Diversity Among Us - SHRM Olympiashrmolympia.shrm.org/sites/shrmolympia.shrm.org/files...Diversity Among Us Inclusion and Respect in the Workplace Facilitated by: Amy Solis Thurston
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Diversity Among Us Inclusion and Respect in the Workplace Facilitated by: Amy Solis Thurston County Human Resources
Facilitated by: Amy SolisThurston County Human Resources
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Two blocks of time 1:00 to 2:00 2:00 to 3:15 Additional Notes & Reference Points: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Affirmative Action - an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination. (hiring quotas for minorities and women)
What’s Ahead?
•Identify the “Value” of diversity and inclusion
•Reduce biases and stereotypes that deter from effective working relationships
•Discuss what INCLUSION and DIVERSITY look and sound like
•Establish clear expectations within your team, community and workgroup
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Typically D&I efforts are supported in a top-down / bottom-up strategy. However, engaging employees at all levels is the most effective way to reach critical mass while communicating the importance of diversity and inclusion. Often our employees want to join in the process but lack the know-how and confidence to take action. Our job is to let employees know that there are many ways to contribute and support D&I efforts and does not necessarily require expertise in the field. Ideas On How to do this include (REFER to Handout)
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Is America still a “Melting Pot?” This term originated in he 1780s – But was not applied to the United States until 1908 when a play by the same name was produced in New York. The term itself was used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States. It’s a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous. We have evolved since this metaphor was created in 1908. Today America is more like Vegetable Soup: You can easily identify and taste the unique flavors of the individual parts Members of various cultural groups may not wan to be assimilated, they want their tastes, looks and texture to remain whole.
Who Said it?
“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”
Jimmy CarterUS President
Define Diversity
Diversity refers to the variety of differences and similarities/dimensions among people, such as gender, race/ethnicity, tribal/indigenous origins, age, culture, generation, religion, class/caste, language, education, geography, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, work style, work experience, job role and function, thinking style, and personality type.
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This is a very broad definition of Diversity (taken from The Diversity Collegium). However, what we are seeing through the past decade is a push to open up our meaning or specific content/definition. In the case of DIVERSITY we expanded beyond the protected classes… And encompassed a much more 2 dimensional approach to this subject. Diversity & Inclusion - It means respect for and appreciation of differences in ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, education, and religion. But it's more than this. We all bring with us diverse perspectives, work experiences, life styles and cultures. New definition of Diversity An asset to organizational growth Economic Educational Generational differences Any other disparity in a person’s background PROTECTED CLASSES – Gender Traditional roles for women in society have been changing (Stay @ Home Dad) Women in the workforce (House Spouse) New roles for men (House Husband) Age Perception that older workers have difficulty adapting to change Takes nearly twice as long for workers over 50 to find new jobs compared to younger people Age discrimination is on the rise in the USA Older employees have valuable knowledge and experience Race Denotes a category of people perceived as distinctive on the basis of biologically inherited traits (skin color and hair texture) People cannot change these traits• A difficult discrimination to overcome Religion Issue throughout history• Intolerance for different denominations within a religion Intolerance for religious practices �Disability Mentally or physically challenged people find it difficult to enter the job market Their rights to do so are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA – of 1991) Sexual Orientation Based on a person’s sexual orientation is motivated by homophobia Sexual orientation is not the big secret that it once was – Younger generations find it less of an issue When we are comfortable being ourselves, we are usually more productive and creative Progressive organizations are taking steps to provide a more open atmosphere
I Am… Part #1 I Am…
1. In the center circle write your name.
2. In the outer circles write a descriptive word or words about who you are.
3. Once completed, share with your table team.
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This activity can be used as an ice breaker or as a lead in activity for the discussion of DIVERSITY. Let’s keep you talking. As adults and especially HR leaders we often have a gift for gab. So, please complete the first activity on your table: I Am Part #1. Follow the instructions on the screen and have fun with this. More to follow…
That’s Diversity… But What Does Inclusion Have to Do With It?
Inclusion refers to how diversity is leveraged to create a fair, equitable, healthy and high-performing organization or community where all individuals are respected, feel engaged and motivated, and their contributions toward meeting organizational and societal goals are valued.
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Inclusion (Diversity’s counterpart) is a term that communicates that all individuals are valuable to the organization, not just those who are “different.” Inclusion confers importance to the opinions, talents and skills of all team members.
2D Diversity
Inherent Diversity:Natural Characteristics mixed with innate talents, background and life experiences.
Acquired Diversity:Skills and insights that can only be gained by learning first hand.
1. Share the benefits of diversity openly.
2. Suggest “blind” recruitment tools and procedures.
3. Communicate the successes of diverse teams.
4. Suggest additional training for sustaining a diverse workforce.
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The Harvard Business Review defined diversity in these terms: Diversity comes in two different types of “flavors.” There is INHERENT DIVERSITY, which means variation in characteristics that people have naturally (i.e. these are not learned in one’s career). Gender, race are two examples. But, INNATE mathematical talent or a background with certain kinds of life experiences also count toward one’s diversity. On the other hand, ACQUIRED DIVERSITY includes specialized skills acquired during one’s career. For example, if someone has worked in a foreign country for some time, they will have insights into that county’s customs, laws and attitudes that others would not. Same thing with acquiring a specialized trade, or working to serve a particular industry (i.e. OJT in a foreign county, or Military) 2D Diversity is diversity of both types found in the same group. For organizations, teams that exhibit this 2D diversity were much better at understanding target markets, avoiding mistakes and diving innovation. Before any program can be put into place thought there needs to be a change in attitude. Have the hearts and minds of decision makers been won over to the idea of diversity and inclusion. Without top leadership buy in the concept of diversity and inclusion will fall flat. How to make it stick (4 steps): Share the benefits of diversity with others. Summarize findings and build a case to launch diversity directives. I.e.. With greater diversity comes increased problem solving and complex problem solving. Formal assessments are very objective tools for recruitment. Consider hosting multiple interviews from with different people to identify a varied viewpoint. When diverse teams create a masterpiece, overcome a tough problem or bring about change this is the perfect opportunity to use their success as a “case study” for convincing others and further enhancing your inclusion initiatives. Ongoing training for the workforce – ensuring that DIVERSITY remains current and front of mind.
Today’s Workplace
•We now embrace diversity and strive to incorporate workgroups that don’t all look, sound or reflect one specific group.
•Diversity in the workplace is values:• Talents • Ideas • Experiences •Perspectives
•Recognizing the value of diversity can help eliminate negative behaviors in the workplace.
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Benefits of Workplace Diversity & Inclusion (SHARE A REAL WORLD EXAMPLE) Improved understanding of those you work for, with, and around Creates a work environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential Provides multiple perspectives while problem solving Better performance outcomes Increases employee productivity Boosts employee morale Reduces complaints and grievances It’s the right thing to do!
Who Said it?
“Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.”
Malcolm ForbesAmerican Entrepreneur
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Additional quotes from Forbes: Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Failure is success if we learn from it. Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.
Measuring the Benefits of Diversity
Efficiency
• Pay disparity/equality• Grievances &
complaints• Discrimination• Performance-based
firings & overall turnover
• Perception of equality, opportunity &/or promotion
• Employee engagement/job satisfaction
Innovation
• Management & leadership support diversity
• Process-improvement participation
• Flex-time & part-time opportunities
• Index tracking diversity & innovation correlation
Sustainable Performance
• Cross-training participation
• Leadership track participation
• Market perception
• Compliance• Work/life
balance
Success Factors: An SAP Company | 2014
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Diversity Metrics, Measurement, and Evaluation. “Metrics today can measure revenue growth, improved productivity, leadership accountability, and a financial return-on-investment. Diversity should be measured with the same kind of scrutiny that business operations have commonly received.”1 Efficiency is a moving target because no process ever reaches perfection, so there’s always room for setting even higher goals. However, the following metrics will help you track how your programs contribute to improvements over time. Improving in these areas makes businesses more efficient in two ways: Highly satisfied employees are more productive and, therefore, more efficient. In addition, grievances and complaints, discrimination findings, performance-based firings, and turnover consume vast resources and produce nothing valuable for customers. By fostering Innovation through a Diverse Workforce: “Multiple voices lead to new ideas, new services, and new products, and encourage out of-the box thinking.”2 To measure innovation, evaluate how your company performs on the following metrics: Traditional ratios of overall representation in the workforce and in leadership and management are still important, but it’s crucial to look deeper into daily activities to proactively manage diversity participation. Sustainable Performance requires organizations to constantly self-evaluate and keep tabs on what’s happening outside the organization as well. Related to workforce diversity, tracking participation in activities that promote leadership and skills development is crucial because these factors contribute directly to job satisfaction and retention, and indirectly to efficiency and innovation. The longer any highly talented employee remains with an employer, the more that employer benefits from having that employee on board — all the while avoiding the costs of losing and replacing that employee as he or she moves up in the organization.3 By using such external measures as standard metrics, organizations can address diversity inequities that are both quantitative (as determined by benchmarking) and qualitative (as shown by market perception and customer feedback). For companies of any size and in any industry, technologies such as business analytics are making the tracking and assessing easier. Minding your diversity metrics does not require extensive capital investments or massive process disruption — just defining and tracking the metrics that reflect the reality of today’s competitive global economy an increasingly diverse workforce.
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Diversity is the mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values and beliefs as assets to the groups and organizations with which they interact. Cornerstones of Diversity Diversity will help us understand the importance of the talents and experiences each one of us brings to the table and how it makes each one of us important to the team… It is about you and those around you. One person may be associated OR connected to a wide variety of individuals.
Johns Hopkins University
Diversity Leadership Council
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Realize as we discuss the topic of diversity that: All communication is filtered through your cultural perspective. Cultural perspective refers to the way that individuals are shaped by their environments as well as social and cultural factors. Primary dimensions are core characteristics that personally impact the individual. (Inner circle) They form the individual’s self image and the filters through which each individual views the world <PRIVATE & NOT OPEN FOR GROUP DISCUSSION> Secondary Dimensions are elements that change throughout one’s lifetime. (Outer Circle) When understood and accepted, these two dimensions positively impact our workgroups, home and society by: Adding depth to the individuals and shaping values, priorities and perceptions Building effective human relationships where we value and accept differences Without Acceptance… Both dimensions of diversity can become roadblocks to further cooperation and understanding. Chart taken from: Emotional Intelligence for Managing Results in a Diverse World Orange – Inner Dimensions (aka Primary) Green – Outer Dimensions (aka Secondary) Blue – Organizational Dimensions
What’s the point?
A growing number of studies show a link between hidden biases and actual behavior.
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Share story of Master Teacher in college being video taped (touching arm or shoulder and washing their hands after each African American child was touched) An ethnic group or ethnicity is a socially defined category of people who identify with each other based on common ancestral, social, cultural or national experiences. i.e. History, religion, dress, ancestry – Ethnic differences are not inherited they are learned. Nationality refers to the county of citizenship. People can share the same nationality but be of different ethnic groups and people who share an ethnic identity can be of different nationalities. Race refers to the physical characteristics like, Black, Caucasian, Contributors to Incivility/Unhealthy Behaviors: BIAS POPS UP WHEN… Long hours / overwork• Passive aggression “Hot” temperament • Hurt feelings Workplace stress • Intolerance of individual differences Inflexibility AKA…. A LACK OF RESPECT IN THE WORKPLACE
What’s Happening Across the United States of America?
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The median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households and 18 times that of Latino households. It is legal to fire an employee in 32 states for their gender identity. 1 in 3 women between the ages of 18-34 have been sexually harassed at work (Huffington Post 2/19/15) 60% percent of people in local jails have some form of mental disability. Black students are suspended and expelled from school three times more often than white students for the same conduct. A staggering 90% of transgender workers report some form of harassment or mistreatment on the job. 64% of workers say they have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace 49,933 Veterans were homeless in January of 2014 – Down 33% from 2010 which was 74,770 LGBT – Defined by Talcott Broadhead: Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Heterosexual, etc. ----- Are all ways to describe WHO YOU LOVE Transgender ----- Describes WHO YOU ARE
What’s Next?•Learn to identify negative attitudes and behaviors
•Learn to look critically and honestly at the myths and preconceived ideas you may have been conditioned to believe about others
•Consider developing a sensitivity to differences
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I want to clarify… Human Resources is not telling you to change your personal values or alter your moral belief system. What we are asking for is that during this class, and going forward in your work-life, you interact with the citizens and fellow members of Thurston County with professionalism, respect, inclusion and civility.
Who Said it?
“I think tolerance and acceptance and love is something that feeds every community.”
Lady GagaArtist/Musician
Consciously Overcoming
Unconscious Bias
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Watch the video here… Please watch this movie with an open mind.
An unconscious bias is an assumption that we make. A prejudice that we have, that we may not even realize.
It’s not something we’ve thought about and consciously decided on. It’s
not based on reasoning, sound or unsound.
Unconscious bias is based on pervasive cultural stereotypes.
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REVIEW MOVIE WITH CLASS STORY: TOYS R US / BARBIE 2009 RECALL “Math is hard, let’s go shopping.” Based on pervasive cultural stereotypes – Examples include: Asians are better at math Women are less competent than men Red heads have hot tempers Unconscious bias has practical consequences - It gives some people an unfair advantage and puts others at a disadvantage. It’s responsible for dissatisfaction and lack of productivity in the workplace We may not even know that we are being influenced - Even when something seems or feels illogical.
Micro-inequities:A big word for small actions
Small ways in which we see bias at work.
They’re disrespectful actions that are sometimes so subtle they leave the
targets wondering if they were really slighted or are just
being overly sensitive.
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Small or Subtle Slights: Originally coined in 1973 by Mary Rowe, Economist at MIT. They are aka MICRO-AGGRESSIONS They often result from individual unconscious biases Ask yourself… Do you treat your co-workers in a fair and reasonable manner, or are prejudices you don’t even think about affecting your behavior? MICRO-INEQUITIES Sometimes they are hard to pin down: Heavy sighing when someone is talking Ignoring Leaving someone off a mailing list They can negatively impact the targeted individual: Building internal paranoia in the person who feels slighted Stress and possibly illness Headaches and/or migraines Depression Avoidance of work and increased absenteeism
Micro-affirmations:Small gestures, big impact!
Micro-affirmations are small gestures of respect and inclusion that
anyone can make. Micro-affirmations are a way of becoming more consciously fair,
more thoughtful about our biases, and more respectful in our perceptions
and dealings with our coworkers and the public..
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Micro-affirmations are just polite… Common courtesy that is consciously practiced. It can be as simple as: Saying “Hi!” Inviting someone to walk with the group Saying “Thank you” In other words… Making an effort to be kind to everyone In the early 90’s we would say, “Practice random acts of kindness.” NOW… Paying It Forward!
Listening
• Maintaining Good Eye Contact
• Paying Attention
• Not Interrupting
Including
• Inviting Everyone to Participate
• Keeping others in the Loop
• Socially Inclusive
Valuing
• Giving Credit Where It Is Deserved
• Encouraging Strengths
• Acknowledging Endeavors & Successes
Engaging
• Saying Hello & Goodbye
• Being Friendly• Asking
Everyone For Input
LIVE
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Read aloud for emphasis LIVE is a helpful acronym to remind us to practice simple micro-affirmations at work.
Let’s see if you’ve got it…
1. Given a specific photograph…
2. Identify a negative bias or stereotype that could be seen?
3. What can you do to switch this around and counteract the negative spin?
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Activity: In large group (facilitator leads group and directs both sides of scenarios) Examples: • Limited English • A Veteran is hired/PTSD A person over the age of 65
Who Said it?“I am America. I am the part you won't recognize, but get used to me. Black, confident, cocky -- my name, not yours. My religion, not yours. My goals, my own. Get used to me.”
Muhammad AliBoxer
I am… Part #2
I am (a/an) _________ but
I am NOT (a/an)
___________.
Amy
Teacher
Female
Catholic
Music Lover
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Insert your name in the center circle. Pick 4 of the circles from “I am… Part #1” and transpose those words into this into the 4 circles on this page. Name a stereotype associated with one of the words that you identify with that is not consistent with who you are. Fill in the following sentence. I am, (a/an) ________________________ but I am NOT (a/an) ____________________________. Example: If one of my identifier's was “Christian,” and I thought a stereotype associated with this was that all Christians are rightwing Republicans, my sentence would be: I am a Christian, but I am NOT a rightwing Republican. Or, I am African American, but I am NOT a fan of Rap music. Or, I am a Female, but I am NOT a domestic goddess.
p
•
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Benjamin Giroux who has Asperger's Syndrome wrote the poem on April 7 for class assignment to celebrate National Poetry Month Fifth grader's poem titled 'I am' gives an inside look into his life with autism. In his touching poem, he writes about feeling 'out of place' and 'like a castaway ''I dream of day that that's okay. I try to fit in. I hope that some day I do. I am odd, I am new,' he writes National Autism Association shared poem on their Facebook page where it has received more than 23,000 'likes' and an outpouring of praise��A 10-year-old New York boy who was given a school assignment ended up touching the hearts of thousands after writing a moving poem that gives an inside look into his life with autism. ��
What Can YOU Do…•Establish polices & guidelines as they relate to Diversity & Inclusion.
•Practice positive, cooperative work habits in the workplace.
•Recognize & respect others & their individuality.
•Ensure buy-in from all levels of your organization.
•Talk about differences & demonstrate tactful methods of inclusion.
•Eliminate stereotypes & generalizations.
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This will vary for everyone – depending on their organization and where you are currently in the D&I process.
