Creating a Respectful Jobsite for Everyone: What Works—and Why It Matters

Creating a Respectful Jobsite for Everyone: What Works—and Why It Matters

A respectful jobsite isn’t just “nice-to-have.”

In Canadian workplaces, harassment and exclusion are still widespread and costly. A national survey by the Canadian Labour Congress and university researchers found pervasive harassment and violence across sectors, underscoring the need for prevention and culture change—not just reaction after incidents occur.  


Beyond harm reduction, inclusion is a business imperative in construction and the trades. Canada’s construction sector faces persistent labour shortages; employers who build welcoming, respectful workplaces are better positioned to recruit and keep under-represented talent, including women and newcomers.  


Below are five evidence-informed actions—mirroring the visual in your post—that any contractor, site lead, or trades employer can implement now.


1) Display inclusive visuals and language on-site


Visual cues set norms. Replace gendered safety posters and “good ol’ boy” imagery with photos and graphics that represent women, Indigenous Peoples, newcomers, and diverse body types. Align signage and toolbox talks with the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety (CSA Z1003), which emphasizes proactive, system-level approaches to respectful, mentally healthy work.  


2) Stop assigning tasks based on gender


Job assignments should follow skills, certifications, and safe-work procedures—not stereotypes. Research shows that unwelcoming cultures, isolation, and lack of mentoring contribute to lower apprenticeship completion for women compared to men in construction, manufacturing, and transportation trades. Intentionally distributing safety-critical and higher-skill tasks (and mentoring for them) helps close that gap.  


3) Make jobsite facilities and PPE accessible for everyone


Access to clean, safe, and private washrooms; secure change spaces; and PPE that actually fits are fundamentals, not perks. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) highlights that body size, gender, and sex differences must be considered in PPE selection to protect all workers’ health and safety—ill-fitting gear is a safety risk.  


4) Encourage allies to use their influence


Supervisors, forepersons, journeypersons, and union stewards set the tone. Proactive allyship—interrupting biased jokes, backing inclusive tasking, and supporting targets during and after incidents—changes norms faster than policy alone. The national survey evidence shows incidents remain under-reported and poorly resolved; visible ally action helps rebuild trust in reporting pathways.  


5) Use gender-inclusive language


Everyday language signals who belongs. Use titles like “journeyperson” or “electrician,” not gendered terms; address teams collectively (“everyone,” “crew”), and honour people’s names and pronouns. Federal survey data found high rates of harassment—including sexual harassment—in federally regulated workplaces, reinforcing the need to address microaggressions and disrespect early, not only when they escalate.  

Why this pays off


Inclusive jobsites help organizations compete for talent and reduce turnover. Canadian industry analyses link diversity and inclusion to better innovation, problem solving, and retention—capabilities construction firms need to deliver safely, on time, and on budget amid labour constraints.  

Start here: a quick site checklist

    •    Walk the site: do posters, safety talks, and meeting slides reflect a diverse workforce? (If not, refresh them.)

    •    Review assignment patterns: who gets high-skill tasks, training, and overtime? Track and correct imbalances.

    •    Audit facilities and PPE: are there clean, private washrooms and change spaces for everyone? Does PPE fit all workers?

    •    Train leaders as allies: set expectations to interrupt disrespect immediately and document follow-up.

    •    Standardize inclusive language: update SOPs, permits, and forms to remove gendered terms; include pronoun fields where appropriate.

Building a respectful jobsite is continuous work—but it’s achievable, measurable, and beneficial for safety, morale, and performance. 
If this sounds like training your workplace could benefit from, The Mindful Workplace can help. We offer online and in-person training. Contact us today.