The Diversity Agenda:

1
The Diversity Agenda

• what is diversity?

2
What is meant by diversity?

• Who does this include?

Who does the term make reference to?
How does this differ from equal opportunities?
How does this impact us and our work?
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Some useful definitions

• Diversity refers to more than skin colour and
  gender. It can
• encompass age, race, religious affiliation,
  economic class,
• military experiences and sexual orientation. -
  Galagan 1991

Understanding that there are differences among
employees, and that these differences if
properly managed are an asset to work being done
more efficiently and effectively. Examples of
diversity factors are race, culture and
ethnicity, gender, age, a disability and work
experience. - Barz, Hillman Lehrer and Mayhugh
1990
4

• Employers must seek out all available strategies
  that will bring them the talent they need in the
  years to come. One such strategy is to understand
  our own cultural filters and to accept
  differences in people so that each person is
  valued and treated as a unique individual.-
  Kennedy and Everest 1991

What we must do is create an environment where no
one is advantaged or disadvantaged, an
environment where we is everyone. - Thomas
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Equality vs. Diversity

• E.O focuses on groups of individuals either
  ethnically or physically,
• E.O assumes that there's a single prescriptive
  style of management, one best way, defined by
  specific process,
• The business view for E.O tends to be strategic
  and long term

• Diversity is focussed on enabling individuals to
  work with each others strengths and weaknesses
• Diversity aims to understand the needs of the
  individuals and to combine the synergies of their
  individual skills and talents
• Diversity has an immediate impact on processes
  and procedures providing genuine benefit and
  competitive advantage

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Diversity the benefits
Intelligence on service user it is a logical
step to analyse individual needs, service
delivery and employment practices within a
diversity framework.
Understanding clients needs
Legal case is compelling in itself- minimum
compliance is not so easy to achieve and the cost
of failure is ever increasing.
An inclusive approach means addressing the needs
of all
Valuing all in the work place, and in the arena
of delivering a service, is an overall win for
everyone, staff, service users, and community.
Reflecting diversity in the workforce and
developing on individuals skills strengths and
weaknesses is tapping into a rich resource we
stand to lose to the private sector unless we act
now.
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And finally

• Diversity is about valuing the differences
  between people, ensuring we maximise the benefits
  of those differences to innovate ideas, fresh
  perceptions and enable each of our colleagues to
  bring a valued contribution to our organisation.
  Diversity is about changing attitudes and
  eliminating barriers, as individuals and as an
  organisation