Religious Inclusion

This intermediate-level program is for leaders and colleagues alike. Through scenarios featuring ten faiths, learners practice responding to faith-based stereotyping or discrimination, and proactively supporting religious colleagues by considering religious needs and preferences, supporting religious expression, and engaging in respectful conversations about religion. This program was co-developed by Brian Carwana, the Executive Director of Encounter World Religions, a registered charity with the mission of increasing religious literacy and transforming our response to difference from fear to curiosity, exploration and growth.

TOPIC: BELONGING

LEVEL: Intermediate

Core skills & behaviours

Accommodate religious and spiritual practices: Implement flexible workplace accommodations for practices and celebrations rather than aiming for “neutrality” or secularization. Proactively consider religious practices when planning workplace events.
Recognize and challenge religious bias: Identify personal assumptions, avoid essentializing or stereotyping religious groups, and refrain from religious appropriation.
Address discrimination and conflict constructively: Intervene directly when observing anti-religious speech or conduct, and navigate religion-based workplace conflicts productively.
Manage religious disclosures: Respond appropriately to candidate or colleague disclosures of religious affiliation or beliefs.

	Snippet title	Topic covered
1	Hindu Halloween	Highlights the importance of considering all employees’ religious practices when planning celebrations at work. Encourages learners to gather this information before conflict arises.
2	Zen as a Buddhist	Illustrates how “essentializing” religious identities can be harmful. Encourages learners to privately address the issue when they witness positive stereotyping about someone’s religion.
3	An Awkward Meeting	Discusses how to create supportive work environments in the midst of ethno-religious conflict. Encourages the learner to focus on individual wellbeing, the power of listening, and shared values.
4	The Atheist’s Condolences	Shows that the beliefs of atheists are worthy of equal consideration in the workplace. Encourages learners to value everyone’s viewpoint and to avoid imposing religious or spiritual practices on others.
5	The Mormon Director	Explores the presumed tension between religion and rights-based advocacy in the workplace. Showcases the importance of suspending assumptions about religious people’s moral or political convictions.
6	The Attack	Explores how individuals and workplaces should respond to anti-religious violence. Focuses on centering victims, sharing condolences appropriately, and providing tangible support.
7	Xmas	Through an exploration of Christmas, shows that the goal of workplace inclusion should not be “secularization” but “equality.” Suggests the use of a multi-faith calendar and granting equal consideration to Christians.
8	The Rasta Candidate	Demonstrates how to appropriately respond to religious disclosures in the hiring process, and encourages learners to challenge anti-religious bias when they see it in themselves or in others to foster religious inclusion.
9	Double Belonging	Shows that it’s possible for people to belong to two or more faiths at once. Encourages learners to approach others with curiosity and to accommodate adherents of smaller, newer, or less centralized faiths.
10	Vision Quest	Introduces the concept of religious “appropriation” in the context of Indigenous Spirituality. Encourages learners to meaningfully support Indigenous communities and colleagues.

What learners are saying

“Snippets have inspired conversations, in terms of inclusion related to being more aware of religious celebrations of other cultures and being more sensitive to dates when planning mandatory work events which would be a conflict.”

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