dismantling barriers to inclusion greater valley forge human resource association, inc. (gvfhra)

Andrea A. AgnewMay 19, 2009

This session will explore barriers to achieving organizational inclusion. Are diversity practitioners part of the problem or the solution or both?

Create space for authentic dialogue to address barriers to success.

Equip practitioners and business leaders with the skills to model and create a culture of inclusion that fully utilizes the abilities of a diverse workforce.

Improve their own level of diversity competence.

Throughout the 1990's, diversity continued to be about the numbers of different kinds of people in the workforce as a whole and at each level. (Diversity)

During that decade, the definition of diversity expanded to include many dimensions beyond gender and race.

It became clear over the years that it was not enough to focus on hiring alone. It became important to retain a diverse workforce, as well. (Inclusion)

Today, organizations have focused their efforts on retaining employees in their workforce and have begun to assess the quality of their employees' experience in the organization.

Do employees in all groups and categories feel comfortable and welcomed in the organization?

Do they feel included and do they experience the environment as inclusive?

Identify the top ten diversity competencies and assess your own abilities in this area

Learn what it takes to create and lead inclusive teams

Tap skills for growing and retaining all employees

As practitioners and business leaders, learn how to make diversity work at the individual, interpersonal, group, and organizational levels

Managers expected to manage diversity

Managers not told what that means

Managers not given skills and competencies to manage diversity

Managers expected to do more with less

Managers are “the problem”

Blurred lines between EEO, Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion

No clear rationale given for managing diversity

Managing diversity not valued as a key management competency

Managers not held accountable for this competency

No clear connection between managing diversity and high performance

Diversity competency marginalized

Managers managing across cultures, time zones and sometimes borders

The comprehensive management process for creating an environment that enables all members of a workforce to be productive, without advantaging or disadvantaging anyone

As inclusion becomes the focus of diversity work, the attention switches to the systems, policies and practices of the company.

Several systems influence the degree to which the climate is inclusive:

Communications

Work assignment

Training and education

Performance management Mentoring

Coaching

Hiring

Career development

Flexible work arrangements

Managers' accountability

1. Accurate self-assessment

2. Willingness to influence and be influenced

3. Courage

4. A leadership style that projects the expectation of positive out-comes

5. Establishing mutual guidelines and communication processes which support innovation, openness, flexibility and teamwork

6. Authentic behavior

7. Addressing the common needs for respect, inclusion, and opportunity at all levels of the organization

8. An ability to align diversity with business strategies

9. Freedom to Pilot and Experiment

10. Need for passion, compassion and forgiveness

“Space for Grace”