Okimaw Community & HR Solutions works with First Nations leaders to implement effective human resources

First Nations’ band managers typically play dual roles, serving as both finance and human-resources manager, but finances are often their primary focus, says Miranda Kennedy, the Vice President of Human Resources at Okimaw Community & HR Solutions, a company that works with First Nations and related organizations. “Rarely is anyone in the band office equipped to manage employee grievances, workplace safety or updating policies and procedures,” Kennedy told Prof. Karl Moore in an interview for The Globe and Mail. Human-resource managers are key in day-to-day business operations and HR professionals can also help community-members find their path. “I encourage Indigenous youth to visit the HR person in their community, if they have one,” says Kennedy. “Ask them about career choices. We have the tools to help them form a career path. Some people don’t like going to university and may be interested in trades. In the end, they are the author of their own success story. They need to find their gift.”

Illustration by Chief Lady Bird, The Globe and Mail