Research Reports

Published: June 2007

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This study, conducted by Catalyst Canada and the Diversity Institute in Management and Technology at Ryerson Institute in Toronto, explores how visible minority women and men perceive their career advancement and development in corporate Canada. The report includes a set of action steps for organizations that want to be an “employer of choice” and proactively tap into the competitive advantage offered by Canada’s changing labour force.

Impetus: By 2017, visible minorities are expected to represent one in five people in Canada’s available workforce; by 2011, they will comprise all net growth in the labour force. These talented, hard-working women and men will be critical to the performance of Canadian companies and firms in the decades to come.

Methodology: These findings are based on an Employee Survey of more than 17,000 managers, professionals, and executives as well as a parallel Employer Survey on diversity and inclusion programs and practices.

Findings:

• A majority of respondents from all self-identified groups expressed commitment to their organization.
• Visible minority respondents were clearly less satisfied than white/Caucasian respondents with their careers.
• Individuals with foreign educational credentials were more likely than respondents without foreign educational credentials to feel their education and training were being underutilized in their current job.
• Visible minorities tended to report similar experiences and perceptions of their workplace, regardless of gender or visible minority group.
• More white/Caucasian respondents than visible minority respondents agreed that their organization’s talent identification processes are fair.
• Fewer visible minority respondents than white/Caucasian respondents reported that they received one or more developmental opportunities in the last three years.
• Fewer visible minority respondents than white/Caucasian respondents believed senior management in their organization was committed to cultural diversity.
• Visible minority respondents were more likely to perceive workplace barriers than their white/Caucasian colleagues. These barriers included perceived lack of fairness in career advancement processes, an absence of role models, inequality in performance standards, and fewer high-visibility assignments.
• Leaders and managers have the ability to positively influence career satisfaction and maintain high levels of organizational commitment by improving perceptions of fair career advancement processes, building on positive relationships with managers and colleagues, and improving perceptions of senior management commitment to diversity.

Lead Sponsors: RBC Financial Group

Participating Sponsors: Deloitte & Touche, IBM Canada

Supporting Sponsors: Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration