By Karen Ayres

As workforce needs expand and the labor force shrinks, businesses are seeking a more global approach to their hiring practices. The opportunities for business to use a multitude of media and technological tools to attract and retain the best talent from around the globe, means immigrants are becoming more mobile and moving to our beautiful province to seek their ideal career and new entrepreneurial business opportunities.  This is good news for business and our economy.

As one way to celebrate and recognize those businesses across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley that embrace the values of cultural diversity in the workplace, the DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society created the Cultural DIVERSEcity Awards.  

I recently had the pleasure of meeting one of last year’s winners, Brian Williams, owner and president of Ashton Service Group.  Ashton Service Group is a plumbing, heating and air-conditioning company that has been situated in the centre of Richmond over the past 23 years. I had the opportunity to ask Brian a number of questions about how his business has embraced multiculturalism over the years.  Here’s what he had to say:

How has Ashton Group embraced multiculturalism in its business?
Ashton not only serves widely diverse cultures represented in residents and business owners in the community, it also employs many different cultures as a way of learning more and integrating diversity into the workplace.

Congratulations winning a Cultural Diversity Award last year. What category were you entered in?
Cultural Diversity Business with 1 – 25 employees.

How many employees work with you?
Ashton has now grown significantly and our 36 employees include six different nationalities. 
Ensuring the organization has a broad mix of top talent is a critical issue for Ashton’s business sustainability.

How does your company embrace Multiculturalism?
Ashton’s main objective is to develop a common culture based on the values of freedom and liberty, and of human rights while encouraging interaction between employees at work and during company sponsored employee social events.

What kind of a positive impact has it had on your business?
Recruiting productive, innovative, quality-minded, multigenerational, multicultural and diverse employees is rewarding and our future planning is designed to gain a greater understanding of diversity and inclusion and to understand why it is a crucial success factor in impacting attitudes and behaviors.  We continually sharpen our skills to inform, inspire and involve others in the diversity and inclusion process.

What would you tell/recommend to other businesses about hiring and/or embracing multi-culturism?
Ashton’s criteria is based on hiring the most qualified person for the job and in so doing, Ashton has maintained consistent growth and the ability to continue hiring and providing jobs for a multitude of differing cultures. In Canada, it is illegal to discriminate by means of race or culture. This is a good thing for employers such as Ashton, as the benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace can add an advantageous dimension to not only our company but to any company.”

How has being nominated and winning an award changed your business?
Winning the award last year has confirmed for us that the direction that we have set for ourselves is exactly what we wanted to achieve at Ashton.

How do your employees feel about having a cross-cultural team? 
I believe our employees are happy and like the diversity of cultures.  We are all interested in different cultural customs and have an appreciation for each other.

Nominations for this year’s awards close today. Visit www.getintheknow.ca or contact DIVERSEcity to learn more. Or, if you want to attend this special event, tickets can be purchased for $85 per seat or $800 for a table of 10. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 from 6pm-10pm at the Executive Airport Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre in Richmond, BC.

Karen Ayres is the president of Corporate Inspirations and a participating panelist for the 2011 Cultural Diversity Awards.