spoke to Alberta’s electricity employers
to see why diversity, equity and inclusion are critical to them.
Here are some of their perspectives…
I started in the electricity generation sector over forty years ago.
Those were simpler days, for sure.
But times have changed, and so has our sector.
It takes a lot of time, money and energy to hire, train and retain employees.
And the skill sets needed keep evolving – just like our industry.
Alberta’s demand for electricity
especially from renewable resources – is growing.
This means we’ll have to improve on our organization’s hiring and retention practices.
We’ve realized that we need more agile and responsive teams
with technical and professional skills to understand and respond to our customers’ needs.
There’s so much competition for talent with transferable skills
so we need creative approaches in attracting, hiring and keeping the best people.
We are also aware that more and more people prefer to work at a place
where diversity and inclusion are core organization values.
We recently hired two new employees who were educated outside Canada.
I tell you, they changed the team dynamic, and for the better.
It took a bit of time to learn how to work together, and to work differently as a team,
but I find the whole team a little sharper and more focussed.
And performance has improved.
It is important for my team to discuss and address this talent challenge.
We want our company to be leading edge – and a disruptive force in our sector.
he key to standing out from the competition is to have more diversity of opinions,
ideas and points of view in our company.
I also realize that not only has our business changed,
but our customers have too!
Their needs are more diverse than ever before.
We need to reflect that reality and to better understand our clients and communities.
The question is: How do we go about all that?
The fact that you’re considering the value of diverse experiences and perspectives for your company
is the first step in the right direction.
Alberta is already recognized as a leader in innovative energy production.
It now must lead the way in bringing a range of fresh ideas and approaches
to spark that continued innovation and to drive performance in our sector.
Diversity of thought is what our companies need.
And to get those great disruptive ideas
and understand our changing customer base,
three critical elements are required:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Diversity in our workforce increases the range of experiences and perspectives.
That diversity includes women and gender,
Indigenous peoples,
newcomers,
visible minorities,
and persons with disabilities.
It also involves people from a range of generations,
diverse sexual orientations,
varied educational backgrounds and beyond.
Diversity is the first element for illuminating opportunity in Alberta’s Electricity Sector.
Electricity Human Resources Canada has developed a guide that features quick reference tools
and other materials to help you with the “how”.
To get started, go to: electricityhr.ca
