First Response Restoration gets Respectful Workplace Certified
We pride ourselves on being a friendly, personal and respectful organization in addition to serving the Sunshine Coast with the highest level of restoration service, skill and equipment. Our team often works collaboratively so it’s important for us to get long and operate smoothly. When we heard about the Respectful Workplace Certification, Praxis Performance Group, another Gibsons-based local business was offering we were interested. We’re always looking for ways to improve our culture, our communication and to offer our staff professional development opportunities both within the restoration industry and otherwise.
In January we met Christina Stewart President and Client Affairs at Praxis Performance Group and Drew Stewart, President and Operations at Praxis Performance Group for our workshop. The afternoon was informative and resulted in some interesting discussions and insight around respect, bullying and leadership. Ultimately it was a great opportunity for our team to share our thoughts on these topics.
The Praxis Performance Group Respectful Workplace Certification Process begins with Respectful Leadership and engages every level of an organization in the acts of learning, professional development and personal growth. Praxis knows that people want to work for and with organizations that demonstrate respect, and that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity but that often employees don’t know what to say or do when faced with improper or disrespectful behaviour. To really make change, education and awareness are key.
Christina and Drew shared that 40% of Canadians have experienced one or more acts of workplace bullying at least once a week for the last six months. Bullying is also not conducive to a productive business. Bullied employees waste between 10% and 52% of their time at work. Research shows they spend time defending themselves and networking for support, thinking about the situation, being demotivated and stressed, in addition to taking sick leave due to stress-related illnesses.
Our discussion was open and honest. Employees shared experiences they’ve had throughout their careers where a comment or situation has made them uncomfortable. Our team discussed how to practice empathy and mitigate bullying. As expected, we had fun with the discussions and there were more than a few laughs.
Other topics we covered during the workshop were:
• Our legal duties under the Workers Compensation Act
• Recognizing the potential for workplace bullying and harassment
• The legal duties of employers, workers, and supervisors for preventing and responding to workplace bullying and harassment
• Our workplace reporting procedures
• How our workplace will deal with incidents or complaints, including investigations
• What co-workers can do to stop bullying and harassment
• Tips for how to talk to a bully, if you’re a target or witness of bullying and harassment, and
• Additional information and resources about workplace bullying and harassment
Praxis Performance Group are passionate about our community and helping organizations build respectful workplaces. The workshop started some great conversations amongst our team and gave us a renewed focus on respect and teamwork. We love working with other local businesses, committed to making the Sunshine Coast a great place to work and build a business.