Welland’s Human Resources department get nod as being among Canada’s best

When most people think of human resources departments, the word “innovative” seldom comes to mind.

However, with an eye to the fact that the department is also key in recruiting desirable employees on board, Welland’s HR department is a solid step ahead of that thinking.

So much so, that the city’s HR department collected a 2023 Innovative HR Team award from one of Canada’s most highly regarded HR publications, Canadian HR Reporter (CHRR).

Worthy of note, Welland was the only municipality in Canada on the winner’ list.

“Where we are the same as everyone else in our competition for talent, we have set ourselves apart with how we recruit and our overall approach in engaging with candidates before they’ve applied,” said Andrea Daisley, Welland’s manager of HR.

“Through their dedication, skill, and experience, our HR team encompasses all the traits recognized in this award and has significantly impacted our ability to recruit, retain, and recognize our employees at the City of Welland.”

One of the exceptionally clever ways Welland opened the door to creative recruitment was through the City’s podcast, What’s Up, Welland?

The HR-guided podcasts – including special episodes where HR members answered questions directly from job seekers – ranked among the series’ most listened to and downloaded episodes.

Additionally, the City’s focus on retention and recognition solidified the innovative approach recognized with this honour with unique and engaging social media content.

As mentioned, Welland was the only municipality to win and as the CHRR team objectively assessed each entry for detailed information, true innovation, and proven success — along with benchmarking against the other entries — to determine the 28 overall winners, which included industry titans such as the University of Alberta, Air Canada, Metrolinx, and others.