Revamping HR Policies at the Cree Nation of Nemaska
Nemaska is a small Cree community-based in Northern Quebec. The local government was faced with many challenges regarding their human resource policies, which having not been updated in many years were out of touch with the modern workplace. Added to this was the use of complex legal language and vague labor code standards, which resulted in ambiguity and confusion for many employees.
In partnership with Boreala Management, the Cree Nation of Nemaska (CNN) embarked on a project to overhaul their HR policies. Activities included:
- Clarifying areas of confusion with existing policies and developing new policies;
- Completing a full total rewards analysis and integrating findings into policy revisions;
- Integrating aspects of respect for Cree culture and traditions alongside Federal labor code requirements; and,
- Creating a more user-friendly policy manual that included visual aids.
To ensure the smooth integration of the new policies, a change management process was established in which staff was given tools and trained on how to implement the policies effectively. To date, the feedback has been very positive. Employees feel that the new policies allow them the time and space to practice Cree traditions more broadly. Managers feel more empowered in the day-to-day management of their teams, and overall the changes have helped create a foundation for a more informed, effective, and accountable workforce.
Testimonial
“My experience with Boreala has been very positive. Their professionalism and knowledge helped the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi better achieve its goals. We worked with Boreala on a very sensitive project. They were conducting diagnostic reports on how departments are functioning.
They dealt with the staff in a respectful manner and always treated individuals with dignity. They manage to balance truthful and honest feedback with staff and leadership while remaining professional. I was very impressed with how they navigated this very delicate project for our organization.
They never took over the sessions or overstepped their role as a facilitator to the process. They kept us on track to achieve what we set out to do. They were excellent and quickly learned how to work with all levels of our organization and created an environment of trust.“
Rhonda O. Cooper, Deputy Chief. Cree First Nation Of Waswanipi
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