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Celebrating 10 Years

J2DW Celebrates 10 Years of Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Safety in the Workplace

Celebrating 10 Years of J2DW’s Vision and Mission for a Better Workplace

 

For Immediate Release

Barrie, Ontario, December 3, 2023 – Journey to Diversity Workplaces (J2DW), a non-profit organization that advocates for diversity, equity, inclusion, and safety in the workplace, is celebrating our 10th anniversary this month. Founded in December 2013 by a group of passionate individuals who wanted to reform the workplace and introduce progressive policies that promote harmony and growth, J2DW has grown into a network of members, partners, and supporters who share our vision and mission.

J2DW believes that the workplace should be a place where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered. It believes that diversity, equity, inclusion, and safety are not only moral imperatives but also strategic advantages that foster creativity, innovation, and connectedness. J2DW is not just an organization but a movement that aims to transform the workplace culture and environment for the better.

Over the past decade, J2DW has been involved in various initiatives and activities that support our goals and objectives. Some of these include:

    • Producing a volunteer-run podcast called Diversity on Air, which interviews experts, leaders, and activists who share their insights and experiences on diversity, equity, inclusion, and safety.
    • Publishing a blog called Voices of our Nation, featuring articles contributed by volunteers and summer students who write about their opinions, stories, and research on workplace issues.
    • Hosted amazing speakers such as Paralympic athlete Zak Madell and former PEI opposition leader Hon. Peter Bevan-Baker.
    • Partnering with various organizations and platforms such as OnGood, Charity Village, and VolunteerMatch to increase our reach and impact.
    • Being featured in various media outlets such as the Barrie Advance, Barrie Today, and InDurham to raise awareness and recognition of our work and community.

    J2DW is proud of our achievements and milestones over the past 10 years. It is also grateful for the support and collaboration of our members, partners, donors, volunteers, staff, board members, and advisors who have contributed to our success and growth. J2DW invites everyone to join it on our journey to diversity in the workplace. Whether one is an employer, an employee, or a supporter, one can make a difference by becoming a member, a partner, or a donor. One can also listen to our podcast episodes and read our blog posts to learn more about our work and community.

    J2DW’s motto is “Respecting differences ethically, morally, and legally!” We hope to continue living up to this motto for many more years to come.

    For more information about J2DW, please visit our website at www.j2dw.ngo. You can also follow us on social media platforms such as Facebook, Threads, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, or Mastodon.

    Journey to Diversity Workplaces is a non-profit organization built on improving the business and social environment by championing diversity and the workers within those workplaces. J2DW was formed in 2013 by Founder and CEO Peter V. Tretter with the goal of introducing and maintaining progressive workplace policies. Ideas like higher wages and a four-day workweek are key strategic pillars for J2DW to improve the quality of life and social footprint that businesses have on their employees and communities.

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    Contact:

    J2DW Media Relations
    705-481-1674
    Email us!

Cross cultural training and basics in the workplace

In today’s society, acts of racial injustice in businesses and mainstream media have been surfacing at uncharitable levels due to the accessibility offered by social media. I log onto my Instagram or Facebook page and instantly am dumbfounded by the long threads of racial injustice, systemic racism, police brutality, and white privilege. While historically, this subject matter is not all so new, we now have the platform and resources to examine systematic racism towards people of colour, and work towards debunking the myth that people of white descent are the frontrunners of society. As a result, racial diversity in the workplace is being widely addressed in the sense that some companies have responded with acts of solidarity and a “changed perspective”. Although more companies are taking action to make our workplaces more diverse and inclusive, let’s face it, there is much work to be done. In today’s post, I am talking about the powers of Cross Cultural Training in the workplace, and how to conquer common biases. After all, in Canada the labor force is nearly 100% dominated by immigrants, which make up 80% of our entire population growth (Government of Canada 1).

Cross cultural training (CCT) may be a phrase you have never heard of in your life so let me polish the pearl here. This type of training directs our employees to overcoming cultural challenges at work, or in life, when being in the midst of coworkers whose culture, values and beliefs differ widely. In essence, CCT allows employees to break down barriers.

Most of us follow paths led by certain morals, beliefs, or a religion, which, if followed blindly, can establish barriers fueled by stereotypes for those different from us. Contriving preconceptions about others ceases our ability to grow as people, and stunt our understanding and willingness to learn about others. Through this form of training, other cultures are placed under a spotlight where all employees have the chance to learn about these unique cultures, and recognize the differences between how they present themselves and their motivations, vs how you would.

Secondly, building trust and a moral connection with a coworker is extremely important. I mentioned in a previous post about mental health in the workplace that once you start to open up, and establish a common ground with your desk partner, you may be able to produce better work, learn to communicate more effectively and a wide variety of other things. CCT results in greater trust. If I am someone who has recently immigrated or just has different beliefs than a coworker, I would feel comfortable knowing that my cultural viewpoints are respected, and I would feel comfortable pursuing my beliefs in a work environment. Once trust is established, altruistic tendencies tend to morph into greater cooperation and a more productive workplace.

CCT teaches employees the importance of hierarchy perception. I like to think of this as a way to simplify information, and make decisions. Creativity, and approaching a situation from different perspectives is something that every workplace needs within their decision making process, but a hierarchical system does not have room for visionaries and opinions. Those in greater power are often perceived as less open and more controlling of an employee’s approach towards workplace orders. Often, those coming from different walks of life have different ways to approach situations as a result of their past experiences. It is through CCT, that we teach how cultures perceive hierarchies, and lines not to cross within management. Hierarchy perception determines if a person in power has the right to actually be in that role which helps to promote diversity and inclusion, so that these decisions aren’t dictated by biases that have nothing to do with work, but rather the person.

So, you now have some knowledge on why cross-cultural training is valuable and how it can enhance productivity in a workplace, but the bigger question is, how can this training be presented to employees? Well, effective presentation is the most important thing here. When preparing a cross-cultural training program, employers should heavily take into consideration who they are actually presenting too. A workplace/audience may have multiple employees that don’t understand English as well as others, so, it would be appropriate to deliver the program in the language that each employee understands (a translator may be necessary in this instance). Prepare handouts or a slideshow with information and knowledge about one’s culture.

The ability to learn different aspects of a new culture is not something one can learn quickly, but it is also important to keep in mind that the employee that has recently immigrated or has different beliefs than you is doing the same thing. Encourage your employees to ask questions (in a respective manner). CCT should be able to combine native culture with foreign culture and have them intertwine in a beautiful manner.

Sources

Immigration, R. and C. C. (2022, June 6). Infographic: Immigration and Canada’s economic recovery. Canada.ca. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/02/infographic-immigration-and-canadas-economic-recovery.html

Palladino, P., Author Peter Palladino , (2021, March 3). How to create an effective cross-cultural training program. Sales & Marketing Management. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://salesandmarketing.com/how-create-effective-cross-cultural-training-program/

This article was written by summer student Bayden Summers and edited by summer student Ilesha Prabhudesai. This article was funded by the Government of Canada.

Addressing Accessibility Barriers With Remote Work Part II

This blog post is the second of two articles on disability and remote work. The first entry focused on some of the accessibility barriers that disabled employees face in the workplace, and how the normalisation of remote work has helped to overcome many of those barriers. This post considers what it means for disabled employees to return to in-person work now that many companies are adopting a hybrid model or mandating a return to the physical workplace. 

 
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, disabled employees have found that remote work gives them the opportunity to work in an environment that accommodates their needs more easily than working at the office. As I discussed in the first segment of this blog, disabled Canadians who qualify for employment remain vastly underrepresented in the workforce, and the inaccessibility of many work environments is a contributing factor. The widespread adaptation of remote work during COVID might just have provided a needed solution to overcoming some of these accessibility barriers. But now that many employers are implementing a return to the physical workplace, it’s worth questioning what this means for disabled employees.

It’s true that many people are experiencing feelings of isolation and are impatient for the chance to get out of the house, which can help to maintain a work-life balance. But a mandated return to the office may present a serious setback for disabled employees who have benefitted from the convenience of working from home. Remote work has contributed to both their physical and mental wellbeing, and after two years of operating out of what may be for them an optimal work environment, some disabled employees might be reluctant or unable to make the adjustment to working in-person, especially if they started a new position remotely and may not know what to expect at the office in terms of accessibility.

Employers may believe that in-person work is the best option for everyone, but the notion that jobs can only be performed in a physical workplace fails to take into account the experiences and concerns of disabled people. Granted, some industries are dependent upon in-person labour, but the past two years have proved that many jobs can in fact be performed remotely. Why should disabled members of the workforce be forced to return to the office when they can work equally, if not more efficiently, in an environment in which their needs are met?

We can see a similar phenomenon taking place in the post-secondary education system, as many institutions have shifted toward a return to the classroom over the past year. A workplace and an academic setting may be different environments in nature, but there is considerable overlap between a student’s ability to focus in class and succeed in their studies and an employee’s ability to perform their tasks and do their job well.

As a case in point, Anushay Sheikh filed a human rights claim against U of T Law before the Ontario Human Rights Commission. After accepting an offer of admission to the law school in 2021 and deferring acceptance for the fall 2022 semester, Sheikh soon ran into barriers when requesting accommodation from the university. As a student with disabilities, they requested access to Zoom links for lectures so that they could sometimes attend classes remotely on an as-needed basis. According to news reports on the case, U of T Law Faculty repeatedly refused on the basis that university programs are delivered in-person, and that the shift to online learning was only intended as a temporary COVID measure. The university technically has a system in place to provide lecture recordings for those who miss class for both COVID and non-COVID related reasons, but disabled students at U of T are still reporting that accommodation requests to learn remotely are being denied (Yousif & Frances, 2022). According to Sheikh, several of their professors were supportive, but the administration was ableist (Damte, 2022). After months of back-and-forth with the administration, Sheikh filed a human rights claim in January 2022.
“As someone that suffers from chronic pain flare ups, PTSD, and anxiety, the option of remote learning gives me the flexibility I need to navigate my symptoms,” Sheikh asserted in an email response to Journey to Diversity Workplaces. “[… B]eing able to make decisions about my health as an adult without asking permission from older white administrators will not only help my ability to access course material, but would also save a significant amount of distress that comes with asking people in positions of power for basic dignity.”

It’s easy to see how similar principles can be applied to members of the workforce and their requests to work from home. The COVID-19 pandemic has proved that many jobs can in fact be performed remotely, so there’s no substantial reason for employers to deny their workers the right to such accommodations, certainly not if a company is meant to uphold inclusive practices.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that a non-inclusive work culture or inaccessible workspace is likely to steer a disabled employee toward other companies and industries where they can be accommodated more easily, even if they might otherwise be the perfect candidate for a particular job. Such a culture will, in turn, inhibit a company’s ability to be more inclusive in the long run because of the lack of disabled voices on its team.

When asked by Journey to Diversity Workplaces about how disabled students can benefit from remote learning in the long run, Sheikh asserted: “[…] We live in a society that has perpetuated toxic work and study expectations, including not listening to your body and mind, not taking breaks, forcing yourself to conform to a specific learning style that may not work for you, etc. By adopting a universal design, one in which many different needs are met without requiring students to other themselves to get accommodations, universities can and will attract people who think in different ways. A diversity of thought is crucial to having a well rounded institution, and by extension, a well rounded and representative legal profession. It’ll also allow students, as adult human beings, to make decisions about their health and well-being. If that means learning from home to get the most out of a lecture, so be it.”

At the end of the day, a company’s internal inclusivity/anti-discrimination policies are meaningless if the environment is not accessible (Claus, 2021). Many workers are eager for a chance to return to the office, but leaving the option open for remote work for those who can benefit from it is one significant way in which employers can make their work culture more accessible. Disabled employees have been pushing for the opportunity to work remotely for a long time. Accommodating those requests is one way in which employers can show they are listening to the disabled voices on their team, and move towards a work culture that is more diverse and welcoming of everyone.

Sources

Berting, P. (2022, February 14). Law student files human rights claim against U of T over zoom link accessibility. The Varsity. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://thevarsity.ca/2022/02/14/human-rights-case-u-of-t-law-student-zoom/

Claus, C. (2021, October 4). How to Improve the Hiring Process & Create a More Inclusive Workplace, According to an Accessibility Support Engineer. InclusionHub. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.inclusionhub.com/articles/improve-hiring-process-create-inclusive-workplace

Damte, M. (2022, February 28). Inclusive Excellence? Recent Human Rights Tribunal Application Says Otherwise. Ultra Vires. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://ultravires.ca/2022/02/inclusive-excellence-recent-human-rights-tribunal-application-says-otherwise/

Peng, J., & Kiessel, L. (2020, October 27). For those with disabilities, shift to remote work has opened doors (video). The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2020/1027/For-those-with-disabilities-shift-to-remote-work-has-opened-doors-video

Yousif, N., & Francis, A. (2022, June 5). U of T Law is denying access to virtual classes, disabled students say – despite COVID-era shift to online learning. Toronto Star. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/06/05/u-of-t-law-is-denying-access-to-virtual-classes-disabled-students-say-despite-covid-era-shift-to-online-learning.html

This article was written by summer student Cossette Penner-Olivera and edited by summer student Bayden Summers. This article was funded by the Government of Canada.

Addressing Accessibility Barriers With Remote Work Part I

This blog post will be one of two articles on disability and remote work. This entry focuses on some of the accessibility barriers disabled employees face in the workplace, and how the normalisation of remote work has helped to overcome many of those barriers. The second blog post will consider what it means for disabled employees to return to in-person work now that many workplaces are adopting a hybrid model or mandating a return to the physical workplace.

More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift to remote work has become a “new normal,” with many Canadians having adjusted to a work-from-home setting. But for many disabled employees, the opportunities that have arisen as a result of this shift are considerable.
The fact is, disabled employees have long been advocating for the right to work (Peng & Kiessel, 2020), but for the most part they’ve been turned down. This is partly because many employers believe that allowing for remote work will give disabled employees an unfair advantage over their able-bodied coworkers.

Despite the rising inclusivity in many work settings, some disabled employees may feel hesitant to ask for further considerations out of fear that they are asking too much, and should simply be grateful for those accommodations they have received. Well-meaning supervisors might still have overlooked efforts to make the workplace more accessible, simply by failing to consider the extent of accommodations that disabled employees really need. And that’s without considering the fact that most office buildings, especially old buildings, are designed without disabilities in mind. Employers might install access ramps, but that doesn’t change the unfortunate reality-that a building’s doorways might not be wide enough to allow passage for wheelchairs. Even the commute to get to work usually comes with barriers, such as a lack of elevators at some subway stations.

In Canada, the rights of disabled employees are protected under the Employment Equity Act (Canada.ca), but unfortunately, stigma toward disabled people remains, creating considerable barriers to equal employment opportunities. The belief that disabled people are less qualified or incapable of performing their duties as effectively as their able-bodied counterparts is a common one. And when it comes to the physical workplace itself, accommodations for disabled employees, like the provision of special chairs or modified work hours, are seen as too expensive or too complicated to manage.

Legislation doesn’t change the fact that disabled Canadians are disproportionately unemployed compared to able-bodied Canadians. The numbers speak for themselves: a 2017 survey by Statistics Canada found that there are approximately 645,000 disabled Canadians over the age of 15 who have the potential to work and yet are not currently employed. In the 25-64 age group, 80% able-bodied people are employed, whereas only 59% of disabled people in the same age range are employed (Morris et al., 2018).

Now that the world has largely shifted to working from home, many of those barriers have been reduced or have vanished completely for disabled employees, opening up opportunities that didn’t exist before the pandemic. Many disabled employees expressed that they could focus more easily and be more productive at work when given the opportunity to customise their workspaces to accommodate their needs freely (Peng & Kiessel, 2020). People with chronic pain, for example, can work in a setting that suits them best without having to sit for long periods of time in uncomfortable office chairs. Some able-bodied people believe that an employee needs to sit at a desk in order to be productive and to fit a certain image of professionalism, but that isn’t always the most comfortable setup for those with chronic pain.

When it comes down to it, there is a great deal of freedom to be found for disabled people in not having to request an employer who holds a position of power over them for special accommodations. Plus, it’s worth noting that many disabilities are invisible, and employees are not required to disclose their disabilities to an employer (although they still need to self-identify as disabled in order to count as a member of those groups protected by the Employment Equity Act). Remote work opens up further opportunities in this regard.

The removal of transportation and physical accessibility barriers is one obvious benefit to be reaped from remote work. In particular, those with pain and mobility-related disabilities are likely to benefit from not having to commute to an in-person workplace. But beyond that, thanks to remote work, people with all sorts of disabilities are able to work in an environment that best suits their needs.

The virtual nature of remote work allows employees to use assistive technology more easily than they might have done in the office. For example, Zoom’s closed captions function is enormously beneficial during meetings to employees who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Text-to-speech software serves to benefit employees with visual disabilities, speech disabilities, and learning disabilities like dyslexia The ability to work in a customised environment at home also benefits neurodivergent employees by removing the risk of sensory overload at the office. Some workplaces ban sensory tools like fidget spinners because of a lack of understanding of how neurodivergent people function best, but working at home allows people with ADHD to use them freely to improve focus and reduce stress.

Remote work is not a universal, permanent solution to the discrimination disabled people face when it comes to employment, nor should it exempt employers from continuing to implement inclusive practices and from making their workplaces accessible. We certainly shouldn’t use the possibilities presented by remote work as an excuse not to hold employers accountable for discriminatory behaviour. Education around disability that emphasises listening to disabled voices should become normalised regardless of whether people are working from home or from the office. But leaving the option open for remote work is one major way in which employers can ensure the equality of disabled people working in Canada and contribute to a more diverse workforce.

Sources

Farrer, L. (2022, March 30). Accommodating Disabilities In Remote And Hybrid Work. Forbes. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurelfarrer/2022/03/30/accommodating-disabilities-in-remote–hybrid-work/?sh=3ecfde0f2c17

Government of Canada. (n.d.). Employment Equity Act. Justice Laws Website. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-5.401/page-1.html

Howard, J. (2022, March 22). The benefits of remote work for people with disabilities. InclusionHub . Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.inclusionhub.com/articles/benefits-of-remote-work

Morris, S., Fawcett, G., Brisebois, L., & Hughes, J. (2018, November 28). A demographic, employment and income profile of Canadians with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 2017. Statistics Canada. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-654-x/89-654-x2018002-eng.htm#a5

Peng, J., & Kiessel, L. (2020, October 27). For those with disabilities, shift to remote work has opened doors (video). The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2020/1027/For-those-with-disabilities-shift-to-remote-work-has-opened-doors-video

This article was written by summer student Cossette Penner-Olivera and edited by summer student Ilesha Prabhudesai. This article was funded by the Government of Canada.

5 Ways to Promote Inclusivity of Indigenous People in the Workplace

Now you’ve read about the barriers that Indigenous people face simply to find employment. So, what’s next? Getting a foot in the door is undoubtedly difficult, but for many Indigenous workers, staying at a workplace for a prolonged period of time is also often a challenge. A lot of it can be addressed by the following: the lack of a sense of community in the workplace, diversity without true equity and inclusion, a lack of structural policies to accommodate diverse employees, and an absence of acknowledgement or action to help uplift Indigenous communities.

Corporations and employers must ask themselves: how can companies and fellow co-workers help create an environment that is sustainable and accommodating for Indigenous employees? Here are five ways that companies can create an inclusive workplace environment.

  1. Get educated on different Indigenous cultures, traditions, important dates, customs, and communities. The First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities of Canada all have their own unique identities, cultures, and customs, so it’s vital to be aware of them. Having this knowledge would allow employees to feel comfortable enough to come to you, the employer, with culturally sensitive topics that may affect their work. This understanding promotes a healthier employee-to-employer relationship because the employee knows that they are respected enough to not be pressured to suppress an important part of their identity in order to stay employed.
  2. Research ways other companies have uplifted and accommodated Indigenous people in the workplace. Run through your network, call your connections, and inquire about their policies, calls to action, and work environment. You, as the employer, are not required to have all the answers, but others who have been in your position may have some! It is also recommended that you reach out to Indigenous people in higher positions and gain their insight.
  3. Speak to your Indigenous employees! There is no better way to learn how to make an environment more inclusive for an individual than to gain their personal input. However, asking them in a one-to-one confrontation can be an uncomfortable situation for an employee to tell their boss of their complaints. Instead, having an anonymous forum or a monthly survey about EDI and the work environment where concerns can be voiced would be a better solution. A one-to-one meeting can still be on the table if that is desired by the employee.
  4. Establish policies that protect Indigenous people’s rights in the workplace, along with programs that give Indigenous employees access to certain resources and skill-development programs to be on an equal playing field with their colleagues (Guide to developing Indigenous Inclusion Policies, 2018). Policies enforce accountability. Having such policies and programs catering to Indigenous safety, work flexibility, childcare, workplace diversity, and EDI, is necessary.
  5. Donate to Indigenous charities and support Indigenous businesses. Getting educated, spreading awareness, or doing land acknowledgements are good places to start, but taking action is what truly makes a difference. The best way to practice what you preach is by donating to various Indigenous charities which help make education, housing, clean water, mental health resources, healthcare, and employment-seeking opportunities more accessible. Below, I will list a few Indigenous charities that you can donate to after reading this post.

If, as an employer, you have checked off every single mentioned recommendation, does this mean “I’ve completed my share of activism for the day?” No. That, in itself, is a privileged thought. Diversity and inclusion of Indigenous people in the workplace is an ongoing process in which you learn and grow with every step.

Indigenous Charities
Circles for Reconciliation
https://circlesforreconciliation.ca/
Sew on Fire Ministries
https://sewonfire.com/
Indspire
https://indspire.ca/
Canadian Roots Exchange
https://canadianroots.ca/

Sources

Guide to developing Indigenous Inclusion Policies. North Superior Workforce Planning Board. (2018, September). https://www.nswpb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IW_-_The_Inclusion_Policy_Development_Guideonline.pdf

This article was written by summer student Ilesha Prabhudesai and edited by summer student Cossette Penner-Olivera. This article was funded by the Government of Canada.

Mental Health in the Workplace Part II

Welcome to part two of “Mental Health & Its Impact in the Workplace.” In part one, I emphasized the theoretical illustration of mental health and its negative impacts in a business setting. In part two, I will be discussing physical practices that could be viewed as a way to ease the minds of employees in different work environments, varying from fast paced/high demand to euphonious/relaxed. After reading that, you’re probably thinking: “why should someone working in the medical field, endeavouring to save lives, be treated the same as a massage therapist in regards to mental health treatment?” My answer to you, as I stressed in part one, is that we are all extremely different as individuals, and one person may be struggling much more than the other. Therefore it is vital to recognize there is no one “right way” to create a mentally healthy workplace.

First and foremost, I believe that every workplace should have a meditation station, or a designated meditation break implemented into employees’ schedules. Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine (Mayo Clinic 1) . When pursued, one can indulge in paying attention to breathing patterns and heart rate speeds, which helps to eliminate the overcrowding thoughts of how am I ever going to complete this project for my boss in time? and how will I get my kid to soccer practice when I am scheduled to work overtime? This process has been proven time and again to enhance physical and emotional well-being. Meditation brings people a sense of calmness and peace. But the beauty of it is that you can also use meditation to relax in the midst of a hectic environment and cope with stress of finances, family issues, and other anxieties by refocusing your attention on a soothing voice with easy instructions.
Meditation is something that I personally pursue on a daily basis. Being a university student who is expected to produce assignment after assignment, study for hours, and juggle infinite other responsibilities, it is extremely easy for me to get caught up in a stressful mindset. One of the biggest reasons I recommended meditation in the workplace is because that short, fifteen minute session can help set the tone for the rest of your day and influence how you choose to look at the challenges you may face. How might a workplace go about implementing such a break? An employer could designate a room for quiet meditation, providing headphones to enhance the experience. Each employee can be provided with a designated time throughout their shift to go to this room and be one with their thoughts and feelings. And hey, maybe provide a blanket or two to maximize comfort levels.

We work with the same people everyday, but how much do we really know about each other? Bill and Anastasia may work side by side daily but does Bill know that Anastasia has recently lost her mother and has been struggling with severe depression? Does Anastasia know that Bill has drowned himself in student debt that he struggles to pay off every day, often forgetting to eat in fear of spending too much? Hosting an event such as a biweekly staff breakfast/lunch/dinner where employees can get to know each other on a personal level is critical to the strengthening of peer assessment and the work individuals submit together. While not everyone is comfortable with sharing their struggles (and that is more than okay), simply being open to the fact that some people struggle with poor mental health goes a long way, and the support from the people we regularly interact with matters. If we talk more about mental health, and share what we have been struggling with, it could potentially lead to more people seeking treatment and working towards combating the negative stigma around mental health. If a workplace were to arrange a meal or an outing with all staff members, Anastasia and Bill may have the opportunity to be honest and communicate about more non-work related topics. It could be a moment for Anastasia to discover that Bill has also been struggling with depression, and while their situations may be different, they are able to assist each other in the near future. And what better way to open up than over a delicious crepe breakfast? We are never alone in our battles, and it can feel extremely comforting to be in the presence of someone who relates to you. Now, Anastasia and Bill might come in to work the next day and produce one of the best pieces of work yet because they are comfortable with each other, and because they understand each others’ limits.

Finally, I believe every workplace should have a gratitude board where employees can pin sticky-notes with motivating or inspiring messages to keep one another going. Leaving a message can be an extremely easy task to perform in the midst of a hectic workday. Words go such a long way, and if you’re having a bad day, or a client was disrespectful to you, a simple message saying “keep going” or “wow, you’re doing great” can help to release the weight of negative emotions on your stressful afternoon. I’m going to utilize my science background here for a minute. The hippocampus and the amygdala (two important regions of the brain) are responsible for regulating emotions and daily functioning, and they are heavily impacted by feelings of gratitude. Gratitude helps regulate levels of dopamine, which can significantly reduce anxiety and depression by signaling the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for managing negative emotions like guilt and sadness. In my high school, our student council would put notes on students’ lockers before exams with positive quotes or messages written on them to let the students know that they had done their best this school year and that they should be proud of their accomplishments. This went a long way for a student like me, who was constantly caught up in my grades and how well I performed. If cheesy letters aren’t really your thing, this board can also feature the numbers or websites of various counseling hotlines or nearby therapy offices for employees to seek professional help.

Thank you for reading my mini-series where I continually emphasized the importance of pushing for the right to have a healthy mindset throughout your workday. Remember that no matter how lonely you feel, someone loves and cares for you, and on your darkest days you are not alone.

Sources

Distress and Crisis Ontario. (2021, January 22). Gratitude and Mental Health. Distress and Crisis Ontario. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.dcontario.org/gratitude-and-mental-health/

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, April 29). A beginner’s guide to meditation. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

This article was written by summer student Bayden Summers and edited by summer student Cossette Penner-Olivera. This article was funded by the Government of Canada.

The Unemployment Crisis of Indigenous People in Canada

How many Canadian Indigenous voices will it take for us to remember that unemployment is an intersectional issue? Unemployment among Indigenous communities is definitely not rooted in a singular factor, but rather, is a quilt of a multitude of reasons spanning generations.

The Indigenous population comprises 4.9% of the Canadian population, totalling a rough estimate of 1.67 million people. Of this, the unemployment rate of Indigenous people is 11.6%, compared to that of non-Indigenous people is 7.6% from June to August 2021 (Bleakney et al., 2021). Why do Indigenous people have substantially higher unemployment rates? What barriers might they face in their pursuit of employment?

It is undeniable that Indigenous communities in Canada suffer from socioeconomic disparities fueled by a long, tragic history of mistreatment. Through the Residential School system, the ‘cultural genocide’ enforced by foreign settlers, as per the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established a deeply painful chain of generational trauma, the effects of which are still evident today. Generational trauma is passed down in the family through genetics, and is experienced through specific behaviours of family members and their treatment of a child during early development. These behaviours give rise to problems like self-esteem issues, loss of identity, depression, mistrust, fatigue, and imbalanced immune responses, as well as a family history of diseases (Gillespie, 2020).

With such an array of interpersonal conflicts, it is expected that the Indigenous population of Canada should also receive comparable assistance from the government. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Indigenous communities receive little to no mental health aid that is actually accessible, explaining its adverse impact on employment rates. How is it equitable to expect trauma-ridden individuals to focus on job stability when they are still striving for a chance at mental stability?

Along with intergenerational trauma, Indigenous communities face socioeconomic and environmental disparities, creating a gap between the resources accessible to Indigenous versus non-Indigenous populations. One significant example of that gap is the inaccessibility of funded educational services. Indigenous communities on reservations do have access to one or two schools on the reserve for children under 18, however, these educational institutions tend to be so remote (or rather, the Indigenous reserves are), that countless children are sexually assaulted, kidnapped, and murdered on their way to and from school and never make it home. And even out of those who get home safely, their dreams of pursuing post-secondary education are often crushed once tuition costs and location are factored into the picture.

In 2018, Indspire, a charity focused on making education financially accessible to Indigenous students in Canada, published a summary of an in-depth survey of the experiences of Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education (Post-secondary Experience of Indigenous Students, 2018). The most common message in the students’ testimonies was the lack of funding and accessibility to financial aid in Canadian post-secondary institutions. Some students had no choice but to bring their children to class because they were unable to pay for childcare and were too far away from their family and community (Post-secondary Experience of Indigenous Students, 2018).

Stemming from this, another issue that the survey-takers mentioned is that without adequate financial aid for housing, childcare, food, and tuition, many students inevitably chose to drop out of school to work minimum wage jobs (if hired) to sustain themselves, and/or focus on their home life. Without a solid educational background and access to any external career-building resources, the youth remain unqualified for high-paying, stable jobs, and the unemployment rate increases.

Other major factors affecting Indigenous Canadians’ employment struggles include environmental racism, mental illnesses — which often inform alcohol and drug usage — and poverty. An example of environmental racism would be strategic policies, creation and locations of institutions and houses surrounding a target community, which gives that population a specific disadvantage. Indigenous reserves often receive muddy, dark brown, contaminated water, a problem which issues the Boil Water Advisory, and the prey that they consume is ridden with dangerous contaminants, because of their proximity to mining rigs (Luo, 2021). This results in chronic illness, gastrointestinal disorders, and cancer. Due to the remote nature of Indigenous reserves, most individuals don’t have quick access to reputable hospitals, public transportation, and driving tests, and cannot afford a car or be eligible for insurance.

There is also a very limited selection of minimum wage jobs in nearby communities. As a result, job security is scarce. When you pile on drug and alcohol usage triggered by mental illness and physical health issues, it is evident that an individual cannot possibly ace a job interview, or work efficiently in these conditions.

These socioeconomic factors tie into self-esteem issues and the emotional and physical effects of intergenerational trauma. This is hardly a position conducive to job interviews and employment, is it? And the undeniable, glaring topic of racism in the hiring process and work environment has not even been touched upon yet.

It is clear that there are many hurdles that Indigenous job seekers in Canada must overcome to simply get a foot in the door. Most non-Indigenous Canadians have never had to, and may never will, think about these issues, further contributing to negligence from recruiting agents and coworkers. It is important for all of us to stay educated and aware, seek out ways to help, ensure we are not unconsciously contributing to the aforementioned negligence, and have compassion when amplifying Indigenous voices.

SOURCES
Bleakney, A., Masoud, H., & Robertson, H. (2021, November 16). This article uses data from the Labour Force Survey to examine trends in employment, unemployment and labour force participation among indigenous people in the 18 months following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. trends for indigenous and non-Indigenous people, by age group, sex, region and occupation, as well as for First Nations people and Métis, are presented. Labour market impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous people living off reserve in the provinces: March 2020 to August 2021. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2021001/article/00037-eng.htm

Luo, C. (2021, November 14). The water crisis in Canada’s First Nations communities. ArcGIS StoryMaps. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/52a5610cca604175b8fb35bccf165f96

Gillespie, C. (2020, October 27). Generational trauma might explain your anxiety and depression-here’s what it means. Health. https://www.health.com/condition/ptsd/generational-trauma
Post-secondary experience of indigenous students following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. (2018, September). https://indspire.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/PSE-Experience-Indigenous-Students-Survey-Summary-Sept2018.pdf

This article was written by summer student Ilesha Prabhudesai and edited by summer student Cossette Penner-Olivera. This article was funded by the Government of Canada.

Mental Health in The Workplace Part I

Disclaimer: There will be two parts to the “Mental Health & Its Impact in the Workplace” blog. The first part consists of the overarching “issue” and why it is important to address mental health in our day to day work environments. The second part will consist of physical and mental strategies I would like to see incorporated into the hussle of a 9-5 culture.

You awake to the unsettling pounding of your alarm at 7am sharp but to your surprise it is 8:32. Running fashionably late to work, you throw on your attire that, may I mention, was more wrinkled than your fingers after a 40-minute bath. Why? Lack of motivation to iron your clothing stemming from the depression you acquired constantly pondering on your miserable, repetitive lifestyle . Okay, you’re out the door and into the car, but as traffic seamlessly pursues the idea of being late you’re lost in your thoughts. “Oh no, I forgot to eat breakfast” , “will I have enough money to feed myself this week” , “shoot! My brother’s birthday is next Saturday and I haven’t gotten him a gift” . Just like that you find yourself stressed, on top of the depression, anxiety, and eating addiction you have been fighting to overcome for the last few months. These thoughts eat away at you throughout your work day, and because you have been so caught up in all the things you have done wrong, you realize your boss wanted a project done you completely abandoned.

Many of us spend a majority of our lives at work, and struggling with a mental illness can be extremely difficult to recognize in our coworkers, and even in ourselves. Worldwide, an estimated 264 million people suffer from depression, in which many of these people also suffer from related symptoms/illnesses. What I found particularly interesting was that depression and anxiety disorders alone cost the global economy $1 trillion each year in lost productivity (World Health Organization 1), yet the leaders of our workplaces are doing little to nothing to improve this number. When mental health is not prioritized, poor communication and management practices, limited participation in decision making, and even the disregarding of health and safety protocols all become prevalent in a work environment that multiple individuals share. Quite frankly, If I am someone who has been struggling with anxiety over a drastic life decision awaiting response, why would I want to contribute to a decision that only affects a job I can not wait to get home from every night. Similarly, if I am someone who has been struggling with persistent suicidal thoughts, I may choose not to abide by the safety protocols in my workplace which puts everyone in danger. Now more than ever, mental health needs to be accommodated. Due to the recent events of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were trapped in their households and coming back to work can be a difficult transition for those that have completely altered their lifestyle, and have been able to hide away from the outside world.

My mother has worked in the mental health field for 20+ years, and whenever she gets home from work I often find myself wondering, has she been taken care of by her coworkers in an environment where she is constantly fighting to protect the will of other people’s lives? I spoke to her recently and she explained to me how different not just the performance of employees, but the attitude of the employees could be if there were more mental health practices implemented in the workplace which I will talk further about in part two. She said that her team is so focused on helping other people, that it is so easy to ignore the problems she may be experiencing that day. I have witnessed first hand that mental health workers are taught to not allow their own internal issues clash with the work they do for others, rightfully so, but these experts are just as vulnerable to the feelings of depression, anxiety, addiction etc. and often that is disregarded by head staff.

The most important takeaway here is that poor mental health not only hurts employees, it also reduces in-house profit. We are all extremely different as individuals, and one of us may be struggling much more than our desk buddy, so it is vital to recognize there is no one “right way” to create a mentally healthy workplace because every workplace is different. Maybe you work for a big law firm where you are constantly being thrown tasks, or maybe you work at a small journaling company, virtually where you have a flexible schedule, educating all staff members about the importance of psychological health in the workplace is equally as important across the board.

In part two I will dive into some activities/practices all workplaces can implement into the day to day chaos of a 9-5 luxury.

SOURCES
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Mental health in the Workplace. World Health Organization. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/promotion-prevention/mental-health-in-the-workplace

This article was written by summer student Bayden Summers and edited by summer student Ilesha Prabhudesai. This article was funded by the Government of Canada.

Critics of Peer Review Ask How ‘Race Science’ Still Manages to Slip Through

Two scientific papers in South Africa have raised questions among critics about the quality — and potential biases — of international peer review.

July 22, 2019 by Sarah Wild

As soon as Barbara Boswell began reading the journal article, the associate professor of English at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa says she was surprised about the language it used. Even the title and the abstract set alarm bells ringing, she recalled. “As I read further, I saw more problems.”

The controversial paper, “Age- and education-related effects on cognitive functioning in Colored South African women,” was published in March in the journal Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition following peer review. The authors, from South Africa’s Stellenbosch University, claimed to show “low cognitive functioning” in this group, which they attributed to low education levels and risky lifestyles. (In South Africa, “colored” is one of the four officially recognized racial categories — a relic of the apartheid system — along with white, Indian/Asian, and black African.)

In April, Boswell spearheaded a petition for the journal to issue a retraction. “The article is published as scientific research but draws on colonial stereotypes of African women, and ‘colored’ South African women specifically, as intellectually deficient,” Boswell and her co-authors wrote. “The article relies on flawed methodology and science, perpetuating harmful, racist stereotypes.”

More than 10,000 people, including scholars and ordinary citizens, signed the petition, which was ultimately successful: The journal retracted the paper on May 2. But this wasn’t the only recent scientific article in South Africa to face fierce criticism on its methodology and treatment of race. A second paper, also published in March in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics, claimed to show that inhabitants of countries with lower IQs were more likely to be sold as slaves between the 15th and 20th centuries. Following an outcry, the co-author resigned from his position as an adjunct professor at the UCT.



Together, the papers raise questions regarding how such research made it through peer review, a process in which academics validate studies prior to publication. Peer review is considered by many researchers and academics to be the best quality-check for scholarship, but others point out that it can be flawed, opaque, and susceptible to bias.

Both papers were subjected to reviewers in internationally-published journals despite appearing to dabble in race science, which regards race not as cultural construct, but as a biological variable that can be used to make allegedly scientific conclusions about groups of people. Many experts consider biological notions of race to be largely debunked, making the appearance of such research in the global literature, where it can then be used to undermine the rights and dignity of entire communities, particularly problematic. “Scientific racism was used to justify racist policies like apartheid,” says Boswell. “It was used to make an argument about the inferiority of black people, indigenous people, and why they needed stewardship because they were not fully capable of looking after themselves and the land.”

The two papers show “how shoddy peer review can be at times,” says Agustín Fuentes, an anthropologist at the University of Notre Dame. “The ideal is good — great, in fact — but it does not always work out. I think that there are also a lot of biases about race and gender in the academy in general. And in too many cases those biases go unchallenged and result in things like these getting in to print.”


It has been 25 years since the end of South Africa’s apartheid government, which separated people based on race and often relied on flawed race science as justification, and the country still struggles with racial tension and systemic divisions that drive inequality. The academic system reflects these realties: White researchers still occupy half of all university posts despite accounting for just 8 percent of the population, and they publish about two-thirds of academic research.

Stellenbosch University, for instance, was mainly reserved for white students and staff under the Afrikaans-speaking apartheid government. The school has been attempting to address its racist past and transform its university body by increasing scholarships to previously disadvantaged racial groups, hiring more diverse staff, and switching from Afrikaans to English as the main medium of instruction. Eugene Cloete, the vice-rector for research, innovation, and postgraduate studies at Stellenbosch, says that the paper on colored women has set the university “back years.”

Cloete suspects there might be other published articles from the university with racist assumptions, and he is personally reviewing thousands of ongoing projects for racial insensitivity. Still, he says, some blame should lie with the journals. The paper “was published in an international, peer-reviewed journal,” he says. “We publish 1,800 papers a year here through thousands of different journals. We have to rely on peer review.”

Cloete and Boswell, along with other researchers, argue that peer review should have caught what they say is flawed research in the Stellenbosch study. The study’s authors, a team of sports scientists, assessed self-identified colored women from a township in the Western Cape. The sample size was limited, with just 60 women, but they extrapolated the results to apply to millions of people. The researchers also made assumptions about the group, identifying it as racially homogenous when it was actually diverse. And, based on a measure of cognitive ability that has been shown to be inapplicable to South African populations, the researchers made sweeping claims about the poor cognitive abilities of colored women in general.

“The study is based on ideological assumptions that are deeply rooted in a racialized and racist history,” says Garth Stevens, president-elect of the Psychological Society of South Africa. “Those assumptions are overlaid with a set of scientific methods that are themselves fatally flawed.” As a result, the generalizations about a particular population group “become spurious and a real indicator of poor science.”

Corresponding author on the paper, sports scientist Elmarie Terblanche, said she was not allowed to comment as the matter was under investigation.

The academic publisher, Taylor & Francis Group, confirmed that the article was peer-reviewed, but that editors retracted it after Boswell’s petition took off. When Undark asked the organization for comment, press coordinator Saskia Kovandzich said “I’m afraid that nobody is available to discuss this issue with you.”


While the Stellenbosch article was retracted, the one on slavery and IQ was not. That article, “Intelligence and Slave Exports from Africa,” was published by a team of economists in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics by Sage Publishing on March 28. The team claims to show that African countries where people have higher IQs experienced lower levels of slave exports than countries which had lower “cognitive ability.”

The lead author, economist Simplice Asongu, listed UCT as his institution on the paper, but he was an adjunct professor rather than a full staff member, says Elijah Moholola, a university spokesperson. And the university doesn’t stand behind the findings, Moholola adds: “UCT rejects the assumptions of the paper and this line of research as bad science.” Asongu has since resigned.

Sage did not respond to an interview request.

Like the Stellenbosch study, the methodology of the UCT paper came under scientific scrutiny. The paper claims to prove that countries with higher average IQs saw fewer inhabitants sold into slavery because they were smarter and thus better able to escape, confront enslavers, and organize resistance.

Asongu and his co-author, Oasis Kodila-Tedika, an economist at the University of Kinshasa, show this through linking, among other variables, countries’ IQ; their capacity for technology adaptation, inferred from previous research; the landscape’s ruggedness; and historical population density.

The authors assume most types of intelligence can be captured through IQ tests. But the idea that it is possible to determine the cognitive ability of entire countries is problematic, says Adam Haupt, a professor in media studies, who specializes in race discourse. He points out that there is plenty of research showing IQ tests can be inaccurate and unfair. “There’s a cultural and ideological bias embedded in those tests,” Haupt says. “Science is seen as non-ideological, but we know that’s not true.”

When Undark contacted Asongu for comment, he said he wouldn’t discuss the matter through non-scientific media, adding: “Anybody questioning the robustness of the findings should have his or her comments peer-reviewed and published in a scientific medium, then I will also respond through the same scientific medium or other scientific media.”

But peer review is part of the problem. “If it was a predatory journal” — a journal which charges researchers to publish, but doesn’t offer rigorous services such as peer review — “then you’d understand it,” says Haupt. But “Sage is a reputable publisher. It has you asking questions about their peer review process. All of the supposed safeguards fell flat. Why did editors not ask how sound was this methodological approach? How much do we know about IQ?”


It remains unclear why, exactly, the papers from Stellenbosch and UCT made it through peer review. “A charitable interpretation would be laziness and genuine oversight on the part of the reviewers,” says Angela Saini, a science journalist and author of “Superior: The Return of Race Science,” a new book on the resurgence of race science since it fell out of favor following World War II.

“A less charitable one is that they let this through because they share with the authors some commitment to the idea of biological race — an idea long ago discredited by mainstream scientists,” she adds. “Either way, the system must be flawed in some way or this wouldn’t have happened.”

Regardless of the reason why, it’s common for faulty papers to slip through peer review, says Ivan Oransky, co-founder of Retraction Watch, a watchdog publication for scientific publishing. “There are 1,400 retractions per year, and there are others that should be retracted but aren’t,” he says. “Peer review is a porous system.”

Recent reports reveal that system is under pressure. A 2016 study in PlosOne, looking at biomedical research, found that the responsibility for peer review is concentrated in the hands of a few reviewers. At the same time, the volume of scholarship requiring peer review continues to increase at about 3 to 3.5 percent each year. And there is also bias when it comes to who gets to be a peer reviewer. In its Global State of Peer Review 2018 report, for instance, the peer-review tracking website Publons found that established regions review more than emerging regions; in fact, there was not an African country in the top 20 nations that supplied reviews. And an investigation into gender and international diversity at the biosciences journal eLife found that an all-male review team was more likely to accept papers with male authors, and gatekeepers were also more likely to accept papers whose authors were from the same country as them.

“Humans are fallible and peer review has subjective aspects to it,” explains Cassidy Sugimoto, a professor of informatics at Indiana University, Bloomington and a co-author on the paper.

Part of that subjectivity comes from personal worldviews, but it also encompasses the scholarship reviewers and researchers are exposed to. Editors tend to choose reviewers who have read the same body of literature, Sugimoto adds, and may be oblivious to valid work disproving their viewpoint. In the case of race, there is plenty of well-established scholarship, she says, but mostly in fields that are unfamiliar to researchers and reviewers.

“A number of disciplines outside of the humanities need to engage across those boundaries to think critically about what they do as researchers,” says Haupt. “What does it mean to be a scientist in a world that is trying to undo colonialism, systemic racism, sexism? How do you undo the systemic racism, sexism?”

“You need to interrogate your position and the history of your scholarship,” he adds.

Still, there are moves to change the system. One way is to have a more diverse pool of reviewers, Sugimoto says. Another is to have partially open peer review, where reviewers and authors know one another’s identity and their comments are public.

“If peer review is the mechanism to determine validity of work, open peer review would be accountability and transparency,” Sugimoto says, although she adds that this could spark other problems, such as junior reviewers damaging their careers by openly challenging a senior academic. One way to avoid this would be to make only the reviews, rather than the reviewers’ identities, public.

These fixes, perhaps, could have halted the publication of the papers about colored women or countries that experienced slavery. “I’m sure there are lots of pieces of research like this,” says Boswell.

Such work “doesn’t come out of nowhere,” she adds. “This comes out of a context.”


Sarah Wild is a freelance science journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This article was originally published on Undark. Read the original article.


This article is under Undark’s copyright and does not qualify for the Creative Commons license J2DW normally uses.