According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canada welcomes more permanent economic migrants than any other country in the world. Immigration helps to counter Canada’s low birth rate and aging population, and migrants bring a wealth of experience and cultural input with them.
In immediate terms, temporary and permanent foreign-born workers provide a solution to labour shortages. When Canadian employers need to expand, hard-working migrants bring diverse skills and long-term loyalty to the table.
Recently, Randstad helped a food production company hire and onboard vital staff — and the results were outstanding.
the problem
Volume hiring is a problem for many companies in Canada. Industrial jobs are hard to fill, and when applicants do come along, they don’t stay with their employers for very long. Last year, a food-processing company in the Quebec area found itself caught up in an employee turnover quandary, which cost the organization money and made it hard to expand.
The business hired recent immigrants to fulfil its labour needs, but new employees — particularly those who didn’t speak French — found it difficult to settle in. Workers across the board felt frustrated and staff turnover shot up. Constant recruitment drives led to a dip in revenue, productivity and morale.
As the marketplace grew, the food-processing firm decided to expand. Despite its HR team’s best efforts, however, the company’s workforce remained static. Things had to change — and that’s when the organization brought Randstad on board.
the solution
When our team arrived on scene in Quebec, we noticed several issues right away. Newcomers found language differences hard to overcome, and they consequently felt unable to integrate and perform well in their new roles. Supervisors weren’t able to communicate properly with staff, and tensions were high as a result.
Soft skills — adaptability and willingness to learn — weren’t prioritized during the company’s recruitment process. Instead, HR personnel favoured candidates with previous food processing experience. Training and growth opportunities weren’t available, and people left as a result.
Randstad worked with the food-processing company to develop new initiatives, including foreign-language onboarding programs and ongoing French lessons. Immigrant workers’ job satisfaction levels increased and staff turnover abated. The company began to thrive and grow, as planned.