Diversity of the Future: A Productive, Innovative Workforce Q&A with Dr. Akolisa Ufodik

In the spring of 2024, the Government of Canada released its federal budget, titled Budget 2024: Increasing Productivity and Boosting Innovation to Create More Good Jobs. The emphasis on productivity directly responded to the country’s widely discussed decline in this area. The Department of Finance Canada outlined five core strategies in Budget 2024, including incentives designed to encourage innovative entrepreneurs, fiscal incentives for innovation-enabling and productivity-enhancing assets, regulatory sandboxes to reduce bureaucratic red tape, improving federal research support to drive innovation, and investing $200 million in the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative to support high-potential businesses. While these initiatives are traditional measures for boosting productivity, they primarily incentivize businesses to increase output rather than directly incentivizing workers. As Canada heads into 2025, its productivity trails its Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) counterparts.

Dr. Akolisa Ufodike is a distinguished academic and expert in public administration, ethics, and governance. An associate professor at York University, he has written and published extensively on accountability, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and public sector finance. Dr. Ufodike previously served as the deputy minister (permanent secretary in the United Kingdom or deputy secretary in the United States) of trade and then as deputy minister for immigration and multiculturalism for the Province of Alberta.

He is a seasoned finance executive with over 30 years of experience in telecommunications, banking, and oil and gas. With deep expertise in economic policy, public-private partnerships, and corporate governance, Dr. Ufodike was instrumental in promoting inclusive economic growth. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Calgary and an MBA from Cornell University and carries several prestigious professional designations: FCPA, CPA, FCCA, and ICD.D. His leadership in trade and immigration policy offers unique insights into how diverse talent drives innovation and strengthens economies. In this Q&A, Dr. Ufodike explores how a diverse workforce enhances productivity, fosters global competitiveness, and creates lasting benefits for organizations and nations.

Q: How have EDI efforts evolved, and what are the broader implications for organizations and individuals? 

Ufodike: First, we’ve witnessed substantial global mobility. For instance, Canada welcomed one million new immigrants in 2023 alone, driven by expanding economies and geopolitical factors. Despite this influx, there hasn’t been a corresponding rise in economic output, indicating challenges in effectively integrating this diverse talent into the workforce.

A notable challenge is the underemployment of skilled immigrants. Many highly qualified individuals find themselves in roles that don’t align with their expertise. For example, it’s common to hear stories about immigrants with medical degrees driving cabs or working as security guards. Consider that 26.7 percent of recent immigrants with a bachelor’s degree or higher work in positions requiring only a high school diploma or less in Canada. This was true in my own experience after immigrating to Canada. I was eventually able to move up from customer service roles into a financial accounting role that better suited my skill set, but this isn’t always the case. For example, in my profession of accounting, racialized people and women are still significantly under-represented in senior positions in Canadian accounting firms despite calls to improve diversity. This underutilization not only hampers individual potential but also indicates systemic barriers to recognizing and integrating this portion of the workforce.

EDI initiatives often follow a cyclical pattern, influenced by societal and political climates. Organizations may intensify their EDI efforts in response to external pressure—as seen in 2020—but may scale back when external attention wanes or external pressures shift in the opposite direction, as is increasingly evident in 2025. For EDI to be truly effective, it requires a sustained, embedded commitment rather than reactive measures.

Q: How can EDI initiatives address these issues and boost organizational productivity? 

Ufodike: Centering EDI initiatives around workers can significantly enhance productivity. As the well-known goes, our most valuable assets walk out the door each evening, and this is true: individuals are the most meaningful investment a company makes. When employees feel valued and equitably treated through measures like pay equity and career development, they’re more likely to take ownership of their work, leading to increased engagement and output. It’s important to normalize the ability to produce more rather than just the minimum. Recognizing individual contributions fosters intrinsic motivation, encouraging employees to exceed those baseline expectations. When employees are empowered and feel their contributions matter, they collaborate more effectively, driving innovation and productivity.

Q: What are the risks of poorly implemented or failed EDI initiatives, and what impact does this have on organizations and their employees? 

Ufodike: Poorly executed EDI initiatives can lead to a contaminated organizational culture where neither racialized nor non-racialized groups feel comfortable. This discomfort can result in decreased productivity, increased turnover, and a lack of cohesion. It’s essential to understand that effective EDI strategies can align ethical practices with profitability. It’s not a zero-sum game. Ineffective implementation can produce high turnover rates. Employees who feel undervalued or face bias are more likely to leave, increasing recruitment and training costs. Retaining talent through inclusive practices is ethical and economically advantageous.

Recognizing and countering the most common rationales or objections to EDI is crucial for organizations striving to create inclusive and equitable environments. I developed the PESTS framework, which outlines five prevalent rationales used to resist EDI efforts, each rooted in misconception or fallacy. Public-interest rationale suggests that EDI only benefits a select few and is incompatible with broader societal goals, framing it as contrary to the public interest.  Equity rationale argues that EDI initiatives disadvantage other equity-seeking groups, essentially opposing EDI to protect one’s notions of equity. Supply-side rationale claims that there are not enough qualified candidates from underrepresented groups, which often reduces racialized hires to mere tokens. Temporal rationale asserts, “Now is not the right time,” and is a common deflection that delays meaningful action. Finally, spatial rationale assumes that EDI isn’t relevant in a particular company, region, or industry, ignoring the systemic barriers that persist across that specific site or context.

Understanding and dismantling these PESTS rationales enables organizations to stay true to their values, advance equity, and position themselves for sustainable, inclusive growth. Inclusive organizations perform better across the board, improving decision-making, innovation, and public service outcomes. EDI is not a special interest project—it advances the collective good by ensuring everyone contributes and thrives. It’s about ensuring people have what they need to succeed based on where they start.

PESTS ignore the systemic challenges that limit access to education, training, and opportunity and discount the value of untapped talent pools. Organizations must create conditions that expand these pipelines rather than accept the myth of scarcity. In fact, research shows that investing in inclusion enhances resilience and long-term performance, especially during uncertainty.

Q: What foundational steps should organizations take for effective EDI today and into the future? 

Ufodike: Understanding the roots of anti-EDI sentiments is the first step. Organizations can engage in informed dialogues, dispel myths, and build a more inclusive environment by identifying and addressing the rationales outlined in the PESTS framework.

A strategic approach involves focusing on individual employees. Investing in their development and well-being fosters trust and commitment. This includes recognizing and addressing the unique challenges immigrant workers face, ensuring they have opportunities to contribute meaningfully.

Establishing clear, measurable goals is vital. Metrics might include representation benchmarks, retention rates, and employee satisfaction scores. As the adage goes, “What gets measured gets done.” Defining success allows organizations to track progress and make informed adjustments. Here, leadership is pivotal. It’s imperative for EDI efforts to be rooted in the organization’s core values and championed from the top, ensuring EDI is integrated into the organizational culture. This approach demonstrates the long-term commitment to EDI and helps organizations remain steadfast during inevitable cycles of anti-EDI sentiment, ensuring they do not merely shift with the tide.

The future, resilient workforce is diverse 

EDI efforts are subject to societal cycles, but organizations that commit to sustained investment, particularly in young and diverse talent, position themselves for future success. Proactively developing inclusive talent pipelines ensures resilience and adaptability. Looking ahead, organizations that invest in young talent, proactively address biases, and embed EDI into their culture and core strategies will be best positioned to thrive in an ever-evolving and increasingly complex global economy.

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