1. Managers
- Manager seeks out and attends diversity development training. Training could include specific courses such as Cultivating a Diverse Workforce, or Diversity: Disability Culture & Awareness, as well as diversity recruitment, conflict resolution, multicultural networking, diversity conferences, etc.
- Manager establishes and implements a diversity development program for the work unit. The manager works with the employees to develop a program and schedule for implementing diversity development activities within the work unit. The program has specific action steps, measurable outcomes and timelines. A method for measuring program effectiveness is determined.
- Manager is effective at recruiting, hiring, promoting and maintaining a diverse workforce. The manager works with HR and other networks as appropriate to assist in the recruitment process and expand the diversity of the applicant pool. The manager ensures that interview panels are diverse and trained in cross-cultural interviewing techniques. The manager is effective in mentoring all employees with career planning support.
- Manager integrates diversity development into performance planning and evaluation. The manager holds staff accountable for participating in activities that support these efforts. The manager holds staff accountable for behaviors that are exclusionary and offensive.
- Manager models a positive attitude regarding diversity. In actions and words the manager communicates that diversity is an asset from which all staff and customers benefit. The manager includes diversity conversations in staff meetings and regularly includes diversity discussion in communications with staff.
- Manager provides opportunities for staff to participate in diversity training and diversity related events. The manager seeks out or creates opportunities for employees to receive training on a variety of diversity related issues.
- Manager utilizes the diversity within the workforce by incorporating the diverse perspectives into business decisions. The manager routinely seeks out the perspectives of all employees. The manager uses a variety of methods for ensuring that employee suggestions are elicited, acknowledged and utilized.
- Manager creates and maintains a work environment that is respectful and accepting of diversity. The manager sets clear expectations for expected behaviors and clear methods for reporting inappropriate behaviors.
- Manager assures culturally competent client services. Manager sets tone for creating a welcoming environment; assures that service delivery is provided in a culturally competent way; assures that printed material are available in alternate format and in different languages; bi-lingual services available and facilities are accessible for all clients.
2. People
- Demonstrates understanding of DHS’ affirmative action objectives and actively seeks to achieve goals.
- Develops strategies to recruit, retain and promote a diverse staff that represents the population being served in Oregon.
- Consistently treats customers, stakeholders, partners and coworkers with dignity and respect.
- Demonstrates recognition of the value of individual and cultural difference; creates a work environment where talents and abilities are valued.
- Models a positive attitude regarding diversity. Communicates the importance of diversity in staff meetings, and includes diversity discussions in communications with staff.
- Creates and maintains a work environment that is respectful and accepting of diversity. Sets clear guidelines for expected behaviors and clear methods for reporting inappropriate behaviors.
- Assures that service delivery is provided in a culturally competent way; assures that printed materials are available in different languages and/or in alternate format; bi-lingual services available and facilities are accessible for all clients.
- Provides opportunities for staff to participate in diversity training and multi-cultural events.
- Utilizes the diversity within the workforce by incorporating the diverse perspectives into business or service delivery decisions.
- Gains necessary skills and attends required training to participate in the development and implementation of a program that fosters cultural competency and multi-cultural organizational development.
- Actively solicits and engages diverse groups in program planning and implementation.
3. Productive diversity
Productive diversity may be described as the use of cultural diversity, language, cultural knowledge and homeland contacts to strengthen business performance, create new products, get better market opportunities and add to the bottom line of a business.
It is about making the most of what we have, valuing differences, agreeing on common goals, looking at different ways of doing business and producing positive outcomes that can have social and economic benefits.
Queensland, with its culturally diverse workforce, is well placed to take advantage of the opportunities being offered by the new global economy. The challenge is to make the most of these possibilities to get financial gains.
Examples of successful productive diversity:
Wholesale Mexican Handcrafts Pty Ltd
Shortly after arriving from Mexico in 1989, Edith and Geoff Hartney established their new import and wholesale distribution business in the basement of their home in Brisbane. Twelve years later, Wholesale Mexican Handcrafts has clients all over Australia and exports to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand from its large warehouse and showroom at Coopers Plains.
Edith is part of an indigenous group of Zapotec Indians from Southern Mexico and has used her knowledge of Mexican culture, traditions and language to develop their business. The handcrafts sold come from villages in the Oaxaca region which speak only the local Zapotec language. By carefully choosing their product for the Australian market, the business has grown by over 20 per cent per annum for each of the past six years.
Das Helwig Haus BandB
Fay and Eberhard Helwig used their German culture and the idea of offering a little piece of Europe to tourists at their bed and breakfast business at Glen Aplin, near Stanthorpe. They bought an old farmhouse in 1993, added a guest wing containing four double bedrooms and, through hard work, modern management, a good website and novel marketing ideas, have succeeded in establishing a very successful home business.
In 1998, the Helwigs added four self-contained apartments to the house. That year, the Sunday Mail voted Das Helwig Haus the best bed and breakfast in Queensland. The German culture is complemented by good German food. Indeed SBS has featured Das Helwig Haus on their program Food Lover’s Guide to Australia. The Helwigs’ business has grown fourteenfold since 1993.
4. Procedures
- Conduct audits of non-English-speaking background employee base through the Equal Employment Opportunity census
- Target recruitment of non-English-speaking background personnel using a merit framework
- Review and develop a new non-English-speaking background Employment Strategy 2006-2008
- Encourage participation in the Migrant Work Experience Program
- Deliver Overseas Trained Teachers’ Pre-Service Orientation Program
- Promote the excellence of the public education system internationally
- Explore opportunities to exchange resources that target students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Support growth and opportunity for national artists to operate internationally
5. Celebrating diversity
In the past ten years, the workforce has changed dramatically. More than ever, a workplace is a diverse collection of individuals proud of whom they are: their gender, their sexual orientation, their religion, their ethnic background, and all the other components that make an individual unique. In order for your workplace to succeed, your employees must be able to appreciate and celebrate those differences.
- Understand what diversity and its related terms mean
- Be aware of how aware you are of diversity and where you can improve
- Understand how changes in the world have affected you and your view
- Be able to identify your stereotypes
- Understand what terms are politically correct and which are not, and why
- Be familiar with the four cornerstones of diversity
- Understand what the pitfalls are relating to diversity and understand how to avoid them
- Develop a technique for dealing with inappropriate behavior
- Develop a management style to encourage diversity
- Know what to do if you or one of your employees feels discriminated against
6. Conclusion
Organizations can be strengthened by leveraging differences that mirror the diversity of its citizens. Surveys have demonstrated a positive impact on high performance where senior management teams include a diversity of ages, ethnicity, and gender. A diverse workforce also can improve organizational productivity and creativity. Managing a diverse workforce can be a challenge. When people from different backgrounds come together in the workplace, there is potential for great accomplishment, but also for great conflict. This paper has attempted to highlight the diversity efforts of those organizations that are leaders in diversity management.
IPMA hopes that other organizations will consider adopting some of the practices of those organizations that have been acknowledged as leaders in the diversity management area.
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