Canadian Government Executive - Volume 27 - Issue 05

20 / Canadian Government Executive // September/October 2021 BY KATHERINE JOSEPH MILLENNIAL OUTLOOK LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW OF DIVERSITY IN MUNICIPAL PUBLIC SERVICE Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. — Barack Obama T here is no clear accountability within municipal public ser- vice because leadership has not yet realized the true divi- sions between all levels of staff. Employment equity policy is intended to ensure fairness in the workplace by address- ing and removing systemic impediments unrelated to merit. The policy has met with contention and divisiveness in the munici- pal public service. Equity-seeking groups have experienced the negative effects of sys- temic racism for decades. Carol Argos examined gaps in policy and practice from implementing employment eq- uity legislation in the federal public service between 1987 and 2000. The study revealed that equity policy was not implemented effec- tively, compliance was not enforced, and no data on LGBTQ2S+ people were collected. Municipal governments risked entrenching the status quo and diminishing employee morale by copying this trend. The International Decade of People of African Descent is 2015-2024. In response, municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area recognize the need to confront anti-Black racism in hiring and promotion practices. In 2017, the City of Toronto established the Anti-Black Racism Unit to understand and address inequities faced by Black staff. Hamil- ton, Brampton, Vaughan, the Region of Peel, and Durham Region came onboard during 2018-20 to develop action plans to overcome employment inequities and systemic racism. In 2020, the City of Toronto recognized the importance of looking through the eyes of diversity and inclusion to address ineq- uities in public sector employment policies and practices. The City committed to initi- ate change by redressing historical barriers ingrained within the organization. Diversity matters Diversity is about achieving equitable repre- sentation in the public service and truly re- flecting in the workforce the composition of the population served. It starts with progres- sive transformation from the onset of the hir- ing process. This means enhancing citizens’ access, generating equitable outcomes, and nurturing a harmonious environment free from discrimination, harassment, and hate. Diversity encourages improved relation- ships and employee morale within inclusive workplaces. It raises awareness, challenges the status quo, and becomes a platform for ongoing change management within the public service. In turn, change breaks down the silos of the past, which protected exclu- sionary management attitudes. It helps over- come silos of privilege and bias that block opportunities for equity-seeking staff in the name of merit. A recent Deloitte study on building inclu- sive organizations serves as a practical guide to municipalities in restructuring their work climate. It grounds strong leadership and accountability in well-communicated, in- clusive policies and practices. The expected outcome is high levels of employee commit- ment, as well as stewardship of municipal governance. Strategies for greater equity Engaging employees at all levels enables dy- namic, productive relationships to be built with the communities represented. The ex- pertise of a diverse array of public servants can stimulate creativity and innovation that enhance cross-cutting program develop- ment and service delivery. Diversity advances a larger conversation that has the potential to unite people across divides. Municipal leaders can choose to fundamentally change workplace culture by connecting organizational roles and values to meaningful employee engagement and opportunities. When leaders and employees are unified by a common purpose, shared vision and inclusive culture come to life. Diversity is crucial in expanding the tal- ent potential of the public service mosaic. Diversity in talent management embraces four pillars of initiative: (1) developing leadership expectations and behaviours; (2) protecting against tokenism and diver- sity backlashes; (3) engaging Generation Z employees in designing inclusive work; and (4) focusing on inclusivity outside the public service. Lasting change starts with municipal gov- ernment leaders acknowledging inequities in society, consequential hiring gaps, and the need to level the playing field in munici- pal public service. Katherine Joseph is an appeal review liaison and candidate for the master of public policy, administration and law at York University. (katherine.joseph9599@ gmail.com)