The HRSDC Anti Racism in the Workplace Initiative

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The HRSDC Anti Racism in the Workplace Initiative

• Prairie Centre of Excellence for Research on
  Immigration and Integration/Edmonton Mennonite
  Centre for Newcomers

• Researchers
• Jennifer Foote
• Candy Khan

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Acknowledgements

• We would like to thank HRSDC for the funding
  that made this project possible. We would also
  like to thank
• Michel Fourzly, HRSDC
• Jim  Gurnett Ralph Paufler, EMCN
• Dan Hiebert, RIIM
• Erin Tolley of the Metropolis Project Team, CIC

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Albertas Unique Situation

• Albertas booming economy has created huge labour
  shortages across the province.
• Every person interviewed stated that the biggest
  human resource challenge in his/her company was
  recruitment.

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Company Interviews Positives

• general atmosphere is culturally diverse and
  accepting of difference
• equity generally seen as being good for business
  and the future of the company
• two companies have committees that deal with
  diversity and equity issues
• racist jokes, etc. not tolerated

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Challenges

• problems with customer opinions in customer
  service related positions
• often few, if any, specific initiatives or
  policies in place
• required skills missing (could be bona fide
  skills or credential recognition problems)
• lack of knowledge about increasing diversity
• communication issues with ESL employees
• racism not recognized as a problem at all

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Approaches to Diversity

• belief that skills based hiring solves all
  problems
• informal policy
• racism/racist jokes not tolerated
• anti-racism training
• specific, related (e.g. harassment training), ad
  hoc
• recruitment
• often no specific attempt to recruit visible
  minorities
• use of existing minority population to bring in
  new employees (if a large minority community is
  already in place)
• two companies used NGOs that deal with immigrants

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Recommendations

• Companies should be audited more regularly to
  ensure they keep diversity a priority.
• More support is needed for implementing diversity
  
• Companies expressed a need for more help from
  HRSDC in developing strategies to help with
  diversity.

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Union interviews Positives

• generally passionate about removing barriers for
  visible minorities
• One union reported an ongoing dialogue with
  employer which resulted in several equity-related
  initiatives.
• If companies dont support union initiatives they
  can try to work around the company (e.g. publish
  their own manual about equity)
• perception that employers are less reluctant to
  hire diversity now that the economy is so strong

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Challenges

• Racism can be very difficult to prove.
• There is a lack of recognition on the part of
  employers that racism exists.
• Systemic racism is still a major problem.
• Some people still have a perception that
  immigrants are stealing jobs.
• There can be a lack of support for an inclusive
  work environment.
• Employers can be resistant to implementing union
  initiatives related to diversity

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Consultation Session

• Positives
• challenges can be overcome
• media attention and the federal strategy
  acknowledge that there is a problem
• NFB is making films to educate about racism
• increasingly diverse workplace helps people
  disprove stereotypes
• employers identifying needs

• Concerns
• lack of knowledge of human rights (employers)
• difficult to measure subtle racism
• overall pain and depression of life with racism
• organizations are willing to hire visible
  minorities but then keep them hidden

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What would you look for in your workplace as
evidence of racism?

• racist jokes
• employer denying problems exist
• few visible minority workers in front end
• lack of mentoring
• age and gender of workers
• illegitimate criteria/filters
• patterns of complaint
• double standards

• informal network where key decisions are made
• Informal reliance on key people to make a case
  for hiring people from a certain group
• job performance and/or attendance goes down
• proportional representation (upward mobility and
  advancement)

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What challenges do you see given todays labour
market?

• It is easy to become complacent.
• Companies feel they lack time to address
  race-related issues.
• How will companies prepare the existing workforce
  to embrace a more diversified workforce?
• Employees tolerate racism because they need work.
• How can anti-racism become as accepted as other
  workplace issues (e.g. work life balance, safety,
  etc.)?
• Politics

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What needs to be done to combat racism in the
workplace?

• education ongoing and preventative
• top-down initiative
• effective policies and regulations (enforcement)
• incentives as well as penalties
• whistle-blower protection
• cross-cultural training

• funding
• regular auditing for problem employers
• putting policy violators in the public eye
• promote the moral reasons for being a good
  employer
• mandatory human rights training

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What can you do in your workplace?

• Be more flexible think outside the box.
• Find tools for self-audit.
• Conduct a workforce survey.
• Do little things to boost morale (e.g. holiday
  greetings).
• Promote diversity often and positively.
• Ask yourself if you are doing all you can do.

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What support can HRSDC provide to you and other
employers?

• tool kits for employers and NGOs working with
  employers
• more in-person interaction (hands-on
  relationship)
• provide more information (especially in the west)
• Keep website updated
• more people in the field

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Who else needs to be involved? How?

• employers other than just FCP and LEEP companies
• non-unionized companies
• other levels of government
• licensing and accreditation bodies
• civil society (racism in the workplace cant stop
  if there is a larger problem of racism in
  society)
• educational institutions (post-secondary,
  secondary, and elementary
• community leaders