Respect & Inclusion at Work

This program is designed to help employers meet the legal and business imperative of fostering respectful workplaces. Across Canada, occupational health and safety legislation and human rights statutes require employers to provide harassment and violence free workplaces. In addition, the organizational costs of workplace harassment – absenteeism, reduced productivity, and turnover – can be substantial.

Creating a workplace culture that is not only free from discrimination and harassment, but also inclusive, respectful and supportive, requires more than employer action. Employees must understand their own obligations and be committed to contributing to a positive culture.

This interactive and practical session will use case studies to reinforce learning objectives. Participants will learn to:

• Appreciate the value of a respectful workplace and their role in creating one
• Understand and meet their legal and policy obligations
• Communicate with civility in all workplace interactions
• Address conflict early, constructively, and respectfully
• Use complaint resolution processes when necessary
• Respond proactively when they witness disrespect/harassment at work
• Recognize and mitigate unconscious biases to make better decisions
• Take practical steps to promote respect, inclusivity and psychological safety

While this program is suitable for all employees, we recommend that staff with supervisory/managerial responsibilities be trained in a separate session. This approach supports open dialogue among participants and allows for more targeted discussion of the enhanced duties managers and supervisors have under applicable laws and organizational policies.