SMEs get help with new HR initiative

Northern Ontario’s economy is driven by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); however, many aren’t reaching their full potential. They face challenges relating to recruiting, hiring, training and retaining a skilled workforce.

HR North, a new initiative for SMEs, will address some of those issues.

“We have put together a support centre (website) for the businesses that don’t have internal capacity to work on recruitment and retention and beyond that,” said Marla Tremblay, president of Markey Consulting.

HR North was spearheaded by the North Bay Newcomer Network, and Tremblay has been working on the development of the project. The website is expected to be launched in October.

The first phase of the initiative will include a web-based tool that will enable SMEs to access a database of job-ready people.

HR North has partnered with a number of agencies who will upload their clients’ resume into the system. They range from entry-level to skilled.

“Every single person that gets loaded into the database has to be vetted first,” said Tremblay. “They are pre-qualified. It’s not like the online sites where anyone can put their resumes in.”

If an individual wishes to be included in the database, he or she must first go through one of the community partners which includes YES Employment, post secondary institutions, district social services administration boards, or an immigration service.

“Job ready doesn’t just mean the piece of paper but it includes the soft skills as well,” she said. “There has to be some relationship between you and the agency. They know you are job ready and are signing off on it.”

If clients claim to have graduated from a program, they must produce the accompanying certification.

“It’s all about creating a credible system for employers and putting the onus on individuals to get their credentials organized and meeting the requirements,” Tremblay said.

An employer can then submit a job posting and matches are made based on what they are looking for. The search can be done by the employer, or by those running the site. The employer does not know where the referral comes from.

“The proper management of human capital is an essential part of any organization success. The HR North program is a proactive response to the human resources needs of the Northern Ontario business community and will be a welcomed resource to any company but specifically those who have limited human resources job functions,” said Jamie Klomp, president of the Timmins and District Chapter of the Human Resources Professional Association.

Clients can put in documents or criminal checks and check off if they are eligible for wage subsidies or an internship.

“It’s all these extra steps the employer doesn’t have to do and they know that everything has been vetted,” Tremblay said.

Employers can also click on icons on client profiles that link to schools they have attended or companies they have worked for.

On the client end, prospective employees can utilize tools such as tips on resume writing and record themselves doing practice interviews.

Initially HR North will cover an area that stretches from Parry Sound to Hearst, and run along the Hwy. 11 corridor.

“Long term, we see this as being on its own and sustainable,” she said. “Right now Sudbury isn’t part of it, but I do expect it will expand.”

A study conducted for the North Bay Newcomer Network indicated that 98 per cent of employers in Northern Ontario have fewer than 100 employers. More than 90 per cent of the SMEs do not have dedicated on-site human resources support.

“Even the larger firms that do have HR capacity are so busy, that areas like recruitment and retention are not being done the way they should be,” Tremblay said. “We are primarily for the SMEs but we will help the larger firms.”

Employers will pay a fee to access the database.

In the future, different services will be available for companies, such as standard templates for HR documents. Once it is launched, employer engagement will be ongoing and marketing material will be developed.

“Right now there are a lot of partners engaged in this and a lot have contributed dollars to this,” she said.

“Communities and economic development commissions see the value in this. A job-ready labour force is essential and having this extra tool in your pocket when you have an investor coming into town is also essential. They can go into the database and see what is currently available.”