The Voice - Winter 2020 - 38

OSPE HUB EXCHANGE
engineeringdimensions.ca

supervisor and other stakeholders. " Important is the creation of
an environment, led by leaders, where uncomfortable thoughts
can be expressed by members of diversity groups who feel like they
are at a disadvantage. Leaders must clear the space for honest,
MURRANT, Melvin Roy
PERCY, Ivan Clifford
transparent conversation, that allows employees to feel heard and
Dunrobin, ON
Kanata, ON
valued.
NEILIPOVITZ,
William
David
POHORLY,
As Collins notes,
in his
career, he has
noticedJoseph
that theEdward
behaviour
Thunder
Bay,
ON
Virgil,
ON
of leadership is vital. " Model the behaviour. If you see your
manager
modelling
the behaviour that
they talk
about,John
I think you
NICHOLLS,
James Gordon
PRINGLE,
Michael
are
more
likely to take
And Hendy
South
Porcupine,
ON that seriously. "
Ottawa,
ON agrees: " It's the
same with leadership, the things that we need to do well in order
NICHOLLS, Jerome Charles
RAINA, Vijay Mohan
toSudbury,
retain diverse
talent are the things
we needON
to do well, period. "
ON
Thornhill,
This top down approach is vital to ensuring that equity,
O'CALLAGHAN, Richard
RIVEST, Victor Pierre
diversity,
and inclusion (EDI) are valued
in the workplace and
Thomas
Leamington, ON
utilized to the fullest extent. It is common sense: leaders must lead.
Mississauga, ON
ROBBINS,
Jack Arthur
But how can leaders prepare themselves
for these
demographic
O'REGAN,
Joseph
Barry
Blue
Mountains,
ONplace at a
shifts, and ensure that such changes are not just taking
Gloucester,
surface
level?ON
Oliver Markovski at Royal
Canin
Canada
ROBERMAN, Valery suggests
that
a
simple
combination
is
helpful:
" Diversity
OGILVIE, John Robert
Toronto,
ON and bias training
isGuelph,
helpful ON
and is becoming more common in many organizations.
ROMANETZ, Robert John
Having a local policy related to workplace inclusion that is
PANJER, Sean Paul
Woodstock, ON

Winnipeg, MB

Since 1959

$

reviewed and promoted by higher management is important. "
This approach asks for leaders to participate in training alongside
employees, and asks for a mechanism that holds individuals
accountable to their behaviours. In order to model behaviour,
RUSAN, Radu
THOMAS, Gerald Francis
employees must see that they are held accountable.
North York, ON
Mississauga, ON
OSPE's Exchange Hubs questioning of members resulted in
Ylo Mark
TO, James
C.Y. is that change
aSAAR,
few stark
similarities. One, as noted
by Collins,
Lakefield,
ON
Scarborough,
is not as deep-seeded as publicity campaignsON
have led us to
believe.
" When
I started my career
my women colleagues
were
SAUNDERS,
Ira Martin
WITHERSPOON,
David
very
concerned
about pay equity, and
now my women colleagues
Orleans,
ON
Franklin
Long Sault,
ON later. " And this
are still very concerned about pay equity,
16 years
SHARP, Bruce Andrew
comment
is
repeated
by
many
we
spoke
to.
It
is
a concerning fact
Moffat, ON
XIGGOROS, George
when demographics have changed so
much in the
Pickering,
ON last few decades,
SOLMAN, James John
and
it suggests that the industry is still not tapping in nearly
Scarborough, ON
enough to the full potential of its diverse base.
STEPHENSON,
Johnin-roads
Paul
There are many
to be made before diversity initiatives
Richmond
Hill,
ON
take root and result in changes that are not surface level. The
lived
experience
of many
STEVENSON,
Robert
Lorne members provides guidance, insight,
and
direction:
their
stories must be heard. OSPE values the
Kingston, ON
contribution of its members and is proud of those who chose to
SWEET, William Robert
speak up in the name of change.
Vernon, BC

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THE VOICE Winter 2021

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The Voice - Winter 2020

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