1. Business Communication Skills for Managers
Module 13: Social Diversity in the Workplace

2. Diversity in the Workplace

3. Factors of Diversity
Diversity can be understood as a range of human characteristics that differ from our own Can include range of demographic and psychographic factors
Demographic: age, education, gender, race/ethnicity, etc.
Psychographic: behavior, beliefs, lifestyles, values

4. Advantages of Employee Diversity
Leveraging cross-cultural awareness
Increases productivity of employees
Improving organization’s employer brand
Improving market relevance of company
Diversity statistics in the workplace available in the module:
Hands. Authored by: rawpixe. Provided by: Pixabay. Located at: License: CC BY: Attribution

5. Challenges of Employee Diversity
Unconscious bias: disconnect between conscious thoughts and unconscious beliefs due to sociocultural conditioning IAT: reveals participant’s unconscious biases based on demographic factors Biases undermine organization’s brand and intent
Link to the IAT test:

6. Intercultural Communication

7. Race and Ethnicity
Concept of race has changed across cultures and eras (geographic region, ethnicities, skin color, etc.) Ethnicity: describes shared cultures of a group such as religion, language, and traditions Race: individuals may be identified with ethnicities in complex ways, some argue it isn’t a choice

8. Race and Ethnicity (cont.)
Language, Communication, and Diverse Social Groups
Classify people into social categories
Information about geographical location, socio-economic states, ethnicity
Can create language barrier
Differences in what is polite, emotions, how to interact, what is appropriate

9. Countries
Each country has different languages, business practices, and social customs Different countries have different interpretations of nonverbal communication (gestures, body movement, eye contact) Gestures are cross-cultural communiation blindspot
Blindspot: “peace” or “goodbye” is insulting in some countries. Thumbs up is negative in some regions (equivalent of middle finger)

10. Religion
People who identify as religious may have different ideas and opinions about what is appropriate
Beliefs:
What topics are appropriate, beliefs about time off work for religious gatherings, food allowances (caffeine, meat), role of family in personal, social, work life
Communication breakdowns happen often, whether religious or not: treat individuals with empathy, curiosity, and respect

11. Culture and Communication
Topics are linked and messages can be misconstrued without context Intended message may not be what is received Controversy with NIKE logo
NIKE logo controversy: logo was perceived to resemble Arabic word for Allah (God) which some Muslims considered to be disrespectful
NIKE apologized and implemented changes to their design department

12. Working Across Genders

13. Using Gender Neutral Language
Replace gendered nouns with more neutral language Choose equitable titles and names Use pronouns equitably
More than one pronoun
Alternate genders and pronouns
Make pronouns plural

14. Attitudes and Gender Communication
Men and women often interpret the same conversation differently: causes miscommunication Female: create and foster connections with others Males: establish identity (independence, control) Leadership: predominantly male
Examples: “men engage in report talk, women in rapport talk”, women request; men direct, women are information focused; men are image focused, women are judged by appearance, men by what they say/do

15. Working Across Abilities

16. Disabilities
Lack of understanding due to minimal exposure Person with a mental or physical impairment that limits their everyday lives Experience challenges: speaking, listening, reading text, staying on task, interpreting language, communicating, etc.
Consider moving to a quieter place for them, offer assistance, be patient, flexible, and supportive

17. Disabilities (cont.) Developing an Accessible Workplace
Technology accommodations, language changes
Allocate additional time
Change tone
Moderate speaking pace
Focus on abilities
Use specific language

18. Working Across Generations

19. Working Across Generations (cont.)
Each generation is a subculture with different communication styles Bridging generation gap: communication barriers, different strengths/weaknesses
Create a compromise and try to make everything inclusive

20. Combating Bias

21. Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Stereotypes: oversimplified generalizations about groups of people (based on race, ethnicity, gender, etc.)
Prejudice: beliefs, thoughts, feelings someone holds about a group
Discrimination: actions against a group of people
Prejudice & Discrimination overlap and intersect

22. Bias in the Workplace
Important to be aware that bias can affect behavior: Microaggressions and Microinvalidations
Microaggressions: brief exchanges that send denigrating messages to individual
Microinvalidations: cues that exclude thoughts, feelings, or reality of certain groups
Microaggressions in Everyday Life. Authored by: Derald Wing Sue. Provided by: Wiley. Located at:  BY: Attribution

23. Quick Review Prioritizing diversity: NIKE
Diversity drives recruitment of the most dynamic people, enriches creativity, grows competitive advantage, heightens belief in brand
Diversity is a verb; action is required
“Progress is never permanent, will always be threatened, must be redoubled, reinstated and reimagined if it is to survive”