Inclusive Workplace Practices: Walking Together with Our Team to Support Them in a Good Way

As the workforce grows with a new generation of employees, a holistic approach to workplace accommodation is crucial. Employees are more aware than ever of their physical, mental, emotional and cultural needs and want their employers to care as well. At Narratives, we value working collaboratively, embracing the diversity of our staff, and listening to them to identify accommodations that best support their individual well-being.

We work with each team member to find the best ways to support them, and this helps us avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Each team member is unique; therefore, our support systems must also be unique. The following is an ever-growing list of accommodations we have created with our staff.

Together, we have worked to find appropriate solutions to ensure all our workstations have the ergonomic devices we need. Things such as adjustable desks and chairs, ergonomic mice, and noise-cancelling headphones they have all been provided, as needed, to assist staff in feeling comfortable while working. We also work with staff to include a wide variety of software and AI to make our jobs easier and allow us to focus on the important stuff. Additionally, we work together to provide a child-friendly workplace. This allows working parents the security of knowing their kids are welcome in the office and that our team will make sure their kids feel like they belong. On top of this, our wellness room is a quiet, sensory friendly room that can be used as a place to rest, take private calls or provide a space for children to hang out while their parents are at work.

Together, we have worked to find appropriate solutions to ensure all our workstations have the ergonomic devices we need.

Mental health is always a top priority at Narratives, and we put this into practice with the coaching sessions we hold with a clinical psychologist every eight weeks. These sessions are staff led, as we are broken up into smaller groups to discuss many different topics where staff support each other to share and talk in a safe space. Additionally, all staff attend Trauma Awareness training to assist with our work and personal lives.

Staff at Narratives also have access to wellness days to recharge when needed or take off time from work for personal matters. Other accommodations we are proud of providing are disposable menstrual products in all our gender-neutral washrooms, as well as providing healthy food options through a farm share program, which gives staff access to fresh produce every week of the summer from a local farm. Our team also frequently goes on walking meetings to encourage each other to get out of the office and get some fresh air in the middle of the workday.

Mental health is always a top priority at Narratives, and we put this into practice with the coaching sessions we hold with a clinical psychologist every eight weeks.

When new team members start at Narratives, we collaborate with staff who will work closely with them to create a tailored training schedule that best suits the role. New team members are onboarded by multiple employees to ensure that they are comfortable with the team and have many people to talk to. They also get assigned a buddy as a go-to person to speak with for any concerns. Additionally, we work with new hires to provide additional time for training as needed so they are comfortable with their position.

Our flexible work arrangements were created to support a diverse team, accommodating various cultural practices, family responsibilities and personal needs. Staff are regularly encouraged by leadership and their coworkers to balance their professional obligations with personal needs, using this flexibility to choose their work hours and locations. In more complex situations, we work closely with the individual to make sure that they can take off the time they need using wellness days, vacation days, or flexible scheduling.

As Narratives grows and evolves, our commitment to inclusivity and holistically supporting our team continues. The needs of our staff will continue to change, and we will continue to work with them to accommodate their needs to the best of our abilities. This will not only improve our staff’s well-being but also continue to cultivate growth in our team. Together, we will work to create a workplace that not only meets the diverse needs of our staff but also empowers them to reach their full potential.