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A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
® Institute
A WORKPLACE OF DIFFERENCE ™
Assessing My Organization: A Corporate Exercise
Diversity and inclusion are key components to an organization’s success. Diversity is about who we are as individuals – what is seen and unseen. Inclusion is about enabling those differences to equally contribute. Creating an environment where diversity is valued and respected, a workplace where all employees participate in the opportunities and decision-making activities of the organization can help create a culture of inclusion. A workplace that values diversity and inclusion can better understand its customers, enhance its organizational effectiveness, can capitalize of the talents of its workforce, and can represent the communities in which it does business.
One strategy for creating a more diverse and inclusive culture is to focus on the elements and drivers of organizational change. Below is an exercise we welcome employers and employees to use as they address the challenges of creating a bias-free work environment. This assessment can provide an organization the opportunity to understand both the existing and desired cultural environment in which the organization operates. Consider inviting employees together to discuss their assessments, or invite them to submit them confidentially to Human Resources for review.
This Assessment Form will assist your organization in achieving the following goals:
- To better understand the existing and desired cultural environment.
- To discover the importance of supporting a work force that is as diverse, inclusive and multifaceted as its client base.
- To see the importance of respecting culture and ethnic diversity by nurturing individuals with an array of talent, experience, perspective, and backgrounds at all levels of employment.
- To improve performance and inclusion initiatives by developing a work environment where individual differences are recognized, valued and embraced.
- To heighten awareness of diversity issues that exist in the workplace and learn what additional systems, processes and activities could be implemented.
Again, meeting with managers and employees to encourage input and participation and to openly communicate a shared responsibility for all diversity initiatives is an effective measure to establish and maintain a safe working environment that promotes a diverse workforce.
ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute operates on the premise that educators are most likely to be successful in integrating anti-bias content and methodology practices in their classrooms when they have had hands-on experience and training with the materials they use. For this reason, ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute curriculum materials are available only within the context of a six-hour (minimum) staff development workshop, and are not for sale through ADL’s Resource catalog. In the interest of providing specific examples of the Institute's curriculum materials, this sample exercise has been made available. For more information on how to organize an A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE ® Institute training program in your workplace, contact workplace@adl.org, on your college or university campus, contact campusdiversity@adl.org, or in your school or community, contact your ADL Regional Office, ADL National Headquarters (212) 885-7700, or by E-mail.
Assessment Form
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the ideal situation, assess your organization in terms of its commitment to creating an atmosphere of respect and inclusiveness for all employees.
Leadership Commitment and Behavior
As a company, we…
- _____actively support diversity so that it is inclusive of all groups.
- _____have a mission, vision and values statement and organizational commitment to diversity that has been communicated and shared with all employees.
- _____seek feedback regarding any behaviors and language in the workplace that could interfere with effective work relationships
- _____acknowledge that conflict exists within the workplace and have systems in place to address them.
- _____use a variety of decision making processes, including consensus building and cooperative problem solving, when conflict arises.
- _____have established plans to address gaps and opportunities related to diversity and inclusion through the use of surveys, talent reviews, demographic analyses, organization assessments, etc.
- _____have put accountability systems and processes into place that are linked to the performance management and rewards of leaders.
- _____invest in resources in professional development opportunities for employees.
- _____have company policy/policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment (where such policies exist) and ensure that all employees are made aware of those policies and that such policies are enforced.
Inclusive Work Environment
As a Leadership Team, we…
- _____have a commitment to diversity and inclusion that involves the modeling of behavior and language that the company is to represent.
- _____actively communicate the company’s mission, vision and values statement with employees and dialogue with staff members throughout the company on a regular basis about issues of diversity and inclusion.
- _____acknowledge and respect differing values among staff members and actively promote an environment of inclusion, seeking multiple perspectives and engaging staff.
- _____are aware of and deal with diversity issues in the workplace and understand their impact on recruitments, retention, client relationships and staff productivity.
- _____are consistent in what the organization says it does and the policies and practices that exist.
- _____encourage full participation and involvement in group discussions, look for instances where people are overlooked, and take actions to create a more inclusive environment.
- _____help staff understand what work/family balance means for them and explore how we can create conditions supportive of their needs, as well as those of the company.
- _____have a safe environment that is supportive of reporting concerns regarding harassment or discrimination.
- _____recognize and support a variety of work styles among our employees.
- _____take action to interrupt bias, stereotyping or prejudice as it occurs.
Talent Management
As a Company/Leadership Team, we…
- _____have systems in place to understand workforce demographics, opportunities for recruitment, retention, and promotion.
- _____have established goals, as appropriate, to achieve a workforce which is more representative of the market in which we operate.
- _____actively recruit individuals from diverse groups when new positions become available.
- _____have a system in place to identify reasons for attrition.
- _____have developed measures to track our progress against goals set, ensure they are reviewed routinely, and results communicated.
- _____have demonstrated that employee development is a priority and inclusive of all groups (gender, nationality, race, age, educational/work background, etc.) in selection for jobs, promotion, team assignments, social gatherings, etc.
- _____understand the needs of the greater community that we represent and serve.
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