With People Inc.

Systemic Racism and the Cave Analogy

by | Aug 16, 2020 | Bullying, Colonialism, Compliance, Equity, Exclude, Harassment, Human Resources, Indigenous, Labour Market Update, OH&S, Safety, TRC 92 (ii), Welcoming, Workplace Respect

Today we discuss Plato’s cave analogy and systemic racism in Canada. Like many, we in our firm accept that systemic racism exists throughout Canada and is interwoven into our institutions.

This statement comes neither from a place of judgement nor is it presented to suggest castigation of those subject to the system’s influence within which we all reside.

 Accepting that many forms of racism are prevalent throughout our society is simply an appreciation of the state of things, without judgment – and from there comes, a choice and perhaps, hopefully – a commitment.

 We write this within weeks of May 25, 2020. During this time, much has been in the news which illuminates the pervasiveness of racism in many forms in our institutions, including within our police forces. The police are no worse or better than most of Canada’s institutions.

Recent events reinforce that responsibility to get it right increases exponentially for those who exercise authority, and at times, force over others.

 And as Ibram X Kendi emphasizes in his 2019 book, “How to Be an Antiracist,” getting it right must be viewed, relatively, from where we are at. So, given where we are today, getting it right starts with acknowledging there is a problem. Sadly, for some (but not all) senior leadership positions within police force administration and police member associations, acknowledging that there is a  problem is more than they are willing to offer at the moment. Rather, some choose to deny it with vigour.

 We intend to explore this denial and anchor our discussion; we will reference Plato’s Cave Analogy in his classic, “Republic.”

In the Cave Analogy, Plato considers three people bound in a seated position in a cave with their heads affixed staring at a wall, for their entire life. Light enters from behind them from the mouth of the cave. From time to time, animals cross the mouth of the cave and cast shadows onto the wall they are facing. The three never knew differently, so what they were witnessing on the cave wall, was to them, an accurate reflection of life and reality.

Eventually, the bindings of one of the three came loose. With muscles that had yet been used, the escapee slowly struggled and eventually made their way to the cave entrance.

Upon reaching the mouth of the cave, the escapee experienced a great deal of pain. Eyes that knew only darkness and shadow were exposed to the sun’s bright light for the first time. Soon, the eyes adjusted, and the escapee witnessed the wondrous beauty, fullness and truth of the world.

After exploring, the escapee returned to the cave, wishing to share the freedom and revelation with the escapee’s former cave mates.

The escapee removed the bindings of the cave mates, and they struggled but moved towards the mouth of the cave. As they approached the mouth of the cave, sunlight struck their eyes, causing immense pain. Immediately, they asked why the escapee would cause them such pain and resented the escapee for it.

Ultimately, the pain of exposure to the light and the pain of accepting the truth was too great for the cave mates. Angrily, they hone in on the escapee, whom they stoned to death for causing them such pain, following which, they returned to their seats in the cave to carry on staring at the shadows on the wall.

Racism, including systemic racism, exists in Canada. Despite this, people continue to choose to deny that fact. We should not be surprised. As the cave analogy shows, holding contempt for information that challenges previously held beliefs is human nature. Such denial is neither right nor necessarily permanent.

 

And what of the visceral, conditioned emotional responses and attacks that come with such denials? Many in pain seek to destroy. They wish to focus their anger towards someone or something, to stop the exchange of information, and then, they wish to carry on living in their cave- in their distorted reality. They choose to deny the existence of systemic racism.

To be racist, that being, “One who is supporting a racist policy through their actions or inaction or expressing a racist idea.” Or, to be antiracist, that being, “One who is supporting an antiracist policy through their action or expressing an antiracist idea.” Objectively, it is impossible to reduce racism without acknowledging that systemic racism exists.

[Ibram X Kendi, 2019]

You’ll note that neither choice represents a static position, both choices describe one engaged in action…being static is not an option.

When looked at this way, this is a journey to embark upon and has nothing to do with permanent condemnations. So given recent events, we choose to, in a non-judgemental way in terms of where we are at today, actively seek new information to permit our eyes to adjust, for the alternative is to stay blind and hurt.

Thank you for your time. Subscribe for future updates.

13 Years Married: Still pained to see my wife profiled

13 Years Married: Still pained to see my wife profiled

by | Mar 8, 2018 | Colonialism, Equity, Harassment, Human Resources, Indigenous, Labour Market Update, Recruitment, TRC 92 (ii), Welcoming, Workplace Respect

Sam Kemble: Commentary

When my wife and I were courting, I stole her away from her family for the first time one Christmas to share that part of the Holiday Season with my family. It was a big deal. We were sending the signal to everyone; this is serious. You better get to know this woman because she is amazing and will be in our lives for a long time. Beth wanted to get just the right gift for my mom. She was slightly anxious and went to a prominent store in downtown Edmonton to find something special. She chose a beautiful scarf. Being quite excited, she showed me her selection when we got together that evening. It was wonderful. My mom would love it. She did love it, both the scarf and the gesture.

But then something else was shared. Beth told me of her experience in the store. She was followed around by the staff as though they felt she was going to steal something. I was furious. I had frequented the same establishment and had never been treated that way. I did not even know Beth’s ethnicity when we started dating. On numerous occasions, people have told us that she clearly has “First Nation traits.” Being discriminated against is something I have never experienced. And before that, I have never experienced discrimination vicariously through a loved one. I was filled with indignation. To Beth, my naivety was showing. At the time, I believed that racial profiling was more of an outlier phenomenon in today’s society. It was reserved for fringe groups, in any event, not mainstream. I asked Beth, “Why are you not angry?”

“If I choose to be angry about that, I would be angry all the time.” she said.

The statement hit me on several levels. All the time? Does it happen all the time? She is desensitized because of a lifetime of similar experiences? How far off base am I to have believed this type of thing does not happen?

Then I started to notice interactions. How sometimes I would be treated differently when going places with my brother-in-law, how he would be treated, or how Beth might be treated when we were out. It struck me because it was unusual and foreign to me. Eventually, concerning these (off-duty personal life) interactions, I started to become desensitized; the interactions did not inspire the same emotion in me. I still do not know if that is a good or bad thing.

In my own mind, I started assessing the order of magnitude. In some cases, it seemed to be a case of awkwardness, not hateful and not even overtly judgemental, just awkwardness. In other situations, there was a sense the individual carried with them an initial pre-judgement, often softening as the interaction with Beth continued. In other cases, there was an unmoving pre-judgment, seemingly based on Beth’s ethnicity. And in other cases, there was what appeared to be hate. For the time we went for our sunny Sunday walk for a coffee, pushing Natanis in the baby carriage. While walking down a side street, a stranger in a pick-up squealed around the corner, coming into proximity of us. He yelled, “Go back to the Reserve!”. We looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. To us, those are just unexplainable.

Being in the human resource field and the labour relations field, I wonder what kind of impact this has on opportunities for promotion, being put in ad hoc leadership positions, or being given opportunities for meaningful work on committees. How does this impact the voices that get heard generally, across industries and sectors in Canada? Many first-opportunity decisions are often based on first or surface impressions. Final decisions are often ultimately made in-camera, where often the only person in the room with the decision-maker is the decision-maker himself or herself. Unless a person does not have a personal bias or has personal feelings but compartmentalizes them away from the decision at hand (and I believe some professionals are capable of doing that), interviewers’ and decision-makers beliefs impact those decisions.

I have also considered whether it is different for Inuit, First Nation and Metis; versus people associated with another visible minority group in Canadian society. I can’t help but feel that discrimination continues to happen to people of all ethnicities. For those who do have a prejudice against aboriginal people (I have zero science to support this but believe it anyway); generally, there seems to be more emotion and conviction attached.

During my career, I have come to a few answers from a global perspective. I do what I can to ensure it does not happen in “my house.” Professionally, “think globally and act locally” is all I have accomplished to date.

“Why am I writing this today? “

Today my wife was denied service at a coffee shop. A coffee shop that is attached to a downtown library in our hometown, Edmonton. Beth had just finished having lunch with some former work colleagues. She was settling in to have a coffee and work on her doctoral research while she waited for the time to pick Natanis up from school. What kicked off the interaction initially? Beth wanted to buy a coffee and a sandwich for a homeless person. The store insisted the homeless person leave the premises. Then, they also denied service to Beth, even to buy her own coffee. And finally, they insisted Beth leave the store and called the police, giving the description, of a 5″6 aboriginal woman.

“It has been ten years since Beth bought that scarf for my mom. I am usually not angry about this sort of thing…but today I am. “

As human resource professionals and labour relations professionals, and as Canadians, we need to do our part not to minimize and to guard against profiling in our organizations and across the stakeholder groups with whom we interface.

Indigenous adults less likely hired & more likely under-hired

Indigenous adults less likely hired & more likely under-hired

by | Mar 8, 2018 | Colonialism, Equity, Exclude, Harassment, Human Resources, Indigenous, Labour Market Update, Recruitment, TRC 92 (ii), Welcoming, Workplace Respect

This article is inspired by Park, Junwee, Statistics Canada January 2018 Report, “Overqualification Among Aboriginal Workers In Canada”

Start with the good news (and caveat to the above-noted headline), Indigenous adults completing a bachelor’s degree or higher are in fact less likely to be under-hired than non-indigenous adults.

For those who prevail over systemic/societal barriers to achieving a post-secondary education, keep trudging. Society needs you and you are earning the opportunity to choose between a number of fulfilling career choices.

However, this study shows that indigenous adults with lower than a bachelor’s degree are more likely to be overqualified for the positions for which they are working.

Achievement of Educational Levels

Between 1995 to 2005 there has been a 35% increase in public spending on postsecondary education and this resulted in an increase from 18% to 33%  of employed individuals with university degrees. Indigenous people are limited in their access to the resources and conditions that would increase their social and economic status. This study demonstrates the educational outcomes of the foregoing.

In the sample, 20% of Indigenous adults did not have a high school education and only 12% were university graduates. This is in contrast to only 9% of non-indigenous adults having less than a high school education and 29% who were university graduates.

Mismatch of People/Jobs During Economic Transitions

More recently (more recently in terms of this study refers to the post-2008 recession, and does not even touch the post-2015 oil price and anti-development regulatory and political environment), there are more acute levels of labour market divergence, that is; people without jobs or jobs without people. This is happening as opportunities for certain occupations disappear during the transition and employees migrate over to positions for which they are overqualified.

In 2011, 58% of the population with a university degree between the ages of 25 and 34 were working in jobs for which they were overqualified.

This results in lower earnings, lower job satisfaction, lower productivity, plus increased risk of mental health and results in other general health declines.

Due to systemic societal and economic obstacles, Indigenous people are particularly impacted by economic transition.

Indigenous adults are less likely to participate in the jobs market, are more likely to be unemployed, and are less likely to be re-employed after an economic downturn. 

This is quite concerning as for example in 2011 between the ages of 25 and 64 First Nation Métis and Inuit employment stats are as follows:

  • First Nation (status) 17% unemployment;
  • First Nation (non-status) 9% unemployment;
  • Inuit 17% unemployment;
  • Métis 9% unemployment.

This is in comparison to 6% unemployment of non-aboriginal adults over the same timeframe.

In addition, following the recession between 2008 and 2009, non-aboriginal labour market participants recovered to a greater degree by 2011 and this is in stark contrast to the post-recession recovery rate of aboriginal workers which continued to decline.

Comment

The conclusion of the study is that aboriginal adults who attain a university degree or higher education tend to be employed at levels commensurate with that education, even more so than non-aboriginal adults.

However, aboriginal adults who attain education levels below a university degree are typically hired below their qualification level, especially in comparison to non-aboriginal adults.

And, what must not be overlooked even though it was not the focus of this study, is the overall lack of sufficient education completion rates and labour market participation experienced by indigenous people in comparison to non-indigenous people.

Subjective job classification and candidate selection factors appear to continue to act against Indigenous candidates

Observation: It appears as though factors less objective in job classification and candidate selection, such as “or equivalent experience” determinations appear to be systematically discriminated against indigenous candidates versus non-aboriginal candidates.

“Levelling-up” and promotions as a result of subjective assessments (of experience on the job or in the industry) appear also to act against indigenous adults in Canada’s workforce

In addition, it appears that length of experience or length of tenure also tends to disadvantage aboriginal workers versus non-aboriginal counterparts.

It appears that only when objective criteria are relied upon that cannot be tainted with personal intentional or unintentional bias, where aboriginal workers tend to thrive, and again, only if they meet university education or higher criteria.

Old Ideas Fetter Stay-At-Home Parents’ Return to Work

Old Ideas Fetter Stay-At-Home Parents’ Return to Work

by | Mar 8, 2018 | Equity, Exclude, Harassment, Human Resources, Labour Market Update, Recruitment, Welcoming, Workplace Respect

This report is inspired by an article brought to my attention by Lisa Raitt (@lraitt on Twitter), which was published February 22, 2018, in the Harvard Business Review, written by Kate Weisshaar, “Stay-at-Home Moms Are Half as Likely to Get a Job Interview as Moms Who Got Laid Off.”

This recent study concludes that employers have a distinctly negative bias against applicants who have taken a break from work for reasons associated with staying home with their children. This is in contrast to applicants who have similar breaks in employment for other reasons.

A sample size of approximately 3400 resumes was broken into employed, unemployed, and stay-at-home parent applicants; 15.3% of employed applicants received a callback, 9.7% of unemployed applicants received a callback, and only 4.9% of stay-at-home parents received a callback.

In another aspect of the study, qualitative research was undertaken to understand recruiters’ perceptions when assessing resumes from the three applicant types.

Respondents considered the stay-at-home parents to be less reliable, less deserving of a job, and less committed to work, and this response was reasonably normalized between the gender of the applicant (in this case, the state home parent).

It comes down to an old and unfavourable attitude among certain employers.

For them, stay-at-home parents broke the cardinal rule. They got a life.

In that command and control environment, it terrifies certain managers that families be prioritized over work. If work isn’t everything, then ethics & values might also be factors when executing instructions. Sounds noisy and inefficient to some.

In truth, this is about sustainable business practices (and, I am not a “social license” advocate, but I am absolutely an ethical and sustainable business practice advocate) and about considering gender impact on business recruiting behaviours.

Think globally and act locally, isn’t that what “they” say?

For recruiters or third-party recruiters, consider whether you or your firm’s behaviour is perpetuating this belief system because you focus on telling your client what you think they want to hear to secure more business. The best recruitment journey for me is where I have been challenged and counselled by the recruitment/executive search representative.

HR needs to push back on old ideas like this and we need to continue to move the watermark in the right direction.

For executives, consider the approach of one of my past VPS. Not only did he encourage me to hire returning stay-at-home parents, but he also insisted I credit time at home as experience within the person’s profession for job-classifying the individual. Wow, and talk about success: commitment, attitude, effort, maturity and retention.