Study shows Indigenous employees more satisfied when working for Indigenous employers

A new study shows Indigenous employees are more satisfied when working for Indigenous employers than non-Indigenous ones.

The study - a collaboration between the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and Indspire - surveyed recipients of the Indspire's Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards (BBF).

The findings show that Indigenous employees working for Indigenous employers in Ontario report higher job satisfaction than those working with non-Indigenous employees.

On average, the study shows, Indigenous people working for Indigenous employers feel more valued at work, are satisfied with their current employment, and work their desired number of hours.

"They also feel that their work directly impacts Indigenous communities in a positive way," said Samantha Morton, director of research for CCAB.

Other findings include that about 35 per cent of BBF recipients report working for an Indigenous employer, and 75 per cent of those find suitable work in an Indigenous community.

Self-employed BBF recipients tend to work in the health care, social assistance, education, construction, and real estate sectors.

Morton noted that the employees surveyed work in the same industries, whether they were working for an Indigenous business or a non-Indigenous business, and income levels were similar, as well.

"It really doesn't come down to Indigenous grads that are working for non-Indigenous businesses, say, in high-stress areas that could lead them to have lower job satisfaction," she said. "What it really comes down to is the internal processes, the culture, and the operations of the business."

The entire report is available on the CCAB website.

-With files from Jeff Walters