HR = Human Rights at Work
(Image Credit: Markus Spiske on Unsplash)
December is Universal Human Rights Month. Ensuring that employees have human rights at work is the heart of human resources and helping employees to live well.
As an employer, and HR professional, understanding human rights and your obligations can create a workplace that keeps employees safe, and treats them equitably. Having a workplace that is free from discrimination is a basic human right. Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a foundation for the rights that everyone has in their workplace. Article 23 states that:
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
The above from the United Nations is the starting point for an organization. Its aim is to create workplaces where employees feel safe and understood, however the reality is that many employees are mistreated and organizations continue to fail in this area.
With 2022 coming up, there is a new year to enhance your work culture, and create opportunities to listen to employees and help them feel heard, and aim for happiness.
It is all about respect. Here are a few ways that your organization can focus on helping employees understand their human rights at work.
Transparency
Making your employees aware of their human rights at work starts with transparency. When your employees are made aware of their rights, there is open communication and the element of trust is formed between the employer and employee.
In Ontario, a provincial law called the Human Rights Code exists to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally. The Ontario Human Rights Code also states that it requires all employers to respect the rights of their workers and ensure their workplace is free of any form of discrimination. In addition to this, employers are required to accommodate their workers to the point of their “undue hardship.”
By making this information clear to employees in your organization, you can help them understand what kind of treatment is permitted and what is not. Showing your employees that they have the right to be treated equitably, and how your organization is working to keep it free of discrimination opens that conversation with transparency and helps your employees feel safe.
Training
Most organizations offer training modules or programs for employees when they are hired to understand what to do and what not to do when starting their role. Modules and training programs emphasizing an employee’s human rights in the organization can be a great way for employees to get involved and learn about their rights.
The Ontario Human Right Commission offers a 30 minute module called Human Rights 101 as a tool to inform employees in Ontario about their rights and responsibilities under the Human Rights Code. This free interactive resource also has a transcript available for accessibility. Another helpful training resource you can use for reference is the Disability and Human Rights brochure which highlights the human rights of employees with disabilities and how your organization can become more inclusive. The brochure also talks about the importance of accommodating employees and your duty to accommodate as an employer. By using these helpful resources, you can integrate their rights and responsibilities into the training process and inform them from the very beginning of what they should know.
You can access the Human Rights 101 training module here and the Disability and Human Rights brochure here.
Respond Adequately
Addressing the concerns that arise in relation to human rights is a key part of the responsibility of Human Resource professionals. Putting your people first means making sure they feel safe, happy, and respected. Encouraging your employees to address what they are feeling can help the organization grow and move towards a work environment that is free of discrimination and filled with inclusivity. However, it is important to note that demonstrating that you are working to create an environment that recognizes the human rights of all does not happen overnight and does require time and effort.
A good starting point for your organization would be to create a human rights policy and stick to it. A human rights policy outlines how your organization respects the human rights of employees by having policies and processes in place. These policies and processes help to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how the organization addresses its adverse human rights impacts. A human rights policy can also include how to support the human rights of employees going forward. Once your organization develops and implements a human rights policy, you will be showing your commitment to respecting the human rights of employees.
Universal Human Rights Month is not only a time for awareness, but also a time to reflect on how your organization can make a difference in their business model. An inclusive workplace where employees are treated fairly and is crucial for productivity and company growth. As the year wraps up, we remember our values and how life works well when we all feel respected.