Workplace restoration

Restoration process overview

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  Our commitment to a respectful and inclusive workplace

  A respectful and harassment-free workplace is critical to the City’s goal of building effective teams and a diverse workforce where:

  • People are knowledgeable about, and attentive to the rights and needs of others, and actively participate in creating a culture of care.
  • When, despite the above, harm happens in interactions, there is widespread capacity in the workplace to assist with repair, restoration of relationships and transformation of root causes; and
  • Processes used to address harm are attentive to the rights and needs of all involved, and strive for fairness, timeliness, and care for the parties.
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  What to expect from the restoration process

  Restoration processes are facilitated by the Equity Office, external consultants, or exempt supervisors with support from the Equity Office, and are designed with consideration to the needs of the parties involved.

  Two full-time positions are dedicated to ensuring there is adequate capacity to support staff through restoration processes.

  Restoration process examples

  These processes might include: 

  • Circles, brushing ceremonies, and other appropriate healing ceremonies
  • Facilitated apologies or accountability process
  • Facilitated one-to-one or group conversations
  • Co-creating new group agreements for working together
  • Individual or team training or coaching
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  Restoration process outcomes

  Restoration processes do not result in disciplinary action; instead, they aim to restore trust in relationships and to identify the root causes of the conflict. Potential outcomes of a restoration process can include:

  • Group training
  • New group agreements
  • A shared understanding of how to interact with each other and work together

  Throughout the process, you receive ongoing updates from workplace restoration consultants about your case.

  Information icon Restoration processes are only an option if there is willing and voluntary participation from the parties involved.

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  How to access support

  If you have felt disrespected or uncomfortable at work and are interested in repairing the relationship through a restoration process, email equityoffice@vancouver.ca to chat about your options.