Mike and Eva - What is the value to the organization

(DESCRIPTION)
Text, What is the value to the organization? Engaging the Indigenous community. Mike Schwartz, Nibing Noodin, Executive Director (retired) Workplace Strategies for Mental Health.

(SPEECH)
Well I think the first point I'd make is that an organization embarking on Indigenous engagement should approach it as a long term direction. It's not some flavor of the day that might be displaced by another priority in a little while out. It is a long term direction.

And I think there's three primary reasons an organization might engage, and the first is really values based. It's recognition of a social responsibility, it's part of reconciliation, or simply put, it's just the right thing to do.

I think the second primary driver is organizational performance. And that's a real belief that in the long term, engagement will contribute to the organization achieving its goals. Whether that's by opening up another pool of talent, or increasing the diversity of the workforce, or whatever. But it's good for the organization.

Ideally, an organization really, in my view, should have both those beliefs. And if they believe in both those elements-- values and organization performance-- that really bodes well for long term commitment and future success.

The third reason is, one might call tokenism. It's really to sort of check a box on some sort of affirmative action agenda, or to avoid being taken to task for lack of diversity, and that kind of thing. And if that's really your reason for engaging the Indigenous community, it really poses a lot of risk that you're not going to achieve the kind of benefits that are available.

It's not real, it's not going to sustain commitment, and it's not going to achieve the kind of results you're trying to achieve. It's just a must do.

(DESCRIPTION)
Text, Canada Life. Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. WWW dot c l w s m h dot com. All Workplace Strategies for Mental Health resources are available to anyone at no cost, compliments of Canada Life. Special thanks to Amik Inc for their support of this video. Amik Inc, Diversity in action.