About
The benefits of collective voice in the workplace, where workers’ concerns are adequately represented, are significant: enhanced job satisfaction, decent wages, safer workplaces, greater productivity and increased civic participation. These benefits improve the lives of workers, increase the bottom lines for firms, and enrich Canadian society as a whole.
Yet, in recent decades, research has pointed to a significant “voice gap” where workers do not have their expected say or influence at work, with organizations falling short of addressing this gap effectively. These shortcomings affect long-term workplace productivity, mental health, and a host of other critical factors that, if considered and addressed thoughtfully, can positively affect workers and the organizations they work in.
Ontario Assembly on Workplace Democracy
In 2022, the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources (CIRHR) convened the Ontario Assembly on Workplace Democracy, a representative group of Canadians from across Ontario who discussed the current options available for workers to vocalize themselves at work. The Assembly produced a final report which captures participants’ overarching concerns about the current state of worker voice in Ontario, the values that guided their work and decision-making, and a comprehensive set of policy recommendations pertaining to what the government, employers, and labour advocates can do to amplify workers' voices and their ability to influence decisions in Ontario workplaces. This initiative was led by CIRHR Director, Rafael Gomez, visiting researcher, Andrew Gibson, and Simon Pek from the University of Victoria.
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Building upon the work of the Assembly, the CIRHR is expanding the scope of the project to the national stage with the very generous support of Employment and Social Development Canada.