Create an Inclusive Workplace

Inclusive employment is good business

Inclusive hiring isn't just about fairness; it's smart business. Employers who embrace inclusivity gain access to top talent, reduced turnover and increased productivity.

It doesn't have to be complicated. The right tools can help simplify your process, reduce hiring risks and boost workplace success. Check out these toolkits to help make hiring easy:

Hire smarter, not harder

Great hiring starts before the interview. Employers who use structured recruitment strategies make better hires faster, reduce turnover and boost retention. These resources help you hire smarter:

Hire Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Peoples are a growing part of the workforce and workers from Indigenous communities can bring commitment and skills to workplaces across B.C. Find out more from:

Indigenous Recruitment Guide – Learn about hiring Indigenous professionals from the Environmental Careers Organization.
Indigenous Works Tips for Hiring Aboriginal Employees – Incorporate cultural awareness when you review resumes, conduct interviews and use questionnaires for hiring.
Indigenous Careers – Use this job site to post jobs and find recruits for a wide range of businesses.
Tips for hiring Aboriginal employees – Learn how to have successful cross-cultural interviews.
Indigenous Tourism BC Learning Hub – Find resources designed to help your business thrive.

Hire young workers

Young workers bring fresh ideas, technical skills and energy. In many cases, funding is available to help employers recruit, train and hire young employees. Find out about employment programs for youth:

Canada youth and student employment programs – Take advantage of programs that fund jobs for students, young employees, skills development programs and more.
Hire an Apprentice – Hire a young tradesperson and benefit from employment incentives, as well as the growing skills and up-to-date techniques the apprentice will bring.

Hire people with disabilities

Studies show that employees with disabilities have:

A low turnover rate and high attendance.
A safety rate that is as good as or better than average.
No additional costs of employment.
A strong positive impact on workplace and community values.

Find out more from:

WorkBC programs and supports – Learn how WorkBC Assistive Technology Services supports people who have a work-related barrier due to a disability or a functional limitation. Assistive technology can help with mobility supports, alternative keyboards, voice input equipment and workplace modifications.
Accessible Employers – Find more about employers experiences with recruiting, hiring and retaining people with disabilities
Open Door Group – Learn about services and supports for employers who hire people with disabilities.
Inclusion BC – Find resources and success stories to support employers who hire people with disabilities.
Ready, Willing and Able – Build an inclusive workforce by hiring employees with an intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder.
Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities – Get funding for certain activities that help people with disabilities obtain or maintain employment.
Canadian Association for Supported Employment HR Toolkit – Learn how to successfully integrate a person experiencing disability into your workplace.
Hire for Talent Employer Toolkit – Learn about the skills people with disabilities bring to the workplace and use resources, including practical tips and strategies, on successful recruitment, hiring, inclusion and retention of people with disabilities.

For additional resources, see the Government of Canada's Hiring persons with disabilities website. You'll find facts on the benefits of inclusive hiring, tools to make your workplace inclusive, and sources of financial support.

Hire immigrants

Immigrants form over 20 per cent of Canada’s workforce, and are a large pool of skilled workers. Most immigrants are highly educated, speak more than one language and can link your business to customers in Canada’s ethnic communities and abroad. Find out more from:

Immigrant Employment Council of BC – Find, hire and retain skilled immigrant employees.
Hiring and Retaining Skilled Immigrants (PDF) – Discover a sound approach to hiring and retaining skilled immigrants from the B.C. Human Resources Management Association.
Hiring Internationally Trained Workers – Get tips and tools on recruiting immigrants and internationally trained workers.
Get in the Know Handbook – Find resources to hire internationally trained workers.

Hire temporary foreign workers

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) helps employers who cannot find qualified Canadian workers. The program allows eligible foreign workers to work in Canada for a limited time. To access the program, you must show that you cannot find Canadian workers to fill job openings.

Take the time to thoroughly understand this program before you apply to hire a temporary foreign worker (TFW). Use the following information to make the best decisions for your workplace.

How to hire a temporary foreign worker

Hiring a temporary foreign worker, in most cases, involves three main steps:

As the employer, you apply for a labour market impact assessment (LMIA, formerly known as a labour market opinion or LMO). You must be able to show that you have genuinely tried to find Canadian workers and have been unable to do so. Find out if you need a labour market impact assessment and how to get one.
If you receive a positive LMIA, you can make a job offer to a foreign worker. The worker then applies for a work permit from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The application would include your written job offer and the LMIA. If the IRCC assessment is positive, the worker is issued a work permit.
When the worker arrives in Canada, he or she is screened by the Canadian Border Services Agency to confirm the LMIA and work permit information.

There are a number of exceptions and special rules for categories such as agricultural workers, film and entertainment workers, and skilled workers. For details, please read CIC’s guidebook for employers, How to Hire a Temporary Foreign Worker.

Tips for Employers

Consult B.C. labour market information (LMI) before designing your recruitment strategy. LMI will help you make informed decisions on local and international recruitment. Track your recruitment and advertising methods and results to show that you have made reasonable efforts to hire Canadians.
Take care to comply with immigration processes and policies. You must also observe provincial employment, labour and safety requirements in your workplace.
If you choose to recruit workers through a third-party representative, check the experience and references of agencies you are considering. Also ensure that a recruiter is licensed in B.C., even if their business or main operations are located outside the province. Businesses or organizations that offer recruitment services do not get licensed – only individuals (including those within businesses and organizations) are licensed. Recruiters who operate without a licence could receive significant fines. If you use a recruiter who isn’t licensed in B.C., you can be fined and/or have your registration to hire temporary foreign workers cancelled. Find a licensed recruiter.
Consider the information from the B.C. Employment Standards Branch and the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
Prepare for the arrival of your temporary foreign workers to ensure they clearly understand their working conditions, and how to live and work in B.C. You can find additional information for TFWs at WelcomeBC.ca.
If you want to keep your temporary foreign worker in your business, you may be able to help them pursue permanent residence under B.C.'s Provincial Nominee Program. This provides access to immigration for qualified high-skilled workers, entrepreneurs and entry-level or semi-skilled workers in select careers. Another option for permanent residence is the federal Express Entry system.
Read more about B.C.'s programs for international workers at WelcomeBC.

Industry-specific toolkits

Inclusive hiring helps widen your talent pool. Many employers worry that inclusive hiring is costly, complicated or won’t work for their industry. The truth is that with the right strategies, it’s a game changer. Explore hiring toolkits designed for your sector:

Trades
Inclusive Hiring Practices Toolkit – Learn how to attract, recruit and retain underrepresented talent in the trades.

Retail
Inclusive Retail Toolkit – Find strategies for creating inclusive customer service and hiring diverse talent.

Finance
Inclusive Recruiting Toolkit – See best practices for equitable hiring in financial services.

Tourism
Disability Inclusion in Tourism Workplaces – Ensure accessibility and inclusion in the tourism and hospitality sector.

Belong Program – Find comprehensive inclusion training for tourism businesses.

Grants and funding

Most workplace accommodations for a person with a disability cost $500 or less, and many accommodations have no cost. Check out these funding programs:

If you need help applying, find your nearest WorkBC Centre for free support!

Learn more about inclusive hiring

Looking to build a more inclusive workplace? This Guide to Inclusive Hiring will help you attract top talent, boost productivity and enhance your brand reputation.

Learn how WorkBC Assistive Technology Services supports people who have a work-related barrier due to a disability or a functional limitation. Assistive technology can help with mobility supports, alternative keyboards, voice input equipment, workplace modifications and other services.

Visit the Work Wellness Institute to learn about creating healthy workplaces by turning research into practice.

Read more about B.C. employers' experiences with starting accessibility initiatives, their successes, challenges and lessons learned at AccessibleEmployers.ca.

Why should you consider hiring people with disabilities? Read the compelling business case.

Check out B.C.'s 10-Year Accessibility Action Plan and progress updates.

For additional resources, see the Government of Canada's Hiring persons with disabilities website. You'll find facts on the benefits of inclusive hiring, tools to make your workplace inclusive, and sources of financial support.

Are you an employer with a success story to share? Email us at wbcinfo@gov.bc.ca.

Are you someone with a disability? Find relevant career resources on workbc.ca/accessibility. You can also access more information through one of B.C.’s 102 WorkBC Centres.