In its eighth year, the current HR program receives support from the Province of PEI, Innovation PEI, ACOA, and Active Communities Inc., collaborating with local SMEs to offer executive leadership and human resource services to better address the human resource needs of the participating companies in Eastern PEI. The HR Consultant works with local SMEs to help attract new employees, develop human resource plans, and provide training on human resource issues. The project results in better-engaged employees, improved leadership, increased productivity, reskilling or upskilling development, and building the management capacity of participating companies in eastern PEI.

2024 has seen the eighth iteration of the project. The project has supported various companies in various sectors, ranging from small SMEs to larger companies and from new companies to more established organizations.

Each leader/owner within the company realizes that they must engage their current workforce and that any future recruitment needs to meet the current expectations of potential employees. Below is a list of potential risks or barriers that can be challenging for these owners to manage/engage in.

• burnout is an emotional and physical drain on existing workers due to an inability to recruit
• loss of production capacity
• owner's lack of knowledge and time in human resource principles
• missed opportunity to add value and profit to their current business
• a negative image of the work environment when understaffed
• It is challenging to retain workers employment trends indicate that workers have a high need for positive work experience, and this must be present to continue as the workforce rapidly changes
• potential loss of markets

Most employers recognize that a well-organized and concerted effort is required to address human resources in any sector and that the HR function is essential.

The program has branded itself as person-centred, bringing business owners and workers excellent results. The focus has been recruiting a Human Resource expert or upskilling a current worker to build capacity within existing businesses.

The coaching portion was introduced in 2020. It provides coaching services directly to business owners or those providing HR within the company.

This has been a successful add-on and is highly valued by participants.

The program's impact provides economic success and ensures competitiveness with businesses while also growing the Human resource function within the company.

Momentum Human Resource program not only grows business, but it also grows people!