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A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
® Institute
Building Community &
Embracing Diversity in the Workplace III:
Maintaining a Safe Work
Environment for All Employees
Intervening when bias, stereotyping or prejudice manifest themselves in the work setting is also an essential element of maintaining a safe environment for all employees. Extreme examples of discrimination, hate crimes and other acts of violence often occur because the environment has allowed other seemingly less harmful forms of bias to become accepted and commonplace. Business leaders need to take active measures to interrupt the stereotyping, jokes, rumors and other sorts of behaviors that can set the stage for more harmful expressions later on. This vigilance is important at all times, but it becomes especially so during difficult times when employees may be anxious and, as a result, perhaps eager to identify others who may be perceived to be different from themselves as a source of their problems. Effectively responding to and confronting jokes, slurs or other verbal expressions of bias takes practice and time.
Here are a few guidelines to assist you in responding to and confronting jokes, slurs or other verbal expressions of bias:
- Do not respond by making an equally offensive remark and do not publicly embarrass the person who made the remark or told the joke.
- Talk with the person privately. By speaking to the person who offended you one-on-one, you remove his or her necessity to "save face" or defend his or her actions.
- Start the conversation by "vesting your relationship." People listen better when they know they matter to the person who is speaking. Start the conversation by saying something such as "I wanted to talk with you, Mary, because your friendship is important to me."
- Use "I" statements, not "you" statements. The point of this conversation is to let the "offender" know how you felt about what was said. It should not be a conversation about what someone else did wrong. Choosing words accordingly will help eliminate the "offender's" need to defend his or her actions.
- Remember your "rights." You do not have the right to dictate someone else's sense of humor. You do, however, have the right to ask that this type of humor not be used in your presence.
Remember:
- Silence Is Usually Interpreted As Approval Or Support.
- Leave People's Self-Esteem Intact.
- Inaction Is An Action.
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.
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