Quiz: How Respectful And Inclusive Is Your Workplace?
In a respectful workplace, policies, practices, and employee interactions reflect consideration for others, and diversity is valued. All employees feel safe and have equal opportunities to succeed.
This quiz is designed to help you assess how respect and inclusion are supported in your workplace and identify areas for improvement.
Introduction
Creating a respectful and inclusive workplace takes intention, awareness, and ongoing commitment, whether in a small business or a large organization. This self-assessment tool will help you evaluate your workplace’s current practices and identify both strengths and opportunities for improvement.
For each question below, choose the response that most closely reflects your workplace based on what you’ve observed or experienced. The questions apply to all types of work environments, from retail floors to construction sites, and from remote teams to manufacturing facilities. After completing all questions, count how many A, B, and C responses you selected to determine your results.
Note: This assessment can be used by anyone in the workplace, regardless of role or position. The insights gained can support personal actions, team discussions, and organizational improvements.
Take as much time as you need. When you’re ready, begin the quiz.
Quiz: How Respectful and Inclusive is Your Workplace?
This quiz includes ten questions about workplace practices and employee interactions. Consider each question, then select the statement (A, B, or C) that best reflects your workplace.
Keep track of the number of A, B, and C responses.
1. Leadership Diversity
Do the people who make decisions at your workplace reflect different backgrounds, identities, and perspectives?
A. Decision-makers include a strong mix of people with different backgrounds, identities, and viewpoints.
B. There is some variety among decision-makers, but many groups are not well represented.
C. Most decision-makers are similar to each other, with little variation in background or identity.
6. Growth and Advancement Opportunities
How clear is the path to advancement in your workplace?
A. The steps to grow or advance are clear, consistent, and fair for everyone.
B. Some guidelines exist, but the full process is not clear to most people.
C. Advancement decisions are unclear, and opportunities feel unpredictable or inconsistent.
2. Voice and Participation
When team members share ideas or concerns, what typically happens?
A. All voices are welcomed, acknowledged, and considered, regardless of role or background.
B. Some voices are heard more than others, with certain individuals receiving more attention.
C. The same few people dominate discussions, while others rarely speak up or are interrupted.
7. Accommodations
How does your workplace help people who might need adjustments to do their job well?
A. The workplace readily offers help and flexibility to meet different needs without making it a big deal.
B. Help is available if people ask for it officially, but they have to go through a specific process.
C. Different needs are rarely talked about, or when they are, they're treated as special favors rather than basic support.
3. Workplace Interactions
How do people typically interact with each other at work?
A. People collaborate across teams, respect differences, and build strong working relationships.
B. People tend to stay within their own groups or departments.
C. There are clear cliques, some people are left out, and tension exists between groups.
8. Holidays and Flexible Scheduling
How does your workplace handle different holidays and scheduling needs?
A. The workplace recognizes a range of cultural and religious holidays and allows flexibility when possible.
B. Standard holidays are recognized, with limited awareness of other cultural observances.
C. Only typical holidays are recognized, with little flexibility in scheduling.
4. Handling of Disagreement and Conflict
What happens when people disagree or conflict arises?
A. Different opinions are welcomed, and issues are addressed openly and respectfully.
B. Some differences are accepted, but conflicts are often avoided rather than resolved.
C. People who raise concerns are seen as troublemakers, and unresolved issues create ongoing tension.
9. Recognizing Good Work
How are contributions and achievements acknowledged?
A. Good work is recognized fairly across individuals and teams.
B. Some contributions are recognized, but often the same people or types of work receive attention.
C. Recognition is rare or inconsistent, and it often feels unfair.
5. Hiring Practices
How does your workplace typically hire new employees?
A. The process is fair and consistent, with a focus on skills and qualifications rather than personal connections or similarities.
B. A basic process exists, but it may sometimes favour certain candidates over others.
C. New hires tend to be similar to existing employees, with “fit” outweighing diverse perspectives.
10. Communication and Education
How are expectations around respect and inclusion communicated?
A. Through clear policies and regular training for both new and existing employees.
B. Through basic guidelines that may not be well-explained, with limited training.
C. Expectations are rarely communicated, with minimal or outdated guidance.
Assess Your Results
'A' Statements
Reflect strong respectful and inclusive workplace practices
'B' Statements
Indicate a foundation for respect and inclusion, with clear room for improvement
'C' Statements
Highlight significant gaps that should be addressed
Understanding Your Results
If you selected mostly “A” responses, your workplace demonstrates strong practices in respect and inclusion.
If your responses included a mix of “B” and “C,” your workplace likely has both strengths and areas to improve. Identifying these gaps is the first step toward meaningful change.
Regardless of your results, continued focus on respect and inclusion matters. The Canadian Diversity Initiative offers DEI training to support organizations in strengthening their workplace practices.
Book a call to learn more about training options for your team.
A respectful workplace requires clear expectations and training.
The Respectful Workplace is an online training course that explores acceptable and unacceptable workplace behaviours, including harassment, discrimination, and workplace bullying.
It provides practical guidance to help employees recognize issues, respond appropriately, and support a respectful workplace.