inclusion | Journey to Diversity Workplaces

11 Tips on Respect & Inclusion in the Workplace

It has become a lot easier since back in the day, to express gender and sexuality issues in the workplace. When one could not express a fundamental part of oneself, it tended to hamper the outflow of work. However, with that being said, it does not mean that it has been easy for our current generation. There are still problems that one faces at the workplace in the aspects of respect and inclusion. A ‘closed’ environment can significantly impact an individual’s involvement in the organization, potentially resulting in low staff morale, increased absenteeism, decreased productivity and retention difficulties.

When employees have been working together for a long time, it is likely that they become a tight-knit group and it can make it difficult for new employees to become part of that group. New employees aren’t aware of the group’s internal dynamics yet and can feel left out if everyone is calling out ‘Pepperoni’ at 4pm and you are the odd man out. Therefore, Human Resources departments have come up with techniques to help new employees or an existing employee who is not quite settling in yet to feel included at the workplace. Almost 45% of the employees who leave the workplace do so because of their seniors. That can be a large factor in deciding whether to stay with the company or not.

Here are some Human Resources techniques to help new and existing employees:

i) Open and Effective Communication – provide open communication channels and feedback. This optimizes the opportunity for discussion of issues related to inclusion and discrimination. Having complaint boxes or walk in policies with one’s supervisor would encourage individual’s to open up about the issues bothering them, which would in turn lead to employees feeling more comfortable
ii) Political Differences – everyone has different opinions and they must feel comfortable sharing them with their colleagues, as long as they are work appropriate. This can help build bridges with people who may share similar opinions
iii) Build Relationships – learn about the cultural backgrounds, lives and interests of employees outside of the workplace. Building relationships through increased understanding and trust helps to foster inclusion. (Who knows you may even find someone who you have a lot in common with and could help you move up the corporate ladder)
iv) Get Involved – be creative, flexible and look for new opportunities to join events the company is having such as the annual company picnic
v) Equal Opportunity – This is geared towards employers, as they have to ensure all employees have the equal opportunity to take part in decision-making and planning for social activities
vi) Special Days and Events – it is important to recognize and acknowledge special days and events such as International Day of Persons with Disabilities, International Day to End Racism, Gay Pride celebrations, etc
vii) Create Intranet-based Multicultural Calendars – this helps avoid scheduling important meetings on major cultural holidays so that everyone feels respected and heard
viii) Permit Flexible Schedules – this helps employees who observe religious practices can arrange their schedules around their beliefs. This ensures that the employees know that you respect their faith and also being accommodating
ix) Acknowledgements of Faiths – there are many different faiths in a workplace and the employer needs to respect them. This does not mean employers have to throw parties at every religious holiday but acknowledging it and giving the leeway for a day off will go a long way in building rapport between the employee and employer
x) Accommodating for Employees with Disabilities – for employees that are blind, in a wheelchair or have visual impairment, the employer needs to be accommodating. Have signs in Braille, audiocassettes, make the office accessible with a ramp, elevators, handicap washroom and parking spot
xi) Mental Health – it is important for employees who are suffering from mental health issues to know that they can talk to someone and that they are not alienated. Keep communication doors open and ensure them that they are in a safe environment and provide them with people they can talk to if they need it.

This article was written by volunteer blogger Riya Prem Raaj and edited by volunteer editor Erin Murphy.

J2DW Launches Titles and Pronouns for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

Journey to Diversity Workplaces Launches Titles and Pronouns for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

J2DW joins companies such as Royal Mail, the Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC, and numerous others making this change.

For Immediate Release

BARRIE, ONTARIO, 10 OCTOBER 2017 – Journey to Diversity Workplaces (J2DW) is excited to announce the addition of new titles and pronouns to their online applications and databases for transgender and gender diverse individuals.

J2DW’s goal is to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We respect differences ethically, morally, and legally. We want a different kind of workplace where diversity is championed and so is the worker. An organization’s success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and to realize the benefits of diversity.

“It is important that we respect and recognize individuals in our society in a way they wish to be addressed. By doing this, we promote out-of-the-box creativity and respect for those who explore their lives fully in a way that is right for them. We’re proud to take a stand on this.” said Peter V. Tretter, President & CEO of Journey to Diversity Workplaces.

The board of J2DW green-lit the project over the summer and immediately went into beta testing. New titles available include Ind., Mre., Msr., Mx., Myr., Pr., Sai., and Ser. New pronouns available include Ne/Nem, They/Them, Ve/Ver, and Ze/Zir.

Organizations such as Royal Mail, HSBC, the Royal Bank of Scotland, and Oxford City Council have introduced these titles since the start of 2017, and we believe J2DW is one of the first Canadian companies (for-profit or non-profit) to launch these options.

Journey to Diversity Workplaces is a Barrie, Ontario based organization formed under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act in December 2013. Find out more about us at www.j2dw.ca

— 30 —

Contact:

Peter V. Tretter, President & CEO

705-481-7784 ext 2

pe…@j2dw.ca

Whitewashing Hollywood

We all watch them, use them as forms of entertainment, and follow the news leading up and after them. But did you know that there is an entire strategy behind how movies and Hollywood pick their actors and actresses to skew the racial distribution?

The term used to best describe this practice is “white washing” and can be defined as the entertainment industry’s attempt at making ethnic characters more appealing to the white, money-spending masses by making exotic characters less ethnic and more “white.” An example of a whitewash would be an Asian movie cast with half Asian actors and actresses instead of ethnically Chinese actors, even if the roles required the actors to be full Asian.

Such whitewashing not only plays a role in direct consequences for the viewers of the film, it also plays an important role in propagating its effects into society’s realms. Numerous times, Middle Eastern, or people of colour, have been asked to play roles as criminals or terrorists in films. Statistically, the majority of terrorists around the world are not Middle Eastern and criminals are not always people of colour.

In an article recollecting 7 Middle Eastern actors and their experiences with such discrimination, one actor says “…I had an epiphany. I called my agent: ‘Hey! Don’t send me out on these terrorist parts anymore. I’ll be open for anything else, but not the terrorist stuff.’ “After that, she never called. [She used to call] three or four times a week.” (GQ online magazine).

The statistical evidence by the FBI is that 94% of terrorist attacks in the USA from 1985 to 2005 have been by non-Muslims. Putting that into perspective, an American terrorist suspect is over nine times likely to be not Middle Eastern than Middle Eastern. According to the same report, there have been more Jewish acts of terrorism than Muslim, but when was the last time you saw a Jew being cast as a terrorist in a movie versus a Muslim Middle Eastern?

A recent example of such colour whitewashing has been the casting of Scarlett Johansson, a blonde white actress in a Hollywood remake of classic Japanese anime Ghost in the Shell. The argument used by the movie producers and directors for such Asian white-washing is the argument of green colour, the amount of money the movie would gross if they would not hire a white actress.

The argument of money should not be valid anymore as the world progresses towards eradicating racism. An increasing number people are becoming accepting of people of a different colour and will definitely pay to see a movie even if the lead character is non-white. Many scholars have partially blamed the entertainment industry for the racism that exists in the world today and it only makes sense for the same industry to solve the problem.

Another common argument Hollywood uses for casting non-minorities in their movies is simply that there exists no talent in the minorities. However, this argument does not hold much water. In fact, Hollywood has recently developed a strong reputation for casting relatively modest actors and actresses in blockbuster films. One look at the Marvel Studios model shows at the time of their initial casting actors and actresses such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, and Scarlet Johansson were not guaranteed box office commodities. So apart from it being Marvel Studios, and most of them having the first name “Chris,” why were these actors considered safe risks while Asian actors aren’t given the same luxury? The only other variable is that they are white. Hollywood will risk box-office uncertainty on Caucasian actors, while not risking box-office uncertianty with Asian actors, but not all is lost with whitewashing. An actor, Ed Skrein, exited a movie once he figured out that the role was whitewashed. It seems like the more awareness we generate about this, the more likely the problem will go away.

This article was contributed by volunteer blogger & co-op student Mohammadali Saleh.

The Truth About Tech World Inclusivity In 3 Minutes

The Tech World and Inclusivity

Over the last few days, there has been quite a bit of buzz in the news about the Node.js community and it’s recent failed vote to get rid of a member of the project’s technical steering committee (TSC). The member, Rod Vagg had posted some controversial statements on Twitter about inclusivity in tech. I won’t go into all of the details here, but feel free to look it all up if you’re interested.

Reading about this event, and others like it, got me thinking about my own ideas on inclusivity in a tech environment. Let me start off by saying, I’m not perfect, and rarely have all the answers, but I would like to share a couple of personal experiences that hopefully can illustrate some ways we can be more conscious of inclusivity in our own environments. For me, the key is to realize that, no matter how inclusive we think we are, there are areas where we can improve. Accepting that we need to change the way we think and feel about the world, and how inclusive we are in our daily interactions, is a powerful first step.

Changing the way we talk changes the way we think

I think our end goal, when it comes to inclusivity, is to change the way we think. For example, we can read about it in a book, or online, and figure out all the right things to say, without actually believing or internalizing any of it. But actually changing our mindset can be extremely challenging.

While I was working in California several years ago, I had an experience that helped me see the power in changing the way we think about being inclusive, and what we can do to change it. There were three guys who I considered close friends. We would hang out socially outside of work, and often go to lunch together. However, we had a co-worker, a female employee, who we could not tolerate. Now, we were all pretty nice, and were friendly to her in person. But on our lunch breaks, and outside of work, we would constantly complain about all the things we didn’t like about this employee. This private bad-mouthing went on for some time actually.

At some point, the four of us came to the realization that our attitude and behavior towards this employee, even in our private interactions, was unacceptable. So we made a pact with each other. If, at any point, any one of us said anything negative about that employee, or another employee for that matter, the other three of us would have permission to punch the other person in the arm as hard as we could. I know, I know, a typical ‘guy’ way to solve problems, right?

The point though, is that we often think that inclusivity is a conversation only about how we treat other people in public settings. But the truth is, that inclusivity starts at home, in our private thoughts and conversations that are removed from the public sphere. Changing the way we interact, and our thoughts about being inclusive begins with changing our private thoughts and behaviors.

Now, with my experience in California, an amazing thing happened. It probably took a couple of weeks before all four of us had finally learned our lesson, and stopped all of the negativity outside of work. But the unexpected result was that we were happier at work as well. Our morale had lifted, and we actually all really ended up liking this employee. Our conversations inside and outside of the office changed to a more positive tone, and the way we felt while we were at work improved, and by default, our behavior at work became much more inclusive to all of the employees.

Get out of the comfort zone

My second experience comes from a conversation with my wife. I’m white, and my wife is multi-racial, and so naturally our life experiences, and thoughts about both race and inclusion are different. My wife pointed out to me one time that each of us have built in biases and prejudices. Of course my natural reaction was one of defensiveness. “Of course I don’t. I like everybody. I don’t have any biases.” So, she gave me a challenge. Throughout your day, just be conscious of who you talk to, and who you interact with. Are they all different genders and races? Or, are they most often people who look pretty much like you?

So I took the challenge and really thought about it as I interacted with people throughout my day. Sure enough, she was right. Almost 90% of the people I talked to and associated with were people who looked just like me. And, it wasn’t that I was being consciously un-inclusive, but I was just naturally more comfortable around people who looked like me. It was somewhat of a shocking realization.

At that point, my wife gave me another challenge, which was to just go out of your comfort zone and talk to people who are different than you. Now, as someone who considers himself mildly introverted, that can sometimes be difficult. However, since then, I do consciously make an effort to be more inclusive to everyone. Not just the people who look just like me.

It doesn’t have to be any grand gesture. Sometimes, for me, it’s simply saying “hi” to the woman behind me in line at the grocery store. And that’s the point of inclusivity. It doesn’t have to be any huge changes in our life all at once. But if we do try to make baby steps in changing how we think and how we act, eventually it will make us better people.

In conclusion

These are just a few experiences I’ve had, which have shaped my thoughts about inclusivity. Being conscious of it, both in the tech world, and elsewhere is invaluable. There’s definitely no ‘right way’ to be more inclusive, but the main point is to realize we can do better, and to find ways we can improve our own inclusiveness in the workplace and outside the workplace.

This article was submitted to us by author Ethan Jarrell.
The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of Journey to Diversity Workplaces

The Gender Wage Gap Explained

Many famous individuals have used the quote “Women earn 79 cents for every dollar a man makes”, and although this fact is statistically true, there is a lot that is unexplained in it. The above fact only compares the two median wages of men and women and does not factor into account how the wage gap plays out in individuals with different education levels, different occupations or different ages. These factors are very important to take into account if we want to ever close the gender wage gap.

To explain much of the argument on the gender wage gap, I must first state that economists have modeled wages through the Mincer Wage Equation, which can be stated as:

The equation above can be interpreted as log wages is a function of the years of schooling, plus the amount of career experience, and career experience squared, and an error term and a constant term for other unaccounted for factors. In simpler words, employers reward employees for the amount of schooling and experience they hold.

Child-bearing responsibilities

June O’Neill wrote a paper in 2003 studying the gender wage gap in the US economy by looking at two population surveys. In his conclusion, he writes, “As I have shown in this paper, the unadjusted gender gap can be explained to a large extent by nondiscriminatory factors. Those factors are unlikely to change radically in the near future unless the roles of women and men in the home become more nearly identical.”

What June O’Neill meant to convey in her conclusive remarks is that much of the gender wage gap can be attributed to the fact that females are the only sex that is biologically able to produce offspring. It is not a discriminatory attribute that women have the ability to give birth, and this ability has continuously led to the difference in the amount men and women earn.

What usually tends to happen after college graduation in today’s labour market is after holding a stable job for a few years, when women are in their mid-twenties and thirties, they usually take some time off to give birth and nurture the child after birth. In a study conducted by Bertrand, Goldin and Katz to examine the gender wage gap in MBA graduates, they state that one of the principal reasons why there exists a big gender wage gap between men and women is that in the first fifteen years post-graduation, women take on more career interruptions and work shorter weeks because of household responsibilities. The study also finds that even though some women took modest breaks from work for parental leave, the labour market penalized these breaks greatly. The discontinuity in a professional career during this age is also the prime time to build one’s career.

Such discontinuity is penalized by a lower wage, and this is quite fair because the said individual took time off during a time where they could be obtaining prime experience in their careers. June O’Neill finds that 34% of women with children under the age of six were out of the work force between the ages of 25-44 compared to only 16% of women who were out of the workforce who did not have children. Making the choice to have a child is a quite strong indication of work discontinuity which will directly lead to a loss in experience gain and a lower wage.

Career choice

The science behind the labour market is centralized around human capital theory, where employees are rewarded with wages for their ability to demonstrate their knowledge and do so efficiently.

Again, it is no secret that some careers are better paid in today’s world than others. This is a harsh reality in some underpaid occupations, but in other cases, it is quite justifiable. Rewarding an occupation like a surgeon to perform life-saving operations is very fair in my opinion.

“The expectation of withdrawals from the labour force and the need to work fewer hours during the week are likely to influence the type of occupations that women train for and ultimately pursue” – O’Neill, 2003. This statement in his paper is given by examining the career choices that women have chosen and how they came to the decisions that they did through population surveys. Women tend to lean towards occupations where there is more leniency towards career discontinuity and careers where part-time worked is more readily available. A direct example of this is the nursing versus doctor industry, where most nurses are women. Nurses hold set shifts and know exact times when they will be working and so is more favourable to a mother who has to care for a child. As an emergency doctor that can be called in at any time during the day, your shifts can vary a lot and it would make life difficult to care for a child and be on-call at a hospital.

Conclusion

Much of the gender wage gap can be explained by the two factors that are outlined above. The fact that women take breaks during their working life to nurture children and build their households, and that women choose careers that are more flexible in the hours that employees are required to work, which is a result of the time off women need to take to have children.

Although this explains a lot of the gender wage gap, there is evidence to support that some of the wage gap is purely discriminatory. But there is some good news to accompany this, Pew Research Centre conducted a study that found that “The gender gap in pay has narrowed since 1980, particularly among younger workers…” and so there is some hope that someday we will be able to eliminate the gender wage gap completely.

References

Brown, A., & Patten, E. (2017, April 03). The narrowing, but persistent, gender gap in pay. Retrieved August 11, 2017, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/03/gender-pay-gap-facts/

O’Neill, J. (2003). The Gender Gap in Wages. The American Economic Review, 93(2), 309-314. Retrieved August 7, 2017, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3132245

Bertand, M., Goldin, C., & Katz, L. F. (2010). Dynamics of the Gender Gap for Young Professionals in the Financial and Corporate Sectors. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2, 228-255. Retrieved August 04, 2017, from http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.2.3.228

This article was written by volunteer Mohammadali Saleh.

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Journey to Diversity Workplaces.

Ongoing crowdfunding for the Doris Tretter Memorial Scholarship

On 12 July 2017, we launched a crowdfunding effort to raise funds to offer a new scholarship.

The Doris Tretter Memorial Scholarship for Diversity in the Fine Arts is our effort to help promote diversity in theatre, dance, visual arts, and music at the post-secondary level.

We are still accepting donations towards this scholarship!

My Mom always encouraged me and sister to do whatever we wanted. Music lessons, dance classes, scouting or guiding, and participating in the Greely Players were all par for the course for us, and I am very thankful that my parents were able to do that for us.

Mom also was an accomplished painter. I have this amazing milk can by my front door decorated like an old-church stained-glass window.

Because of this, the arts are a subject that I hold quite dear.

Mom passed away from cancer in June 2014.

Like any good son, I had been wracking my brain for ways I could do something special to honour and celebrate my Mom. Unfortunately, I lack the $100,000+ to have something like a new wing at the hospital named after her.

The Doris Tretter Memorial Scholarship for Diversity in the First Arts was born as my way of honouring Mom.

Please, donate today.
We are a non-profit organization but not a charity. Donations are not eligible for a tax receipt.

Crowdfunding

CDN$20
CDN$5,250

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Journey to Diversity Workplaces Launches Crowdfunding for new Scholarship Program

The Doris Tretter Memorial Scholarship for Diversity in the Fine Arts aims to award $1,000 each to two students pursuing post-secondary studies in Ontario in May, 2018.

For Immediate Release

BARRIE, ONTARIO, 12 JULY 2017 – Journey to Diversity Workplaces (J2DW) is excited to announce the creation of a scholarship aimed towards promoting diversity and fair representation in dance, theatre, film, and visual arts. This scholarship is an incredible opportunity for people pursuing a Fine Arts degree to boost their career aspirations.

“According to Statistics Canada, the number of visible minorities in Canada is expected to increase by two hundred percent and account for approximately twenty percent of Canada’s population through 2017. Racialized and transgender groups are underrepresented in the fine arts such as film. It is important to take steps now to increase workplace diversity and inclusion that will allow for a better future.” said Peter V. Tretter, President & CEO of Journey to Diversity Workplaces.

Anyone who has gone to school in Ontario in the previous academic year and is taking a post-secondary fine arts program in the following September is eligible to apply.

Today, we launch our crowdfunding effort so that J2DW will have funds to award in May 2018. We are aiming to raise $5,000 to fund the scholarship to start off with. The additional funds will be used in future years. The campaign may be found at https://igg.me/at/dtretter

The mother of J2DW founder Peter V. Tretter, Doris was an avid painter creating various paintings over the years. As well Doris was an avid community volunteer, doing makeup and set painting with The Greely Players, leading the Parkway Community Kids Choir, both in Ottawa, and creating wonderful creations at the Gilda Club of Simcoe-Muskoka in Barrie. Doris was a registered nurse and promoted health to the congregants at both the Parkway Road Pentecostal Church before moving to Barrie in 2007 and then to Mapleview Community Church. Doris passed away from cancer July 2014.

Journey to Diversity Workplaces is a Barrie, Ontario based organization formed under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act in December 2013.

— 30 —Contact:

Peter V. Tretter, President & CEO
p…@j2dw.ca

Why I am hopeful this holiday

If everyday was Christmas
If we could make believe
If everyone would care a little more
There’d be harmoney

~ Hey Santa! by Carnie & Wendy Wilson

So our world leaders have come to an accord in Paris, France during COP21 – United Nations Conference on Climate Change. This gives me hope, though George Monbiot seems to disagree about that, with him thinking the politicians undermined the deal’s potential. Here in Barrie the temperature averages anywhere from 0 – 10 degrees celsius, and we still have no snow on the ground. Global warming, anyone?

I always enjoy a Christmas day with snow, it’s just a classic holiday for me. Not everyone celebrates Christmas. Some celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Winter Solstice, Festivus, and many other festivals this time of year. (Airing of Grievances, anyone?)

I am thankful for my friend Shawn who helped with the transition from our previous web host to this one, and for his help in installing our SSL certificate! (See the green lock in the left corner of your browser address bar? That’s new!)

I am thankful for Susan, Lucas, Stephen, Caitlin, and Craig, who are our board members! I am also thankful to Silvia, she knows who she is, and she’s super smart!

I am hopeful for good food, friends, and company. That’s what Christmas means to me. It’s a time to reflect, be thankful for what we have, and spend time with loved ones, and friends. To take the time out of our busy lives to play that board game, or enjoy a cup of hot coco (or if you’re my parents, hot apple cider.)

Finally, I am thankful each day for those who have chosen to support Journey to Diversity Workplaces. Without you, none of this would be possible.

On behalf of the board, I’d like to wish you Happy Holidays, and all the best for 2016.

Peter V. Tretter
President & CEO
Journey to Diversity Workplaces

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Inclusion in the Workplace

Diversity and inclusion are key elements in creating a workplace that treats all of the employees with respect and fairness. Inclusion requires being valued, respected and supported within a workplace. Inclusion is about focusing on the needs of every individual and ensuring the right conditions are in place for each person to achieve his or her full potential. Inclusion should be reflected in an organization’s culture, practices and relationships that are in place to support a diverse workforce. Inclusion happens when an organization actively recognizes and promotes the diversity of its employees through fair practices, policies, and procedures. All of the employees are properly valued for the unique talents differences and unique talents that they each bring to the workplace. Organizations who make diversity and inclusion a priority are more likely to succeed in today’s global marketplace as it gives these workplaces a competitive advantage.

Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization, including factors such as race, gender, cultural background, religion, age, sexual orientation, personality, and education. A diverse workplace environment acknowledges that how these differences are viewed can impact the fair treatment of people within workplaces. A diverse workforce provides many advantages to your company. It heightens awareness and can allow workplaces to serve a broader customer base, provides different perspectives for marketing and product initiatives, increases creativity, and job satisfaction. Programs and training that help immigrant employees navigate the workplace, and help non-immigrant employees understand the benefits of diversity, will improve working conditions for everyone and increase a workplace’s profitability. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are known to increase organizational effectiveness, innovation and lead to greater employee satisfaction.

Canada is a progressively diverse country with many people coming from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures. According to Statistics Canada, approximately 250,000 to 300,000 immigrants come to Canada each year. Two major demographic pressures affecting the Canadian labour force today include: the large number of baby boomers approaching retirement age and the shortage of young people available to replace them. Employers consistently report challenges in recruiting the skilled talent they need in their organizations. Competition for employees will continue and increase as employers are still being affected by the changing labor force demographics.

Two major demographic factors are affecting the Canadian workplaces today which are the large number of baby boomers approaching retirement age and the shortage of people available to replace them. Canada’s population is predicted to exceed 40 million people by 2036. In 2012, there were approximately 1.4 million people aged 80 or over, and by 2036 this could increase to 3.3 million. Although an official definition of the baby boom does not exist, it generally describes a period of increased birthrates lasting from 1946 to about 1965. The Great Depression of the 1930s had prolonged the decline in Canada’s birthrate as it had in most Western countries. The low point in Canada was reached in 1937, when the gross birthrate (the annual number of live births per 1,000 inhabitants) was 20.1. Improved economic conditions caused a recovery that began to accelerate during the Second World War. By 1945 the birthrate had risen to 24.3; by 1946 it had jumped to 27.2, and it remained between 27 and 28.5 per 1,000 inhabitants until 1959, after which it began to gradually decline.

There are skilled and talented young people who have not been effectively implemented into the Canadian workforce. The immigrant workforce, Canadian born minorities, youth and persons with disabilities have been overlooked in the past. Their talents have been wasted. However, Canada is now relying more on immigrants to adequately fill workplace demands. Employeers must recognize that every employee can bring a unique perspective and skill set that can benefit the workplace when these assets are utilized effectively. A diversity and inclusion strategy is most effective and sustainable when it Directly aligns with and helps to achieve the workplace goals, creates an environment where everyone feels that their input is valued and that they are encouraged to contribute ideas, and effectively utilizes the individual attributes of each employee to further the goals and overall success of workplaces. By embracing diversity and creating inclusive workplaces in Canada each employee can be given a better opportunity to use their talents and reach their full potential which can contribute significantly to overall success and effectiveness of workplaces.

Source: Statistics Canada

This article was contributed by volunteer blogger Shan Simpson.

Diversity vs Inclusion

Diversity v. Inclusion. What are they? Aren’t they the same thing? Personally, I would have to say no. Diversity, to me, looks like a workplace where people of different creeds, colours, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability and gender are represented. Management decide who is hired and is a part of the team. That is how a diverse workplace is created, but this does not ensure that employees feel a sense of inclusion.

In the workplace I consider myself a minority. I am a South Asian woman and I am an immigrant. I moved to Canada as a child, so many people find it difficult to believe that English is not my first language. I have heard many stories of people struggling to feel accepted in their workplace, but I have never really felt such an experience. Throughout my 11 years in the workforce I have worked in a variety of areas; childcare, mental health and most recently, legal services. In my experience, people have been inclusive, curious and kind. I have been asked numerous questions about my background and culture. Some questions were funny, “So….what is underneath the turban that men wear?” and some were serious, “How do you plan on raising your children since you and your husband are two different religions?” (I am Hindu and he is Sikh). Personal experiences have shown me people are sometimes unaware of my cultural background and beliefs, but are more curious than anything else. I have been honest and open and have tried to answer questions to the best of my ability and usually the response I’ve received from my colleagues is, “Wow, that’s neat and different”. The more open and honest I have been with my colleagues, the more comfortable they feeling asking me questions and expressing their feelings. This openness and candor has allowed me to experience a sense of inclusion in the workplace.

An employer decides who to hire and that is how a diverse workplace is built. But inclusion depends on more than just who is hired. Employees have to be open and comfortable with themselves and their background and colleges in the work place must be respectful and open to listening. All parties must feel heard and respected only then can an environment of diversity be sustained. In a global world all colours, creeds, backgrounds and races are interacting with each other on a daily basis. Inclusion in the workplace comes into fruition when respect and openness are a part of a working environment.

This article was contributed by volunteer blogger Parul Datta.