Over 60 HR professionals gathered at the Westmark Hotel in Whitehorse on February 20, 2013 for the inaugural event of BC HRMA’s newest member region — the Yukon.

The Yukon formally became HRMA’s eighth membership region effective January 1, 2013 and is the first to be located outside of British Columbia. Prior to having their own region, a number of Yukon-based HR practitioners had been partially participating in association activities as extra-provincial members of HRMA.

Welcoming words from HRMA’s CEO Simon Evans, CHRP and Christian Codrington, CHRP, senior operations manager provided an overview of the association and focused on the newfound benefits available to Yukon members. Led by Lee Vincent, CHRP, chair of the Yukon Advisory Committee, their opening comments flowed well into an engaging discussion around the event’s theme: “Can Your HR Team Really Impact Organization Wide Results?”

Organizational development facilitator Barrett Horne engaged the group in discussion on the matter and in very short order, the group agreed that there was no alternative. To ensure organizations succeed and thrive, HR must influence organizational outcomes.

Given the constituency of the room, the affirmative answer might have been expected, less so the enthusiasm and caliber of conversations. As private, public and not-for-profit representatives conversed with representatives from the largest union in the Yukon, the inaugural HRMA Yukon event became something larger: a forum for future thought and action.

Members of the Yukon Advisory Council at the inaugural event of the new Yukon member region.