Meet the Yukon Advisory Council—(l to r) Judy Tomlin, Tracey Maher, CHRP candidate, Lee Vincent, Roxane Larouche, CHRP, Brian Bruckman, Brian Bonia; (on knee) Barrett Horner, Les Hudson, CHRP; (not pictured) Barbara Walker

From its inception 70 years ago to the present day, the BC Human Resources Management Association (BC HRMA) has long served the HR profession on the West Coast.  As of January 1, 2013, that coastline now extends even further North with addition of the Yukon as the eighth membership region of BC HRMA.

It is a move forward anticipated by many in the region for some time. 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 BC HRMA.

The new Yukon region hosted its inaugural gathering on February 20th at the Westmark Hotel in Whitehorse, drawing strong support from across the community with private, public and not-for-profit parties mingling with union representatives.

“The opportunity that this presents for those HR professionals of the Yukon is as great the one the Association represents for all our members. That said, it provides an even greater opportunity for all of us to expand our thinking.” said Evans. “Geography aside, the challenges of HR are something best solved and served together—and our new Yukon region marks a great beginning.”

For Yukon Advisory Council Chair Lee Vincent and her team of committed volunteer professionals, the announcement and the event itself mark major accomplishments; as always, the work remains ahead. With the benefits of BC HRMA membership, that work is made much lighter.

Lee Vincent: Organizations Are Run By People

Lee Vincent, CHRP, Chair of Yukon BC HRMA Advisory Committee

What was the driving force to become the eighth region of BC HRMA?

A group of us got together in early 2012 to discuss the concept of developing a formal Yukon-based HR Association. An informal network existed amongst many of the senior leaders in Whitehorse but there was so much more potential for collaboration for ourselves and our teams. We determined our priorities and then researched what the alternatives were to accomplish our goals. BC HRMA was a great fit and the team there has been incredibly supportive with respect to getting us up and running.

What does BC HRMA membership mean for HR professionals in the Yukon?

There are 2 major immediate benefits for HR professionals across the Yukon. Firstly, there is cost effective, timely and relevant professional development delivered at their doorstep. Secondly, there is the opportunity to develop broad professional networks across organizations and industries – people to learn from, mentoring opportunities and places to turn when you have a challenge and are sure you aren’t the only one.

What defines the primary HR challenges for the Yukon region?

While our HR challenges are no different than those of our peers across the country (recruitment & retention, succession planning, workplace demographics, etc.) our geographical location heightens these challenges. We are in a high growth economic market, yet have low employment brand awareness nationally versus Alberta or Saskatchewan. We often have to build and develop our own skills internally without the full extent of resources required to do this effectively.

What inspires you most about the HR profession?

Organizations are run by people and people are the heart of differentiation between highly successful and less successful organizations across all industries. HR has the opportunity to lead the way for organizational success through innovative approaches and practices that increase employee engagement, increase trust in leadership and create cohesive organizational cultures that drive results. Through effective partnering, HR can truly make a significant difference in our world.  Happy employees = happy families = happy people.

Lee Vincent, CHRP, MBA, Chair of the Yukon HRMA Advisory Committee, is the AVP HR at Northwestel (a Bell company) and a certified executive coach (www.visionaryseeds.ca). She is also on the organizing committee for Impact99, an innovative conference focused on workplace reinvention (www.impact99.ca).