Small Business Resources | CFIB

Broadening your hiring pool: under-represented workers

Written by Business Resource Advisor | Jun 28, 2023 7:31:00 PM

Brought to you by HRNow! The Right Advice at the Right Time to help you make the Right Decision

Finding the right employees can feel like a challenge. What do you do when you are not able to find a good candidate through your usual pathways? Perhaps you need to consider hiring from the following under-represented groups? Here are a few different groups of people who are often overlooked for employment for a variety of reasons: 


Older Workers

Some seniors have left the work force and are now eager to return. There are many advantages to hiring an older worker:

  • Years of Experience
  • Knowledge
  • Strong work ethic
  • Can be mentors to younger staff.
  • Older workers typically remain with an employer longer, reducing the costs associated with hiring and training new staff


People with Disabilities 

22% (more than 6.2m) of Canadians identify as having a disability. What business owner doesn’t want access to an untapped labour pool? Yet many companies shy away from hiring a person with a disability for reasons that are not rooted in fact:

MYTH FACT
My workers’ compensation premiums will increase Premiums are based on the type of work and the employer's accident history, not on who does the work.
People with disabilities don't have the necessary skills to do the job People with disabilities have comparable skills and education to those without disabilities.
Accommodations are expensive and complicated The most frequent accommodations cost nothing or very little.

Learn more about hiring people with disabilities: 


Indigenous workers:

Indigenous youth are one of the fastest growing young populations in Canada; an estimated 600 000 Indigenous youth will enter/have entered the labour market between 2001 and 2026. 

Learn more about hiring Indigenous workers:


Refugees 

The Canadian government has made it easier than ever to hire skilled refugees in Canada by creating the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.

Learn more about hiring refugees:


New Immigrants

In 2022, Canada welcomed 431,645 permanent residents with targets increasing in upcoming years. It is now easier than ever to hire a permanent foreign worker.

Learn more about hiring new immigrants: 


Reservists: 

Reservists represent a highly trained labour pool and offer a variety of transferable skills including but not limited to:

  • Organizational Skills
  • Problem Solving and Issue Resolution
  • Leadership
  • Teamwork

Reservists are focused on the greater good of their unit, either in the field or in the workplace. Many small businesses thrive by employing one of these highly skilled individuals.

Learn more about hiring reservists:

Veterans 

Canadian Armed Force Vets are known for being highly skilled in many areas: 

  • Leadership
  • Organization
  • Technology

Learn more about hiring veterans:


Offenders 

The Correctional Service of Canada has created a pool of highly skilled labour. Helping an offender find meaningful employment supports positive reintegration into Canadian society. 

Learn more about hiring offenders: