Building a foundation of respect - Part 28 | BuildForce Canada

Building a foundation of respect - Part 28

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 explores the content and use of the BuildForce Canada Respectful Workplace Policy Framework and Implementation Guide. This tool is a free template designed to assist organizations in creating and implementing policies that support a respectful and inclusive workplace. This tool is one of three in the BuildForce Canada Respectful and Inclusive Workplace Toolkit.)

Does your organization have fair practices in all areas to support a respectful and inclusive workplace?

Did you know? A respectful and inclusive workplace will have policies and procedures that ensure all employees are treated fairly in all areas of work life. Download the free Respectful Workplace Policy Framework at buildforce.ca/respect. The BuildForce Canada Respectful Workplace Policy Framework is an overarching document that provides the general principles guiding an organization’s policy development, processes, and programs.

Using the Respectful Workplace Policy Framework as a guide, there are connected policies and procedures that an organization must develop in the areas of health and safety, labour and employment standards, and human rights to ensure that all employees are treated fairly in all areas of work life.

The BuildForce Respectful Workplace Policy Framework identifies some of the policies that are necessary to support a respectful and inclusive workplace.  Here are a few examples:

  • Harassment and violence: a policy covering legal requirements to prevent and address harassing or violent behaviour, such as repeated aggressive comments. Some jurisdictions also have legal requirements to protect workers who experience domestic violence.
  • Discrimination, including discriminatory harassment: a policy covering legal requirements to prevent and address harassment and discrimination based on personal characteristics and circumstances, such as refusing to promote an employee because of his race.
  • Disability and accommodations: a policy covering legal requirements to provide an accessible workplace for all and address situations such as workers who need accommodations related to mental health issues.
  • Hiring: a policy covering legal requirements to prevent and address unfair hiring practices, such as not hiring candidates because they are older.
  • Religious holidays: a policy covering legal requirements related to religious holidays, to prevent and address situations such as an employee being refused a day off to celebrate a religious holiday other than those planned in the official holiday calendar.

For more info:

Join the conversation: Is your organization committed to fairness in all areas of work life?

Our next installment: Does your organization have an implementation plan for its respectful workplace policy?

Previous installment:Does your organization protect every employee from discrimination at work?

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!

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This project has been funded by Status of Women Canada.