Partner Profile: The Brick

Since becoming a partner in 2019, The Brick continues to be an important collaborator with CNIB's Come to Work program. The furniture retailer has employed four people from the talent pool, participated in CNIB’s Connecting the Dots conference, and hosted a youth job fair.

“I have yet to meet one person – be it talent pool members, participants, or CNIB staff – that I haven’t liked. Everyone involved in the Come to Work program is truly a joy to work with,” says Chantelle Painter, Human Resources Manager, Recruitment and Engagement at The Brick.

Chantelle says her experiences with talent pool candidates and CNIB staff have made her more comfortable with navigating questions about sight loss and workplace accommodations.

“Accommodations are not the same for everyone. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution – everyone’s needs are unique. People know what tools will help them perform their best, and they’ll tell you what they need,” says Chantelle. “The cost of hiring an employee with sight loss is inexpensive and rarely as complicated as some people may think. It could be as simple as a different chair or a larger computer monitor.”

As a recruiter, Chantelle says finding good talent can be an expensive process. Creating and publishing job postings, screening candidates, setting up interviews, etc. is costly. The Brick’s collaborative partnership with Come to Work helps centralize some of their recruitment efforts. All four talent pool members recruited from CNIB's Come to Work program are still with The Brick.

“If you can find someone who is jazzed to be there, wants to be there, and has the skills…that’s a hiring manager's dream,” she adds.

When it comes to accessibility, The Brick is constantly revisiting their policies and procedures while continuing to engage with its team members, potential team members, and external agencies. 

“We’re always asking, how can we do better?” says Chantelle. “It’s a perpetual learning process, and we approach it with the humility that every step we make for our customers makes it better for our team members and vice versa. We’re always open to whatever it’s going to take to make it better.”

She says the partnership with the Come to Work program has been mutually beneficial and reciprocal. 

“Not only do we find the best people for employment opportunities, but between the CNIB team and the talent pool members we’re meeting, we know we can reach out and connect with the right people when we do have questions about something.”

Find the talent you need to help your business thrive! To become a Come to Work partner, contact cometowork@cnib.ca or call 1-800-563-2642.