From 2018-2024, Indigenous Workways was a multi-institute action research project that aimed to understand the workplace experiences of Indigenous employees in Southwest Ontario and to develop organizational tools to build trust for Indigenous employees. Scholars and Indigenous education centres at University of Waterloo, University of Windsor, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College talked with Indigenous alumni and employees about their experiences in the Canadian workplace, aiming to identify pathways to interpersonal and organizational trust. Funded through the Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence and SSHRC, the project outcomes help develop a sustainable solution to underemployment among Ontario’s Indigenous workforce by empowering Ontario's employers with knowledge and skills training on relational, respectful, reciprocal, and relevant workplace communication and climate practices. In addition to academic and applied presentations and publications, the project culminated in education and training resources available free to the public through Ontario Open Library that include:
On-line employee training modules:
- Indigenous Worldviews and the organizational context
- Relational Communication
- Microaggressions in the Workplace
- Stereotype Threat in the Workplace
- Holistic Conflict Management
- Psychological and Cultural Safety
Organizational Toolkit:
- Cultural Safety Assessment
- Mentorship Program for Indigenous Employees
- Case: Sponsoring a Career Day for Indigenous Youth