SECTION 1: IMPLEMENT DIVERSITY POLICY
Activity 1
Use the internet to research the recruitment and selection policy for an organisation of your choice. Review the policy for compliance with relevant legislation and quality of information including reliability, accuracy and currency. Prepare a brief report on the effectiveness of the policy and include recommendations for improvements where appropriate.
Activity 2
1 What is a diversity strategy?
2 Why are objectives an important part of a diversity strategy?
3 Identify three key results areas relating to an organisation's diversity strategy and explain how the organisation might establish whether the result is being achieved.
4 Use the internet to research the equal opportunity policy of an organisation of your choice. Determine specific ways in which components of the policy could be applied in the workplace.
Activity 3
1 List three reasons why an organisation should communicate their diversity strategy.
2 What method/s could managers use to communicate their organisation's diversity strategy to new employees? Explain why you would recommend these methods.
3 You work for an organisation whose workforce has traditionally been males between the ages of 30-50 of Anglo-Saxon descent. The organisation realises the need to create and implement a diversity strategy and they have created a guide to communicate the organisation's new diversity strategy. You have read the guide and found that whilst it is informative it does not promote the strategy. What would you say/ do?
Activity 4
1 Describe how you could monitor a diversity strategy that was implemented in an organisation to increase the number of women in management positions.
2 You have evaluated the progress of diversity strategies within an organisation relating to the number of employees with an intellectual disability the organisation hires. You find that the organisation has not met its goals. What would you do to determine why these goals were not met?
3 You have been asked to review your organisation's diversity strategy for its impact on the overall effectiveness of the organisation. What would you do?
4 After reviewing the organisation's diversity strategy you believe that there are some enhancements that could be made to it. Management has asked you to submit a report outlining the enhancements. What would you include in the report?
SECTION 2: FOSTER RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY IN THE WORK TEAM
Activity 5
1 What is respect for diversity?
2 You are applying for a job as a manager in an organisation that has an extremely diverse workforce. What would you tell the selection panel about your leadership style and how you would employ it to facilitate intercultural management and to manage diverse teams?
Activity 6
1 Develop a guide for managers involved in the recruitment and selection process that outlines how to conduct a culturally inclusive recruitment and selection process.
2 You are a member of a selection panel interviewing candidates for a position as an accounts payable officer for the organisation. The person who is recruited will be responsible for payments of invoices to respective suppliers, monthly and weekly reconciliations, responding to simple queries and end of month reconciliations. You have narrowed the candidates down to two. The panel agrees that one of these workers has more experience; however, they speak with a very strong Indian accent. One of the panel members says that for this reason the other candidate should be hired. What would you tell them?
Activity 7
1 Give an example for each of the following elements of diversity training:
a. Awareness raising.
b. Preventative training programs.
c. Legal compliance programs.
d. Intervention training.
e. Counselling.
f. Specific culture training.
2 An organisation has employed its first group of Indigenous employees. Some of these workers are going to be involved in administration duties and others will work in the housekeeping department. None of the current employees in the organisation have ever worked with Indigenous people. What type of diversity training or awareness programs should the organisation provide? Explain.
3 What should diversity training focus on?
4 Use the internet to research training providers specialising in diversity training. Select one provider and prepare an overview of their areas of expertise, training methodologies, etc.
Activity 8
1 Research the culture of Indigenous Australians. What possible areas of tension or conflict might occur in the workplace due to cultural misunderstandings and how can these be avoided?
2 What role do effective communication skills play in managing tension and encouraging collaboration and respect between staff who struggle to work effectively with diversity?
Activity 9
Conduct research on the benefits of diversity in support of this statement:
‘Companies perform better when they have genuine diversity in their brains trust: people from different backgrounds providing fresh perspectives, insights and expertise. Diversity isn't about ticking boxes or being politically correct - it's about building an organisation that avoids a herd mentality and delivers better business outcomes.' (Mercer 2012)
Produce a brief information session for operational staff in an industry of your choice to assist them to see that working effectively with difference is a strength that can improve the organisation's products, services and customer relations.
Activity 10
1 Use the internet to research harassment and discrimination policies and procedures for two Australian organisations.
Identify commonalities between the two organisations with regard to how complaints are managed. Are formal and informal procedures available? Are there options for external resolution? What is the legislative framework for the policy/ procedure?
2 How can managers facilitate the resolution of allegations of harassment in the workplace?
SECTION 3: PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY
Activity 11
1 What are the benefits of a diverse workforce in an organisation that services a community that is very multicultural?
2 Use the internet to research an organisation's workplace diversity plan or strategy. Identify how that organisation plans to promote its workforce diversity in internal and external forums to enhance the organisation's image and reputation.
Activity 12
1 How can managers foster collaborative relationships that capture ideas and information from the diversity in the workforce and contribute to competitive advantage?
2 One way managers can support organisational efforts to value diversity is by supporting employees seeking work/ life balance. What could managers do to demonstrate this support? What implications does supporting employees to achieve work/ life balance have for the business?
Written / Oral Questions
1 Why is it important to suspend your own cultural assumptions when working with diversity?
2 What is the relationship between legislation and workplace policies and procedures? How do policies and procedures contribute to managing regulatory compliance?
3 Choose three pieces of legislation that relate to diversity in the workplace. Summarise each piece of legislation including the objects of each Act and explain what an organisation can do to comply with the legislation.
4 Explain the fundamental differences between formal and informal complaint procedures. Upload your answer for assessment.
Projects
Project 1
1 You are in an organisation with a diverse workforce and client base. What actions could you take to encourage respect, deal with problems arising from diversity and assist in using diversity as an asset to your workplace?
2 How can managers facilitate the successful implementation of diversity policy?
3 How can managers use workforce diversity to enhance products and services and contribute to competitive advantage?