WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #54: Let’s Dance

Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.

This week’s resource on diversity and inclusion included this interesting description from Verna Myers:

“Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.”

While I am renowned among my family for my two left feet and complete lack of rhythm, I feel inclusion is a dance that one should never sit out. Making everyone feel comfortable in a workplace or on a team is vitally important – it needs to be front-of-mind.

This, in turn, promotes good mental health among workers. People who have positive relationships in their work life are less likely to experience feelings of depression and anxiety compared to those who feel excluded.

A few quick ways to be more inclusive at work:

• Connect with new team members in a positive way (have lunch with them!)
• Call out behaviour that is intended to exclude someone
• If someone’s good idea is ignored, try and encourage others to reconsider it – show the person you hear them, and they’re supported

Now that’s a dance I can do!

ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 75 companies and 7,000+ construction professionals better understand mental health. The program is free for ICBA members — see icba.ca/wellness.