had confidence in leaders to protect employee health and wellbeing, but that number had fallen to 57% as 52% of employees reported high to moderate anxiety. The employee experience matters because it shapes an employee’s perception and dedication to an organization. Yet the current uncertain environment creates challenges for organizations to build a supportive employee […]

(PEI) Reskilling for Greater Prosperity

Online

The global pandemic has resulted in millions of jobs lost, whole industries changed forever, and a workforce and employers who may be struggling to keep up with rapidly evolving skills-requirements and adapting to an increasingly digitized world of work. These factors can create barriers between those looking to hire and job seekers looking to enter, re-enter and/or progress in the workforce of 2021+. During the pandemic, many employees have been laid-off from jobs in industries, such as retail, leisure and tourism, etc., that will not be rehiring, or will require employees to have a different skill set. Research by McKinsey & Company found that compared to before the pandemic, 25% more workers may need to switch occupations, and Randstad’s Skilling Today survey reported that nearly 70% of HR professionals now ask or require employees to upskill or reskill to meet changing business needs. Yet most companies only offer training opportunities to team leads, managers and/or high-potential employees, leaving others to fend for themselves. The current rate of upskilling and reskilling would take decades to prepare job seekers to enter the workforce, which by then would have a very different outlook of the future of work. Thus, it is imperative for […]

De-mything “soft skills” (Host: NWT)

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McKinsey & Company’s global survey on reskilling reported that the proportion of companies addressing empathy and interpersonal skills doubled in 2020, while Deloitte predicts that soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030. Yet soft skills have been undervalued or overlooked, and are still surrounded by myths such as: they are inherent and cannot be learned; they are secondary skills or non-essential; they only matter in customer service or client-facing positions; they are more commonly present in extraverts or certain groups of people; and they are equitable to language and communication skills. So what is the truth behind these myths- how important are “soft skills” and what are we willing to invest in developing them? Join leaders as they share their personal and organizational experiences and learnings to shed light on and de-myth soft skills, and provide advice and guidance to organizations and job seekers looking to develop these highly relevant and transferable skills to be successful in the job market: Jennifer Phillips, Executive Director, Northwest Territories Chamber of Commerce Dr. Kerry Lynn Durnford, Program Head, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Post-BSN, Aurora College Jill Haigh, Human Resources Partner, Manulife Financial Introduced by Luke […]

Exploring opportunities in rural communities

Online

The urban-rural divide in Canada describes disadvantages for rural communities in terms of economic growth, population density, income distribution, career opportunities, quality of life, etc. Yet while the global pandemic resulted in unprecedented job loss in 2020, rural areas have seen the fastest overall employment recovery. Furthermore, while only 18% of the current population in Canada lives in rural areas, research conducted by Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship predicts that rural areas will achieve rapid population growth in the coming years. As a result of COVID-19, employee and job seeker’s preferences are changing and Canadian’s are choosing greener spaces over big cities. This will foster rural communities with more diversity and lead to greater employment and training opportunities for the future of work. Join leaders as they share their personal and organizational experiences and learnings on how organizations and job seekers can identify and explore opportunities to build meaningful careers and work in rural communities: Tara Mascarenhas, Director of Programs, SOI Foundation To be Announced To be Announced Introduced by Luke Nixon-Janssen, Director, Marketing & Business Development, Magnet and moderated by Chantal Brine, CEO, EnPoint, we invite you to the next installment of the Building Future Ready Communities: Virtual […]

Building scientific capacity and a new generation of researchers (Host: SK)

Online

Advances in technology and increasing digitalization, before and exacerbated during the pandemic, have led to higher demand for advanced skills sets. To build the future of work, we need to empower a new generation of researchers by nurturing talent and creating opportunities for career development. The critical importance of building scientific capability is apparent, and the first steps have already been taken with the Government of Canada investing over $550 million to support more than 5,500 researchers from coast to coast to coast, and universities across Canada creating opportunity for experiential learning in leading research labs to help young researchers develop the foundational skills and experience needed to pursue meaningful careers in R&D and related fields. Supporting researchers in the early stages of their career helps them build an innovative mindset, confidence and important industry and community connections. Yet, these young researchers face many challenges, including establishing research credentials or having them recognized, limited resources for research, and high competition for the scarce research positions available. Join leaders as they share their personal and organizational initiatives, experiences and learnings in building scientific capacity and supporting a new generation of researchers for a better future world of work. Introduced by Florence […]

Integrating different cultures in the workplace (Host: YT)

Online

Integrating different cultures in the workplace (Host: YT) August 11th, 1-2 EST / 2-3 ADT The pandemic has transformed business operations and employee expectations. With 77% of Canadians desiring flexibility to work in the office and remotely, the hybrid workplace model is becoming the “new normal.” The hybrid model has allowed organizations to access global talent and support the creation of broadly diverse teams that bring together different skill sets, experiences and ideas, and create opportunities to learn and grow from different cultures and wisdoms. Hybrid is the new normal, and an opportunity to rethink and remake organizational culture together. A recent HP Canada survey found that over a third of Canadian employees believe a hybrid work model is the most beneficial for advancing marginalized groups. Yet the increasing multicultural workforce comes with the challenge of integrating different cultures and wisdom in the workplace. While the importance of workplace culture is growing, and a Deloitte survey found that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is important to business success, 81% of employees believe their managers need to be better trained to effectively manage a hybrid workplace team. In the post-secondary world, some institutes’ anti-discrimination […]

Career Champions: Helping employees and job seekers reflect on their career plan (Host: BC)

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In normal circumstances, after a milestone, challenge, or success, we often find ourselves thinking back and wondering what we could have done better, what went well, and what different decisions could have been made. In the wake of COVID-19, or any large-scale event of this nature where people have had time to reflect, it is then no surprise to see data pointing to “mass resignations”. For example, a survey by Lighthouse Labs found that 57% of Canadians would change careers if given the opportunity, which for many is the pandemic. Employees’ expectations have shifted as a result of the pandemic. IBM’s global survey shows that employees prioritize work-life balance (51%), career advancement opportunities (43%), compensation and benefits (41%), employer ethics and values (41%) and continuous learning opportunities (36%). Similarly, the pandemic has impacted student and prospective employee expectations, increasing demand for career-oriented programs, internship and post-graduate work opportunities, career counseling resources, and upskilling courses. A survey of 6,500 students and graduates found that the pandemic has caused about 30% to change their career plans, while just under 40% stated that they are still uncertain. These changing expectations and increasing self-reflection are not a bad omen however. Reflection helps us gain […]