What is it about?
What we did: We interviewed 52 employers and workers in Ontario, exploring their perspectives on workplace integration and its role in shaping positive, healthy workplaces. What we found: 1. Challenges in organizational culture – sexism, biased perceptions of competency, and poor leadership accountability remain significant barriers. 2. Barriers to promoting diversity and inclusion – meritocratic hiring practices, lack of accommodations, and limited awareness restrict opportunities for underrepresented groups. 3.Strategies for change – expanding early career opportunities, building peer support systems, and offering resources to strengthen both workplace integration and mental health support.
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Photo by Jimmy Nilsson Masth on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Creating inclusive organizational cultures in skilled trades is not just about fairness—it’s about retaining talent, improving reputations, and supporting the wellbeing of all workers.
Perspectives
Our team at the University of Toronto has completed this work in collaboration with the Ontario Electrical League
Zhiyang Shi
McGill University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Building Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Organizational Culture to Support Worker Mental Health and Wellbeing: A Qualitative Study of Employer and Worker Perspectives in Ontario Construction Skilled Trades, Safety and Health at Work, August 2025, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2025.07.006.
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