Manage workplace diversity

1
Manage workplace diversity

• Session 2
• Develop a diverse team

2
Recommended Reading

• K. Cole, 2005,Management theory practice,
  Chapter 18 Chapter 4 pp130 - 135

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Today's session

• By the end of today's session you will have the
  skills to develop and prepare a plan to improve
  take advantage of the diversity within your
  organisation.

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Australia, its a big country

• Filled with a very diverse range of people, each
  with the potential to make meaningful
  contributions to our economy society as a
  whole.
• Strength lies in diversity, yet surprisingly many
  organisations have not yet tapped into this
  potential

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How do we encourage a diverse environment?

• By providing a role model for others through
  individual behaviour that demonstrates respect
  for diversity.
• Develop work practices that support work place
  diversity.
• Recognise utilise the skills knowledge a
  diverse workforce offers.
• Recognise workplace issues that arise from
  diversity issues quickly take action to resolve
  the situation
• Identify training needs take appropriate action
• Use coaching mentoring to assist colleagues to
  work in a diverse environment
• By being an Equal Opportunity Employer
• Open Communication

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The role model

• What action can we take to ensure we are seen as
  positive role models for workplace diversity?
• As individuals?
• As an organisation?

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Workplace practices

• What practices could we implement to support
  workplace diversity?
• What are the legislative requirements?
• What policies procedures could we implement?

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The skills knowledge a diverse workforce offers.

• What do the following groups offer?
• Mature age workers
• Working mothers
• Indigenous Australians
• People with disabilities
• A young person entering the workforce
• What are the commonly held misconceptions about
  these groups?

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Forecasting the potential problems

• What are the potential issues that can arise in a
  diverse workplace?
• What action can we take to address these issues?
  
• before they arise
• to address a complaint

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Training

• What role does training play in a diverse work
  group?
• How do we identify training needs?
• What type of training might benefit a workplace
  struggling with diversity issues?

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Coaching mentoring

• What are the advantages of coaching mentoring?
• How would you structure a coaching mentoring
  program to reinforce a diverse workplace policy?

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Equal Opportunity Employers

• How do we ensure we are an equal opportunity
  employer?
• What are our obligations as an EEO?

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Equal Opportunity

• In Australia national and local laws cover equal
  employment opportunity and anti-discrimination in
  the workplace.
• All employers are required by these laws to
  create a workplace free from discrimination and
  harassment.
• Its important that you, as an employer,
  understand your rights and responsibilities under
  human rights and anti-discrimination law in
  Australia.

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Equal Opportunity - 2

• By putting effective anti-discrimination and
  anti-harassment procedures in place in your
  business you can improve productivity and
  increase efficiency.
• The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
  (HREOC) has a range of fact sheets and brochures
  to help you develop effective policies and best
  practice guidelines.

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Equal Opportunity - 3

• Legislation
• Anti-discrimination provisions are contained in a
  number of federal Acts, including the
• Racial Discrimination Act 1975
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act
  1986. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
  Commission administers these Acts.

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Equal Opportunity - 4

• What to do...
• Read about your employer responsibilities on the
  Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
  website.
• Check the HREOC publication list for useful
  information.  
• Refer to the Workplace website for information on
  avoiding discrimination in employment.
  http//www.workplace.gov.au/
• Find out about equal opportunity and
  anti-discrimination in your state or territory.
• See http//www.business.gov.au/

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Workplace Relations Act 1996

• The importance of preventing discrimination is
  also stressed in the principal objects of the
  Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cwth), which refers
  to respecting and valuing the diversity of the
  workforce by helping to prevent and eliminate
  discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex,
  sexual preference, age, disability, marital
  status, family responsibilities, pregnancy,
  religion, political opinion, national extraction
  or social origin.

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Anti-Discrimination Legislation

• All states and territories have some form of
  anti-discrimination legislation, which generally
  covers the same areas as the federal legislation.
  
• In some states there may be other types of
  discrimination added to those listed above.
• For example, in Western Australia it is unlawful
  to discriminate against someone because of a
  spent criminal conviction.

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Federal vs. State Legislation

• Federal legislation allows state legislation to
  remain valid and the state legislation operates
  in a way that does not affect the operation of
  the federal legislation.

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Who do I turn to?

• Employees who suffer discrimination may apply to
  the federal Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
  Commission or a State tribunal such as the WA
  Equal Opportunity Act.
• After one tribunal deals with an employees
  complaint, another tribunal cannot deal with it a
  second time.
• http//www.hreoc.gov.au

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Western Australia Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)

• Grounds of unlawful discrimination
• Sex, sexual orientation, marital status,
  pregnancy, race, religious or political
  conviction, age, racial harassment, impairment,
  family responsibility or family status, gender
  history.
• Other unlawful conduct
• Sexual harassment racial harassment.

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Western Australia Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)
-2

• Areas covered
• Employment partnerships professional or trade
  organisations qualifying bodies employment
  agencies applicants and employees and commission
  agents application forms advertisements
  education access to places and vehicles
  provision of good services and facilities
  accommodation clubs land.

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Western Australia Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)
-3

• Process for decision making
• Complaint must be in writing to the Commissioner
  for Equal Opportunity.
• It is then assessed and if within jurisdiction
  is investigated and conciliation attempted.
• If unsuccessful, the matter is referred to the
  Equal Opportunity Tribunal for hearing and
  legally enforceable determination .

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Communication Key to success

• Open communication is key to the success of any
  organisation
• You cannot have an effective team without
  effective communication
• Communication is a two way process remember to
  listen give feedback

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The top 10 communication barriers

1. Language
2. Perceptions, prejudice and stereotyping
3. Self-image
4. Status
5. Incongruity
6. Individual factors
7. Environmental barriers
8. Time and timing
9. Message complexity and quantity
10. Listening

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• Overcoming the many barriers to communication is
  more a matter of common sense, practice and
  effort than any specific skill. Essentially,
  being an effective communicator means having the
  skill to recognise if and when there is a barrier
  to communication and being able to resolve it.
• Guidelines for overcoming barriers to effective
  communication include
• using feedback techniques (eg use questions to
  clarify understanding)
• using the six Cs of communication (eg is it
  Clear, Complete, Concise, Concrete, Correct and
  Courteous?)
• using repetition - repeat the same message in
  different ways that suit the learner. Draw it.
  Speak it. Write it
• using empathy (ie put yourself in the other
  person's shoes)
• being positive (ie use positive language/words)
• selecting an appropriate location (ie eliminate
  distractions and protect privacy)
• using active listening skills.

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communication barriers

• The most common barriers to effective
  communication are
• use of jargon
• disabilities (eg hearing impairment)
• age
• cultural differences
• status (prejudices due to position, level of
  education)
• stereotyping environmental factors (noise,
  distractions etc.)
• complicated messages
• emotional state
• poor listening skills
• language
• poor communication skills.

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Overcoming communication barriers ctd.

• Guidelines for overcoming barriers to effective
  communication include
• using feedback techniques (eg use questions to
  clarify understanding)
• using the six Cs of communication (eg is it
  Clear, Complete, Concise, Concrete, Correct and
  Courteous?)
• using repetition - repeat the same message in
  different ways that suit the learner. Draw it.
  Speak it. Write it

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Overcoming communication barriers ctd.

• using empathy (ie put yourself in the other
  person's shoes)
• being positive (ie use positive language/words)
• selecting an appropriate location (ie eliminate
  distractions and protect privacy)
• using active listening skills.

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Elements of effective working relationships
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Self knowledge - Johari Window
http//www.noogenesis.com/game_theory/johari/johar
i_window.html
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Case study

• Split into small diverse groups of 3-4 people,
  build a team that reflects the diversity of the
  larger class group.
• Develop a diversity plan for an organisation
  wanting to integrate new employees from diverse
  backgrounds into an existing workforce
• Outline issues, resolutions, strategic planning
  required to achieve the desired goal of a
  harmonious diverse team environment.