A Workplace Culture of Openness

Since 1975, when Sandy Naiman first walked in to the office of then Ryerson School of Journalism chairman J. Douglas MacFarlane and explained why she thought she would make a great reporter, the now 58-year-old has broken down barriers in the world of media.

Naiman was up-front with MacFarlane about the mental illness she had been living with since she was 12 years old but was adamant that it wouldn't be an obstacle in her career. MacFarlane believed her, admitting her on the spot to the highly competitive Ryerson program and, in 1977 as editorial director at The Toronto Sun, he was instrumental in hiring Naiman as a feature writer. She worked at the newspaper for 30 years and in early 2007, she left to pursue a freelance writing career.

"My dad saw in Sandy a drive and determination to put every ounce of effort into the program and be a successful news reporter," says Richard MacFarlane, author of his late father's biography, Canada's Newspaper Legend: The Story of J. Douglas MacFarlane. "He often referred to Sandy, Christie Blatchford (The Globe and Mail) and Rosie DiManno (The Toronto Star) as the Three Amigos," he adds. "They were the Ryerson ladies he felt had great confidence and potential. They all proved him right."

MacFarlane received some opposition from Sun management, who saw high medical bills attached to Naiman's employment. But MacFarlane didn't view the hiring as simply a token gesture. MacFarlane and Doug Creighton, founder and long-time publisher of The Sun, championed a progressive human resource policy that saw the newspaper promote employees from diverse backgrounds. It made good business sense then and today, say Sun officials.

"Sandy brought unbounded energy to her work," said Jim Jennings, former editor-in-chief of the Toronto Sun.  "This combined with her unique perspective was a truly winning combination.  She managed to demystify her subjects, enlightening and entertaining our readers along the way."

"She was able to do this not so much because of what she has been through in her personal life, but rather because of what she has become because of it.  She proves the adage 'that which does not kill me, makes me stronger'."

MacFarlane and Creighton opened doors for employees with mental health needs. Much of the credit for that lies with Naiman, who educated staff on how best to treat her when she was ill. Naiman gave her immediate supervisors books on her illness and telephone numbers of people to call if she should become sick on the job. "Sandy has helped create a culture at The Sun where people feel that they can come forward with health issues that impact their jobs," says Chris Krygiel, Sun Media corporate director of human resources. "In return, we have always tried to accommodate those circumstances as best we can."

Despite absences due to hospital stays and sometimes disruptive behaviour in the newsroom, Naiman's track record turned her skeptics into believers. She has won numerous awards for her work on health issues and she has written for The Sun's lifestyle, business and book review sections. She also created Women on the Move, a column that celebrated women in society-from housewives to leading feminists, volunteers to business executives-and ran for more than 20 years. Many say Naiman's work and life have inspired them and made them more compassionate toward others.

"At first, I wasn't prepared for the episodes," says entertainment editor Kathy Brooks, who worked with Naiman for many years. "I learned as we went along. I realized that many people suffer from mental illness, including a friend of mine, but that they shouldn't be stigmatized and that many of them are wonderful, creative and educated people. They can contribute so much to the workforce and to the world," she concludes, "if given the chance."