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Dear Corporate Governess...
The Globe & Mail also has an advice column, sort of a Miss Manners for corporate etiquette. I love the closer on today's entry:
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DEAR CORPORATE GOVERNESS
I was recently asked to contribute to a wedding gift for an employee in my department. The problem is that the young man is gay and I have strong moral objections to same-sex marriages. How do I gracefully decline?
Roland P., Hamilton
DEAR ROLAND
If gift giving is the norm in your workplace, it's discriminatory to be selective about which individuals you deem worthy of your generosity. Because you are a leader, workers will take notice not only of your lack of generosity but also of your prejudice. The danger here is that others may follow your example, creating a toxic work environment.
If your conscience truly does not allow you to wish your gay employee well, it would be better for you not to participate in gift giving at all.
You should also resist using the occasion as a soapbox for your objections to same-sex marriage or, for that matter, your views on overpopulation should Julie in accounting choose to have a baby.
Realize that the happy couple in question have already made their decision, and so has the government of Canada. Make peace with it.
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DEAR CORPORATE GOVERNESS
I was recently asked to contribute to a wedding gift for an employee in my department. The problem is that the young man is gay and I have strong moral objections to same-sex marriages. How do I gracefully decline?
Roland P., Hamilton
DEAR ROLAND
If gift giving is the norm in your workplace, it's discriminatory to be selective about which individuals you deem worthy of your generosity. Because you are a leader, workers will take notice not only of your lack of generosity but also of your prejudice. The danger here is that others may follow your example, creating a toxic work environment.
If your conscience truly does not allow you to wish your gay employee well, it would be better for you not to participate in gift giving at all.
You should also resist using the occasion as a soapbox for your objections to same-sex marriage or, for that matter, your views on overpopulation should Julie in accounting choose to have a baby.
Realize that the happy couple in question have already made their decision, and so has the government of Canada. Make peace with it.