The HIO cross-cultural competency training is designed to equip employers, HR Professionals, and people managers with practical skills, strategies and tools needed to increase cultural competencies and prepare workplaces for a culturally diverse employee base.
Why Cross-Cultural Competency?
There are seven modules in this suite of professional development training sessions. These stand-alone sessions give you the flexibility of choosing the topics of interest to you or most relevant to your workplace. Each session is delivered in a small group setting, by a professional facilitator with expertise in cultural competency.
You will receive a Cross-Cultural Competency Certificate of Training after completing four sessions.
These interactive virtual workshops are delivered via the Zoom platform. Sessions are free, but space is limited. You must register in advance.
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Inclusive Recruitment for Newcomer Talent
In this workshop, we’ll apply inclusive recruitment processes, especially tailored for attracting and assessing newcomer talent. We’ll focus on ways to uncover biases and create job descriptions, ad campaigns and interviews that are newcomer-friendly. You’ll come away with practical tools, strategies and leads for inclusive recruitment processes.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
1) Apply bias-free recruitment strategies and tools to effectively attract and assess newcomer talent.
2) Craft inclusive job description and ad campaigns.
3) Design and apply interview techniques that accommodate the unique experiences of newcomers.
August 26, 2025 (10:00am – 12:00pm)
Register Here. (Full)
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Culturally Competent Interviewing Skills
In this interactive learning session, we will explore how the sending and receiving of messages during the interview can lead to misinterpretations and misconceptions. We will use a paradigm to build skills that are interpreted congruently by both the interviewer and the Internationally Educated Professional who is interviewing. We will also address and respond to best practices in the Ontario Human Rights Code Removing the “Canadian Experience” Barrier Guide for Employers and Regulatory Bodies.
Learning Objectives: In this session participants will learn:
1) How to apply cross-cultural communication tools in interviews.
2) Practical tips and strategies to help you identify and address communication style and non-verbal issues in interview settings
September 18, 2025 (10:00am – 12:00pm)
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Effectively Onboarding Newcomer Talent
In this workshop, we’ll focus on best practices for newcomer onboarding, ensuring that you’re well equipped to support newcomers feel welcomed and that they experience a smooth transition in their new roles. Very importantly, we’ll also assess existing onboarding processes and ways to improve these and the integration process for new employees.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
1) Identify and apply best practices for effectively onboarding newcomer talent.
2) Adopt approaches that make newcomers feel welcomed, a sense of belonging and integrate more smoothly into their role.
3) Assess and strengthen existing onboarding practices for continuous improvement.
September 25, 2025 (1:30pm – 3:30pm)
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Introduction to Cultural Competency Building
In this interactive session we will explore and build the foundation of effective communication between new Canadians and their Canadian employers. Topics covered include: perception – and how it affects workplace communication; understanding how cultural adaptation affects workplace effectiveness; communication styles (how we interact through conversation; non-verbal communication (75% of our message); and problem-solving – cross-cultural case studies.
Learning Objectives: In this session participants will learn:
1) How to apply five key cultural competency components in your workplace.
2) How to effectively perceive, interpret and evaluate workplace behaviours and challenges with skilled immigrants.
October 23, 2025 (10:00am – 12:00pm)
Registration not open.
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Inter-Cultural Problem-Solving Strategies
Most intercultural workplace conflict is related to perceptual differences. In this session we will discuss developing strategies to identify and address communication style differences; learning when and how to address non-verbal issues of concern; using a problem-solving paradigm to analyze case studies; and identifying aspects of culture that may be present in workplace interactions.
Learning Objectives: In this session participants will learn:
1) To identify and address communication style differences and non-verbal issues in the workplace
2) To identify potential Hofstede Dimensions as part of behavioral interactions in the workplace
3) How to apply a cross-cultural problem-solving paradigm in your workplace.
November 5, 2025 (1:30pm – 3:30pm)
Registration not open.
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Performance Feedback Essentials
In this workshop, participants will learn strategies for providing feedback to build trust and improve career management and newcomer employees’ integration into the workplace. We’ll explore cultural nuances in feedback styles and equip participants with tools and skills to provide more effective, culturally sensitive, and constructive feedback.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
1) Use feedback strategies to foster trust and support newcomer integration.
2) Navigate cultural differences for improved communication.
3) Deliver culturally sensitive and constructive feedback with enhanced skills.
December 4, 2025 (1:00am – 12:00pm)
Registration not open.