PARRIS RESOURCES
Parris In the News
Feature Articles
Calling out privilege: How to go beyond policies to fight racism
4 in 10 employees think their organization views DEI as just a checkbox
With diversity and inclusion becoming ever more intrinsic to organizational strategy, employers paying lip service to DEI efforts do so at their own peril. Recent research from Lever revealed that 39% of employees think their organisation views DEI as a checkbox, despite 54% of employers increasing investments in related strategies over the past year.
And if you’re fake with your inclusion policies, employees will figure it out.
‘It’s hard to be an only’: How to foster a culture of allyship in anti-racism
HRD speaks with diversity expert Tamisha Parris on how to drive real change this Black History Month
When it comes to the fight against racism, it isn’t enough to remain “not racist” – it’s about being actively “anti-racist,” according to diversity expert Tamisha Parris, founder of Parris Consulting, who says that while people usually mean well in being “not racist”, it’s more about that decision to take action.
“For example,” she tells HRD, “let’s say you witness a Black co-worker repeatedly getting the worst assignments despite being a high-performing worker.
DEI best practices: How to make meetings accessible and inclusive for everyone
New guide from UKG provides tips and best practices for HR
While there has been a growing focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, too often, the accessibility aspect is overlooked.
Why? For one, disability is complex — it can be transient, situational, or permanent, according to Tamisha Parris, founder and CEO of Parris Consulting, a diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion-focused consulting firm based in Vancouver.
Recent Articles
How to know if you’re facing workplace sexism or ageism
When Lisa LaFlamme said she was “blindsided” after being let go from her job as anchor for CTV National News, many Canadians – from industry figures to viewers – suggested that discrimination was the root cause of the dismissal.
While Ms. LaFlamme’s former employer claimed her ouster was a business decision to reflect “changing viewer habits,” emerging details – that Ms. LaFlamme’s boss had raised questions about the appearance of her grey hair on TV; that there had been several formal reviews about problematic workplace culture in the newsroom – have continued to raise eyebrows.
DEI best practices: How to make meetings accessible and inclusive for everyone
“Disability is ubiquitous and impacts more individuals than some other equity-deserving identities, and yet — paradoxically — people with disabilities often feel excluded from workplace DEI initiatives.
“And, importantly, disability is often invisible, as seen with conditions such as chronic pain or fibromyalgia,” says Parris, who developed the Canadian Employer’s Guide to Accessible and Inclusive Meetings in partnership with UKG.
Accessibility in the workplace, from return-to-work programs to accommodations
Question: I’m a business owner and we are in the process of hiring a fantastic new employee. She is physically disabled, and I want to ensure that our workplace is accessible for her. What is the best way to approach this – should I ask her to help identify potential issues? What are some resources to help me ensure I’ve done everything right?
We asked Tamisha Parris, equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion consultant at Parris Consulting in Vancouver, to field this one.
The 2022 Women of the Year Awards: Equity and Inclusion Champion - Runner-up
RUSHMILA RAHMAN
Few people would suddenly shift gears from pediatrics to equity studies without knowing what it is, but that’s the trajectory Tamisha Parris took at UofT. After graduation, when she taught English as a second language in a small Mexican town, that education helped her cope with the culture shock of being the only Black person some locals had seen in real life.
“People would come up to me every day, touch my skin, ask me to take pictures with them,” Parris recalls. “That is when I truly learned about diversity and how it felt, because it was never negative. It was always positive.”
Microaggressions lead to burnout for Black employees
JOHN DUJAY
‘Creating that welcoming and safe environment is definitely on the shoulders of HR’
Subtle racial messages, known as microaggressions, have long been talked about in racialized communities, but little has been studied about their effect in the workplace.
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Black History Month: How to celebrate your teams remotely
‘Black employees are underrepresented in corporate Canada – especially in positions of leadership’
February marked the start of Black History Month across Canada – a time dedicated to celebrating and uplifting Black employees in your organization. HRD spoke with Tamisha Parris, founder of Parris Consulting, who revealed the best ways HR leaders can celebrate this year’s Black History Month – and explained why 2022’s celebrations are more important than ever before.
Microaggressions: How can HR help to eradicate subtle acts of exclusion?
Don’t let the name fool you; microaggressions can have a BIG impact on your workforce
Has a colleague ever complimented you on how ‘articulate’ you are? Ever been asked where you’re ‘actually from’? Has a manager ever confused you with another colleague of similar race or sexual orientation? Well then you may have been a victim of a microaggression.
Inclusive Canada: HR's biggest mistake with belonging
Remember, a policy alone will not affect change.
For years, Canada has been known as one of the most welcoming and inclusive countries in the world – but it wasn’t always so. The discovery of mass graves of Indigenous children in the residential school system led to public outcry, with many demanding immediate change and reconciliation. These and other social movements had a palpable impact on our nation – with more and more employees gravitating towards companies with meaningful diversity programs.
Black History Month: How to celebrate with colleagues remotely
, 2021
An opportunity to honour the legacy of Black Canadians, both past and present
Today marks the start of Black History Month in Canada – a much-needed opportunity to honour the legacy of Black Canadians, both past and present. Throughout the month of February, both employers and employees have the chance to showcase their commitment to diversity and equality across their organizations by participating in a plethora of events.
Compassion: The ultimate leadership trait of 2021
What do we mean when we talk about compassion? Traditionally, it’s not a word you’d associate with the corporate world. But, thanks to a leadership overhaul and a shift in employer priorities, that is changing.
Many signs point to 2021 as the year of the compassionate leader. And, considering the chaos we’ve just lived through, it’s not a minute too soon.
HR leaders have always championed the need for empathy in managing employees — for leading with emotional intelligence and understanding.
Racism at work: ‘Get comfortable with being uncomfortable’
Canada is often considered a shining beacon of equality, diversity, and inclusion.
In fact, many Canadians believe that racism isn’t an issue for us. Not so.
It’s fair to say that, when compared with other countries, Canada is a liberal, free, and welcoming nation. But make no mistake about it – whether overt or subtle, intentional or unintentional, racism lives here.
HRD spoke to Tamisha Parris, founder of diversity-consulting firm Parris Consulting and author of UKG’s recent whitepaper, Combatting Racism in the Workplace.
’50-30 Challenge’: Feds launch HR program for racial equality
The forward-thinking initiative is a win for diversity leaders
Minister Navdeep Bains recently announced the soon to be launch of 50-30 Challenge, a government initiative aimed at accelerating diversity in Canadian organizations.
50-30 Challenge is a commitment between companies and the government to advance efforts in corporate diversity – improving wellbeing for “racialized persons, people who identify as LGBTQ2, people living with disabilities, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis”.
Parris Guides, Toolbooks & White Papers
Equity at work - part 1
Winter 2023
The dawn of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has gained global attention. However, the question we should be asking ourselves is: Why is it essential for everyone to heed the call for diversity, equity and inclusion?
Social media channels, news programs, and podcasts are awash with heated debates over equity. As experts argue about the implications of equity, universities and corporations are hastening to respond to ever-growing concerns among their students, faculty, staff, and the public. Likewise, HR departments are struggling to make sense of the terminology around equity so they can devise and implement practices that benefit their employees. And importantly, executives are trying to grasp the implication of NOT sufficiently putting their support behind actionable policies that will create equitable workplaces.
Equity at work - part 2
Winter 2023
Employers are becoming more aware of diversity and inclusion. In recent years, many organizations
have implemented diversity and inclusion initiatives, and it’s increasingly common to see a diversity
statement on a company’s website.
Companies are also becoming more aware of the concept that underpins diversity and inclusion —
equity. Leadership teams are educating themselves on what equity is, what it means for a workforce,
how it differs from equality, and why it’s critical to build equity into all levels of an organization.
Despite this progress, many employers are still struggling to implement equity programs. Hurdles to
implementation vary in nature, but they exist at most organizations to at least some degree.
ACCessible meetings White Paper
Winter 2022
Companies are increasingly aware of diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI). Many business leaders and
human resources managers are thinking deeply about how their practices and processes contribute to
the workplace culture and their impact on diverse workforces. Many company websites prominently
feature a statement of their commitment to DEI, and they are working on ways to weave DEI into their
hiring, onboarding and employee development practices and their customer-facing activities.
Despite this remarkable progress, one aspect of DEI often gets overlooked or inadequately addressed:
accessibility. As a result, people with disabilities continue to encounter barriers to participation at work.
UKG MAGAZINE - First Edition
Fall 2021
As employee mental health declines, HR must do more to protect their people.
For many people, bringing their authentic self to work simply isn’t an option.
Whether it’s a toxic company culture, an oppressive management team or unrealistic C-suite expectations, many employees still feel uncomfortable expressing their ideas and opinions to their colleagues or leaders.
As offices reopen and organizations adopt hybrid
working models, it’s time to reassess your commitment to providing a psychologically safe workplace. HRD spoke to Tamisha Parris, founder of diversity consulting firm Parris Consulting, about how expectations around psychological safety have changed post-pandemic – and how trust is key to security.
MicroaGgressions white paper
Fall 2021
How subtle acts of exclusion can poison your workplace culture.
A comprehensive guide for Canadian employers.
Many people assert that racism doesn’t exist in Canada. But every day, we see examples of people being discriminated against and marginalized because of their skin colour or other identity markers.
Even people who understand that systemic racism exists in Canadian society…
Combatting Racism White Paper
Fall 2020
Many people assert that racism doesn’t exist in Canada. But every day, we see examples of people being discriminated against and marginalized because of their skin colour or other identity markers.
Even people who understand that systemic racism exists in Canadian society may look away—intentionally or unintentionally— because of its uncomfortable implications.
Racism in CanadA - A Timeline
Fall 2020
For far too long, many have rejected the notion that racism exists in Canada. The time has come where we must take off the blinders and proceed on this anti-discrimination journey with courageous and sincere hearts. We must work together to dismantle and combat racism.
Let’s examine Canada’s uncomfortable past and use our experiences and our learning to create a stronger, more equitable nation where everyone feels comfortable, welcome, valued and is able to shine.
CLASSroom inclusion toolkit
Fall 2020
WHY BUILD INCLUSION IN THE CLASSROOM?
Creating inclusion in the classroom is one of the most important gifts we can give young learners. When students experience and embrace diversity in class, that sets the template for how they’ll live and function in the world as adults.
Kids do best when they see a variety of cultural backgrounds reflected. And importantly, they need to see themselves within that diversity. They benefit when they see teachers and administrators who are like themselves, when they’re exposed to learning materials that feature kids who are like them, and when those materials are presented as worthwhile and valuable to the entire class.
Parris Webinars
Leading with Compassion
Original Air Date: February 25, 2022
~ In Collaboration with UKG ~
Original Air Date: September 30, 2021
~ In Collaboration with UKG ~
The need for leaders to be more compassionate toward their people has never been greater. We are living and working in a time of social unrest, calls for equality, and unprecedented economic and health crises. Employing a little more compassion can go a long way to alleviating anxiety, improving performance, and retaining your best people.
In this exclusive 60-minute webinar, you’ll learn how compassion (not empathy) plays a critical role in shaping great leaders and creating sustainable work environments.
- Explore the (big) difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion
- Recognize why leading with compassion is crucial in today’s diverse workplace
- Identify ways to make compassion a core value of the company culture
- Learn how to encourage compassionate leadership in your organization.
Let’s stop talking about inclusion and start making it happen.
Inclusive workplaces create a sense of belonging, psychological safety, and security for all employees. In this practical session, HR professionals and leaders will hear easy ways to create a more inclusive workplace culture. We’ll offer up a uniquely Canadian perspective on best practices for inclusion and belonging, including:
- Actionable strategies you can implement today to increase workplace belonging
- Real-world inclusion practices for you and your people
- Tips for helping managers be role models of inclusive leadership
- Easy-to-implement next steps to keep the momentum going
- And more!
Inclusive organizations make everyone feel welcomed, valued, and encouraged to be their authentic selves at work.
Diversations with Parris Blog
Parris Archives
Select the images below to read Parris achieved articles — circa 2008.
25th Annual YWCA Durham Women of Distinction 2007 Winners
2007
Association of Black Law Enforcers Youth as Role Model Recognition of Excellence
2006
Parris Consulting is Hiring!
Are you looking for a way to make a difference in your community? Do you have a passion for diversity, accessibility, and inclusion? Do you desire creating equitable systems , strategies and resources free of systemic discrimination for all? Come and join our team!
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