Creating Inclusive Environments

Nai-Fen Su Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity Coordinator Talent Recruitment and Engagement Office of Talent Management | Office of Human Resources naifen.su@wisc.edu | 608-262-5331 To register or for more information, visit our website at www.talent.wisc.edu

Participant Reminders Be open to new information Respect confidentiality-(create a safe space) Be willing to consider new ways of doing things Be willing to take risks and ask questions Be willing to lean into discomfort Speak from your own personal truth Be present

Learning Objectives Individual Workplace Personal and Social Identities Microaggressions and Unconscious bias Inclusive Competencies Workplace Leveraging diversity in an inclusive work environment Inclusion benefits to organization Identify challenges vs Develop action plan

WORKPLACE INCLUSION COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT Complete the competency assessment now. Using the baseline rating column, rate your current level of competency for each behavior and action using the scale provided. Total your ratings You will complete a post-session rating at the end of this program.

INCLUSION DEFINED A sense of belonging, feeling respected, valued, and being seen for who you are and valued as a contributing member of the team, work group, or organization.

ENGAGEMENT DEFINED Feeling of being fully involved in, and enthusiastic about, work Engaged employees have heightened connection to work, organization, its mission and co-workers Engaged employees find personal meaning in their work and more likely to go above minimum and expend “discretionary effort”

Engagement vs Inclusion

Exclusion vs Inclusion Seeing oneself as inferior The onset of “Stereotype Threat” Causes emotional pain akin to physical pain Threats to the fundamental needs Inclusion Eliminates “insider vs. outsider” culture Employees to feel equally valued Improves productivity,   morale, creativity Reduces harassment, discrimination, and bullying

BENEFITS OF INCLUSION Higher job satisfaction, especially among staff of color. Lower turnover. Higher productivity. Higher employee morale. Improved problem solving throughout the organization. Increased creativity and innovation. Increased organizational flexibility and ability to learn from people at all levels. Improving the quality of personnel through better recruitment and retention. Decreased vulnerability to legal challenges.

What Inclusion is not Everyone must agree in making decisions; Political Correctness; Ignoring invisible differences, solely focus on what’s visible; One group “losing” so one group “wins” The absence of work rules; All behaviors are acceptable.

PERSONAL IDENTITY

DIVERSITY DEFINED Diversity: The range of human qualities that impact and influence how people are perceived and how they behave. These qualities include but are not limited to age, gender, race, ethnicity, physical or mental abilities, sexual orientation, education, values, etc.

DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY Other Types of Diversity to consider in the Workplace: Introvert or Extrovert Communication Style Learning Style Behavioral Style Thinking Style Political Views Level of Self-awareness Team-building Style Motivation Style Conflict-Resolution Style And several others

SOCIAL IDENTITY EXERCISE ?

DOMINANT vs SUBORDINATED Greater Access to power and resources Less access to power and resources

Group Activity

MICROAGGRESSIONS

MICROAGGRESSIONS Dr. Derald Wing Sue – Microaggressions are similar to carbon monoxide - “invisible, but potentially lethal” - continuous exposure to these type of interactions “can be a sort of death by a thousand cuts to the victim” Sue, (2010) Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation.

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57lM9fp9aNU

ADDRESS MICROAGGRESSIONS Identify Conversation Reflection Clarification

UNCONCIOUS BIAS

Illustration by Barry Deutsch UNDERSTANDING BIAS Illustration by Barry Deutsch

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS Unconscious Bias Recruitment Onboarding Performance Assessment Development Unconscious Bias

PAUSE for UNCONSCIOUS BIAS Pay attention to what’s happening behind the judgments you make Acknowledge your own judgments, interpretations, and reactions Understand other possible judgments, interpretations, and reactions Search for the most productive, empowering, constructive way to deal with a situation. Execute your action plan.

Google: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW5s_-Nl3JE

WHY COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT Productivity declines if diversity is not managed Differences have been ignored Progress is mixed Real barriers exist Demographic minority groups often share similar perceptions about the organization Managers and supervisors are key to creating and sustaining an inclusive climate Managers and supervisors have a “Duty of Care”

EID COMPETENCIES FOR MANAGERS Employee Engagement Inclusion Work Environment Diversity Recruitment

Defining an Inclusive Work Environment An inclusive work environment is one in which barriers to contribution and negative biases are eliminated, and people are respected and able to give their personal best. In the case of most organizations, achieving an inclusive work environment requires a culture change.

CREATING AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE Organization Group Individual Recruitment Onboarding Performance Mgmt. Benefits/ Rewards Training and Development Selection Mentoring Organizational Level Gender Sexual Orientation Age Race/ Ethnicity Unconscious Biases Cultural Lenses

THE PATH FROM EXCLUSIVE CLUB TO INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATION

CREATING AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE Monitoring the Climate for Diversity and Inclusion Understanding and Addressing Inclusion Tensions and Microaggressions Coaching Staff to Address Inclusion Tensions and Microaggressions Inclusion Behaviors and Practices Moving Along the Path Action Planning

CASE DISCUSSION

Next Steps for Inclusion Action Plan for Inclusion

Additional Resources On Campus Resources: Employee Assistance Office, 608-263-2987 Assistance in maintaining emotional well-being in your personal and professional lives. Office for Equity and Diversity, 608-263-2378 Coordinate campus compliance with affirmative action and equal opportunity requirements; examine incidents of harassment and discrimination. Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff, 608-265-9992 Facilitates conflict resolution; confidential, impartial guidance.

Questions