Cases on Social Issues For Class Discussion - 2nd Edition Textbook Case 1 Homophobia at Work

CASE HOMOPHOBIA AT WORK Case Homophobia at Work Background On the Social Issue DEIRDRE AND The workforce is diverse Many organizations recognize that the inclusion of perspectives from a diverse workforce can lead to stronger teamwork and better decision making . Therefore , organizations should be motivated to be inclusive because it can lead to business success . Organizations also want to maintain their reputation and engage with a wide range of clients , suppliers , and communities affected by their business . Organizations also have diversity and inclusion policies because it is a legal requirement to protect the human rights of all employees in Canada . Background On the Social Issue

Figure A meeting ofa . diverse group ( mi . Figure A meeting diverse group ( mi . Diverse workplaces must be safe for everyone Approximately 13 of Canadians identify as , and identify as Indigenous . Many identify as both . For youth , the percentage of those who identify as or are questioning their identity , the number can be as high as 24 . Indigenous people , people of colour and members of the group say they should feel safe and protected at work and have input and on projects at all levels . Are our workplaces emotionally and physically safe for everyone ?

Gregory John , a gay Indigenous man , says that in order to have real collaboration at work , we have to ensure everyone safety , both individually and as a group . Among other issues , this means ensuring individuals safety from homophobia , sexism , racism , violence , and threats to their reputation and career . For example , employees do not always feel safe with being out and staying out at work . It can be particularly to be out and work in , heterosexual and still dominated Canadian industries such as mining , forestry , energy and even . Indigenous people , other people of colour and people bring Background On the Social Issue

multiple perspectives The essential contributions of Indigenous people , people of colour and people should be valued . Although Indigenous people are a population and are seeking education and starting businesses , organizations need an intentional recruitment process in place to acquire Indigenous talent and to integrate and retain these employees . Indigenous talent is going to be a key component in addressing labour shortage concerns , says Gregory John based on his various experiences as an Indigenous relations specialist in energy and engineering , procurement , and construction projects in Western Canada . Many Indigenous communities are deeply involved in developing their natural resources and improving their own communities . Figure From Lake Indian Band , Indigenous employees of Cho Construction in northeast . work on tree clearing in the Peace River district . Photo used with permission from Canadian Energy Centre ( not the company discussed in this case ) However , it can be for Indigenous people to work in controversial development projects while maintaining trusting partnerships with industries such as mining , forestry and energy . Companies have previously focused on extraction over local impact , emphasized over bringing local and given little recognition to Indigenous titles on the land Gregory John , in his experiences as an Indigenous relations specialist , has learned to communicate effectively . He says . Background On the Social Issue

Acknowledging being gay and Indigenous has gifted me two additional perspectives to see through . My multiple perspectives have been key in allowing me to do this work Indigenous relations without making major mistakes . These perspectives have been the foundations for me to mitigate the risk associated with working with diverse communities . Western Society teaches us to make many assumptions before collaborating . With diverse communities , collaboration must start before the first question is asked as there are so many unknowns . Making assumptions here will have serious and potentially consequences . Realizing I do not know everything is key . Approaching this work with humility is the key to its Deliberately including people at all levels of a company helps build trust and increases productivity , which improves the collegial atmosphere and morale for everyone . In complex projects , companies need their staff to use different ways of problem solving based on their experiences , perspectives and wisdom . To succeed , companies need their employees to be open to new ideas and to be empathic of each other and the clients they serve . Also , clients and suppliers want to see themselves represented by the staff of companies . Clients , suppliers and communities want to know that companies understand their needs . Figure A transgender woman and gender person laughing at work . Drucker , The Gender Spectrum Collection ) Background On the Social Issue

10 Background On the Social Issue Figure A suited man with 41 version of an . By being vulnerable and empathetic and bringing multiple perspectives ( gay , Indigenous , urban ) to a situation , Gregory John has learned to successfully navigate controversial conversations at work and in the Indigenous communities he has visited . He says it is important to be completely responsive . If we not able to remove ourselves from our bias and our own perceptions of people , then were going to come to the wrong Media A Team Brainstorming and Having a Meeting Yan is licensed under a All Rights Reserved license Man in Orange Shirt is licensed under a All Rights Reserved license Indigenous employees of Cho Construction Canadian Energy Centre is licensed under a All Rights Reserved license The Gender Spectrum Drucker . The Gender Spectrum Collection is licensed under a ( Attribution NonCommercial ) license Man Holding a Pride Flag Anna is licensed under a All Rights Reserved license Background On the Social Issue 11

Scenario for Discussion DEIRDRE AND Background on the Company is a lithium mining company with head in downtown Vancouver and is trading on the Stock Exchange . lithium resource is located in the brine beneath the surface of depleted oil reservoirs in Northern , though it is also developing open pit mines in eastern British Columbia and investigating geothermal energy sources of lithium . Lithium is used in batteries and in metal production and has many other lucrative applications . The electric car industry holds great promise for companies such as . A depiction of sampling for lithium for future . Frontier Lithium 2021 not the discussed ) Photo used with permission Old oil reservoirs and open pit mines are sources of environmental concern and controversy for rural and Indigenous communities . Environmental impacts on wildlife habitats , waterways , and arable land must be assessed before launching new business activities and developments . As outlined in the federal , provincial and territorial governments regulatory for development , local Indigenous communities must be consulted on business activities and developments that will affect them . Through consultation , each party must share information and concerns in a way that ensures all 12 Scenario for Discussion

issues are addressed and risks are mitigated from every angle . Risks can be environmental ( land , water , air ) and , where applicable , risks to Treaty rights . Indigeneity or the Canadian process of Reconciliation are not discussed as cultural or political concepts at , though the Indigenous perspective and consultation with affected communities is very important to . considers the company to be objective about their proposed developments . Although is located in Vancouver and there are people of colour working there , more than 85 of the employees of are white , male and heterosexual . There are a few women a manager , an engineer and so on . Only Christmas is acknowledged as an celebration . There are no diversity and inclusion programs or policies except for the training session on harassment at work . Senior leadership does not talk about diversity and inclusion in strategic planning . Before a project meeting , when talking about current Indigenous blockades on forestry roads and protests of racism by Indigenous leaders , Dale , a gay , Indigenous employee , heard someone say , I really don see colour I mean , you can be blue and have four ears , I will work with you Others nodded . Background on the Employee The Employee Dale is a gay , Indigenous employee who works in public relations in the head at . Dale helps run community engagement in rural and Indigenous communities affected by the mining . Dale is sunny and warm with clients , with prospective partners , and at community meetings . He is able to get most people engaged and genuinely talking about the issues at hand in a way . Most people at the , although polite , do not try to befriend Dale or include him in conversations . Dale is neither out nor in the closet as a gay man at work . There is nowhere to talk about sexual orientation . Dale has anxiety all the time . He does not feel safe . He wonders , Am I too much ?

I better not cross my legs one over the other as thats how women sit , not Will the wrong people here gain the information that I am gay and not take me seriously , or worse , threaten my job limit career growth opportunities within the company simply because I am too different to deserve these opportunities ?

Dale Role as Indigenous Relations Advisor At every project planning meeting , Dale has asked for time on the agenda to talk about how important Indigenous relations are . Dale has learned that their organizations teams must go without a agenda when they meet with local Indigenous communities . Every Indigenous community has its own protocols , and must adopt these ways of doing business before trust can be established . will work with the IT group , and leadership to craft emails and other formal project communications to Indigenous communities . Communication must be sent to the right person in the community while carefully saying the right things that open and maintain dialogue . If offends someone and triggers the mistrust and frustration of local Indigenous communities , the projects will fail . Dale knows that when the teams visit Indigenous communities , they should learn about the culture , economy , and businesses how to pronounce the Chief and Councils names and how to say hello in their local 12 Scenario for Discussion I 13

language . Each Indigenous cultural group ( eg . Cree , Blackfoot , Wet en ) has their own cultural protocol , such as the gifting of tobacco or salmon allowing time for an opening prayer to a business meeting . Dale knows that preparing for these meetings in this manner will allow the Indigenous representatives to listen and observe everything that is going on . And then the team , with their technical focus , must be ready to hear and tell personal stories to connect with the community authentically while also preparing themselves to hear all concerns as they occur . Dale has counselled the team many times If a community wants to talk about water , talk about water . If an elder wants a chance to speak but is tired and emotional today , have tea and wait for tomorrow . If youth want to speak about land issues but are not technically knowledgeable and want to speak more from the heart , the company representatives should listen and do the work of interpreting their meaning so the company can hear and understand what the community is saying . Dale will check his own biases and expects everyone else , including employees and the local communities , to also assume nothing . Everyone must be open to true collaboration . This takes a lot of time and effort . Media Sampling for Lithium Frontier Lithium is licensed under a All Rights Reserved license 14 Scenario for Discussion

Critical Events to Inspire Discussion DEIRDRE AND Dale , the project manager and several engineers go on a trip to the East region of British Columbia to do a check in and quick site tour of the proposed new mine . They do not have any community meetings planned . Dale and the project manager had previously set up an information table with maps and project information in the on site . Anyone that had business with the mine could see the information . Dale , the Public Relations and Indigenous Relations expert , has told the project manager several times that they should be having more active , frequent community meetings . Head personnel should more frequently visit local towns and Indigenous communities . There is tension between Dale and the project manager . After the group has completed their work checking on the mine site , they go out to dinner at the Bar and Grill in the local town . Everyone is drinking beer and eating burgers . One of the engineers , jokingly mentions that he is not happy sharing a hotel room with another engineer , who has already made a mess in there . The hotel roommate engineer , says , I used a few towels . Don be such a homophobic The other engineer , laughing and making a pretend face , says , All that swear word cologne , I am pretty sure you are a homophobic slur . I need my own room ! Everyone laughs but Dale , who is shaken and fearful . No one notices or does anything about Dale discomfort . When they return to Vancouver , Dale goes to the project manager to state that the situation in the bar was upsetting and unacceptable . The project manager says , All right , we were out in the wild . Everyone was just letting loose and having fun . If you have a problem with it , go tell and the engineers . Dale sees the Resources Manager to discuss it . The office manager suggests that Dale talk to the engineers directly to sort out your own problems and resolve your own conflicts . Dale is hearing that he should not make a big deal out of the incident and that he does not have support . Dale is now depressed and anxious and struggling to concentrate at work . 13 Critical Events to Inspire Discussion 15

Discussion What should happen next ?

DEIRDRE AND Questions about individual employees Is it the obligation of a member of a marginalized group , like Dale , to speak up to protect their own dignity , rights and safety ?

How should Dale do this ?

To whom should he speak ?

Is the fact that Dale is distressed a personal problem he has to solve or is it an organizational problem ?

Should Dale try to blend in ?

Would that be considered more professional ?

Should Dale advocate for substantial improvements ?

Should Dale assert himself as an opinion leader ?

What kinds of improvements should he advocate for ?

What if someone like Dale wants to advocate for the integration of ways of thinking ?

What if someone like Dale wants to advocate for the integration of Indigenous ways of knowing into the organization ?

How would he do that ?

To whom should he speak ?

What are the and challenges to Dale advocating for improvements ?

Should other bystanders speak take action against discrimination ?

Other relevant questions students should discuss Questions about the organization What will be the consequences if the organization does nothing about the incident described above ?

Should Human Resources create mandatory policies and practices for the whole organization ?

What should they be ?

In what ways could Human Resources encourage voluntary improvements ?

What are the and challenges to bringing about voluntary improvements ?

Should Human Resources mandate training programs ?

Should these issues be discussed in staff meetings ?

Other relevant questions students should discuss Questions about the leadership Are there threats to the reputation of the company ?

What role does senior leadership have in this situation ?

Other relevant questions students should discuss 16 Discussion What should happen next ?

Teaching Notes DEIRDRE AND Note to teachers The scenario deals with sensitive and controversial issues and discussing it may be upsetting for some students , especially those who identify in similar ways to Dale . Please provide context about Indigenous issues ( particularly in Canada ) and issues , especially context that challenges common assumptions . This context would help prepare students for a robust but respectful discussion . Please see the bibliography below or seek other like sources from your own Diversity and Inclusion specialists , Indigenous advisors , or educational supports . It is important not to generalize language with Indigenous people . You will commonly see Indigenous people use the terms Indian , Aboriginal , First Nations and Indigenous interchangeably , but this language choice is not an option for people . It is okay to interject to say some language is inappropriate . Most Indigenous peoples prefer to be by the name of their Nation , tribe , or band . Check with Indigenous advisors at your institution . What will students discuss ?

As relevant to course learning outcomes , students will be able to discuss any of the following gender stereotyping , bias , racism , Indigenous racism homophobia humour at work diversity , equity and inclusion , belonging , justice , dignity , human rights mental health at work professionalism , organizational development , leadership human resources , talent management policy making and enforcement internal communication , organizational culture strategic communications , strategic planning public relations approaches to decision making and persuasion mutual care and safety at work other relevant topics 15 Teaching Notes 17

Students may argue that a member of a marginalized group should speak up and represent their constituent population , or they may argue that for reasons of personal safety , the member should be silent and try to blend in . Students may argue that bystanders should stand up against discrimination in their organization . Students may choose to argue for a mandated or a voluntary approach from Human Resources , leadership or committees . They may be guided to discuss the merits and barriers to implementing any of the following ideas or others . Internal practices mandated Strategic planning Enforceable policies Talent hiring practices Diversity and inclusion programs and workshops , workshops Internal culture voluntary Leadership personal storytelling Multicultural Indigenous Connections with Indigenous communities Social Internal intelligence about who works there of heritage shared at meetings , in celebrations , etc . Ally spaces , desks with pride Students may brainstorm ideas for actions senior leadership could take to improve the reputation . They may be guided to discuss the merits and barriers to implementing any of the following Leaders take training as above or otherwise Do public about improvements the company is making Publish report cards on diversity and inclusion programs Start dialogues within industry on social media about barriers to improvement Champion employees publicly ( with their consent ) Get involved in philanthropy Offer scholarships Promote and partner with smaller businesses that are Indigenous or owned Have senior leadership visit affected towns and Indigenous communities 18 15 Teaching Notes

References and Bibliography DEIRDRE AND Bibliography Allan , Hardman , Wright , Wilson , 2020 , June 11 ) A Guide for Teachers and Instructors A for of secondar institutions . A professional learning series . Licensed under Creative Commons . Nickel , Horton , 2020 ) Histories of Peoples and Canada . Thompson Rivers University . Licensed under Creative Commons . An Best Practices Guide for Employers . free resource request . Caldwell , 2020 , June 11 ) Guide and Racism . An excerpt from Pulling Together Foundations Guide by Wilson . Open Textbooks . Licensed under Creative Commons . Caldwell , 2019 , Guide Urban Indigenous Peoples and Demographics . An excerpt from Pulling Together Foundations Guide by Wilson . Open Textbooks . Licensed under Creative Commons . Chang , 2015 , May ) This is what life is like around the world . Ted Talks . Licensed under Creative Commons . Knowledge Wharton . 2019 , Mar 26 ) How Firms Are Cultivating a Sense of Belonging Management . Wharton University of Pennsylvania . of Planning and Accountability ( 2020 , May ) Student Report . Polytechnic University . Surrey , Canada . Statistics Canada ( 2021 ) Statistics on Indigenous peoples . Statistics Canada ( 2021 ) A statistical of Canada diverse communities . Leary , Brown , 2018 , 19 ) Myths About Coming Out at Work . Harvard Business Review . References and Bibliography 19