Building a foundation of respect - Part 30 | BuildForce Canada

Building a foundation of respect - Part 30


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 assign specific employees to be responsible for the effective implementation of its respectful workplace policy?

Did you know? A respectful workplace policy will be more successful when specific employees and/or committees are assigned responsibility for its implementation. [photo of 2 young women and a young man holding paperwork as part of a committee] Download the free Respectful Workplace Policy Framework Implementation Guide at buildforce.ca/respect.In a major study that examined various strategies for increasing the representation of people with different genders, backgrounds, and circumstances in management, researchers found that establishing structures of responsibility for respect and inclusion was the most effective. This included creating a plan and establishing employee positions and/or committees responsible for the plan.

Although methods such as awareness training, networking, and mentoring were moderately effective in specific situations, they were more effective when there were responsibility structures to support these efforts.  

The BuildForce Respectful Workplace Policy Framework Implementation Guide helps to increase the effectiveness of respectful and inclusive workplace efforts by recommending the development of “go-to-people” who are trained and trusted individuals to champion respectful and inclusive workplaces and to support the Respectful Workplace Policy Framework.

 “Go-to-people” are:

  • employees who take on this role in addition to their regular position or who are hired specifically for this role
  • recruited based on their skills and experience related to building a respectful and inclusive workplace
  • existing employees who take on the role who are given training in order to fulfil their duties

Their duties include:

  • answering questions about the Respectful Workplace Policy Framework
  • receiving and addressing complaints made under the framework and related policies
  • making recommendations to management for improving its respectful and inclusive efforts gained from their experience in the role

For more info:

  • Alexandra Kalev and Frank Dobbin. Best Practices of Best Guesses? Assessing the Efficacy of Corporate Affirmative Action and Diversity Policies. American Sociological Review, 2006, Vol. 71 (August: 589-617).

Join the conversation: Do you think it’s important to have employees who are knowledgeable about respect and inclusion?

Our Next Installment: Does your organization know which initiatives are most effective in creating respect and inclusion specific to your organization?

Previous Installment: Does your organization have an implementation plan for its respectful workplace policy?

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.