For too many generations it was routine to have workplaces as exclusive environments. Women were only relegated to certain professions, and even then were routinely dismissed or forced to resign if they got married. People of colour were seldom hired outside of certain industries, and if they were hired were often openly discriminated against.
Other invisible minorities struggled as well. Many were forced to hide their identity, whether their religion or their ethnic origin, in order to secure work. They then continued to conceal their identities, and were forced to tolerate openly hostile environments. For people with disabilities, whether visible or invisible, the prospects were even more dire.
All of this has changed, but only in recent decades, and incrementally so. Today, human rights laws protect outright discrimination against a range of protected groups, and employers who do openly discriminate can face serious sanctions from courts or from human rights tribunals based on their behaviour.
Yet protection from discrimination does not automatically make a workplace ‘inclusive.’ What is inclusivity, and where does it fit into the world of ‘DEI’ that’s spoken about so often? What can employers do to change the game, and make their workplaces more inclusive for everyone’s benefit?
A quick look at the law
The law primarily serves to prohibit exclusion, at least deliberate exclusion. In Ontario, the Human Rights Code, which governs provincially-regulated employers, prohibits discrimination in employment based on a series of protected grounds such as age, race, citizenship, place of origin, marital status, sex, gender identity and expression, and disability to name a few. These protections also apply to freedom from harassment based on these grounds, as well as freedom to join trade unions.
From an inclusion perspective, that means that employers are legally required to be inclusive of all peoples from the time that the hiring process begins, such as making accommodations during the interview and hiring process. Employers are actually required to accommodate to the point of ‘undue hardship,’ which is a high threshold to meet. Simply put, employers are often required to go the extra mile to make their workplaces more inclusive.
Putting the ‘I’ in ‘DEI’
DEI, or diversity equity and inclusion, has become a hot button topic in recent years, and is far too often misunderstood. Yet leaving aside any of the controversy surrounding definitions of diversity, the need for inclusivity should not be controversial. The ‘I’ is about making the workplace more inclusive for all.
A healthy workplace culture should celebrate inclusivity, rather than begrudgingly make it a part of their values. This means allowing employees to be themselves – their full selves – and making sure that those differences are recognized and actively celebrated. This can mean encouraging those differences as part of your success strategy.
Often this can mean making choices that make the workplace accessible without an employee having to ask for accommodation. Small choices, like offering instructions in various formats, can help employees who may have learning disabilities succeed just as well as their counterparts.
Gender neutral bathrooms can be welcoming for trans employees, especially those who are not out. Similarly, using gender neutral language in places, or welcoming ‘spouses’ and ‘partners’ and ‘families’ at certain events is inclusive in that it does not make presumptions about anyone’s status. Similarly, avoiding events or deadlines on major religious holidays helps employees feel naturally included, without having to ask for that time off.
A few quick inclusion ideas for employers
Inclusion starts right from the hiring process. When you post your job ad, make it known not just that accommodations are available upon request (which is legally required), but that you’re an inclusive employer looking to hire people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Take that even further by promoting your opportunities across spaces and communities that may be outside of your usual hiring.
As you build your team, find ways to make things more inclusive both inside and outside of the workplace. Put someone in charge of a community calendar, where the company can mark various holidays, observances, and important dates and offer the rest of the team more education on the many things worth celebrating.
Always look towards bringing people into the conversation, instead of singling them out. Make it a practice to choose accessible venues for external events, and ensure that dietary and beverage options are available for anyone with restrictions. Find social occasions that welcome employees of all ages, genders, and abilities. These not only build a stronger team, but make you a better employer as a result.
Read the original blog post here.
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