Agnico Eagle Mines: Retaining an Inuit Workforce in Canada’s North

Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) is a global mining company that has made its first foray into the Canadian far north with its Meadowbank gold mining site. The case describes how AEM has worked with the local government to gain its support, signing an Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement (IIBA). This IIBA outlines a number of commitments that AEM must meet in order to ensure equal representation of Inuit people within the mine. The case follows the superintendent of human resources (HR). Facing a turnover rate of 83 per cent and high levels of absenteeism among AEM’s Inuit workforce, AEM is dealing with a talent management crisis of unprecedented proportions. The superintendent of HR must remedy the situation while operating within an environment characterized by resource constraints and a diverse workforce.

This case is appropriate for use in undergraduate- and graduate-level human resources management courses as it addresses a number of key topics: recruitment and retention, talent management, strategic human resource management and planning, diversity or cross-cultural management and employment equity, career development, training and education, and Indigenous workforce awareness. The case would be best situated within the course after these topics have been addressed. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to<ul><li>discuss the challenges associated with diversity management especially under environmental constraints such as those that may be faced by the mining sector (e.g., remote locations, different cultures—including Inuit and Indigenous peoples—and government regulations governing employment equity and health and safety);</li><li>identify strategies for recruiting, retaining, and managing a diverse workforce (with a focus on Inuit peoples); and</li><li>discuss the steps needed towards intercultural awareness and competence.</li></ul>

• human resources, diversity, talent