Lay The Foundation

Every word and action shapes our workplace culture. This session empowers learners to leverage the transformative power of inclusive language and practices to foster a welcoming and affirming environment. Learners explore the latest language evolution relating to identity and culture, develop bias-reducing strategies, and build a toolkit of inclusive phrases for everyday interactions. Through group exercises, learners will also practice leading strategies relating to people’s names, pronouns, and digital communications. Learners will leave equipped to cultivate a respectful and inclusive workplace, appreciating how language choices and daily practices profoundly impact their team.

Promoting racial inclusion is a key priority for many teams, but it is no easy task to devise a holistic strategy that considers the diverse needs of different racialized groups. This session helps learners cultivate a global and nuanced awareness of racial inequities, while exploring ways to act as allies for racialized team members. Learners build a shared understanding around the reality of racism in the world and workplace, as well as the unique challenges that specific racialized communities (e.g. Asian, Black, Indigenous, etc.)  face. Learners gain tools to challenge microaggressions,  interrupt bias, resist fragility, and transform workplace culture.

Although Islam is the second-most practiced religion in the world—with nearly two billion Muslim people worldwide—anti-Muslim sentiments remain, and experiences of Islamophobia are prominent in the workplace.  This session supports learners in identifying different forms of anti-Muslim sentiments and dismantling harmful biases and misconceptions regarding the Muslim community. Learners build a shared understanding around Islamic beliefs and practices, diversity within Muslim communities, and the roots of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment. Learners explore various interpersonal and organizational strategies to foster an inclusive environment where Muslim team members feel a sense of belonging and receive the support they need.

With antisemitism on the rise worldwide, workplaces must make it a priority to challenge antisemitism and facilitate greater Jewish cultural competency on their teams. This session supports learners in identifying different forms of antisemitism and dismantling harmful biases and misconceptions regarding the Jewish community. Learners build a shared understanding around Jewish beliefs and practices, diversity within Jewish communities, and the roots of antisemitism. Learners explore various interpersonal and organizational strategies to foster an inclusive environment where Jewish team members feel a sense of belonging and receive the support they need.

Around 15% of the world’s population lives with one or more disabilities; however many workplace professionals are unfamiliar with the everyday actions they can take to promote accessibility on their teams. This session helps learners deepen their awareness of the multifaceted and, at times invisible nature of disability, and discover meaningful tactics to empower and support disabled team members. Learners explore the social model of disability and specific ways we can unintentionally create workplace policies, norms, and environments that disable people. Learners gain tools to communicate more inclusively, promote accessibility across physical, mental, and neurocognitive disabilities, and help teammates get the accommodations they need to thrive at work.

Neurodiversity drives team innovation, yet neurodivergent individuals often struggle to identify their needs for adequate workplace accommodations. This session aims to enhance learners' understanding of the intersections between neurodiversity and the development of inclusive practices that support and empower neurodivergent team members. Learners explore the social model of disability and establish a shared understanding of the neurodiversity paradigm and the experiences of individuals with conditions such as ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and Tourette Syndrome. Learners are equipped with tools to address biases in workplace norms and communication, overcome social, sensory, and cognitive challenges faced by neurodivergent team members, and devise supportive workplace strategies.

Cross-generational collaboration is crucial to team success, yet age-related biases and divides can go unnoticed and unaddressed in the workplace. Using an intersectional lens, this session helps learners understand people’s experiences of ageism in the workplace and build tools to challenge them. Learners build a shared language and understanding around ageism and generational diversity and explore practical strategies for countering age-related stereotypes and catalyzing intergenerational empathy and cohesion. Learners gain the tools to design more inclusive workplace processes and programs that acknowledge the unique needs of every generation, from mentorship to menopause awareness.

Wellness language and programs are meant to encourage balance and vitality among team members, but sometimes reinforce a one-dimensional and alienating approach. This session helps learners cultivate a more holistic and inclusive understanding of wellness, workplace self-care, and the needs of team members of different sizes and builds. Learners explore the concept of wellness and the subtle “isms” embedded in how wellness culture can operate in the workplace. Learners examine practical strategies to “decolonize” wellness initiatives and challenge sizeism. Learners gain tools to scale wellness practices that tangibly address key workplace stressors and embody body liberation principles.

Learning and growing from mistakes is an intrinsic part of being a human and a professional. When we stumble, our colleagues can react with curiosity and compassion or shame and blame. This session helps learners enhance psychological safety on teams by giving them the tools to approach conflict with grace coupled with accountability. Learners explore the harms and limitations of political correctness, perfectionism, and cancel culture, and how these can unintentionally contribute to a culture of fear and disconnection on teams. Learners gain tools for calling in, building bridges, giving effective apologies, and engaging in restorative justice practices at work.

In times of crises and uncertainty, teams undergo rapid changes that can feel overwhelming. Despite the temptation to avoid discussing significant societal events at work, we must recognize the need for support within our teams. This session equips learners to identify and address discrimination, hate, inequity, and injustice exacerbated during these periods. Learners explore practical strategies to act as bridge-builders during times of division while prioritizing the development of a self-care plan. Learners gain tools to prioritize safety and centre accountability, assess news and media sources for bias and accuracy, and act as allies to team members most acutely affected by current events and societal shifts.

This session helps learners understand the gender fundamentals, starting with the social construction of gender, the range of lived experiences of gender, and how this shows up in the workplace. Learners build a shared language around gender diversity and gender-based marginalization, explore practical strategies for inclusive communication, and learn to call in exclusionary behaviours. Learners explore tools to promote organization-wide gender inclusion relating to inclusive restroom policies, affirming dress guidelines, and gender transition and gender-affirming processes.

Professional expectations surround us in the workplace and we rarely give their origin or purpose a second thought. This session helps learners engage in meaningful discussions around biases embedded within professionalism alongside ways to co-create professional conventions that work for all and drive the business forward. Learners explore damaging professional notions connected to dress codes, work-life balance, self-expression, communication, and more. Learners gain practical tools to reimagine professionalism and enable productivity with more authenticity through dialogue, case studies, and timely scenarios. 

Too many organizations implicitly or explicitly exclude the over 4 million Canadians and nearly one third of Americans who have criminal records. This session helps learners take a more inclusive and nuanced approach to incarceration histories in the workplace. Learners expand their understanding of the unique obstacles and needs of formerly incarcerated professionals, and debunk harmful stereotypes. Learners explore practical strategies for thoughtfully assessing candidates with criminal records and designing more inclusive workplace cultures and policies. Learners gain tools to contribute to the reintegration of individuals with incarceration histories into the workforce and champion their empowerment on teams.

Every year, millions of talented professionals immigrate to North America from all over the globe bringing unique cultures, linguistic backgrounds, skill sets, histories, and workplace needs. This session equips learners with actionable insights to create more inclusive teams and workplaces for newcomers. Learners review important demographic trends relating to immigration in their context, and meaningful considerations to accommodate and empower key groups likely to join their team. Learners explore practical strategies to fairly evaluate newcomer credentials and create DEI programs that resonate globally and cross-culturally. Learners gain tools for multicultural collaboration, and to address some of the most common challenges and equity concerns for newcomer professionals.

In this session, learners explore how to transcend geographical boundaries and uncover actionable strategies to foster diversity and equity on a truly global scale. Learners delve into cultural insights, best practices, and real-world examples, cultivating a profound understanding of inclusive leadership across diverse contexts. Learners are equipped with a comprehensive toolkit to navigate cultural nuances, enhance cross-cultural communication, and implement impactful, globally resonant DEI initiatives.