Workplace Wellness Archives - Page 3 of 8 - The Sport Information Resource Centre

According to the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability, one in five Canadians (6.2 million) aged 15 years and older experience one or more disabilities that limited them in their daily activities. The Survey also reported that while 59% of working age adults with disabilities are employed, there are significant differences amongst those with mild disabilities (76% employed) versus severe disabilities (31% employed).

There are efforts underway to help close this gap in Ontario. The province’s Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities is designed to help people with disabilities find employment, and debunks common myths about people with disabilities in the work force, for example relating to job performance, risks, and influence of the market.

SIRC Inclusive Practice Survey

With funding through the EnAbling Change Program, SIRC conducted a survey in 2019 about current employment opportunities in sport and physical activity for people with disabilities. Results revealed an overall desire to create more inclusive workplaces.

Amongst the 61 sport and physical activity organizations that responded:

44% have an accessibility and inclusion policy;
36% have a policy that can ensure people of all abilities can learn about and apply for a job;
43% have “very good” or “excellent” knowledge about providing an inclusive environment; and
70% currently employ people with disabilities—better than the national workforce average of 59%, but there is still work to be done.

Despite great intentions, there are barriers and knowledge gaps for sport organizations. To raise the bar, SIRC is committed to helping organizations focus on two key areas: 1) inclusive hiring, and 2) creating an accommodating workplace environment.

Inclusive hiring

The starting point for employers should be to examine the way they hire talent. This includes reflecting on job descriptions and the interview process. Two thirds (67%) of SIRC’s survey respondents rated their knowledge “very low” or “low” on how to write job descriptions that ensure accessibility and inclusivity.

According to Hire for Talent, there are eight steps to writing an inclusive job description, including:

State the working conditions. Describe the physical work environment and the hours of work. Include special conditions such as: weekend work, shift work, working outdoors, working with challenging clients, or working in noisy environments.
State the physical requirements. Describe the critical range of motion needed by the person doing that job, along with the frequency and any strength requirements if lifting objects is necessary. Also describe any special equipment that must be operated in the workplace.
Post only the qualifications and skills necessary for the job.

After creating a job description, creating an inclusive job interview process is a critical next step. The majority (57%) of survey respondents rated their knowledge “very low” or “low” on how to conduct job interviews that ensure accessibility and inclusivity. Hire for Talent offers interviewer best practices, including:

Avoid asking questions that would require an employee to directly or indirectly disclose a disability unless the question is related to a bona fide occupational requirement.
Check your personal and cultural assumptions about body language and other non-verbal communication.
Consider the interview space. Is your building and the specific interview room accessible? Is it brightly lit, with minimal distractions?

These tips will pay dividends in the recruitment process. However, even before recruits set foot into their new jobs, organizations need to ask one more important question: how do you make the day-to-day workplace environment more welcoming, accessible and inclusive?

Inclusive work environments

An organization’s workplace environment is a reflection of its culture and policies. Two thirds (66%) of SIRC’s survey respondents rated their knowledge as “good”, “very good” or “excellent” on providing adaptations for employees with disabilities.

For those seeking more knowledge, consider the following tips from Hire for Talent and the Government of Canada:

Evaluate the workplace accessibility policy. Focus on identifying barriers and gaps.
Create an inclusive workplace policy—a framework that fosters employee engagement by standardizing employment conditions.
Ensure facilities are accessible, including all entrances, meeting rooms, and workstations. Consider the principles of Universal Design (UD).
Host accessible meetings. The Government of Canada offers a tip sheet for pre-planning, conducting successful meetings, and providing accessible services and materials.

By developing policies and a workplace culture with inclusion in mind, organizations will retain talent and reap the long-term benefits of fostering an engaged and happy workforce. It’s up to employers to take advantage of the knowledge available.

For more information and resources about inclusive workplaces, visit SIRC’s employer resource page.

Sport organizations across Canada are feeling the impact of COVID-19 with the cancellation of programs and closure of facilities. Following extreme flooding in 2010-2011, community sport organizations in Australia faced a similar dilemma. Key learnings from their experience include 1. Find strength in numbers – continue to nurture relationships, and express gratitude to staff, volunteers and partners; 2. Be proactive – assign clear responsibility for new tasks, e.g. pursuing government support; 3. Keep a paper trail – transparency and accountability is critical in a crisis.

It’s cold season! According to research from the University of Arizona, commonly touched surfaces, like doorknobs, copy machine buttons and the office refrigerator, quickly become contaminated by sick people in the office. Simple interventions, such as hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer or wipes, can drastically reduce employees’ risk of infection.

An analysis of 12 years of motor vehicle/bicycle crash data revealed that the motorist’s speed was the most important variable in whether a cyclist was seriously injured or not. At 60 km/h, 27% of cyclists suffered a severe or catastrophic injury during a collision. However, at 30 km/h, this risk was reduced to less than 10%.

With 1 in 10 Canadians experiencing substance use disorders, it is likely that a team member or colleague might experience or be affected by the misuse of substances. Unfortunately, stigmatizing language can prevent people from seeking help. Learn more about National Addictions Awareness Week and download the new “Overcoming Stigma Through Language” resource on the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addition website.

The 2020 Arctic Winter Games Host Society will rely on 1,800 volunteers for the successful delivery of the Games in Whitehorse. Learn about the importance of employer leave policies, community presentations and volunteer fairs as recruitment strategies in the SIRC blog.

This is the third blog of a series leading up to the 2020 Arctic Winter Games that will be hosted by Whitehorse, YT March 15-21, 2020. Check out the first blog, about the development of the Games; and the second about the incorporation of reconciliation in the Games.

The Yukon might be large in size (the territory is approximately the same size as the country of Spain), but when it comes to population, let’s just say Yukoners appreciate their space.

As of March 2018, there were less than 40,000 people living in the Yukon—30,000 of those calling the capital city of Whitehorse home. Hosting a multi-sport Games of any size requires a large workforce. More than 3,000 volunteers were required for Whitehorse to host the Canada Winter Games in 2007, and an estimated 1,800 volunteers will be needed for the 2020 Arctic Winter Games (AWG 2020), so it takes some out of the box thinking to reach volunteer goals.

Volunteers at AWG 2020 will fill a variety of roles both before and during the Games, assisting in areas such as accommodations, food services, box office, spectator services, logistics, and marketing. Tasks can be anything from taking tickets or serving special guests, to fit-out of venues, or construction of bunk beds in participant accommodations. There are also sport-specific roles, including results and major technical officials.

One of the largest contributing factors to volunteer recruitment and retention is major employer leave policies, which allow paid time off for employees to volunteer and participate. These policies are currently in place with the Yukon Government, as well as the City of Whitehorse, the Yukon Hospital Corporation, Yukon College, private sector businesses like Northwestel, and First Nations governments such as the Kwanlin Dun First Nation.

The Yukon Government’s policy was developed initially for the 2007 Canada Winter Games. It was revised for the 2012 Arctic Winter Games hosted in Whitehorse, and has remained the same since. The policy applies to two groups: participants, such as athletes, coaches, officials, and members of the cultural contingent; and those involved in the planning and organization when Yukon hosts major Games. Employees may be granted leave without loss of pay, in some cases covering up to three weeks leave to allow them to attend planning meetings as well as requirements during Games time. Eligible planning positions include those in leadership positions within the Host Society structure – i.e. Divisional and Committee Chairs or Venue Team Leads.

Both the City of Whitehorse and Northwestel also allow for non-planning, aka Games-time volunteers, to be covered under their policies. Northwestel employees may receive approval to volunteer up to four hours per day during the months preceding the Games, during the entire period of the Games, and the week immediately following. They even run a Games Volunteer Committee that grants approval of any employee involvement with the Games.

Without these types of policies, the Yukon would be in a tough spot when it comes to recruiting the required number of volunteers. Of AWG 2020’s planning volunteers alone, nearly half of them are covered under major employer leave policies.

Of course, the AWG 2020 Volunteers Division also uses other tactics. Community engagement visits outside of Whitehorse are an important piece, as are appearances at volunteer fairs and other community events.

Members of the Host Society’s Volunteer Division make presentations to employees at smaller businesses in the community, as well as to students at Yukon College and local high schools. A special presentation will also be done to the ElderActive Recreation Association of the Yukon (ERA), who’s nearly 700 members usually make up a large portion of any major event’s volunteer force.

Benefits of volunteering for AWG 2020 include a volunteer uniform – jacket and vest – as well as three volunteer thank you events post-Games. The minimum commitment required to receive the uniform is 12 hours. All registration is done online, and once the form is filled out, all volunteers must complete a criminal record check before they are approved. The criminal record check can be done through the AWG 2020 office at no charge. For more information about the volunteer opportunities available, or to sign up online, click here.

With four months to go until the start of the 2020 Arctic Winter Games, more than 1,100 volunteers are already registered in the system. Yukoners are known for their last minute nature – as the saying goes, we live on Yukon time – but the goal of the Volunteers Division is to reach the 1,800 mark early in the New Year. AWG 2020 will mark 100 Days to Go on December 5, and as part of that celebration, the hope is a volunteer drive will bring that goal closer to reality.

In our next blog, we’ll explore some of the unique cultural opportunities offered as part of the Arctic Winter Games. Find out more about the Host Society plans to incorporate aspects from all nine northern contingents into the cultural program, embracing the Circumpolar identity of the Games – follow SIRC’s Daily News Hub to stay up to date on postings!

The 2020 Arctic Winter Games will be held in Whitehorse, Yukon March 15-21, 2020. Follow the action leading up to and during the Games on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Unconscious biases are learned stereotypes that are automatic, unintentional, deeply engrained, and able to influence behavior. Within sport organizations, these biases can negatively impact diversity amongst staff and volunteers by undermining recruitment and retention strategies, and employee development. This infographic from Catalyst provides steps to combat unconscious bias as a leader in your organization.