Unlocking the Power of Inclusion: How a Diversity Calendar can Transform Your Workplace Culture

Jan 2023

226

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Authors: Sky McLaughlin and Sherilyn Trompetter of MT Consulting Group

In 2022, we introduced a tool that empowered organizations to embrace inclusivity in the workplace all year round. Simple yet effective, our Diversity Calendar empowers organizations to be aware of and observe important cultural celebrations. In this post, we’ll dive deep into the benefits of a diversity calendar and how you can use it.

What is a diversity calendar?

A diversity calendar provides a list of non-Western or non-Christian dates celebrated by other ethnic, religious, or cultural groups. Our diversity calendar specifically lists major dates observed in Canada, that complement existing statutory holidays. It covers ethnic, cultural, and religious observances, as well as dates significant to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) topics. This calendar is by no means an exhaustive list, but it is a well-researched starting point for your organization to begin acknowledging non-mainstream dates throughout the year.

Why should I diversify my calendar?

Normalize celebrating non-mainstream holidays

As our communities grow more diverse, so too will our organizations. Diversifying your calendar communicates to employees that your organization acknowledges this growing diversity. Actively celebrating or observing these dates further proves your commitment to building a welcoming workplace. By diversifying your office calendar, you can normalize celebrating other cultural or religious celebrations all year round. Though observing cultural events cannot be the singular piece to an organization’s overall inclusion strategy, it can create opportunities for diverse clientele or future hires to feel welcomed.

EDI is not a zero-sum game

Including other holidays does not require the removal of mainstream holidays from your calendar. EDI is not a zero-sum game, where one person’s gain is another person’s loss. Instead, think of it through the phrase “yes, and…” For example, your organization can host a potluck in December for both Hanukkah and Christmas. Alternatively, you can host a year-end holiday party that is centred on sharing celebratory meals, not just Christmas meals. Including other celebrations is as simple as saying “Yes, let’s have a year-end celebration and ask everyone to bring a dish that represents themselves.” By welcoming diverse cultural practices, employees are given an opportunity to connect and learn from one another.

Canada is growing and diversifying

In Canada, the growing focus on diversity in the workplace is a result of both inclusivity and immigration. For racialized groups living in Canada, greater inclusivity at work, school, and society at large has created opportunities to share their culture publicly. The supersonic speed of information has empowered individuals to both share and learn. Take Lunar New Year for example. In the past, it was identified as only Chinese New Year, due to the prevalence of Chinese communities in Canada. Yet recently, other Asian communities have called for a more accurate title. By using the title “Lunar New Year”, all related festivities can be included without the loss of Chinese traditions.

3 ways to use a diversity calendar:

It’s unrealistic to expect everyone to observe every single holiday listed on our diversity calendar. However, organizations can slowly incorporate certain holidays based on importance to employees or clientele. We have 3 recommendations for gradually introducing new holidays and dates to your team.

1. Observe diverse holidays in-person

The most direct way to use a diversity calendar is to observe some of the holidays listed. It can be used as a gentle reminder that the year-end holiday party is not just a Christmas party, but a celebration for non-Christians too. It can be a tool for planning community events. For example, October is Islamic History Month, Women’s History Month, Latin American Heritage Month, Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Canadian Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. All of these communities will be hosting events that your organization can support or attend. On the flip side, you can use the diversity calendar to plan internal events. National Day of Truth and Reconciliation provides a prime opportunity to discuss reconciliation in the workplace.

If you choose to celebrate a holiday listed on the diversity calendar, we have a few tips for hosting an inclusive event.

Involve staff in the planning. This ensures that many voices and ideas are incorporated.
Make attendance optional. This ensures everyone has a choice to participate in an event that may elicit negative emotions.
Use the in-office time to host organization-wide events. Not everyone will have time on Friday afternoon to participate, keeping events within work hours helps to maintain work/life boundaries.
Centre events around food, not alcohol. Instead of hosting your event at a local pub, consider catering lunch.
Consider the mental health and emotional ramifications. Everyone will have different comfort levels or willingness to participate. Sometimes these differences are due to personal boundaries, so it's best to give employees the autonomy to choose.

2. Observing diverse holidays online

Use the dates listed on the diversity calendar as a guide for creating content that can be posted externally. This could be a social media post, a blog, a short reel, or even an internal email. The objective is to observe an important date that’s relevant to your stakeholders. For example, during the weeks leading up to Pink Shirt Day in February, you could post personal stories from employees. Alternatively, you can create a blog post that details your organization’s commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive work environment. No matter what content, be sure to create it with authenticity and sincerity so that it is aligned with your organization’s context, values and purpose.

3. Adjusting holiday, vacation and personal time off policies

Last but not least, the diversity calendar can be used as a tool to design equitable policies and processes for holidays, vacations, and personal time off. Knowing when important dates are coming up can help you to understand why employees require time off. More importantly, by adjusting their time off policies, organizations are actively building a more inclusive workplace for their employees.

If you’re interested in learning more about creating equitable time off policies, MT Consulting Group will be presenting a workshop to CPHR Alberta members shortly. Watch the CPHR Alberta website and social media for more information.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.

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The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.