three

  Discuss at least three different approaches to diversity training. Your response should be at least 75 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.  

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CHAPTER 7 Training Employees Zn,

expectations,_selling, performance, and bonus plans. Tlainees shadow more experi-
enced co-workers, and.managers provide .ou.hi.rg. The companv l.”air, rhis orienta-
tion program with enabling agenrs ro increase sales by $4 *iirior-r.a2

orientation programs may combine various rraining methods such as printed and
audiovisual materials, classroom instruction, on-the]ob training, and e-learning.
Decisions about how to conduct the orientation d.pend on the typ-. of mut”rial to be
covered and the number of new employees, among tthe. factors.

Diversity Training
In response to Equai Employment opportunity laws and market forces, rnany organi-
zations today are concemed about managing diversiry-creating an environment that
allow’s all employees to contribute to o-.gJ.rieational goals ani experience personal
growth’ This klnd of environment includes access ro ;lb, u, well as fair ancl positl’e
treatment of all employees. Chapter 3 described how organizations manage jirrersity
by copp$ing with the law Besides these efforts, many organizarions prourt” training
designed to reach employees atdtudes and behavio., ,hur”rupport the management of
diversity, such as appreciation of cultural differences u.d urroid”r,ce of behiviors rhat
isolate or intimidate others.

. Tiai’ing designed to change employee attitudes about diversity andfor develop
skills needed to u’ork with a Jil,..r” workforce is called diversity training. These
programs generally emphasize either attitude awarenes, urrd chunge or Eehavior
change.

Programs that focus on attitudes have objectives to increase participants’ awareness-
of cultural and ethnic differences, as well asclifference, l.r p*rrorrui.haructe.irtics and
physical characteristics (such as disabilities). These

Diversily Training
Training designed to
change employee
attitudes about
diversity andlor
develop skills needed
to work with a diverse
workforce.

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programs are based on the assumprion that people
who become aware of diffe.ences and their srereo-
types about those differences will be able to avoid
letting srereotypes influence their interactions
with people. Many of these programs use video
and experiential exerciser to irr.i”nr” employees’
awareness- of the negative emotional and perfor-
mance effects of stereotypes and resulting ieharr-
iors on members of minority groups. A risk of these
programs-especially when they define diversiry
mainly in terms of race, ethnicity, and sex-is that
they may alienate rvhite male employees, who con-
clude that if the company values diversity more, ir
values them less.43 Diversity training is more likely
to get everyone onboard if it emphasizes respecr-
ing and valuing all the organization’s emplovees in
order ro bring out the best work from ..r”r1,o.r. to
ope_n up the best opportunities for everyone.

Programs that focus on behavior aim at chang-
ing the organizarional poiicies and individual
behaviors that inhibit employees’ personal growth
and productivity. Sometimes these ptogr.mi id”r,-
tify incidents that discourage empilyees from
working up ro their potential. Employees work in

Diversity training programf like the one contlucted by Haward
Pilgrim Health Care, are designed to teach employees attitudes
and behaviors that support the management of diversig. l,{hy is i{
impoltant for companies to provide this type of training?

214 PART 2 Acquiring and Preparing Human Resources

gfoups to discuss specific promotioll opportunities or managelnent
practices that thev

believe were handled .,nfairly. Anothei approach starts with the
assumption that ail

individuals differ in t”ti””t *^Vt ur’,d t.ach.. skilis for constfuctively handling-the
communication barriers, conflicts, and misunderstandings that

necessarily arise when

different people try to work rogether.4+ Tiainees rnay be mrre positive
about receiving

.hl, ;;o; ii t*intng than othei kinds of diversity training’ Fi.albr some orgauizations
provide diversity t*ir1*g in the form o{ culturalimmersion, sending ernpioyees directlv

ir-rio .o*^rrrrities *h.rJ they have to interact with persons from different cultures’

,”.”r, ur-rd nationaliries. Participants rnight talk lvith community members, work in

community organizationr, o. lear. about events that are significant to the communitl

in”V
“ir..’pep”si

addresses behayior change at the highest ler”el of the organization’

Senior executives are assigned to b. ,po.rrors for specific ernployee groups’
including

African Americans, Latinos, Asians, women, ruhiie males’ r’votnen of
color, disabled

“;G.r,
and employees who are gay, lesbian, or transgendered. The executives

are

,”rp.”ri6f. {or ,rnderrrar-rdi*g the ,-rJ”i, of th”ir assigned group, for identifying
talent’

;;;;”‘ ;;”toring at least th”r.e of these t*p1ov”e”45
Although rnaiy organizarions have used Jiversity training, few

have provided pro-

,r; i;;i”g ,oo.. ,frnr-r a day, and few have researched rheir long-te’n
effeclir-e’

;;.* ih; Titrl. ,.r.u..t that exis6 on the subject has provided no sLlpport for a
dftt li.rk between di””rtltff-grams and business success, but there is evidence that
some characteristics *uk. diu”*ity training more effective.47 Most important, the
ir”i”l”g should be tied to business oblective-s, such as understanding customers’ The

;;;;;;”J ir-rvolvemenr of rop management, and the involvement of managers at
all ieveis, aiso are important. Diversity training should emphasize

learning behaviors

and ski11s, not blaming employees’ Finally, the program should
help employees see

;;;;.;’;.
“pply

th?ir.’erv skilis on the job, deliver rewards for performance, be

,i.i . .ig””ir^iior”r”1 policies and practices that value diversity, and include a walr to
measure the success of the training’

An example of a company that gets it- right is Sodexho USA’ a food
and facili-

ries rnanagemenr compa.,y, *hi.h f,rovldes diversity ffaining at ali levels’ Senior
executives participate in classroom training reinforced with community

involve-

ment and mentoring relationships. They learn how valuing diversity
helps the com’

;;;;,f,|}.6.o,r-r.rr”.f,”fi.r-rg”r, u.ra they are
assessed for meeting targets to hire ani

i.o*oa” a divetse gro.rp of
-..npl9Vge-s,

as well as for participation in trainiug, men’

roring, and commurriti o,rtr.u.h. Mur-rug.rs can paiticipate in learning
labs thar

;;i1..-i topics such as cross.cultural communications and generational difference=

in the workplace. Empioyees have opportunities to learn diversity-related
skiils rel’

“”””,
,, ,fr”ir jobs, ,,i.h’u, how to r.tt ,o diverse clients or how to recruit diverse

“*fioy””r.
Significanilv, Sod””ho also makes a’ effort ro measure rhe results ol

;h;;-;;rs.”-i. f, f-,”. ii”;;;il. example, that its mentoring prostam has made
a

measurable difference ln the productivity and retention of female ernployees
anj

employees of coior.48

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