"But if we gave it to you, we'd have to give it to everyone..." is not equality. It's an excuse.

Has your manager or HR ever given you that line? Usually when you're asking for something that would be an exception to the written policy, or for which no policy exists yet.

A racialized woman I know was recently told this when she asked her company (a large professional services firm) if they would pay the $250 fee for her to attend the Professional Women's conference on International Women's Day. Her manager refused because the conference was not relevant to her technical skills, even though: a) the employee is a woman; b) the employee is a manager; and c) the conference was hosted by their profession's member association and qualified as professional development hours.

When the employee shared this with me, she concluded, "I think they didn't want to set a precedent by granting my request, in case other people asked for the same thing. My manager told me, 'If we give this to you, we'll have to give it to everyone.'"

This is not equality, this is an excuse.

Employers, don't use equality as an excuse for inequity. The idea that paying for one woman's attendance at a women's conference does not mean all the men in the organization will be begging to go to the same conference. It doesn't even mean all the women in the organization will want to go! (And if it turns out all your employees DO want to go, well, maybe you should be offering it to them!)

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this said, and in how many different organizations. Managers and HR leverage it as if their hands are tied, they simply can't grant an employee's request even if they wanted to, because it wouldn't be fair to everyone else.

The reality is, it has nothing to do with fairness. It's not about treating all employees equally. It's about saving money. The real fear of "giving it to everyone" is how much it would cost to do that. From a corporation's capitalist perspective, it's easier to say no to one, than yes to all.

Unless you have privilege...

Except that companies regularly DO just give it to one person, or a few select people, and not make it available to everyone.

• Companies offer flex-time and remote work arrangements as a "privilege" to high-performing employees with a business case
• Companies offer special perks like tickets to sporting events, galas, even travel, to favourite mentees and staff
• Companies provide better health insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, and bonuses to senior employees than to junior employees

As I write this, I can imagine the defenses from HR and executives about why these inequities are OK. "But we ARE treating everyone equally; the same policy applies to everyone in the same job grade."

First of all, I don't think that makes it OK or equitable. Why should the CEO get 6 weeks vacation when a new hire gets 2 weeks? Everyone has the same need and desire for rest, no matter how many years you've worked at the same organization, or how senior your role is.

Second of all, it's not equitable that the employees who are already better off - the ones with higher pay, higher performance ratings (which are usually biased and inequitable themselves), and better reputations (also biased) are the ones who get the perks.

COVID Exposed Hypocrisy

This corporate hypocrisy was blatantly exposed during the COVID lockdowns. Think about all the things your company said "couldn't be done" or "that's just not how business works". ALL those things went out the window when lives were at stake.

Suddenly, everyone could work from home every day.

Suddenly, meetings that "required" face-to-face interaction could be held virtually.

Suddenly, people dialing in learned how to turn on their webcam video. ??

And when I say "suddenly", I mean literally suddenly. Turns out, we didn't need to wait for Board approval, or a formal business case followed by a detailed strategy and 3-year implementation plan. Turns out, we did have the budget for everyone to have a laptop, headset, and Zoom software license.

Turns out, employees working from home weren't just slacking off, playing video games, or shopping online. Apparently when you can take care of home and work more easily, and dress comfortably too - you can be more productive.

And all it took was a global pandemic that threatened the lives of everyone...equally.

What else is possible (without needing a death threat?)

So my question to employers is: what else have you been holding back on?

COVID proved that when humans really put our minds to it, we can innovate rapidly. We created a vaccine that saves lives in about a year. We found new ways to live, work, and learn within a few months' time or less. During a time when neighbours were physically separated, we somehow connected more deeply than ever.

If it's really important to us, if we're committed to making it happen - we're capable of almost anything.

Time Off for Cultural Holidays vs. Time Off for the Queen's Funeral

One way I'd like to see this power used for good is to GIVE PEOPLE PAID TIME OFF FOR THEIR ETHNIC/CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS. Yes, that will cost companies more. Yes, we will "lose production" as people work fewer days in the year. Yes, there will be more people absent at different times and schedules will be thrown off.

And it's completely doable. I know this because when it matters, when it's important to white Anglo-Saxon Christian/Catholic folks, it happens instantly.

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the day of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral would be a holiday for all federal employees. The UK announced it would be a bank holiday. This threw both countries into disarray as local authorities had to make their own decisions whether it would be a day off for their regions; and then businesses had to figure out what it meant for them. Parents were scrambling to understand if their kids were going to school that day and if not, how they would find childcare because they still had to work.

So why can't we let employees plan ahead to take regularly recurring annual holidays, for events that are deeply meaningful to them?

National Day of Truth and Reconciliation vs. National Day of Mourning for the Queen

The Queen died on September 8. Trudeau announced on September 13 that September 19 would be a National Day of Mourning in Canada. That's a span of 5 days to announce a paid day off.

Compare that to how Trudeau handled the Calls to Action for the genocide of Indigenous people. The report calling for (among other things) a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to be a made a statutory holiday was published in 2015. But not until June 2021 did the federal government finally pass a bill to make that happen. That's a span of almost 6 years.

AND THEN...on September 30, 2021, the first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Trudeau ignored the invitation from Indigenous nations to join their ceremonies. Instead he was on a beach vacation with his family. (I will bet my life savings that Trudeau will not be on a beach vacation for the National Day of Mourning.)

Don't be the Canadian Prime Minister

Today is the Queen's funeral. You have the right to recognize that however you want. If you want time off work to mourn in your own way, you should have that chance.

Next Friday September 30 is the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. People who wish to commemorate this day should also have that chance. Once again, Trudeau made it a holiday for federal employees only, so it's up to each province and employer to decide what to do.

Please, don't be a Trudeau. Treat it with solemnity and gravity. Don't expect Indigenous people to be available for work or meetings that day; they should have that day off (paid). Make time for your non-Indigenous employees to pause their production and remember why we have this day. I've included some links and free resources below that are excellent for learning the truth about our history. Please share this newsletter and take an hour or two of your time to understand the depth of the crimes committed and how colonization still impacts us today.

Support Indigenous Communities

Part of reconciliation is ensuring our future is better than our past. You can help by supporting Indigenous communities through donations to their charities, and investing in their people and organizations in matters that are important to them. I consulted with an Indigenous woman and charitable sector leader for suggestions on Indigenous charities to fund. Links to these are also below.

What will you do next?

Whether you're commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, or making your workplace more equitable (not just equal) - what is the next step you can take to move these forward? If you'd like to share or discuss, please add your thoughts to the comments, I love your engagement!

FEATURED ARTICLE:

“Doing Your Job IS Meeting Expectations”…(Unless You’re the Queen)

The queen is dead, but colonization isn't. As I’ve been subjected day after day to media coverage of the unmitigated public worship of the queen, I was struck by the similarity to how companies treat their 5-star favourite employees. Maybe they deserve the accolades they're given - but what privileges and advantages were they born with that made that easier? Think about the working women, mothers, grandmothers, and aunties that you know, and what they overcome and accomplish every day. Don't they deserve just as much honour and praise? In fact, don't they deserve more, when you consider how much easier the queen had it with her abundance of resources?

Read the full article on my website to explore how privilege impacts performance (and how scarcity impacts cognition).

SUPPORT INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS

Please consider donating to these charities:

One Day's Pay: https://www.onedayspay.ca/

The Circle on Philanthropy: https://www.the-circle.ca/

Orange Shirt Day Society: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/orange-shirt-society.html

Anishnawbe Health Foundation : https://supportanishnawbe.ca/

Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre: https://new.councilfire.ca/

Indian Residential School Survivors Society: https://www.irsss.ca/

Moose Hide Campaign: https://moosehidecampaign.ca/

DECOLONIZATION RESOURCES

You'll find resources and education on Truth & Reconciliation and Indigenous history in the Decolonization section of my JEDI Resources Library: https://www.changinglenses.ca/library

SUPPORT CHANGING LENSES

And grow our JEDI Community by Sharing this Newsletter!