Employer Information

Many employers have found that introducing diversity into their labour force has a positive impact on all staff.   However, the introduction of international workers to your workplace may be a new experience for your current employees and managers.   Be sure to inform your workers about your plans to bring international workers into the company and why you have chosen to incorporate international workers.   Outlining your expectations for the new and existing staff will help ease the transition for all employees.

Initiating activities to make your new international workers feel welcome can bring all of your existing workers closer together, improving employee morale and the whole team’s performance.   Host a picnic, plan a family outing or share cultural foods and special traditions.   Introduce activities that encourage team building.

You can make the transition to the workplace easier by creating a well planned orientation program.   Consider the following ideas:

• Take the necessary time to develop an employment manual. 
• Show the international worker around the work site and introduce them to their co-workers.   
• Document or explain the company’s workplace culture and any procedures that your employee will need to follow.   
• Outline your workplace expectations and schedules.   
• Ensure that appropriate on-the-job training is available.   Almost all workers require some training when they start a new job.   This will be particularly true for international workers who are faced with the challenges of a new work and social environment, learning about policies and procedures, and functioning in a language that may not be their first language.     
• You may also consider assigning a ‘work partner’ or ‘buddy’ to each new international worker.   The work partner will explain workplace behaviour, orient their new colleague, and work alongside them for the first few weeks and/or months.   A work partner could be another international worker who has already made the transition to a Saskatchewan workplace or someone in your organization that demonstrates leadership capability. 

Be sure to inform the company’s accounting department and payroll officer that an international worker is joining the business.  International workers will need to have the pay process explained so that they understand when they will be paid, what deductions will be taken from their cheque and how money can be deposited in their bank account.  Plan for a payroll orientation session to ensure that there is no possibility of miscommunication in this area.     

Most international workers who come to Saskatchewan have basic English language skills.   However, language is the most significant barrier international workers face when joining a new workplace and community.   That is why additional language training may help your international worker make a positive transition.    Explore the Government of Saskatchewan’s language training options as well as the training offered through regional colleges and multicultural agencies.