Jana gregorio
In the past two and a half years, the Advancing Equity for Women and Girls team has developed several resources and initiatives aimed at addressing barriers to employment for immigrant and racialized women. Following last week’s blog, we will explore two more strategies included in our DEIA toolkit for employers, “Paving the Way: A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Guide to Support Immigrant and Racialized Women in the Canadian Labour Force.”
Strategy 8: Integrate DEIA in Communications
To foster a positive and respectful work environment, you can integrate DEIA into your internal communications strategy. There are several benefits of integrating DEIA, from increasing understanding between teams to enhancing employee engagement and well-being.
But how can you achieve this? Creating an awareness campaign or initiatives to promote the use of inclusive language is a great way to start. During the campaign, training can be provided, and leaders can encourage employees to use inclusive language in both written and verbal communications, such as using gender-neutral terms and avoiding gendered words.
For inclusive language to be integrated, it’s important that leaders not only encourage but also lead by example and demonstrate this inclusive behavior to the organization.
Strategy 10: Apply DEIA Best Practices in the Hiring Process – DEIA in Job Postings
Regarding external communications, consider integrating DEIA into the hiring process, starting with job postings. Keep in mind that a job posting is most likely the first connection and impression an applicant will have of your organization. As such, having a clear commitment to DEIA is of benefit to attract the candidates you want. Consider the following when writing a job posting:
- Use gender-neutral language to avoid gendering job postings or characteristics
- List all skills and requirements needed, including transferrable skills
- Inform if it’s a remote, in-person or hybrid role
- Include salary, wage and benefits (if available)
- Include clear instructions on how to apply, required documents and the deadline
To further integrate DEIA, ensure that the posting meets accessibility standards, such as having alternative text and machine-readable documents.
Learn More with the “Paving the Way” Toolkit
For a deeper dive into strategies supporting immigrant and racialized women in the Canadian labour force, access our toolkit for employers, “Paving the Way: A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Guide.”
About Advancing Equity for Women and Girls
Funded by Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), Advancing Equity for Women and Girls supports a feminist response and recovery from the impact of COVID-19 on the employment of immigrant and racialized women in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) by contributing to systemic change to promote women’s economic prosperity and equality.
Contact Us
For any questions regarding the project, contact us:
- Hodan Mohamed, Project Coordinator: hmohamed@achev.ca
- Mayela Lozano, Community Liaison: mlozano@achev.ca
Read more about our program here: Advancing Equity for Women and Girls – Employment Services
