Farm leaders know that in a tight labour market, policies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) will help them attract and retain the best talent. Those not making headway on these critical issues will be left behind.
That, by the way, is from a business prof, not a sociologist, and in addition to his research at Guelph, Thomas Sasso, assistant professor of management in the university’s Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, has seen the benefits of solid DEI policies in 10 years of working as an organizational consultant.
Sasso says the research shows there is a strong business case for farm businesses to implement DEI initiatives. Diversity is increasing in both rural and urban areas in Canada — a trend that is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, driven by increased immigration as well as more people being pushed out of metropolitan areas by the high cost of housing. It all leads to more ethnic, racial and religious diversity in rural areas.
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The age range for people working in Canada is greater than ever before, as well, and with more of us feeling safer opening up about our identities, the visibility of LGBTQ workers and workers with disabilities is also increasing.
“It is essential that farms and rural businesses are proactively prepared for creating an inclusive environment for a more diverse community,” says Sasso. When individuals are in workplaces where they feel a sense of belonging, they are more productive, creative and engaged with work.
A lack of equity and inclusion is one reason for the “Great Resignation,” points out Sasso. With the current labour market, employees have more choice over where they work, and want to find a place and a group of co-workers that will respect them.
When employees leave because they have experienced exclusion, harassment or discrimination, it has substantial negative consequences for farm businesses. It puts the farm at risk of a human rights complaint or lawsuit and the remaining employees often have negative attitudes towards their organization and leadership. This can make them less productive and more likely to quit, a serious threat at a time when recruiting and training new hires is costly for farm businesses and can result in lost productivity and efficiency.
While we often assume big businesses with huge HR departments must be making more progress with DEI, Sasso says farms and other small businesses are the ones that are actually leading the way.
Smaller businesses are nimble and better able to make structural changes, he explains. “It’s easier for them to train their staff and make changes to their hiring practices.”
However, Sasso points out there are still misconceptions about what falls under the DEI umbrella. “It’s not just about who looks different or comes from somewhere different.”
“We are all diverse,” he continues. Team members have different ages and different physical and intellectual abilities. And, for example, those with young families or aging parents (or both) have different needs from those who don’t.
Sasso says many farm businesses have DEI policies even if they haven’t been called that. Some farm businesses, for example, have stated as a core principle that they support families. This means they have policies such as flexible hours to accommodate child-care needs that help with work-life balance.
“By creating spaces where individuals feel supported in both their work and their personal lives, employees are more inclined to stay working at the farm rather than accepting a better offer,” he says.
While the evidence shows that when done well, DEI initiatives help everyone, Sasso says there can be resistance to change. “It can feel scary because we didn’t learn about DEI growing up. We may not have received any training. We may be afraid of making mistakes.”
This can lead some businesses to do nothing, but that, says Sasso, only increases the risk of being left behind in a changing world.
Be an inclusive co-worker
- Actively seek out new people at work. If you don’t, you might collaborate only with those who are just like you.
- Give others a chance to share ideas too. Refrain from interrupting, speaking over others and holding the floor too long during meetings. Instead, work on your active listening skills.
- Do the “little things” that make people feel a sense of belonging. Thoughtful gestures can show someone they are seen and welcomed in the group.
(From Amri B. Johnson, author of Reconstruction Inclusion: Making DEI Accessible, Actionable and Sustainable)
Do it right
The University of Guelph’s Thomas Sasso shares five tips for successfully implementing DEI on the farm:
Be intentional. Think through the ideas and initiatives. Know why you want to implement these policies. Ask, “is it right for us, for our current and future employees’ needs?” Don’t just do something because others are doing it.
Start small. Make your goals manageable for your organization and your community. For example, if your community is becoming more racially diverse, intercultural competence and/or anti-racism training for staff might be the best place to start.
If employees are struggling with caregiving responsibilities (for children, elders or others), the first priority may be to review policies for flexible work or creative job redesign.
How can you recruit more broadly to reach new high-quality talent? Online job postings are good but also think about targeted recruitment through employment agencies, community centres and educational programs.
Communicate. Explain what DEI means for your organization. Not everyone will understand why you are changing your hiring practices, for example. Help them visualize your objectives.
Choose the right pace. This will depend on the individual business but if you go too slow, people will get frustrated because they won’t see an impact. If you go too fast, some people will feel left behind, which can create anxiety. You get pushback when people are scared and they may become hostile when feeling threatened. Try to keep a steady pace. It can take trial and error to get the pace right, though, because there is one rule that applies to all workplaces.
Accept that some pushback is okay. As leaders you have to know who you are and what your values are. Lean into them and be willing to stand behind them. As one rural community that Sasso worked with explained it to him, “We care for one another and DEI shows we care.”
Keep positive. Research shows resistance to new DEI initiatives is not long-lasting.
Resources
The Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) are a fantastic free resource written by 112 expert panelists to help organizations determine strategy and measure progress in managing diversity and fostering inclusion.
The Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Centre (CAHRC) offers tools, templates and courses to help farmers establish DEI policies.
– This article was originally published in the December 2023 issue of Country Guide.
