By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

With a changing economy, Lethbridge employers are learning to adapt

Nov 8, 2017 | 12:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE – With advances in automation and artificial intelligence, the workforce and economy is changing in Alberta and as the province begins to rise out a recession it’s important for businesses to adapt to those changes to remain successful and competitive.

That was the focus of a seminar put on by the Talent Pool, a not-for-profit from Calgary, at the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce at the Coast Hotel Wednesday (Nov. 8).

Workforce planning best practices for small and medium organizations, as well as not-for-profits, was the focus with a specific focus on teaching some human resource skills for employers.

Lethbridge currently ranks fourth among Canada’s Best Places for Business by Canadian Business and PROFIT, as well as the second most Business Friendly.

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Marcie Kiziak, a senior HR professional in Edmonton and a Board Director for CPHR Alberta, says autonomy, flexibility and nimbleness are important elements in this new work environment.

“For the last couple of years, we saw owners and leaders doing more with less, and now they have an opportunity to add resources back in a very meaningful and strategic way,” she continued. “In a growth period one of the greatest strengths for business is strategic workforce planning – aligning the overall business plan with people initiatives.”

The clinic featured a handful of presentations from different Talent Pool partners, and all of them believe in how valuable it is to educate and provide small businesses with the necessary HR tools and work force planning to build and strengthen a business at its core.

The workforce plan is critical when moving organizations forward, according to Senior HR Consultant Landis Jackson.

“It’s important to focus on the vision and mission of the organization and then develop the culture, so united the workforce can work to achieve the business strategy. Recruiting and selecting the right talent are the first steps in this plan.”

Chris Thomas, a member of the Talent Pool Board of Directors, says the information provided can help businesses adapt to changes.

“It depends on what each organization is looking for. HR in a Box helps those small to medium size enterprises and not-for-profits that need HR help but don’t necessarily have the amount of people needed in house. It’s a program that’s supported by the government of Alberta and really, it’s about getting information out to the organizations that need it.”

For businesses that are small and looking to grow, Thomas says having employers with HR skills in their back pocket becomes a great resource.

“So when they come to the seminar, and ask questions about what they’re dealing with in terms of recruitment and retainment, it will help their business grow and thrive,” Thomas said.

Part of what happens as the economy continues to change is new types of jobs and work environments emerge, and with more companies becoming smaller and nimbler they’re able to take care of the business side without any issues.

But, Thomas says the HR stuff kind of goes off to the side of somebody’s plate. The information provided today will help employers who don’t usually deal with these issues regularly, but want to learn how it works.

“Within their own company, they’ll be able to adapt to changes going on directly in the economy when it comes to new trends in recruitment. One of the speakers today touched on the issue of how do you find new people that are going to come and work for you, and how are you determining that they’re the right person for the job.

“How are you defining it?” Thomas continued. “Is it just someone who has a technical skill set or is it someone who has the same skill set, but fits in well with your company? Well how do you go about doing that? What kind of recruitment efforts are you carrying out, and are you doing any sort of testing of individuals to see whether or not they’re going to be a fit for you? This is really to help people find some answers to those questions.”

This is the first seminar to come to Lethbridge, but other events like this have been taking place in Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat and Red Deer for a few years now.

Thomas says they have seen the numbers in those areas grow every time they come back for another seminar.

“Every single time we host one of these events in an area where we’ve been before, the number of people in attendance has increased. Not only do we see the people who’ve been here from the start, we see new people who’ve heard about the positive impacts from their friends or colleagues,” Thomas stated.

From the Talent Pool’s point of view, the best thing to come of all of this is the benefits the individual companies see.

“Whether they’re a not for profit or a small business, it’s really helping to open the door for them to find the right people to fit into whatever kind of work atmosphere they’re looking for.”

The Talent Pool and the Chamber of Commerce are planning to host more sessions in Lethbridge in the new year, including Jan. 17, Feb. 15, and Mar. 14.