BCMHSUS is attracting passionate team members who value inclusivity and authenticity
Talent Acquisition Marketing, Sanya’k̓ula and BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services teams, including Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety, partner to create new recruitment tools and careers campaign content.
To deliver exceptional health care services to complex clients with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) needs to set themselves apart from other health care employers to attract top talent.
To increase awareness of BCMHSUS as an employer of choice, the Talent Acquisition (TA) Marketing team has developed a new platform and campaign of advertisements. The primary content is a careers video that showcases a day in the life of BCMHSUS employees and highlights a variety of roles and facilities that bring these career experiences to life. You may even recognize some familiar faces from across BCMHSUS.
"This video and the hundreds of beautiful photos that were captured, will authentically set us apart from other employers as we continue to attract talented staff and physicians who understand and share our mission," says Rebecca Hahn, executive director, patient & staff experience and measurement, BCMHSUS. "Thank you to all of our incredible staff who contributed to the creation of this campaign. We're excited to highlight the diverse range of talented people across BCMHSUS that make a difference in clients' lives every day."
Recruitment efforts include targeted social media promotions, new BCMHSUS Careers social media channels (Instagram, Facebook and YouTube), and new stories and information on the BCMHSUS website. The Careers section of the BCMHSUS website will help applicants gain a better understanding of what it's like to work at BCMHSUS and the career paths within each area.
Why this project matters
In an increasingly competitive hiring landscape, BCMHSUS has a lot to offer in career experiences for potential candidates to apply. When meeting with BCMHSUS team members to hear reasons why this work matters, staff shared that their province-wide work is purposeful and impactful.
"By sharing employee stories and experiences externally, we are allowing others to relate to the incredible work that happens across the organization, and picture themselves in a fulfilling career at BCMHSUS," says Jeanette LeBlanc, manager, TA marketing & employer brand, PHSA. "This acts as the incentive some may need to apply and start their career in mental health and substance use care."
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Creating a space where all are welcome
Inclusivity and authenticity were high priorities in this production effort, to be true to the BCMHSUS employee experiences and reflect the depth and breadth of roles that may be available – including representation and prioritization of Indigenous experiences.
"From our first meeting until the completion of the project, the team demonstrated their willingness to re-imagine a recruitment strategy for BCMHSUS. This recruitment campaign is reflective of the true lived experience of Indigenous employees who bravely and so generously shared their Thee Eat (truth)," says Cassie Michell, acting executive director, Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety, BCMHSUS.
"Indigenous Peoples are significantly overrepresented across nearly all BCMHSUS programs," adds Cassie. "This is a direct result of settler-colonialism and ongoing Indigenous-specific racism that is so deeply woven into the fibres of our society. With this in mind, it was imperative that a dedicated emphasis on Indigenous recruitment be considered while delicately balancing the realities of the heavy weight of the work. The TA Marketing team stepped up and into the space of the unknown and embraced Whax hooks in shqwalowin 'open your hearts and your minds' to create what I see as a truly powerful recruitment video."
Cassie expresses her sincere appreciation for the Indigenous employees who participated in the Sharing Circle. "Your truths are incredibly powerful and I am grateful that you are each walking alongside our Peoples accessing BCMHSUS services. And to the Sanya'k̓ula team for walking alongside this year-long dream!"
Next steps
TA Marketing will continue to highlight the Indigenous employee experience through authentic ad campaigns and in everyday work.
This is simply one step of a much larger journey, where all employees continue to work towards the commitment of eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination across the organization, while creating a culturally safe environment for Indigenous patients, clients, families, and staff at BCMHSUS and beyond.
How you can help
If you see this content, please engage with it (like and comment) and share it with your network! We also encourage you to directly share the careers video on your social channels. This will help the content reach a wider audience, meaning more eyes on the BCMHSUS brand, which will hopefully lead to an increase in applicants for open roles across BCMHSUS facilities.