Leveraging diversity is smart business

By Samantha Lodge

Ever since I first moved to Halifax the people have been my favourite part of this city. The multicultural identity of Halifax is rich and I love that.

As it seems, I’m not the only one who appreciates this aspect of Halifax. Living its value of ‘diversity for growth and innovation’, the Royal Bank of Canada has recognized the valuable skills and experience newcomers bring to businesses like theirs.

In the Season 2 opener of the SmartCity Business Show, host Craig Layton was greeted by RBC staff in seven different languages. RBC provides multicultural customer service in all different areas such as client care, account management and even through its Newcomers to Canada Committee.

Tim Zhao, who is an account manager on Spring Garden Road, says that 90% of his clients are from the same cultural background as him. Client care that takes into account cultural differences like language has allowed RBC to reach out to new markets and provide better service to new Canadians.

Glen Dormody, RBC Regional Vice President, sums up RBC’s value of diversity perfectly: “having a workforce that reflects the population and the communities we serve, and a workplace that offers all employees the opportunity to reach their potential, is simply the right thing to do. But leveraging diversity is more than that. It’s smart business.”

So Season 2 of SmartCity has officially begun. Last season we provided you with 13 episodes focusing on why Halifax is a smart city – but don’t think we’ve run out of ideas! Thanks to the smart city of Halifax we have plenty more businesses and people to showcase.

Now that you’re wondering what’s up next (hint: people will be playing with reality and playing with fire) I’ll remind you to check back every Wednesday for an inside look at the brains running this beautiful east coast city of ours.

Watch this epidode

   

Author: Samantha Lodge

Samantha is the Communications and Marketing Assistant at the Greater Halifax Partnership. She moved from Newfoundland to Halifax to attend university, and ended up rekindling her love of the east coast. She feels that being close to the ocean in a city with so much excitement is the ideal situation – Halifax’s talented music scene is an added bonus!