pspgen047 promote diversity diversity data collecting data and relevant information will provide the...

PSPGEN047Promote diversity

Provide diversity input to strategies, policies and plans

1.1 Collect, analyse and use quantitative and qualitative workplace diversity data for planning strategies, policies and plans to achieve a more diverse workforce

Workplace diversity data

Collecting data and relevant information will provide the means for understanding about diversity and how it impacts within your workplace.

Information may come from feedback (e.g. from diverse workforce members) or from external contacts such as customers, clients and community members.

It can also be gained from assessing work production and working systems.

Workplace diversity data

Workplace diversity data may include:

➢Distribution of equity groups by public sector level (number and proportion)

➢ Barriers to progress illustrated by drop in numbers above a certain level in the hierarchy

➢ Employment status

➢ Changes over time in employment status

➢ Comparison with client base.

Analysing information

Information should be analysed to determine its:

➢ Reliability

➢ Validity

➢ Relevancy

➢Accuracy

➢Authenticity

➢Authority of source

➢ Bias

➢ Context.

Statistical analysis

Statistical analysis involves

➢Descriptive analysis – A summary/presentation of the information relevant to your needs

➢ Inference (or modelling) analysis – Taking the analysis a step further by drawing conclusions from the information and testing ideas.

Activity 1A


1.2 Compare workplace diversity data with data on the diversity of the organisation's client base and the community it serves to ensure strategies, policies and plans are responsive to all stakeholders

Comparison of data

Comparing your workplace diversity data against the diversity of your client base and community will indicate whether your workforce is an accurate representation of your community/area.

Areas of diversity

Areas of diversity may include:

➢Age

➢ Cultural background

➢ Educational level

➢ Ethnicity

➢ Expertise

➢ Family responsibilities

➢Gender

➢ Interests

➢ Interpersonal approach.

Diversity issues

Diversity issues include:

➢ Racism – Prejudice that is made against another because of their race

➢Discrimination – This means the non-inclusion of another due to a certain characteristic they may have

➢Harassment – The intimidation and persecution that is made against another person

➢Victimisation – This term is used in law to describe persecution and unfair treatment.

Diversity objectives

Diversity objectives include:

➢ Implementing equitable practices

➢ Treating all individuals with respect and dignity

➢ Providing flexible work options for employees

➢ Improving work and client relationships

➢ Building upon collegiality

➢ Boosting work morale

➢ Choosing to be inclusive

➢Offering equal employment opportunities for career and skill progression.

Activity 1B


1.3 Develop diversity strategies in consultation with stakeholders, including people from key equity groups and clients

Strategies for diversity

Strategies should be inclusive to all members of the workforce and should provide:

➢A chosen path for your actions

➢ Stay true to the intended purpose

➢ Provide achievable means to fulfil the objectives.

Barriers and issues

Barriers and issues may include:

➢ Fear of change or admission that behaviours are wrong

➢ Fear from diverse groups that change will not be positive

➢ Low morale/reluctance to change

➢A need for leadership in diversity

➢A change in working systems and procedures

➢ Creating the right environment for inclusivity in the workplace.

Consulting with stakeholders

Stakeholders include all individuals with an interest in and/or connection to the business.

Key equity groups may include:

➢Women

➢Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

➢Older aged people

➢ Those with disabilities.

Benefits of a diverse workforce

Benefits of a diverse workforce may include:

➢ Improved services

➢ Equitable behaviour and practices

➢ Cultural enrichment

➢Wider sources of recruitment

➢ Retention of staff through fair and inclusive work systems

➢ Increased skills and experience

➢A workforce representative of the client base and community.

Activity 1C


1.4 Develop measures to evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of workplace strategies, policies and plans in relation to diversity

Diversity effectiveness measures

Diversity effectiveness measures may include:

➢An increase in the proportion of equity group members in relation to the workforce as a whole

➢ Improved employment status

➢ Increased representation at higher salary levels

➢ Increased recruitment and retention of equity group members

➢ Removal of barriers to progression.

Measuring outcomes

To measure outcomes successfully you will need to establish your position and what you want to achieve.

Measuring outcomes include:

➢ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

➢ Benchmarking

➢ Baselining.

Activity 1D


1.5 Include actions to address the implementation of workplace diversity objectives in workplace business plans

Responding to diversity

Diversity plans should include and broach all areas of diversity.

These include:

➢Non-discrimination against age

➢Disabilities

➢Gender roles.

Workplace environments

Disability is an area which can be under-represented in the workplace.

Work areas that may be conducive to those with disabilities include:

➢Office environments

➢ Retail premises

➢ Public sector environments.

Gender differences

Gender differences:

➢ Pay differences between the genders

➢ Family/child care responsibilities

➢Working hours (e.g. the need for flexible options)

➢ Career opportunities

➢ Career expectations.

Activity 1E


1.6 Incorporate reporting and feedback processes into strategies and plans

Reporting processes

Your reporting processes will need to align to organisational policy and procedures.

Documenting should ensure that an organisation keeps accurate records of work done.

Reporting ensures that an organisation keeps clear accounts (e.g. financial records, employee records, client/customer records.)

Reporting

Reporting may include:

➢Weekly updates

➢ Progress meetings

➢ Recording actions and results

➢ Charting progress

➢Monitoring changes.

Feedback processes

Feedback is invaluable to knowing how working strategies and plans are being received, it allows others to inform you on what works and what may need improvements.

Documentation requirements

Documentation will involve preparing written advice and reports which require reasoning and accuracy of expression. Accuracy on accounts and events and reasoning that provides context to situations and are unbiased.

Using plain English in written documents will help you convey your needs and messages without misinterpretation.

Activity 1F

Attract, develop and promote a diverse workforce

2.1 Integrate diversity principles and underpin human resources policies and practices in the work area

Diversity principles

Diversity principles may include:

➢ Flexibility – Accommodating individuals at work through flexible work packages

➢Multiplicity – The one being made of many parts

➢Devolution – Transferring power from a central source to local areas

➢Negotiation – To reach understanding

➢ Pluralism – Two or more cultures coexisting together.

Human resource requirements

Human resources cover all aspects of employee management and some aspects of organisational governance. It is essential that diversity principles are embedded into human resource policy and practices for effective people management.

Human resource policies and practices

Human resources policies and practices may include:

➢ Planning

➢ Selection and recruitment

➢ Performance management

➢ Performance appraisal

➢ Training and development

➢Occupational health and safety

➢Workplace relations

➢Anti-harassment strategies

➢Diversity

➢Workplace standards.

Complex and formal documentation

Documentation that is complex in form, such as a policy document, may contain technical and formal information.

These documents need to contain a certain amount of information and can be wordy/difficult to read.

Activity 2A


2.2 Promote and implement strategies to increase the recruitment and retention of equity groups and others who don't fit the dominant organisational paradigm

Recruitment and retention within diverse groups

Making your place of work an attractive prospect to the different equity groups is important for retaining diversity within the workforce.

Offering training, a clear career pathway for progression and using strategies that promote fair practice and opportunities for all will show your organisation invests in its staff.

Legislation, policies and procedures

Legislation, policies and procedures may include:

➢ Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation addressing diversity issues

➢Organisational workplace diversity guidelines

➢National and international codes of practice and standards

➢ The organisation's plans, strategies and policies relating to diversity

➢ Policies relating to language services.

Legislation to promote diversity

Legislation may include:

➢ Equal Opportunity Act 1984

➢ The Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986

➢Age Discrimination Act 2004

➢Disability Discrimination Act 1992

➢ Racial Discrimination Act 1975

➢ Sex Discrimination Act 1984

➢Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012

➢Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act.

The Fair Work Act 2009

This Act provides requirements for businesses, including small businesses, on equitable work practices that should be used with employees.

The National Employment Standards (NES) provide guidance for employers to operate a fair working environment.

Activity 2B


2.3 Identify barriers that prevent the recruitment, retention and progression of staff from diverse backgrounds and develop strategies to address them

Diversity barriers in employee matters

Barriers may be:

➢ Internal, such as:

o communication/cultural challenges

o employee resistance to change

➢ External, such as:

o out-of-work commitments

o existing assumptions and attitudes.

Institutional racism and indirect discrimination

Institutional racism means racism against individuals which originates from an organisation or from a part of society.

Indirect discrimination is the discrimination that occurs against a person when an unreasonable rule or procedure impacts upon a specific trait or characteristic of the person.

Strategies for staff inclusivity

Strategies can be used to address the barriers you may experience at your work place:

➢ Returning to work refresher skills training and mentoring programs

➢Offering career training as a way of attracting long-term employees

➢ Creating diverse work teams to improve staff integration and diversity practices.

Activity 2C


2.4 Identify and tailor development opportunities to address the needs of a diverse workforce in accordance with diversity objectives and resourcing constraints

Promoting diversity

Opportunities to promote diversity may include:

➢Mentoring

➢ Sponsorship

➢ Coaching

➢Work trials

➢More challenging work

➢ Shadowing

➢Demonstration

➢ Role modelling.

Resource constraints

Resource constraints may include:

➢ Budgets

➢ Staff resources to help with diversity opportunities

➢ The infrastructure to introduce opportunities, such as work trials.

Your organisational opportunities need to be realistic and appropriate to the set up and work that is carried out.

Managing diverse teams

Managing work teams with diverse group members will benefit by ‘leading by example’.

Show equitable treatment and interactions with all diverse group members.

You can also team up diverse members from your team to work on projects or daily tasks.

Intercultural management

Intercultural management may include:

➢Understanding your cultural diversity

➢ Planning diversity strategies

➢How to work with diverse employees and clients/customers

➢ Leadership diversity values

➢ Cross-cultural conflict in the workplace

➢Developing cross-cultural teams

➢Understanding how to implement diversity changes.

Activity 2D


2.5 Identify and mentor individuals with the capacity to operate in a variety of business and cultural settings to maximise their contribution to the organisation and its clients

Mentoring in the workplace

Mentoring may include:

➢Giving advice and assisting with skills and training on the job

➢Having an open door policy where the mentee can seek help and ask questions

➢Work shadowing

➢Guiding the career development of the mentee.

Mentoring objectives

Mentoring objectives may include:

➢ Equity groups such as:

o women

o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

o people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

o people with disabilities

➢ Current work skills development

➢ Literacy and numeracy development.

Communications

Communication can be achieved through the following means:

➢Visually – Understanding through seeing

➢Aurally/auditory – Understanding through listening

➢ Kinaesthetically – Understanding through doing.

Culturally appropriate communications

Take the time to understand any cultural differences and how subtle changes in language may affect the meaning of your message.

Be aware of the differences with body language, as this may vary across cultures and can also cause misinterpretations within your communications.

Activity 2E


2.6 Create a harmonious and supportive work environment by valuing and promoting the benefits of a diverse workforce to those working within the business unit and/or the organisation

Creating the right environment

Creating the right environment may include:

➢ Championing open communications

➢ Encouraging employees to have a work/life balance

➢ Providing opportunities for skills and training development.

Creating the right environment

Your organisation should:

➢ Create common goals

➢ Take time to explain why things are done

➢Make employees accountable for their actions

➢ Reward achievements

➢ Provide constructive feedback.

Benefits of diversity

Benefits of diversity may include:

➢ Improved client service

➢ Improved service delivery

➢ Promotion of equity and fairness

➢ Improved access for clients from diverse backgrounds to government services and programs

➢ Improved relationship with the community.

Activity 2F

Monitor diversity outcomes

3.1 Evaluate employee data and feedback from staff or interviews to identify changes and trends in diversity outcomes for the work area

Monitoring the outcomes

To check that diversity practices are working and meet the objectives as intended, progress should be monitored.

Obtaining feedback from staff will provide knowledge on how new processes and procedures are working.

Employee data

Employee data may include:

➢ Employment status

➢ Position level

➢ Recruitment and retention patterns

➢ Take-up of training

➢ Flexible working arrangements

➢ Length of service.

Interviews

Interviews may include:

➢ Exit interviews

➢ Performance management interviews

➢Grievances or complaints

➢Manager interviews.

Evaluating to determine changes and trends

Your feedback and records can be evaluated to help identify trends experienced within your work environment.

These may be specific to your organisation or may reflect a national trend.

Trends identify collective patterns and actions; these may be positive or negative.

Activity 3A

Monitor diversity outcomes

3.2 Monitor progress against workplace diversity effectiveness measures and policy and/or legal obligations, report outcomes and make adjustments to the diversity strategy or objectives to ensure its continued relevance and success

Monitoring requirements

Monitoring requirements may include:

➢Measuring progress against the diversity objectives

➢ Checking work systems are operating as expected

➢ Identifying areas where problems may be occurring.

Evaluating information

Questions to evaluate information include:

➢Are diverse group members interacting well with other employees?

➢Have diversity objectives been successfully put into practice?

➢Are strategies working towards achieving diversity aims?

➢Are clients providing positive feedback with regards to diversity?

Reporting requirements

Reporting the results of your monitoring as you proceed will enable accurate accounts to be made and allows both facts and observations to be recorded.

All documenting should be impartial and should include all areas where diversity changes have been made.

Activity 3B

Summative Assessments

Summative assessments consist of:

➢ Skills Activity

➢ Knowledge Activity

➢ Performance Activity.

Your assessor will provide you with further guidance on how and where to complete these assessments.

Summary and Feedback

➢Did we meet our objectives?

➢How did you find this session?

➢Any questions?

pspgen047 promote diversity diversity data collecting data and relevant information will provide the...

Documents