Following the delivery of a number of presentations as well as the sharing of raw and vulnerable stories, leaders heard profoundly that not all Defence Team members felt welcome, safe nor were treated with the same level of human dignity and respect as their Defence Team colleagues. In addition to the persistent manifestations of racist thoughts and behaviours, micro – and macro-aggressions, there were related impacts on both mental health and wellbeing as well as systemic barriers for opportunities and promotion.
The July 27th discussion, precipitated a number of recommendations to address racial and systemic barriers within Defence. In a joint message to the Defence Team, the Deputy Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff affirmed their commitment to taking bold, decisive action to root out racial discrimination and hateful conduct all while promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Visible minorities were screened out more often than their counterparts on experience qualifications;
The representation of Black candidates decreased more than the rates of other visible minority groups;
Black individuals made up 10% of job applicants yet only 6.6% of those hired;
– I. Shugart Clerk of the Privy Council
The primary objective of the EX-01 Visible Minority Recruitment Campaign was to increase the representation of visible minorities with high-calibre candidates. With the support of the Fairness and Transparency Panel and the Assessment Board, as well as support from third-party vendors and hiring managers, innovative assessment platforms were piloted to prioritize, without bias, top-tier candidates to fill immediate as well as future EX-01 opportunities.
The Knockri platform itself leveraged behavioural-based interviews which is a widely recognized selection methodology and one of the strongest predictors of future job performance. Several factors contributed towards a positive experience including the efficient assessment of over 400 candidates in less than seven days.
The platform also provided an opportunity for candidate feedback which generated an average rating of 4.4/5 for experience, thereby increasing the likelihood that qualified candidates would continue in the selection process.
– Royal Commission Report
The reverse-engineered process facilitated the achievement of key outcomes by facilitating an objective and fair assessment of candidates while removing biases and barriers at the various stages. By inviting ALL applicants to complete Knockri’s KLC assessment, inclusion and opportunity were maximized by eliminating what is deemed as the most biased and subjective step in the hiring process, the screening of applications.
Beyond the above and likely the most important, this recruitment campaign provided for a unique opportunity to become acquainted with the candidates, learn about their journeys, their successes as well as tribulations. This in turn has positioned HR to look at new ways of doing things and sharing our experience and above all to challenge ourselves to think differently. This momentum cannot end as increasing diversity and nurturing deeper and more meaningful inclusion is a commitment and there is more work to do. Ensuring all individuals have an opportunity to realize their full potential is not a privilege, it’s a right.