Building Awareness
Organizations that recognize the value of diversity and manage diversity effectively often realize these benefits:
- Diversity brings a variety of ideas and viewpoints to the organization—an advantage that is especially beneficial when creative problem solving is required.
- Diversity increases productivity and makes work fun and interesting.
- Employees are willing to take risks; they play to win rather than to not lose. As a result, creativity, leadership and innovation are enhanced.
- Employees are empowered and have a sense of their potential in and value to the university.
Training is an effective way to help employees recognize the need for diversity and their own reactions and biases. Learning and Development and Equal Opportunity Services are available to lead and facilitate a variety of workshops and seminars related to diversity. Contact your HR manager to discuss what program best meets the needs of your department or group; all programs can be customized.
Diversity Awareness Training
Human Resources provides diversity awareness workshops to faculty, staff and students. The workshops cover the following:
- A framework for managing diversity;
- Some of the information and misinformation we have learned about some other groups;
- Techniques to use in interpreting prejudicial jokes, remarks and slurs.
In the training session, perspectives on diversity, stereotypes, and dealing with oppression are addressed. For further information on prejudice-awareness training, please contact your HR manager.