Lisa Beecroft was so sad and angry about the way some staff at her Port Moody bakery were treated by customers that she took to Facebook to express her frustration.

The response, however, reaffirmed Beecroft’s belief in the kindness and decency of most people and reinforced his commitment to creating employment opportunities for all.

More than a third of workers at Gabi & Jules bakery in Beecroft on Clarke Street and a second location in North Burnaby identify as having a disability.

Most are on the autism spectrum, but, Beecroft said, some don’t reveal their disability at all; they just know they’ve found an inclusive workplace that makes them feel safe and valued.

However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, Beecroft said some of that sense of safety has been eroded by the rudeness and impatience of some store customers.

“It’s a range of things, the tone and the aggression that comes across,” Beecroft said. “People don’t say ‘hello,’ they don’t look them in the eye.”

When a manager recently brought to Beecroft’s attention the demoralizing nature of such customer interactions, she said she was discouraged and frustrated.

“It’s just not OK,” Beecroft said. “We can’t normalize things like this.”

Beecroft decided to share his thoughts on the bakery’s Facebook page.

“Honestly, it breaks my heart to have to post this (long) message,” she wrote.

“In recent months, we have seen an increase in mistreatment of some members of our team by some of our customers. Rudeness, impatience and, in some cases, blatant hostility towards our team became common.

Beecroft said that while some may dismiss such interactions as just part of working in the customer service industry, “that absolutely shouldn’t be the case.”

“Everyone deserves to come to work and feel safe, included and valued.”

She added: “We do everything we can to create this environment for our team members and we expect our customers to do the same. »

The response, Beecroft said, was immediate, overwhelming and “truly moving.”

Words of support and encouragement poured in in responses to the post, most from customers, some from people working with the neuro-diverse community, others from like-minded employers who are also striving to ‘be inclusive.

“What you are doing there is inspiring and should be held up as an example of what good leadership and good businesses do,” one said.

“Thank you for standing up for your staff,” said another. “We should all remember to treat others as we would want them to treat us, with kindness. »

For Beecroft, who printed copies of his message and put them on the walls of his bakeries in Port Moody and Burnaby to remind customers to check their hostility at the door, the community’s responses also hit close to home.

She and her husband, Patrick, embarked on their journey to make Gabi & Jules an inclusive workplace because their oldest daughter, Juliana, is autistic. They had to deconstruct each task in the bakery and shop to determine how someone with unique qualifications could fit into the daily workflow while still making sense to the company’s bottom line.

But the effort paid off.

Employees responsible for more repetitive tasks, like washing dishes or folding boxes, tend to stay longer – some have been at the bakery for six or seven years already.

“We have attracted people to our company because they want to work here,” Beecroft said. “They feel safe in the space.”

Maintaining that sense of security is essential as an employer, she added.

“I feel an obligation because I’m putting them in this situation,” Beecroft said. “The staff just wants to make sure they’re doing a good job.”

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