Middle managers, those above front-line supervisors but below the executive suite, have the greatest effects on immigrant integration in the workplace. According to a recent study issued by the Toronto Region Immigrant Jobs Council, this is the case.
Make or Break: How Middle Managers and Executives Can Create Immigrant-Inclusive Teams is the title of the paper. This initial study is focused on interviews with diversity and inclusion advocates and middle managers, the majority of whom are immigrants.
These managers play a critical role in ensuring that the newly recruited immigrant feels like a valued member of the team by supplying them with the input they need to advance in their position and within the organisation.
Immigrants are unquestionably a valuable addition to Canada’s economy, and they will play a key role in the country’s post-pandemic recovery. Immigrants, especially those employed on the front lines, have shown their value in the pandemic.
Canada, on the other hand, also has work to do in terms of maximising the potential of newcomer talent. It’s one thing to arrive in Canada and find work. That isn’t enough to ensure an immigrant’s prosperity. Immigrants arrive in Canada from all over the world, bringing with them a variety of workplace traditions, and they must be accepted. They, like anyone else, must have the opportunity to advance in their careers.
Middle managers can better integrate immigrant integration into the business community with the help of key executives.
For Canadian employers to benefit from newcomer talent, certain mental shifts might be needed. For example, dispelling the misconception that immigrants must first acquire “Canadian experience” before being accepted for a position.
How Executives & Managers Can Ensure Immigrants Feel Welcome?
Executives must thoroughly comprehend the difficulties that immigrants encounter before starting a new career. They must make immigrant integration a priority in their organisations and make it clear that middle managers bear responsibility. It should also be evident that middle managers’ success should be related to their attempts to foster egalitarian actions.
This should not be the end of it. When it comes to equality, executives should set a precedent for others.
Middle managers have the greatest impact on whether or not immigrant workers are accepted and how much they advance within the business. These administrators, according to the paper, should be in charge of building team environments that work for all, even those that are new to Canada and are accustomed to diverse working cultures and traditions.
Furthermore, middle managers can need to redefine what constitutes an employee’s performance. According to one interviewee, middle managers’ value systems are traditionally aligned with North American, male, and heteronormative views.
Middle managers can also take a look at how their company recruits new workers. Inclusion can also be promoted in the recruitment and selection process. This encompasses the way the job description is written as well as revealing the qualifications needed to perform the job’s duties. In a work posting, for example, it should be clear which skills and credentials are needed and which are considered a plus.
This not only aids immigrant integration. According to research, women are less likely to apply for jobs for which they believe they are underqualified. Making work posts more visible will inspire more people to apply, particularly those who may not have applied otherwise.
It Isn’t Going To Happen Overnight
Middle managers can be able to create a workplace that is inclusive and accommodating, where their foreign expertise is respected, and where they will thrive as a result, with the assistance of executives.
It serves as a timely reminder that inclusion does not happen immediately. It is a long-term goal that should be followed by executives, middle managers, and everybody in the Canadian workplace.