Sustainable Human Resource Management of Healthcare Personnel Working in a Minority Linguistic context – Comparative Phase in Border Regions

Title: GRH durable du personnel du milieu de la santé œuvrant en contexte linguistique minoritaire – phase comparative en régions frontières

(Title in the study’s original language)

This project aims to address strategic human resources management (HRM) issues faced by the part of the healthcare system serving the English-speaking population and other cultural minorities in regions of Quebec outside the Montreal metropolitan area. Its initial phase took place in the Quebec City region at Jeffery Hale - Saint Brigid's Hospital (JHSB), grouped as part of CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, and then has proceeded to a comparative analysis of recruitment processes between CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale and CISSS des Laurentides. The present project aims to conduct further comparative analysis between these two establishments and regions of Quebec bordering the English-speaking provinces: Outaouais, Montérégie-Ouest and Côte-Nord. The first objective of the project is to report on the current bilingual staffing process (recruitment, selection, on-boarding and integration) for four job categories in high demand in the Quebec healthcare system, in designated English-speaking facilities. Its aim is to establish the degree of adequacy between published language requirements, initial assessment of candidates and upgrading measures offered to newcomers. Secondly, the project aims to identify HRM practices that can help retain staff working in a bilingual healthcare context. The entire non-agreement-based HRM process will be covered (staff appraisal, skills development, non-monetary recognition), while investigating the potential strategic contribution of the surrounding English-speaking community in this respect.

Outputs:

• 3 scientific presentations delivered: one at an international conference in Europe (late 2024) on workplace diversity; one at ACFAS 2024 (the largest Francophone scientific conference in Canada), within a symposium on health and social service delivery in official language minority communities (OLMCs), co-organized by Consortium national de formation en santé and Groupe de recherche sur la formation et les pratiques en santé et service social en contexte francophone minoritaire; and one at a national conference hosted by a pan-Canadian association focused, among other topics, on current human resource management issues.

• 1 conference proceeding and 1 scientific book chapter (in press) resulting from the international conference; the book is expected to be widely distributed across the Francophonie.

• 2 posters: one presented at a 2024 symposium organized by Health Canada, and another for a research event organized by CISSS de l’Outaouais (abstract accepted, event scheduled for June).

• 3 research reports submitted to CISSS de l’Outaouais, CISSS de la Côte-Nord, and CISSS de la Gaspésie (the latter currently undergoing local validation). Along with a fourth report from CISSS des Laurentides, these outputs stem from a study funded by Dialogue McGill and will be disseminated via the Centre d’expertise ACESS website to support improved access and adaptation of health and social services for English-speaking communities in Eastern Québec.

• 4 presentations of comparative results delivered to the Jeffery Hale–Saint Brigid’s steering committee; selected materials may be published on the Centre d’expertise ACESS website following approval.

• 1 invited presentation at the ACESS Symposium Improving Access Through Knowledge, held in Québec City in 2025 and funded by the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise.

• 1 lunchtime discussion session planned for Fall 2025 with Équipe de recherche en partenariat sur la Diversité culturelle et l’Immigration dans les régions du Québec, a funded research network involving regional partners including Jeffery Hale–Saint Brigid’s.