Moving to New Location

Hi Everyone,

I'm consolidating my blogs at http://guyfarmer.com/blog. I'll be focusing on diversity, team building, leadership and effective communication training ideas for thoughtful and creative people. Look forward to seeing you over there.

Take care,

Guy
www.guyfarmer.com

Key Diversity Outcomes for Business

Business people frequently ask me why they should care at all about diversity. This is a very natural question and my answer is usually related to what direction the business wishes to go in. Certain policies and behaviors lead in one direction while others create different results. The outcome is up to each company. Think about the following outcomes when thinking about how to create a diversity friendly environment, these are the potential payoffs for your company of paying attention to diversity.

1. Increased trust.
2. Greater collaboration.
3. Resolution of differences.
4. Improved communication.
5. Better staff cohesion.

Now think of the effects of each of these five outcomes and project what each of them might do for your company's bottom line. Imagine if your company excels in even one area. What would happen if it achieved all five?

Companies who commit to making diversity a positive force in the workplace reap substantial benefits because they get rid obstacles to success. The good news is that businesses can move in this direction at any time by planning and implementing a diversity strategy that, over time, leads to the outcomes we've listed. All it takes is sustained effort and commitment.

Regards,

Guy Farmer
Diversity Training

The Impact of Senior Leadership Commitment on Diversity and Inclusion

A comprehensive study by ORC Worldwide on how leadership commitment affects diversity initiatives in the workplace.

Regards,

Guy Farmer
Diversity Training

What is Diversity?

Companies and organizations are increasingly aware of the benefits of a diverse workforce. Diversity is not just a buzzword that creates extra work for human resources departments, it is a tangible asset that can be used to benefit the organization.

First a brief definition of diversity. I have worked with many companies to help them overcome the challenges diversity presents and each company defines diversity differently. I don't believe in complicating things so I propose the following definition:

Workplace Diversity

The issues related to developing a workplace that is uniformly inclusive and encourages meaningful participation from all individuals in the organization regardless of background.

This brief definition gets rid of a lot of the noise related to diversity. We tend to ask too many questions and stumble around issues like race, age, gender, disability and culture when all we really want to do is help our employees get along.

Astute human resources departments understand the benefits of designing policies that draw from the talent pool and encourage productivity and innovation. Why would any company limit the potential of the employees unless it expressly wanted to limit its own success?

If you are in human resources or are a manager looking for ideas to increase inclusiveness then you might consider the following diversity-boosting ideas.

1. Hire based on qualifications required for a specific job.
2. Strive to create as varied a mix of people in your workplace as possible.
3. Ask your managers to actively identify people's talents and use them.
4. Require that people leave their prejudices at the door.
5. Create opportunities for the growth and success of all your employees.
6. Set up an ongoing training program that helps individuals discuss diversity.
7. Create a comprehensive written strategy for increasing diversity in your workplace.
8. Practice these approaches over time.

Diversity is not a mystery and is easily incorporated into the culture of any organization. It requires buy-in and commitment starting from the top. The rewards are impressive. Many companies report increased innovation, productivity, morale and team effectiveness when they implement a thoughtful plan to boost diversity.

Diversity is not a destabilizing force it is an opportunity to harness the power of the varying and amazing talents of your workforce. Those who understand this potential succeed at high levels.

Regards,

Guy Farmer
Diversity Training

Diversity and Building Relationships

Diversity is about building strong relationships with others. We frequently get caught up in the superficial attributes of our differences while forgetting how much we have in common. Building relationships is one of the most direct ways to get rid of a "difference based" model of diversity.

When we focus on differences only we tend to behave in ways that emphasize the things we don't share. If, however, we give more importance to simply building relationships with each other we tend to look for the things that will bring us closer together.

Building relationships seems like an obvious or simplistic solution to complex issues but think about it for a moment; how can anyone expect to build bridges between people without building relationships. When people consciously put their efforts toward connecting with each other and promoting meaningful relationships, differences seem to melt away and we become aware of the possibilities of connecting with each other.

Regards,

Guy
Diversity Training

Why Diversity Matters to Your Company

Businesses are frequently faced with managing diverse staff and bringing them together to support the mission of the company. Companies have realized the benefit of creating a workplace that harnesses the energy of different people and draws from their diverse talents and abilities.

In today's workplace, diversity is no longer an abstract concept but an opportunity to strengthen your business. Here are some focus questions that will help your company begin to formulate a diversity plan.

* What is our company's overarching philosophy on diversity?
* What does our workforce look like?
* What are the elements that unite us?
* How do we address differences?
* How do we bring disparate elements together?
* Does our company have a coherent policy to address diversity?
* Is our diversity policy enforced and practiced at all levels?
* Does our workforce reflect diversity at all levels?

Once you have thought through these concepts you will be at a point where you can begin to develop a philosophy, a strategy as well as policies and procedures that will guide you successfully into the future.

Regards,

Guy Farmer
Diversity Training

Allocating Business Resources for Diversity

An article from law.com on allocating resource to support diversity initiatives.

Regards,

Guy Farmer
Diversity Training