Building a foundation of respect - Part 23 | BuildForce Canada

Building a foundation of respect - Part 23

Welcome to the BuildForce blog on Respectful Workplaces! Here we explore issues and provide advice, research, tools, and checklists – everything our industry needs to create respectful and inclusive workplaces where everyone can succeed. Who will benefit? Leaders, managers, HR staff, on-site workers and anyone who wants to understand how to create and support a Respectful and Inclusive Workplace.

Question of the month

(Each month our feature question is taken from the BuildForce Canada Respectful Workplace Online Self-Assessment Tool. This Tool allows organization leadership to assess their progress toward a Respectful and Inclusive Workplace and benchmark their progress confidentially against other construction organizations. This Tool is one of three in the BuildForce Canada online Respectful and Inclusive Workplace Toolkit.)

Has your organization developed a communications plan to build awareness of and support for your respectful and inclusive workplace plan or set of objectives?

Recognize that creating and supporting a respectful and inclusive workplace will affect every aspect of your corporate culture: it requires day-to-day ongoing action and engagement.

  • Use every communication channel, including websites.
  • Find ways to tell the stories of employees positively impacted by respectful and inclusive policies and behaviours.
  • Communicate not only "what" the new policies are, but "why" they are important, e.g., how they can improve sales, innovation or reduce turnover costs.
  • Communicate the support for respect and inclusion by company executives/managers in multiple ways, e.g., through statements and/or video testimonials on your website, and special newsletters dedicated to the respectful and inclusive workplace initiative, etc.

For more info:

Join the conversation: Does your organization do a good job of communicating its commitment to a respectful and inclusive workplace?
 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 21, 2019 - The movement pioneered by Dr. King pressured the United States government to end legalized segregation. His famous speech, “I have a dream,” has continued to inspire people globally to work to end racism and inequality. --- The values of Dr. King are key drivers for Millennials’ (born 1983–1994) and Gen Z’s (born 1995–1999) job satisfaction and loyalty. According to the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey, Millennials and Gen Z believe: organizations have an important role in political and social progress; business leaders have a more positive impact on society than religious or political leaders; and business leaders should be proactive about making a positive impact in society.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Does your organization do a good job of communicating its commitment to a respectful and inclusive workplace?

PREVIOUS INSTALLMENT: Does your organization regularly share it's respectful and inclusive workplace objectives with its subcontractors, consultants and suppliers?

Read from the beginning. Click here to start at Part 1.

To meet the challenges of the 21st century, the Canadian construction and maintenance industry must be able to recruit and retain workers with a diversity of backgrounds such as Indigenous people, women, immigrants, and young workers. This means building respectful, safe and inclusive workplaces where all workers can succeed. Some of these challenges are: A quarter of a million skilled workers retiring over the next decade. Increased globalization demands more awareness of different cultures. The changing needs of a changing workforce. Increased demands for corporate social responsibility such as fairness and equity.

The BuildForce Canada Online Respectful and Inclusive Workplace Toolkit includes: The Respectful Workplace Online Self-Assessment Tool: to assist organization leadership in assessing their current situation and identifying where they may need to make changes; The Respectful and Inclusive Workplace Online Training Course: to train workers on how to create and support a respectful and inclusive workplace; and The Respectful Workplace Policy Framework and Implementation Guide: to assist organizations in creating and implementing a policy that supports a respectful and inclusive workplace. --- All the resources you need to create and support a respectful and inclusive workplace!

Status of Women Canada logo
This project has been funded by Status of Women Canada.