Program Information
Advanced Workplace Restoration
November 17 to 21, 2025
Live Online via Zoom
Monday to Friday
Noon to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Delivered in partnership with the ADR Institute of Ontario
Fairness is our founding principle and workplace fairness is our vision
Every person is treated with equity of concern and respect, regardless of their position, status, or power.
Five-Day Agenda
Click on the "+" for an overview of the learning objectives for each day.
Day 1: Restoration Foundations
- Understand WFI's definition and approach to workplace restoration.
- Understand the connection between workplace fairness, conflict (perceived unfairness), and trauma.
- Understand the vital role of the workplace restoration practitioner, and the power of trust and a trustworthy restoration process.
- Understand restoration fallacies, tips, and key terms.
- Understand when restoration is and is not appropriate.
- Understand how workplace restoration differs from restorative justice and group intervention.
Days 2: Trauma & Intersectionality
- Understand how trauma can arise during the restoration process and the imperatives for adopting a trauma-informed, intersectional approach.
- Understand trauma-informed foundations, including:
- The three Es of trauma
- The four Rs trauma-informed response
- The six trauma-informed principles
- Understand intersectionality foundations, including:
- What is intersectionality?
- The six intersectionality components
- The eight intersectionality enablers
- Explore WFI's trauma-informed and intersectionality framework, including supportive techniques to use throughout the restoration process (before, during, and after).
Days 3 & 4: WFI's Five-Phase Workplace Restoration
- Understand and apply WFI's five-phase workplace restoration process, using WFI's Workplace Restoration Roadmap and tools.
- Phase 1: Organization
- Phase 2: Assess
- Phase 3: Report
- Phase 4: Engage
- Phase 5: Monitor
Day 5: Selling Restoration & Culture Change
- Understand and explore how to sell the workplace restoration process and culture change to workplace leaders, including the value proposition and cost of doing nothing.
- Practice building a workplace restoration business case using three practical WFI tools, including the WFI workplace health scorecard, respectful workplace survey, and fairness cost analysis tool.
Virtual Learning Environment
In conflict management and our learning environment, we recognize that trauma profoundly affects perceptions and reactions, and acknowledge that everyone has unique experiences of discrimination and oppression.
In this program:
- We apply a trauma-informed and intersectional approach.
- We recognize that the content may evoke past experiences or emotions.
- We encourage you to proceed at your own pace and share what you feel comfortable with.
To the extent you are comfortable, we encourage you to be on camera in our live sessions and breakout rooms.
WFI's Learning Hub
Our Learning Hub is an online resource and community for practitioners. It provides you with access to eligible WFI’s e-learning courses, Community of Practice (CoP) events, discussion groups, and resources.
Please Note:
We will set up your account and introduce you to the Hub during the live online session.
Program Delivery Team
Workplace Fairness International has long partnered with the ADR Institute of Ontario to deliver the Advanced Workplace Fairness Assessment and Workplace Restoration Programs to the practitioner community. We are excited to do so again!
Blaine Donais (he/him), Lead Facilitator
Workplace Fairness International, President and Founder
LL.B., LL.M., C.Med., Q.Arb., PHSA, WFA
Read Blaine's Bio (click on the "+")
Blaine founded Workplace Fairness International (WFI) in 2005.
He has devoted over 30 years to advancing workplace safety and fairness in both public and private sector organizations.
His experience includes:
- Practicing union-side labour lawyer and negotiator from 1995 to 2017.
- Chartered Mediator (C.MED.), ADR Institute of Canada.
- Registered Practitioner of Dispute Resolution (RPDR), Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiations (CIIAN).
- Adjunct Professor of Workplace Dispute Resolution at Atkinson College, York University, Toronto, and Adjunct Professor for the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the University of Toronto.
- Professor for the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the University of Toronto.
- Former Chair of the ADR Institute of Ontario's Chartered Mediator Assessment Committee.
- Author of Workplaces That Work, Engaging Unionized Employees, and The Art and Science of Workplace Mediation (all published by Carswell).
416-720-1229
Tommy Lam, Session Host (he/him)
Senior Manager, Programs
ADR Institute of Ontario
If you require Zoom technical support, please contact Tommy.
437-337-2462
Barb Nekich, Program Support (she/her)
Director, Learning Programs
Workplace Fairness International
If you have questions about the program, including the WFI Learning Hub, please contact Barb.
403-394-5459
WFI Blog and Articles
If you’re interested, here are some articles and suggested readings. All items will open in a new window.
WFI's Blog
Workplace Restoration = Workplace Transformation
Workplace restoration is a culture change exercise to heal workplace trauma. In this article, we explore what workplace restoration is and its crucial features of empowerment and recognition.
Why Conflict Management Should Be Considered a Workplace Psychosocial Risk Factor
Poorly managed conflict doesn’t just disrupt teams—it directly impacts psychological health and safety. In this article, we explore how conflict management systems (or the lack thereof) contribute to stress, burnout, and perceptions of unfairness in the workplace—and why addressing this risk is essential for organizational well-being.
Psychological Health and Safety: It’s All About Fairness
Fairness isn’t just a value—it’s a condition for psychological safety. This article explores how perceptions of fairness shape trust, engagement, and well-being in the workplace, and why fairness must be a core principle in any health and safety strategy.
Taking a Trauma-Informed Approach to Conflict Management Systems Analysis and Design
When conflict systems ignore trauma, they risk deepening harm. This article outlines how a trauma-informed and intersectional lens can strengthen conflict management systems—building trust, safety, and inclusivity across the organization.
Articles & Suggested Readings
