Ways to create an inclusive workplace
Ways to create an inclusive workplace for all genders, sexual orientations and ethnicities
Inclusivity is more than a buzzword, making the workplace inclusive for all genders, sexual orientations and ethnic backgrounds is rapidly becoming the norm in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. Employers that fail to adapt to the new reality might see their business suffer in the near future.
Here are a few tips to help you shape up your workplace so it becomes a safe space for everyone.
Draft an anti-discrimination policy
Holding a meeting and telling your staff discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity will not be tolerated is all very fine, but it’s not enough.
You have to put everything in writing so people know you mean business. Have the people in HR draft an anti-discrimination policy, which should include more than just general statements. It should include lots of examples, illustrating the types of behavior that will not be tolerated in your company.
Discrimination comes in many forms, starting with micro-aggressions many people don’t even perceive as being offensive and ending with vile abuse and, in extreme cases, physical violence.
Lay it all down clearly and have the policy sent to all your staff via email or in print.
Follow up with a couple of staff meetings to discuss how each and everyone should behave to create an inclusive workplace.
Don’t be afraid to talk about penalties and make it clear that repeat offenders risk being fired.
To help you draft your policy, here are some local policies we have found:
Douglas College Respectful Workplace Policy ⇢
Use pre-employment background checks
As doctors like to say, prevention is the best treatment. To make sure you won’t have problems in the workplace it’s best to use all the pre-employment screening tools at your disposal. And the most important tool is a national police check on all employees. When you employ someone who was convicted of sexual harassment or domestic violence, there’s a huge risk this person will commit offences against women or employees belonging to a sexual minority. Also, be wary of anyone associated with violent crime as these people are not known for their tolerance.
A convenient way to conduct a background check is to use an online service provider like the ANCC service which is popularly used in Australia and can be found here. There are also plenty of other online service providers in Canada and British Columbia. Such agencies are approved by the government and provide the same services as the national police. The difference is that everything is done online and the results are delivered by email in a few days. This is seen as a great benefit by many employers as it doesn’t slow down the hiring process.
Check out the job applicant’s social accounts
Most job applicants are smart enough to tell you exactly what you want to hear during an interview. No one is going to tell you they’re racist, hate the gays or have a low opinion on women. But, you can get a feeling of their views on many sensitive topics by checking out their social media accounts. Facebook, Twitter or Instagram offer a good picture of a person’s beliefs. Have a look at what they post and share, read the comments on controversial posts, etc.
If there are any lingering doubts, bring up a sensitive topic during a follow-up interview and see how they react. It might turn out that they shared a certain meme just because it seemed funny, without thinking whether it was offensive or not. Or you might discover that they do hold certain views that have no place in your organization, so it’s best not to hire them.
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