Using Communications Theory to Enhance Indigenous Employee Recruitment and Retention on Vancouver Island

Charla Huber wants to identify how employers can better support Indigenous employees. Many companies have identified they want to increase the number of Indigenous employees, but little success has been found. Charla will receive guidance from Indigenous Elders and leaders across British Columbia to understand the differences in how Indigenous people communicate and how their cultural values impact their role as an employee. Once identified, Charla will look at standard workplace systems and organizational design such as job interviews and find ways to tweak them to be more welcoming and supportive of Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees. This research will demonstrate to employers how common practices are filtering out good employees rather than filtering them in.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jennifer Walinga

Student:

Charla Huber

Partner:

M’akola Development Services

Discipline:

Cultural studies

Sector:

University:

Royal Roads University

Program: