I have officially stepped into retirement and closed the operational side of the business. It has been the honour of my lifetime to walk beside so many exceptional clients, Nations, teams, and leaders. Thank you for your trust, partnership, and the meaningful work we created together.

Although Jouta is no longer providing HR consulting services, the work continues.
Our team, now part of MNP, remains fully available to support you with the same care, integrity, and values that defined Jouta from day one.

For HR-related support, please contact:
Daina McCloskey – daina.mccloskey@mnp.ca

For all other inquiries or to stay connected as future plans unfold, please email:
info@jouta.com

This website will remain active as we transition into the next phase.
Thank you again for being part of the Jouta story.

With appreciation,
Cori Maedel

The post Thank You for 20 Incredible Years appeared first on Jouta HR Consulting.

June marks both Indigenous History Month and 2S/LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in Canada – a timely opportunity for organizations to reflect on what diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) truly mean in the workplace.

As we’ve explored in our recent posts on DEI and accessibility, creating inclusive, equitable environments requires more than policies and celebrations. It’s about meaningful action that recognizes the distinct lived experiences, barriers, and identities of all people. That includes honouring both Indigenous peoples and individuals within the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community in ways that aren’t performative or one-size-fits-all.

Indigenous History Month: more than recognition

Indigenous History Month is a chance to reflect on what reconciliation looks like in your workplace. It’s an opportunity to honour the cultures, strengths, and histories of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples – while also acknowledging Canada’s colonial past and the ongoing impacts it has on Indigenous peoples today.

To meaningfully support Indigenous employees and communities:

• Go beyond land acknowledgements and ensure they’re relevant and genuine.
• Reflect on how your organization supports Indigenous inclusion in leadership, policy, and practice.
• Offer paid time off to participate in Indigenous Peoples Day events (June 21), which align with cultural significance, such as the Summer Solstice.
• Invest in learning and unlearning. Reconciliation starts with awareness and leads to action.

Pride Month: inclusion starts at the top

Pride Month is both a celebration and a call to action. While many employers change their logos or attend parades, the real work of 2S/LGBTQIA+ inclusion must be embedded into leadership, policy, and workplace culture year-round.

With many from this community (up to 30% of 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals) reporting employment discrimination and many still hiding their identities at work, leadership has a key role in shifting this reality. Leaders must be trained, informed, and accountable in creating psychologically safe and inclusive environments for gender and sexually diverse employees.

Supporting Pride in the workplace might include:

• Offering education and training on gender diversity and inclusive language.
• Hosting events or bringing in speakers from the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community.
• Ensuring policies (e.g., benefits, washrooms, dress codes) reflect inclusion.
• Encouraging participation in community and regional Pride celebrations.

Diversity work is ongoing

True inclusion doesn’t happen through month-by-month observances. It’s the daily practices, questions, and decisions that shape whether people feel seen, heard, and valued in your workplace. Whether supporting Indigenous employees, 2S/LGBTQIA+ team members, or others with diverse lived experiences, the key is to approach the work with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to adapt.

As HR Consultants at MNP, we continue to learn through our work with over 160 Indigenous communities and organizations, and many others in diverse workplaces by listening deeply to the people we serve. We invite you to do the same – not just this month, but every day.

Let June be a reminder: diversity isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about building workplaces where everyone can thrive in their full, unique identity.

Our HR Consultants can support you to honour diverse identities and make inclusion a core part of your organizational culture.

The post Indigenous History & Pride: Meaningful Inclusion appeared first on Jouta HR Consulting.

National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) takes place from May 25 to 31, 2025 and represents an important opportunity for employers to reflect on how accessibility and inclusion are (or could be) embedded in their workplaces.

NAAW acknowledges and celebrates the contributions of people with disabilities, and highlights the need to identify, remove, and prevent barriers –whether physical, attitudinal, systemic, or technological. As leaders and employers, your role is essential in creating equitable workplaces where all employees feel valued and supported. We encourage you to use NAAW as an opportunity to advocate for accessibility, learn from lived experiences, and take meaningful steps toward inclusivity.

An important step in removing and preventing barriers is deepening our understanding of disability and the impact of ableism.

Understanding disability and the impact of ableism

Employees live with a wide range of impairments, many of which are non-visible. These may be physical, neurological, mental health-related, or a combination. They may also be acute, episodic, or chronic. Because each person’s experience is different, there’s no single definition or approach that fully captures what it means to live with disability. This creates challenges for both individuals and organizations, and calls for empathy, flexibility, and an ongoing commitment to equity.

A key related concept is ableism: the systemic discrimination or prejudice against people with disabilities. While impairments may be biological, disability is often defined by societal attitudes and barriers. In the broader community, people with impairments may face exclusion, neglect, discrimination, or abuse. In the workplace, ableism contributes to obstacles in hiring, advancement, and day-to-day interactions.

Ableism is not always overt. It often appears in subtle, everyday ways, such as:

• Commenting that someone “doesn’t look disabled” or asking questions like “what’s wrong with you?” or “what happened?”.
• Dismissing or doubting the legitimacy of someone’s condition (e.g., suggesting chronic pain is due to laziness or assuming that fatigue is just poor self-care).
• Framing a disabled person as “inspiring” for doing ordinary things like holding a job or participating in sports.
• Using accessible spaces (e.g., parking spots or restroom stalls) when not intended for your use.
• Misusing medical terms in casual conversation (e.g., saying “I’m so OCD” or “my ADHD is acting up” when referring to everyday behaviours).
• Designing spaces or tools that aren’t accessible, such as digital materials without captions, fonts that are too small, or meeting rooms that exclude mobility aids.
• Enforcing neutral policies (e.g., disregarding applicants with résumé gaps) that unintentionally disadvantage those with episodic disabilities or past medical leave.
• Assuming people with disabilities are fragile, dependent, or in need of constant help – attitudes that may be well-meaning but can feel belittling or patronizing.

Recognizing ableism is the first step toward changing it. When we become aware of how workplace culture, systems, and language can reinforce inequity, we’re better positioned to lead inclusively and respectfully.

How employers can create an accessible culture of belonging

As you consider how to mark National AccessAbility Week, focus on fostering a workplace culture that respects the diversity of lived experiences and actively works to challenge and deconstruct ableism. At a fundamental level, it’s crucial to understand your duty to accommodate, providing reasonable supports and modifications for those with impairments. You can also work towards being an anti-ableist organization through the following steps.   

• Learn and start the conversation
  Starting with the leadership team, host a discussion that explores the range of disabilities (visible and non-visible), and the potential ways those impact employees. Where appropriate, invite people with lived experience to the conversation.
• Review accessibility in your workplace
  Go beyond physical spaces and consider digital tools, communication styles, work hours, and flexibility. Does your workplace assume a single way of working or being?
• Build and strengthen inclusive hiring and onboarding practices
  Ensure that your job postings, interview processes, and onboarding practices don’t unintentionally exclude individuals with disabilities. Consider how job requirements are written and whether accommodations are clearly offered and normalized. Ask new employees during onboarding if they have specific needs/requests and accommodate them where possible.
• Encourage honest feedback and remove stigma
  Recognize that many employees won’t disclose their circumstances until they feel safe and trust the organization’s culture and practices. Create clear, safe, and confidential pathways for employees to request accommodations or raise concerns, without fear of judgment or reprisal.
• Acknowledge and educate employees
  Share insights about disability, ableism, and inclusion, both internally and externally, via social media to normalize accessibility conversations on an ongoing basis. Make intentional efforts to educate employees about ableism and ableist stereotypes and encourage your teams to respectfully challenge and address it in your workplace.
• Provide benefits and supports
  Ensure your health and insurance benefits plan is comprehensive and meets the diverse needs of your employees. Provide paid leave allowances for circumstances such as illness, medical conditions/procedures, and mental health wellness. Allow and support flexible work practices, in addition to disconnecting from work.

Accessibility isn’t just about ramps, elevators, and dedicated washroom stalls. It’s about respect, flexibility, and challenging the default assumptions of what “ability” looks like. When you lead with curiosity and care, you help build workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Our HR Consultants can help you develop your inclusive accessibility philosophies and practices.

The post National AccessAbility Week – Supporting Inclusion During and Beyond NAAW appeared first on Jouta HR Consulting.