Analyze International Human Resource Functions

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Activity 6: Presentation - International Human Resources (15 Points)

Analyze International Human Resource Functions Our nation’s economic development is intrinsically linked to our global neighbors. E-commerce, international trade and immigration have diversified both the workplace and who functions as strategic partners. Understanding other cultures and effectively implementing teamwork to accomplish mutual goals can be a challenge. For this activity, develop a PowerPoint presentation that analyzes the objectives of personnel administration and their impact in influencing international human resource management. Do the case studies in the assignment readings offer you a new perspective on this topic? Offer recommendations as to how human resource managers can train their employees to work with those from diverse cultures. Support your viewpoint with local data and include 3 to 4 scholarly references from the Northcentral Library. Incorporate appropriate animations, transitions, and graphics as well as “speaker notes” for each slide. The speaker notes may be comprised of brief paragraphs or bulleted lists. Length: 10-15 slides (with a separate reference slide) Notes Length: 50-100 words for each slide Be sure to include citations for quotations and paraphrases with references in APA format and style. Save the file as PPT with the correct course code information. Upload the completed assignment in the Activities area of the course. Learning Outcomes: 6

 Analyze the objectives of personnel administration and their impact in influencing international human

resource management.

Slides- Title

Overview

Quote

Define Cross Culture

Define Diversity

Define Cross Culture Awareness

Define diversity

Diversity Training

Benefits of Cross Culture Awareness

Activities (Questionnaire)

Group

Individual

Handouts

di·ver·si·ty

noun \də-ˈvər-sə-tē, dī-\

plural di·ver·si·ties

Definition of DIVERSITY

: the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety; especially : the inclusion of different types of people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization <programs intended to promote diversity in schools>

: an instance of being composed of differing elements or qualities : an instance of being diverse <a diversity of opinion>

See diversity defined for English-language learners »

See diversity defined for kids »

How to Develop a Diversity Training Program

by Tara Duggan, Demand Media

Developing a diversity training program for your organization typically involves assessing your team’s needs, designing materials that reflect your training requirements, delivering workshops and reference materials and evaluating your efforts. Companies that implement diversity training programs to advocate workplace diversity tend to have higher employee retention rates, improved morale, reduced lawsuits and improved recruiting.

Step 1

Initiate a diversity training program development project by identifying the project sponsors and stakeholders. Interview these people, conduct focus groups or conduct online surveys to gather input about the current environment in your organization and what behaviors need to change. Common topics include managing change, effective communication, cultural awareness, dealing with gender issues and conflict resolution.

Step 2

Define objectives for your program. For example, you may want to minimize miscommunication and misinterpretation on the job. You may also want employees to recognize and value differences in age, experience, social customs, sense of time and demeanor. Achieving these types of objectives enables you to manage a culturally diverse and multi-generational workforce and resolve minor incidents before they become bigger problems.

Step 3

Design your workshop. Prepare presentation materials to instruct participants about definitions and concepts associated with diversity. Intersperse long periods of instruction with interactive activities such as ice breakers, role-playing exercises and case studies. Ensure your content flows smoothly and covers all the relevant topics. For example, review federal laws on preventing discrimination. The Office of Civil Rights website provides resources promoting civil rights, equal opportunity programs and affirmative employment functions.

Step 4

Deliver your workshop at team meetings, company events or separate training sessions. Decide how long your session should last, depending on the number of topics you want to cover, the number of participants and the participant’s familiarity with the content. Avoid dividing people into categories, as this tends to reinforce the idea of the exclusion, rather than promoting inclusion. Focus more on developing good communication.

Step 5

Create a quiz to test employees on their knowledge of diversity topics. For example, the Diversity Central website publishes quizzes on many diversity issues. Completing these quizzes helps people recognize their own biases and overcome them to help enable a more productive work environment for all. Review case studies and discuss common dilemmas. For example, the Diversity Central website publishes typical workplace situations and allows users to input a solution. The website publishes the results, which can help your team work through problems in your own organization.

Step 6

Evaluate your program’s effectiveness by creating an online survey to assess participant satisfaction. Talk with managers several months after your event to see if people have changed their behavior and become more tolerant of people whose values may differ from their own.

References (4)

· Diversity Builder: Diversity Training in the Workplace: Embracing Diversity Using a Customized Approach

· The Diversity Training Activity Book: 50 Activities for Promoting Communication and Understanding at Work;Jonamay Lambert

· Diversity Training; Cris Wildermuth

· U.S. Department of Interior: Office of Civil Rights

Resources (2)

· Diversity Central: About

· Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Managing Diversity for Business and Personal Success

About the Author

Tara Duggan is a Project Management Professional (PMP) specializing in knowledge management and instructional design. For over 25 years she has developed quality training materials for a variety of products and services supporting such companies as Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq and HP. Her freelance work is published on various websites.

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http://smallbusiness.chron.com/develop-diversity-training-program-39904.html

Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions

by Josh Greenberg

Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. That sounds simple, but diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more. Diversity not only involves how people perceive themselves, but how they perceive others. Those perceptions affect their interactions. For a wide assortment of employees to function effectively as an organization, human resource professionals need to deal effectively with issues such as communication, adaptability and change. Diversity will increase significantly in the coming years. Successful organizations recognize the need for immediate action and are ready and willing to spend resources on managing diversity in the workplace now.

Benefits of Workplace Diversity

An organization's success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize the benefits. When organizations actively assess their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity plans, multiple benefits are reported such as:

Increased adaptability

Organizations employing a diverse workforce can supply a greater variety of solutions to problems in service, sourcing, and allocation of resources. Employees from diverse backgrounds bring individual talents and experiences in suggesting ideas that are flexible in adapting to fluctuating markets and customer demands.

Broader service range

A diverse collection of skills and experiences (e.g. languages, cultural understanding) allows a company to provide service to customers on a global basis.

Variety of viewpoints

A diverse workforce that feels comfortable communicating varying points of view provides a larger pool of ideas and experiences. The organization can draw from that pool to meet business strategy needs and the needs of customers more effectively.

More effective execution

Companies that encourage diversity in the workplace inspire all of their employees to perform to their highest ability. Company-wide strategies can then be executed; resulting in higher productivity, profit, and return on investment.

Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace

Taking full advantage of the benefits of diversity in the workplace is not without its challenges. Some of those challenges are:

Communication

Perceptual, cultural and language barriers need to be overcome for diversity programs to succeed. Ineffective communication of key objectives results in confusion, lack of teamwork, and low morale.

Resistance to change

There are always employees who will refuse to accept the fact that the social and cultural makeup of their workplace is changing. The "we've always done it this way" mentality silences new ideas and inhibits progress.

Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies

This can be the overriding challenge to all diversity advocates. Armed with the results of employee assessments and research data, they must build and implement a customized strategy to maximize the effects of diversity in the workplace for their particular organization.

Successful Management of Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity training alone is not sufficient for your organization's diversity management plan. A strategy must be created and implemented to create a culture of diversity that permeates every department and function of the organization.

Recommended steps that have been proven successful in world-class organizations are:

Assessment of diversity in the workplace

Top companies make assessing and evaluating their diversity process an integral part of their management system. A customizable employee satisfaction survey can accomplish this assessment for your company efficiently and conveniently. It can help your management team determine which challenges and obstacles to diversity are present in your workplace and which policies need to be added or eliminated. Reassessment can then determine the success of you diversity in the workplace plan implementation.

Development of diversity in the workplace plan

Choosing a survey provider that provides comprehensive reporting is a key decision. That report will be the beginning structure of your diversity in the workplace plan. The plan must be comprehensive, attainable and measurable. An organization must decide what changes need to be made and a timeline for that change to be attained.

Implementation of diversity in the workplace plan

The personal commitment of executive and managerial teams is a must. Leaders and managers within organizations must incorporate diversity policies into every aspect of the organization's function and purpose. Attitudes toward diversity originate at the top and filter downward. Management cooperation and participation is required to create a culture conducive to the success of your organization's plan.

Recommended diversity in the workplace solutions include:

Ward off change resistance with inclusion

Involve every employee possible in formulating and executing diversity initiatives in your workplace.

Foster an attitude of openness in your organization.

Encourage employees to express their ideas and opinions and attribute a sense of equal value to all.

Promote diversity in leadership positions

This practice provides visibility and realizes the benefits of diversity in the workplace.

Utilize diversity training

Use it as a tool to shape your diversity policy.

Launch a customizable employee satisfaction survey that provides comprehensive reporting

Use the results to build and implement successful diversity in the workplace policies.

As the economy becomes increasingly global, our workforce becomes increasingly diverse. Organizational success and competitiveness will depend on the ability to manage diversity in the workplace effectively. Evaluate your organization's diversity policies and plan for the future, starting today.

This article may be reproduced provided it is published in its entirety, includes the author bio information, and all links remain active. For additional employee surveying resources go to http://www.alphameasure.com. 2004 © AlphaMeasure, Inc. - All Rights Reserved

Josh Greenberg is President of AlphaMeasure, Inc. located in Boulder, Colorado.

http://diversity.sdce.edu/content/diversity-workplace-benefits-challenges-and-solutions

FOCUSING ON DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Diversity, like a changing technology or a global economy, is a business reality. The trends, the changes in technology and global competition require adaptations and have implications for organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. Diversity is no different. Consequently, to understand how effective management of a diverse workforce, it is critical for organizations that seek to improve and maintain their competitive advantage.

Focusing on diversity and looking for practices to create an inclusive organization - one that makes absolute use of the contributions of all employees - will generate increased productivity. As such, diversity training is a critical component of the present and future success and growth of an organization's business strategy. Diversity training discusses the topic of and need for diversity among colleagues and client relations. Diversity training can also aid in the recruitment of a diverse employee and client bases by addressing ways to further diversify products, plans and practices.

When a company or organization decides to implement diversity training into its workplace culture, it is imperative that companies take proactive steps to ensure that diversity initiatives are seen as opportunities to improve the overall productivity of the company and its employees in a bias-free, diverse workplace. Fundamental to the success of diversity training and education is the inclusion and participation of all employees in the diversity training process. It is important to recognize that certain individuals or groups within an organization may be resistant to change because they perceive a diversity initiative as a direct threat to their status and power. The following four steps can be incorporated into the initial discussion when diversity training is first broached:

· Education and Training: Employers must communicate clearly to their employees the expectations about appropriate workplace conduct that supports policies and values statements.

· Exposure: Structuring work teams or task forces so they are ethnically, racially and gender balanced will aid employees in dismantling stereotypes and assumptions.

· Accountability: Managers who effectively supervise a diverse employee pool and client base should be recognized for their achievements. Employees who work well with people of varying backgrounds should be rewarded in their job performance evaluations.

· Intervention by top management: Commitment to diversity must be clearly demonstrated at the highest levels of the company.

· Managing diversity requires the use of several sets of skills: communication, cross-cultural competency, critical thinking, conflict management and problem solving. Cultural diversity training also includes developing the capacity to identify and empathize with the beliefs, values and mores of others. The implementation of a diversity management-training program incorporates these skills and an educational component that allows participants to address issues of prejudice, discrimination and biased behaviors that could impact employee and client relations.

When preparing to discuss the need for diversity training in your organization, it can be helpful to address the following questions:

· What are the demographics of your customers/client base?

· How many languages are spoken by your customers/clients?

· In how many countries does your organization operate?

· How much does employee turnover cost your company?

· How much does your company spend annually on recruitment?

· How much have discrimination/harassment suits cost your organization in the past year?

· How frequently does inter-group conflict areas?

· Is there a high level of turnover among certain employee groups?

· Are your policies and benefits attractive to potential diverse recruits?

· Is your organization losing top talent because people do not feel valued, included or heard?

Diversity is a training ground that requires hard work, commitment to business ideals, and an ability to learn how to handle change by adapting to new situations and learn from people who are different from us. Because change is the only certainty ahead, making adaptations required by diversity keeps an organization flexible and well developed. Strengthening the ability to respond to changing environments and demands is a strategic business imperative that is critical to ensuring organizational viability.

A WORKPLACE OF DIFFERENCE™ is a program of the A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute, a full-service diversity consulting and training organization. To date, over 265,000 adult workers employed in more than 265 corporations, government agencies or small businesses in the public and private sectors have participated in A WORKPLACE OF DIFFERENCE™ as a core component of their business imperative to increase productivity and create effective business strategies. A WORKPLACE OF DIFFERENCE™ anti-bias and diversity training program helps create an inclusive workplace environment that allows all employees to acquire skills critical to the future of an organization’s success. The A WORKPLACE OF DIFFERENCE™ program can provide any organization and its staff with the opportunities and skills needed to interact in a culturally diverse work environment.

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Over 265,000 adult workers employed in more than 265 corporations, government agencies or small businesses in the public and private sectors have participated in A WORKPLACE OF DIFFERENCE™

Highlights

· Training programs are customized

· Increase camaraderie, initiative and morale

· Stimulate effective team builidng

· Anti-Bias Training Resources (PDF)

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Activites for powerpoint

Hello In Different Languages

Description of a Cross-Cultural Activity

James Neill Last updated:

Hello in Different Languages

· The goal of this activity is to heighten cross-cultural awareness, celebrate cross-cultural knowledge, and to say "hello" in many different languages.

· This can be used a fun, warm-up, get-to-know-you activity with a cross-cultural theme.

· Within a group, you may be surprised how much knowledge there is of different languages for basic phrases.

· Optional: Ask participants to see if they can guess how many people there are in the world and how many different languages are spoken. (There are ~2800 languages and ~6 billion people. If an equal number of people spoke each language, that would be ~2 million people per language. You might relate this to local city/town size.).

· Challenge the group to come up with as many different languages for "hello" as possible. When somebody volunteers (e.g., Bonjour!), make sure they say it or repeat it clearly for the rest of the group who then repeat.

· Optional: Before people start making suggestions, ask the group to have a guess how many collective languages the group will be able to come up with. Don't allow discussion - just do a quick whip around each person's guess and take a rough average - that's the group's estimate.

· The group leader keeps count on his/her fingers.

· Was the final number of "hellos in different languages" close to the group's guess? If the group underestimated, they may not realize the knowledge within the group that might be used to their advantage. If the group's guess was an overestimate, why did they overestimate their knowledge resources? Discuss.

· Optional - to make more difficult or to add variation, try asking for these basic phrases:

· Hello...Goodbye

· Hello, My name is...?

· Hello, How are you?

· Yes...No

· Please...Thankyou

· Do you speak English?

· Numbers 1-5 or 1-10

· Optional, but recommended - have a list of hello in lots of different languages from which you can read out (see Jennifer's Language Page). This is especially useful for groups who don't know many different languages, as well as to learn, have fun, and illustrate the range of different languages.

· Variation: Can be run as a competition between groups.

Links:

· Jennifer's Language Page: Lists basic phrases in lots of different languages.

· Pronunciations: "Say Hello to the World": Provides pronunciation sound files for "hello" in lots of different languages.

· Icebreakers//Activities

Greetings in various cultures…

Equipment: None; although a list of hello in different languages is handy.

Time: Approximately 10-15 mins.

Brief description:

This is a fun, warm-up, cross-cultural activity. The group tries to come up the word(s) for "hello" in as many different languages as possible.

The Story of My Name

Description of a Name Game & Get-to-know-you Activity

James Neill Last updated:

The Story of Your Name

· What's in a name? More than we often realize.

· This is an interesting, novel way for people to introduce themselves to others, especially in ethnically diverse groups.

· Ensure that an appropriate group atmosphere is established in which people have already done some initial warm-up activities and name games.

· Ask participants to turn to a partner and explain what your name means (if anything) and where it comes from.

· Most people reveal a surprising amount of interesting information about where their name comes from and what it means.

· The greater the ethnic and cultural diversity in the group, the better this exercise tends to work.

· Can be specifically used to help build intercultural respect and understanding or to more generally help develop self-identity and open respect and sharing.

· Optional: Ask each person to introduce his/her partner to the larger group and to explain what his/her name means and where it comes from.

· Optional: The activity can be extended into revealing the background behind other names e.g.,

· Nicknames

· Pets

· Alter-ego or "fantasy name"

· Names of children - or what would you name your children if you have them?

Have You Ever?

Description of an Icebreaker & Get-to-know-you Activity

James Neill Last updated:

Have You Ever?

· This an active, fun way to explore and celebrate the rich diversity of experiences that different people bring to any group. Works best with larger groups.

· The instructor explains that he/she will call out different things that may or may not apply to each person. If the item does apply to you, then run into the middle, jump in the air, and do a high 5 with anyone else who runs in.

· A list of about 20 items should be tailored to the particular group, setting, and program goals, but some suggestions are below. Usually the items are of a "Have You Ever....?" form, but also free to ad lib, e.g., "Does Anyone Have....?"

· Items should be carefully considered in order to prevent embarrassment, ridicule, etc.

· The motivation of participants to participate often needs some amping up. Try to do some other warm-ups first. The rest is down to the leader's skill in demonstrating and encouraging.

· List of Possible "Have Your Ever?" Items:

1. Have you ever climbed to the highest point in your country of birth?

2. Have you ever lived overseas for more than 1 year?

3. Have you ever sung karaoke?

4. Have you ever been without a shower for more than 2 weeks?

5. Do you have both a brother and a sister?

6. Have you ever ridden a horse?

7. Have you ever eaten frogs' legs?

8. Can you speak 3 or more languages?

9. Have you ever been in love with someone who was vegetarian?

10. Have you swum in 3 or more different oceans?

11. Have you ever flown an aeroplane?

12. Have you broken 3 or more bones in your body?

13. Have you done volunteer work sometime in the last month?

14. Have you ever free-climbed a tree or rockface more than 10 meters vertically?

15. Have you ever had a close relative who lived to over 100?

16. Have you ever cooked a meal by yourself for more than 20 people?

17. Have you ever kept a budgerigar as a pet?

18. Have you ever been parachuting or done a bungee jump?

19. Can you not click your fingers on your non-dominant hand?

20. Have you ever seen a polar bear?

Variations

(adapted from Dave Hall (n.d.), www.nirsa.org/naturalhigh/pdf/icebreak.pdf)

· Participants can generate their own questions. Here's one way. People are sitting in a circle. Everyone has a chair (or rope ring or hula hoop) except the person who is IT, standing in the center.

· The person in the middle asks a "Have You Ever" question that is true for him/her self e.g., "have you ever climbed a mountain over 10,000 feet?"

· Anyone whose answer is "yes" gets up and moves to an empty seat. So, if four people get up they try to exchange seats as quickly as possible. The person who asked the question tries to quickly gain a seat, leaving one other person without a seat and they become the new IT.

· In choosing a question, participants can try for questions which reveal something e.g., �have you ever trekked the Great Wall of China?� or ask simple questions like �have you ever fallen off of a bicycle?� for which everyone would get up.

· Pileup variation: Anyone can ask a question and if you can answer yes to the question you move one space to your right and sit in that chair. If you cannot answer yes to the question, you stay seated in the chair where you are. This means somebody may be coming to sit on your lap from the seat to your left. Sometimes you get three and four people sitting in sort of a lap-style game on top of you. Then, when they ask the next question to go one space to the right by answering yes, they peel off one at a time sit down and you end up on top. It creates some very interesting combinations. Physical touching reveals something about people and it breaks the ice so that people can then begin to feel more comfortable talking about and doing other novel things.

Equipment

None. Can be done indoor or outdoor.

Time

~10-15 minutes

Brief Description

Active, fun group activity to explore and celebrate the rich diversity of people's past experiences. Works well with large groups.

Other Descriptions

Popular activity with many variations. "Have You Ever" is often credited to Karl Rohnke.

Related Activities

· Rohnke & Butler, Quicksilver , p. 76

· Rohnke & Butler, Quicksilver , p. 77

· Rohnke & Butler, Quicksilver , p. 78

· Note related activities often contain good ideas for possible "Have Your Ever?" questions and other methods for exploring, celebrating and understanding individual differences and group diversity

· If you looked back over your life, would you wish you had dared, risked and done a little more? Here's two famous poems along these lines:

· If I Had My Life to Live Over by Erma Bombeck

· If I Had My Life Over by Nadine Stair

· Psychological Activity: Write Your Own Eulogy (James Neill, 2004)

Become a Better Leader through Cross Cultural Awareness

One of the strengths of today’s increasingly diverse global workforce is the fact that diversity brings innovation, fresh perspective, and creative problem solving to the workplace. In order to utilize the variety of skills and perspectives employees bring to the table, managers need to examine their own frame of reference, or paradigm through which they view the world and actively seek to broaden it in order to build more effective work groups and create an inclusive work environment.

While all seasoned managers bring some of the skills necessary to build effective teams in a diverse business setting, actively engaging in a professional certificate program such as the Advanced Specialized Certificate in Intercultural Management from Notre Dame, can bolster confidence and professional acumen, and demonstrate to employers that you are committed to creating the most effectively functioning and profitable work environment. Executives with intercultural management skills are in increasing demand among employers wishing to secure the competitive edge in a constantly changing global marketplace. Consider the following points when developing your intercultural communication skills and cross cultural leadership style.

1. Identify Your Paradigm(s)

Part of advanced intercultural management training is taking on the responsibility of knowing your “blind spots” when it comes to cultural sensitivity . Integrating a self-assessment process into your employee review process is one way to normalize cultural sensitivity on a person to person basis. In order to effectively lead others in the process of self-reflection and change, you must first master the process. Recognizing your own pitfalls that could lead to a decrease in employee trust helps you make changes in yourself, and inspire change in others.

Intercultural training programs provide resources and a best practice plan to examine your paradigms regarding intercultural issues such as gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, generational differences, and other cultural factors such as socio-economic background and international experiences. Programs such as Notre Dame’s also offer online resources and networking capabilities that extend beyond the completion of the certificate program.

2. Fortify Your Team

A successful 21st century manager sees the positive possibilities in a diverse team and actively implements strategies that underscore the importance of self-awareness and synergy among all employees. Managers who have completed advanced training in intercultural communication skills will be able to foresee many cultural sensitivity issues and preemptively put procedures and training in place to avoid unnecessary stress and workplace tension without singling out any one person or group. Through completing the Advanced Specialized Certificate in Intercultural Management program with the internationally recognized reputation of Notre Dame to back you, employers will see your commitment to creating a dynamic workplace where you can offer the skills necessary to build an organization that will excel because of the strengths a diverse workforce brings with them.

3. Secure Your Intercultural Management Skills

Whether or not you choose to seek formal training to increase your cross-cultural awareness and multicultural acumen, the fact remains that most industries are experiencing a sizeable growth in workplace diversity. To meet the unique challenges of the 21st century workplace and remain competitive, managers need to have the skills necessary to leverage diversity as a strength. Securing intercultural communication skills through an internationally recognized program, exploring problem-solving with leaders in the field, practicing proven intercultural awareness strategies and garnishing the support of a network that extends beyond the end of a certificate program are all important bonuses of enrolling in a cost-effective Advanced Specialized Certificate in Intercultural Management from Notre Dame Online.

Equipment: None

Time: ~30 mins

Brief description:

Where does your name come from? Share the story of where your name comes from and what your name means. Everyone's name has a surprisingly interesting origin. Helps to build intercultural respect and understanding.

Other descriptions:

What's In a Name?

http://www.notredameonline.com/become-a-better-leader-through-cross-cultural-awareness/

http://www.culturosity.com/pdfs/What%20is%20Cultural%20Awareness.pdf saved copy

Diversity Activities and Ice-Breakers

Who I Am

Goal

This activity allows the learners to share their culture roots and to learn about each other.

Materials Needed

· 12x24 paper for each learner

· a variety of magazines (ones with lots of photos)

· glue

· markers

· colored pencils and/or water colors

· scissors

Instructions

· Have the participants fold the paper in half (make a table tent).

· Write name in the center of the "table tent."

· Using drawings, magazine cut-outs, symbols, etc. tell us about yourself.

· NOTE: Have them leave some empty space as they will add more later.

· Include one or two things that most people do not know about you.

· After the learners have finished their table tents, have each one explain hers or his to the group.

After the activity, if the table tents get in the way, then post them on the wall.

Continuous Activity

Throughout the training event, ask the learners to add something new to their table tent. Note that as there is more trust built between the learners, more information will be revealed.

Another Version

Have the learners complete the table tents as described above, except do NOT have them write their names on the paper. When they are finished, collect them, then hang them on the wall. Have the learners read each table tent and then try to identify the person it belongs to.

Discussion

· What led you to your decision?

· Whose description was most surprising?

Changes

Goal

To diffuse negativity within a group.

Instructions

Using a flip chart, list the changes that the group is going through. Get their input

Discussion

· How these changes are altering us as a group and as individuals?

· What symbol or object could we use to represent the change we are going through and the commitments we strive for in this session?

Break the learners into small groups brainstorming groups. After their discussions, reassemble them into a large group and have them select a symbol.

Repeat as needed through the training event.

Connect The Dots

Goal

To demonstrate that we often limit our perspective and choices.

Instructions

Pass out a copy of DOTS. Ask the learners to complete the directions given at the bottom of the drawing.

Give them about 5 minutes to work on the puzzle. At the end of the time period, ask if anyone has found the solution:

Discussion

· Why is it that most of us do not think about going out of the boundaries?

· We had to draw outside of the lines. This is what is required of us when we interact with others as every thinks differently (outside of our boundaries or "box").

· Why is it so hard to others' point of views?

· We often so busy thinking about our point of view, that we fail to see others' point of views.

Group Membership

Goal

To create a supportive environment in which the learners can disclose their group memberships and to allow them to experience what it is like to be part of a minority group.

Instructions

Have the learners form a large circle. As you call out different group names, the members are to go inside of each successive circle as they identify with the group.

Begin with "low-risk" groups (e.g. brown hair, large family, group of professions you are working with such as manager or production associate) and work up to groups that are typically discriminated against or under represented (e.g. African American, Asian, female, gay, person with disabilities). Applause as each group forms in the middle

As each group of learners move towards the center of the circle, ask them what they think is the most positive thing about being a member of this group.

Discussion

· How did it feel to be in the center of the circle? (Were you comfortable being stared at?)

· How did it feel to be on the outside of the circle?

· How did you feel about those with you in the center of the circle or about those in the outer circle?

· Did anyone not make any trip into the circle? How did that feel?

I Want You To Know

Goals

To share the experiences of various ethnical, gender, religious, and cultural groups and listen to one another.

Directions:

Decide the ethnic categories to be used based on the demographics of the learners by asking the group which ethnic groups they feel comfortable using. If there is only one member of a certain group, ask if she or he feels comfortable or if she or he whishes to join another group.

Divide the group by ethnic categories and give each a sheet of flip chart paper.

Give them about ten minutes to write down their answers for the following questions:

· What we want you to know about our group.

· What we never want to see, hear or experience again as a member of this group.

· What we want our allies to do.

When all groups have completed their lists, reassemble them into one group and have them discuss their answers. When each group has explained their list, ask questions to clarify, not to challenge as the list represents realities for the group.

Discussion

· What are your initial reactions to the activity?

· Which group did you learn the most about?

· Did any of the statements surprise you?

· Did you notice any similarities between the groups?

Getting To Know You

Goal

To learn about each other.

Instructions

Divide the learners into small groups. Provide each group a large sheet of flip chart paper and markers. Have them to draw a large flower with a center and an equal number of petals to the number of learners in their group. Through discussion with their group members, have them find their similarities and differences. They should fill in the center of the flower with something they all have in common.

Each member should then fill in his or her petal with something about them that is unique - unlike any other member in their group. Students should be instructed that they cannot use physical attributes such as hair color, weight etc. This encourages them to have more meaningful discussions with their group members).

They should be encouraged to be creative in their ideas and drawings.

After the small group activity, have them share with the large group, about similarities and differences.

The Herman Grid

Goals

To discover that first impressions of people are not always true.

Instructions

Pass out copies of the Herman Grid to each learner. Ask them to share their impressions and if they see gray dots at the white intersections. Are the Gray spots really there? This is an example of how we sometimes see things that are not really there.

Discussion

· Have you ever had a wrong first impression of someone who had a different background or came from another culture?

· Has someone from a different back-ground or another culture ever had the wrong first impression of you?

Ask participants to share and discuss their examples in the large group or in small groups.

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/diverse2.html

Workplace Diversity Activities

by Regina Anaejionu, Demand Media

Diversity in the workplace is an asset.

Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images

· Activities That Promote Diversity of Thought in the Workplace

· 5 Questions About Diversity in the Workplace

· Examples of Diversity Problems in the Workplace

· Cultural Diversity Training & Education in the Workplace

· Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in Workplace

· Key Tools to Manage Workplace Diversity

Overview

Discrimination and prejudice can interfere with the hiring and retention of a diverse work force. Diversity can range from differences in gender, ethnicity, disabilities, religion and age, to differences in values, lifestyle, sexual orientation, appearance, family status, education and economic status. Diversity activities can help employees see the need for respect and understanding of differences, which is crucial to a work environment that effectively hosts a broad array of people.

Labels

Divide your staff into small groups and assign each a specific group label related to various religions, ethnic groups or genders. The group label does not need to match the people in the group. Give employees a few minutes to research, talk and write down points that outline some of the common prejudices against their group, hurtful language or actions toward their group, and the strengths and differences their group can bring to a workplace. Have each group share their findings with the others. This workplace diversity activity can heighten employees’ sensitivity to the needs of different gender, religious or cultural groups, and it can help employees become aware of stereotypes that exist.

Definitions

Ask people to pair up with someone they don’t know well. Give each pair 10 minutes to define key concepts like respect, diversity and a productive work environment. Ask them to critically think about what these concepts mean. Encourage them to write down three points on each topic, such as how they need to be shown respect, why diversity is or is not important to them and what essential things they need for a productive work environment. This diversity activity will help people learn from differences in thought and widen their understanding of concepts that are vital to the health of your organization.

Shapes

Provide employees with three sheets of construction paper and scissors. Have each employee cut the paper into shapes that somehow represent her or something she values. Do not allow for any drawing or text on the paper. Ask each employee to partner up with someone he doesn’t know well. Each partner should guess what the other’s shapes represent and then explain what they really mean. Ask the pairs to share their shapes with the group as a whole. This diversity activity may help people to identify stereotypes and to recognize the similarities between themselves and others in terms of what they value.

How Will Diversity Help My Company Compete?

For many companies, the advent of the Internet and the information age means they now have access to the global marketplace. According to the Career Center at the University of California at Berkeley, without a diverse workplace, your company will not be equipped to market and sell to the wide range of consumers you will come across in a global economy.

How Does Diversity Affect Employee Hiring?

According to Texas Diversity magazine, in order to attract the kind of diverse workforce you will need to compete, you must create an atmosphere that welcomes a wide range of employees. If talented candidates looking for a diverse workforce to join see that you do not have one, they may choose to join other companies that have what they want.

How Do I Create Workplace Diversity?

According to Texas Diversity magazine, attracting and retaining diverse talent begins with management. Create a program that teaches your managers how to work in a diverse environment, how to manage people from different backgrounds and how to be more interactive in growing their department.

How Can I Gauge the Success of My Workplace Diversity Program?

The simplest way to gauge the success of a diverse workplace is to observe your staff at work, ask questions when you need to know something, and look at the productivity results. If a conflict arises, step in and get your employees refocused on work goals. While it is important to have a diverse workforce to compete in a changing economy, it is still necessary to maintain harmony in the workplace. If an employee seems unsatisfied, ask why he is unhappy. Get involved with your workers and you will be better equipped to properly manage everyone through understanding and teamwork.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/5-questions-diversity-workplace-1809.html

http://humanresources.ext.wvu.edu/r/download/130942

Cultural diversity resolution of international business activity

Today, working in the global commercial environment, knowledge of the impact of cultural differences is one of the keys to international business success. Improving levels of cultural awareness can help companies build international competencies and enable individuals to become more globally sensitive. We kindly ask all you personnel of international organizations, to express your views on the answers to the questions of cultural diversity as a factor in international business. This survey is anonymous and we would appreciate genuine answers and participation. It will take you only a few minutes but will benefit young entrepreneurs in future! Thank you for your help!

1. 1. Please briefly introduce your company to define its core activities?

1. .