Event category: Breakout

Hear Josh Nilson’s unconventional path from rural BC, to being a proud Metis co-founder and CEO of the $150M tech company, East Side Games. Josh breaks the myth that you need to go to college or university to work in tech – and shares his beliefs that formal education requirements can block DEI initiatives.  This candid conversation will discuss the industry’s power, privilege, and social responsibility to move the needle on drawing more diverse people into the tech sector – and how the industry can become a great equalizer by opening up jobs for everyone.

Takeaways:

• Josh’s lived experience and non-traditional path from working in a rural kitchen in northern BC, to founding a highly successful gaming company
• The opportunity to train and re skill workers from any demographic, geographic location or ethnicity into tech jobs
• Raised awareness of the work that still needs to be done to build culturally safe, inclusive and welcoming work environments for Inuit, Metis and First Nations Peoples
• How we can build towards drawing more diverse people into tech

Systemic change is needed to attract and retain more Indigenous employees in the tech sector to support diversity, equity, inclusion, innovation, and reconciliation. Organizations should be more authentic and intentional on how they foster and recruit tech talent amongst Indigenous peoples. This session will uncover how the existing frameworks and core values of most tech companies present fundamental conflicts that actively exclude underrepresented talent – and learn tactical tips on how you can remove barriers in both recruitment and retention. Gain insights on how to actively seek out Indigenous perspectives and go beyond simply inviting them to the table by providing them a culturally safe workplace.

Takeaways:

• Benefits of integrating an Indigenous lens on mental health in the workplace (and the impact if you don’t)
• Key elements to building an inclusive workplace where Indigenous tech talent can thrive and succeed
• Advice for finding, hiring, supporting, leading and retaining Indigenous tech talent
• Get a copy of an EDIB mental health toolkit that you can start using today

Since the start of 2023, over 300 tech companies have laid off 100,000+ workers. These decisions to layoff or furlough employees are not easy for the employers, laid-off workers, or the staff that remains. Maintaining and enhancing company culture after personnel cutbacks may be as challenging to a business as operational downsizing. The ‘new normal’ after layoffs are often littered with feelings of mistrust, burnout, ‘workplace survivors’ guilt, employee disengagement, and high staff turnover.  This session will explore tactical tips on what employers can do to reinforce their commitment to their remaining employees, boost morale, and capitalize the opportunity as a catalyst to improve company culture.

Takeaways:

• Boosting employee morale, trust and persuading your remaining employees to emotionally reinvest in your company after making workforce cuts
• Strategies to reduce employee turnover and retaining top employees during restructuring
• The importance of transparency, open communication, and commitment to your corporate values and purpose during restructuring
• How to ensure DEI measures and initiatives are not forgotten in the process and aftermath of layoffs

Supporting employees from burnout and feelings of overwhelm is a huge challenge – particularly with the added barriers of leading remote teams.  Learn what companies can do to create the kinds of environments where employees can flourish – personally and professionally while reducing absenteeism, improving productivity, and increasing employee morale. To deliver scalable, sustainable results, it is critical to understand and care for the emotional and mental health of your talent. Hear how companies can address the misalignment between employee needs and expectations and the reality of what organization are offering in order to boost retention and overall wellbeing of their talent:

• Mental Health in the workplace
• How can CPOs improve their EQ skills in a remote work environment?
• What benefits can have a meaningful impact on employees’ circumstances?
• The latest demands related to hybrid and remote work—and the best ways to respond

Workplace cultures may have shifted to increase feelings of belonging and inclusion for many, but recruitment metrics on diversity of tech talent have not followed suit. Learn how you can approach talent acquisition differently to make a measurable difference and move the needle on your DEIB initiatives. It’s time to focus on diversity hiring by developing and implementing a strategy that corrects bias while attracting, and retaining, qualified candidates.

Takeaways:

• Audit your systems: how to audit your recruitment process to ensure you are using inclusive practices throughout the hiring process; from preparing, sourcing, screening, selecting, hiring, and onboarding
• Reduce Bias in the hiring process: learn about practical ways to reduce bias that contribute to inequitable experiences for tech talent from underrepresented groups
• Connect with diverse talent: gain strategies and tactics that will help you connect with and source talent coming from different (or underrepresented) social or cultural backgrounds
• What now? Ways to measure if your DEI hiring efforts are getting results you want

The only constant in the tech industry is change. Amidst volatility, the need for HR and leadership to steady the ship and prepare for all outcomes is a necessity – especially today when news can go viral almost instantly. The successful rollout of an organizational transformation relies heavily on how the change is communicated to employees and other stakeholders. Creating a compelling narrative is the first step. Developing a playbook to get buy-in and guide the dissemination of information at all levels can make all the difference. Learn the importance of a narrative in addressing the ‘what’ and ‘why’ to diverse stakeholders and how you can create a shared understanding amongst your team to guide you into the future.

Takeaways:

• How to develop your narrative and a play book to gain buy-in
• The Three T’s: Trust, transparency, timing
• Coaching leaders to articulate change in a way everyone understands through storytelling and connecting the what and the why
• Be proactive and anticipate all outcomes