With four in 10 Canadian workers lacking the basic literacy skills required to do their jobs properly or to learn additional skills, The Conference Board of Canada has introduced a new online resource centre to help employers improve the literacy of their employees.
The online resource centre (Workplace Literacy Central) is specifically geared for employers who often develop internal training methods in isolation from practices elsewhere in the private sector, using their own resources.
The International Adult Literacy Survey by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has found that 42 per cent of employees lack basic literacy skills, such as reading text, oral and written communication and ability to use numbers.
"Literacy skills are the foundation upon which employees build further skills, knowledge and expertise," says Michael Bloom, director of education and learning for the Conference Board. "Even a small increase in literacy skills in the country's workplaces would make organizations more efficient and productive."
The online resource tool has been developed in partnership with the National Literacy Secretariat of Human Resources Development Canada.
