NOVEMBER 4, 2010

MiHR launches innovative HR practice recognition program to bring together mining HR professionals

MiHR Innovate, the first Canadian mining-specific HR community is now live. This is your opportunity to open up the dialogue and engage with fellow members of industry in the world of mining HR.

A collaborative platform for sharing knowledge and effective HR practices and initiatives, MiHR Innovate was developed in the interest of addressing the HR challenges specific to the mining industry.

Recognizing, rewarding, showcasing

Central to MiHR Innovate is an online compendium which will house innovative mining HR practices and initiatives, as submitted by HR professionals, alongside interactive discussion groups.  MiHR innovate will facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration amongst mining industry HR professionals and help the HR community strengthen ideas against an industry sounding board.

A core objective of MiHR Innovate is to achieve a positive profile for mining employers to attract motivated talent aspiring to work for employers who value their workforce. This is one facet of a long term strategy to change perceptions of the mining industry and reposition it as modern, technologically advanced and culturally diverse with great opportunities. This profile will also reinforce engagement and pride of existing mining employees about their industry and their employers.

A small change can make a big impact

MiHR Innovate is about bringing forward new ideas to addressing the HR challenges specific to mining by showcasing any innovative HR practice or initiative. These can be smaller, focused initiatives or more complex strategies.  The focus is to create dialogue to help industry take these ideas and tailor them to address their respective HR challenges.

HR practices are categorized in four key areas: diversity and inclusion; skills, training and employee development; compensation and wellness; and social responsibility. Practices can include any type of initiative that has had an impact on your organization and its employees. Some examples:

• Iron Ore Company of Canada offers a spousal welcome program, including a quarterly breakfast to meet new spouses and get them involved in the community. This program brings people together and reinforces the tight-knit feel of the community in Labrador City, Newfoundland.

• Mosaic Potash formed a women's council in 2006 to address the issue of lack of representation of women in certain occupations within the company. Beginning with outreach and education, one of the Council's biggest initiatives is the development and piloting of a mentorship program for women which paired high-potential women with senior employees who would be good role models.

Source: Mining for Diversity: An Employer's Guide to Attract, Recruit and Retain a Diverse Workforce. Published by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council, 2008.

What's in it for you?

Deciding to contribute to MiHR Innovate means your company will benefit from an enhanced profile and industry status, as well as gain valuable insight into the industry's most innovative HR practices.

In line with the goals of MiHR Innovate, the collection of practices and initiatives will be profiled in various media.  By recognizing and showcasing innovative mining HR practices, MiHR Innovate will enhance the profile of mining employers, help change perceptions of the mining industry as a whole and positively influence recruitment by attracting motivated people who want to work for forward thinking employers. Gain valuable media exposure through MiHR's PR campaigns and let us help you craft your own positive messaging to send out within your community to further enhance your company's public profile.

A working session based on these innovative practices and initiatives and information on how mining employers can benefit from and implement these practices will be hosted at CIM 2011.  Details of this will be posted here.

Get involved! How to contribute:

From November 2010 - January 2011, MiHR is inviting you to submit examples of your company's innovative HR practices and initiatives.

Submitting your practice is easy - you can choose to post your submission online or complete a PDF form.

Click here to download a copy of the practice submission form in PDF format.

Click here to post your submission online.

The closing date for submissions is January 31, 2011.

This collection of practices will then be uploaded to the MiHR Innovate website, www.mihrinnovate.ca, by April 2011 in a collaborative framework to encourage discussion and the development of new HR solutions.

LinkedIn - Join the discussion

To further connect mining HR professionals and build a Canadian mining human resources community of practice, we invite you to join The Canadian Mining HR Professionals and Innovators Group on LinkedIn. Now at over 70 members, the group is growing larger every day. Click here to join.

For more info information on MiHR Innovate or the Canadian Mining HR Professionals LinkedIn Group, please contact:

Alana Kennedy
Director of Marketing and Communications
MiHR
akennedy@mihr.ca
613 270 9696 x41