I was privileged to engage in a stimulating and thought-provoking conversation with Blaine Donais, B.A., LL.B., LL.M. (ADR), RPDR, C.MED, WFA on Expert Views on ADR (EVA) Vid/Podcast Show. He is the president and founder of the Workplace Fairness Institute and author of ‘Workplaces That Work and Engaging Unionised Employees’ (published by Canada Law Book), as well as the WFI WHITE PAPER on ‘Workplace Conflict Management in Canada.’ He has spent many years improving working relationships in public and private sectors.
He authored the ‘Donais Fairness Theory, that Fairness Excellence can be measured and achieved in any workplace.’ Blaine is an Adjunct Professor of ‘Workplace Dispute Resolution’ at Atkinson College, York University, Toronto.
He wears many hats, so I have left the links to his profile: https://blainedonais.ca/.
In this series, Blaine shared valuable insights on how organizations can create a culture of inclusion and diversity that empowers employees to report instances of bullying, discrimination, or harassment.
Drawing from his own experiences with these issues, he highlighted the cultural nuances that contribute to such problems. He emphasised how fostering fairness in the workplace can help prevent or mitigate these behaviours. Blaine explained that there is a direct connection between fairness and conflict. He pointed out that all conflicts begin with a perceived injurious event. But how does an event come to be perceived as injurious? This is where the concept of fairness becomes relevant.
Further, he explained that Fairness requires three (3) key elements from an organisation: communication, collaboration, and proactive thinking. For example, if I feel disrespected because someone else failed to do their job, that situation represents a potentially perceived injurious event. Chinwe highlighted that this is not the case in most organisations / Institutions; the leaders and HR are not usually fair.
In conclusion, Blaine acknowledged that workplaces globally often resemble the master-and-servant relationships of the medieval period, which bestow significant power upon employers while requiring obedience from employees. Recognising this dynamic has prompted various countries to explore ways to regulate this form of autocracy in the workplace.
****If you have experienced workplace bullying, discrimination and harassment, do not stay silent. Connect with me on #Linkedin and share your story via DM. Together, we can bring awareness to these issues and work towards creating a more equitable and respectful workplace for all via ADR. Your voice matters!—-Dr Chi Egbunike.
You can order my book ‘Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Comparative Perspectives Nigeria, the UK, and the US’ via #springer: https://link.springer.com/book/10.100….
Please subscribe to the EVA YouTube channel & listen to this episode on all podcast channels- #audible #apple #amazon #overcast #google #spotify #listennotes #playerfm #pocketcasts #anghami.
Podcast Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/series-6-creating-safe-spaces-via-adr-how-can-employees/id1538506713.
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