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Student Workbook
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Disclaimer
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Published by: Innovation and Business Industry First published: June 2015
Skills Council Ltd
1st edition version: 1
Level 11
Release date: June 2015
176 Wellington Pde
East Melbourne VIC 3002
Phone: +61 3 9815 7000
Fax: +61 3 9815 7001
Email: reception@ibsa.org.au
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www.ibsa.org.au
ISBN: 978-1-925328-60-8
Stock code: BSBDIV3011W
Table of Contents
Getting Started ....................................................................................................................1
About the unit................................................................................................................1
Features of the training program .................................................................................1
About the Student Workbook .......................................................................................1
Recommended reading ................................................................................................2
Introduction .........................................................................................................................3
Section 1 The Value of Diversity .....................................................................................4
What skills will you need? ............................................................................................4
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Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 59
Appendix 1: SMART TAFE Diversity, access and equity policy ................................ 59
Appendix 2: SMART TAFE anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, equal opportunity
and anti-bullying policy .............................................................................................. 61
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Getting Started
Student Workbook
Getting Started
About the unit
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to
recognise and interact productively with diversity in the workplace. It covers sensitive
responses to, and interactions with, types of diversity that might be encountered during
the course of work. This unit applies to individuals who work in a variety of contexts,
where they will be expected to interact with a diverse client and/or co-worker population.
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concepts and terms. The Student Workbook is broken down into several sections.
completed in the classroom or by distance learning that will help you consolidate
and apply what you have learned in the Student Workbook.
Assessment Tasks Summative assessments where you can apply your new skills
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This Student Workbook is designed to assist the learner using self-paced activities about
diversity and working effectively with diversity. It includes many industry examples, case
studies and links to websites of organisations that provide legal information and
informative company policies.
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Specifically, you will develop the skills and knowledge in the following topic areas:
1. The value of diversity
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Student Workbook
Getting Started
Recommended reading
Some recommended reading for this unit includes:
Diversity Council Australia, viewed June 2015, <www.dca.org.au/>.
Australian Human Rights Commission, viewed June 2015,
<http://humanrights.gov.au/>.
Australian Network on Disability, viewed June 2015, <http://www.and.org.au/>.
It Gets Better Australia, viewed June 2015,
<http://www.itgetsbetter.org.au>.
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Please note that any URLs contained in the recommended reading, learning content and
learning activities of this publication were checked for currency during the production
process. Note, however, IBSA cannot vouch for the ongoing currency of URLs.
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Every endeavour has been made to provide a full reference for all web links. Where URLs
are not current we recommend using the reference information provided to search for the
source in your chosen search engine.
Introduction
Student Workbook
Introduction
Diversity in the workplace can be broadly described as a workplace that includes
employees with a lot of individual differences. A diverse workplace will value differences
such as gender, age, culture, disability and lifestyle choices. Individual differences are
what make people interesting and our community diverse. Employers recognise that
diversity in the workforce is something to be celebrated and included in planning. Rather
than ignoring or excluding people with different abilities, it is more effective to look for the
ways that these differences can contribute to a vibrant and innovative workforce.
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People need the opportunity to contribute according to their abilities, and to feel valued
and acknowledged by society. Just because a person has a physical disability, it does not
mean that they cannot think clearly, work at a computer or be part of a project planning
team. Every person, no matter what their situation, has the right to work and be free from
any intolerance or limiting behaviour from those around them.
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In any industry you might work in, you will be interacting with wide range of people.
Australia has a diverse culture we all need to be committed to inclusivity. This
commitment is supported by Australian legislation which is also reflected in the policies
and procedures of organisations. Developing the skills to incorporate these
considerations into workplace behaviours and interactions will enhance your own skills as
an employee.
Student Workbook
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As one of Americas leading energy companies, Exelon has over 20,000 employees and
generates billions of dollars in revenue. Exelon has made a commitment to diversity as
part of its core business strategy and it is embraced at the highest levels of the
organisation.
Exelon has even created a Corporate Diversity Council, which is responsible for
examining diversity best practices, understanding diversity issues, as well as
developing and implementing diversity initiatives. The organisation focuses on four core
strategic areas:
workforce diversity
supplier diversity.
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The CEO of the company has listed these initiatives as one of the key factors in the
economic and social success of the organisation.
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As workplaces become more diverse, employees can be challenged by some of the new
situations they will face. These situations have the potential to lead to misunderstandings
and difficulties if employees are unprepared. Sometimes our ideas about what people like
or need are incorrect because the ideas are based on assumptions rather than facts. You
might feel a person you are meeting is different from anyone else you have met and it
could be a bit unsettling. This section invites you to think about your reactions to some of
these situations.
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Student Workbook
What is diversity?
Diversity is variety in all areas of life. In the work environment, you might consider a
diverse workplace to include differences in:
marital status
nationality
personal responsibilities
cultural background
family
age
clothing
language
previous experiences
sexual orientation
perspectives
religious belief
food preferences
family responsibilities
life experience
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gender
working styles
personality
educational background
wealth
aspirations.
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If you have a workplace made up of very similar individuals for example, a workplace
made up of individuals of one gender, similar ages, all who have grown up in the same
area it can be harder to come up with fresh ideas that will benefit the organisation. This
would be called a homogenous, rather than a diverse, workplace. A workplace lacking in
diversity can also be a less interesting place to work in. The diversity of an organisations
workforce can be one of its greatest strengths. Successfully managing diversity involves
creating an environment that values and uses the contributions of people with different
backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Organisations also need to recognise the
contribution that diverse perspectives add when looking for new ideas and implementing
workplace procedures and initiatives.
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Diversity has great value in the business world. The ability to learn different ways of doing
things and sharing knowledge from different perspectives is exciting even if it is
sometimes challenging.
There are some challenges while working with diversity, yet they are outweighed by the
many benefits, which include:
improved recruitment by being seen as an appealing organisation to work for.
improved retention of employees through job satisfaction
reduced training cost due to less staff turnover
being able to extend into new markets, and gaining a cultural understanding of that
market
increased innovation and variety of ideas
better relationships with clients and stakeholders
Student Workbook
Another benefit of a diverse workplace is that it increases empathy with suppliers and
customers; employees are more likely to be in touch with the needs of customers and
suppliers. If an organisation is seen to actively develop trusting relationships between
diverse staff and customers, the organisation demonstrates that diversity is valued.
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Workplace diversity incorporates the idea of equal employment opportunity (EEO). Equal
employment opportunity policies target continued disadvantage experienced by some
groups of people such as women, Indigenous Australians, people with disabilities and
those who suffer disadvantage on the basis of race or ethnicity 2. Developing strong EEO
policies plays an important part in achieving workplace diversity.
Learning activity: Diversity in Australian workplaces
Choose one of the key areas of diversity identified by the Diversity Council Australia to
investigate in more detail. These areas are:
gender
Indigenous
culture
transgender (LGBT)
disability
multi-faith.
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How many Australians do you think fit into the category you have chosen (where
applicable), and how do you think this area of diversity affects the Australian workforce.
Student Workbook
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Visit the Diversity Council Australia website <http://www.dca.org.au/> and look at your
category under the key diversity areas tab. Read the overview of your chosen key
diversity area and the Business Case for your key area. How did your opinions
compare to the information provided by the Diversity Council Australia?
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Responding to difference
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True
False
Student Workbook
58% of all employees feel that the pressure of work detracts from
their family and personal life.
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Sensitivity towards others is based on the foundation of respect and dignity. Rather than
getting overly concerned about what words/phrases you should or shouldnt say, you
should focus on challenging your assumptions about people, being open to learning about
differences and using positive communication at all times (more information on positive
communication is provided later in this workbook, starting on page 47). How you interact
with others demonstrates how well you understand their feelings. Taking the time to
understand what it would be like to experience work/life from another persons
perspective is sometimes difficult but it is a great first step in becoming more sensitive to
them and their needs.
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Manjit worked in the hospitality industry at a city hotel. His Sikh religion meant that he
drank no alcohol. Manjits co-workers, rather than respecting this, joked about it and
either offered him drinks repeatedly or would exclude him from social events explaining
that they didnt want to be with a non-drinker. After some time, Manjit felt pressured to
drink with them rather than be too different, but it made him feel very uncomfortable
and he knew his family and community would be disappointed with his behaviour. He
certainly was not physically forced to do anything, but it was more difficult not to join in
than to stay true to his upbringing. Manjit loved his job but eventually left it as the
whole situation made him so uncomfortable.
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Student Workbook
Tolerance
The term tolerance has been used in the past in relation to diversity and difference, but
its use is discouraged. By saying that something is tolerated, there is an implication that
there is something negatively different about the other person, that tolerance is required
when around this person. For example, if a person talks about their tolerance for rainy,
cold weather, they are usually saying that they can deal with that weather despite finding
it unpleasant. To state you have a tolerance for a certain difference in a person may imply
your dislike that difference. Being tolerant is not based on showing dignity and respect
towards others and will not lead to positive communication.
Responding to difference
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Wherever you work in Australia, it is likely that you will be part of a diverse work group.
You will need to work effectively and positively within this diversity. Making assumptions
about another person can be a barrier to effectively working with that person. This will be
discussed shortly.
One way of becoming aware of any prejudices or ideas you may have concerning certain
groups is to learn more about them.
Avoiding assumptions
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Making assumptions about people means that you consider something to be true about
them when you have no proof that it is true. As an example, to believe that a co-worker
supports a certain sports team because of where they live, without asking that person,
would be an assumption. This kind of assumption may not be offensive, but many
assumptions are considered to be offensive. Not only might the person be offended by
what you believe about them, but making assumptions shows a lack of interest in
learning about the person; their wants, needs and interests. Making assumptions about
other people is part of trying to categorise and group them. Judging a person using the
beliefs we hold about a group they belong to means that we can often reduce people to
stereotypes. A stereotype is a generalised and oversimplified idea of a type of person.
Usually a stereotype is based on one or several assumptions. For example, All Australians
drink beer, or smart people wear glasses are stereotypes. The characteristic you are
stereotyping may be true of certain members of the group, however, that does not mean it
is true of the group.
Case study: Your experience
Have you ever been part of a class (or team) that had a bad reputation at school? The
teachers disliked taking the class, jokes were made about the class, and the class was
soon another word for bad behaviour?
If you were not responsible for any of the behaviour that created this reputation, youll
know how unfair it is. For example, just because one person was rude, the entire class
was punished by missing a rest break. If you were responsible for the behaviour you
can probably see that not everyone in the group created the situation. But everyone
suffered from it.
Student Workbook
Its the same with stereotypes. Just because youre a person with a disability, doesnt
mean youre incapable of applying the reasoning as a person without a disability.
Because youre a woman doesnt mean youre not interested in car engines and just
because youre French, does not mean you love bread.
Attitude
Some of the material in this guide may be confronting or contradict some of the
understandings you have of the world. It may ask you to recognise and be aware of your
attitudes and to alter some of your behaviour to comply with the law and policy and
procedures, and to enhance teamwork. The activities in this section are designed to help
you become aware of your attitudes.
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There are no right and wrong answers, the information in these activities will not be
shared unless it is stated on them that you need to take the results with you to the group
sessions.
Learning activity: Differences in people that make me uncomfortable
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Close your eyes and try to think of two people that you may feel
awkward/uncomfortable around? There can be many reasons why we might feel
awkward around people. You might not be accustomed to being around certain groups
of people, or you may even have grown up in a family/school/community that brought
you into conflict with people who were different in some way. Remember that there are
many areas of life where differences can be expressed. You may want to review the list
on page 5 and spend some time thinking about how those differences have made you
feel uncomfortable in the past. Sometimes it is difficult to identify assumptions
because we think of them as true, or pay little attention to the way we think. This may
not be an easy task, but it can be valuable to identify preconceptions that you didnt
realise you had.
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Group 1
Group 2
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Type of person
you feel
uncomfortable
around.
Student Workbook
Group 1
Group 2
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List some
similarities
between yourself
and this group of
people.
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Do you think there some methods that you could use to understand these people better
and feel more comfortable around them? What could you do?
Student Workbook
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List two instances when you may have discriminated against somebody else
(regardless of whether it was accidental or not).
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List two instances when you have felt discriminated against from somebody else
(regardless of whether it was accidental or not) and how did it make you feel?
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By identifying our prejudices and/or fears we can develop a better understanding of why
we may discriminate against a certain type of person. Having an understanding of why,
and a willingness to improve ourselves and our environment, is a significant step to
promoting an inclusive and positive culture in the workplace. As a result, everyone will
benefit from the change.
Student Workbook
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List two barriers to communication that are mentioned in this transcript. You will not
need to read far into the transcript to identify some barriers.
Over 400 languages, including Indigenous languages, are spoken by Australians. 25% of
the Australian population was born overseas and the 27% of the population who have at
least one parent born outside Australia 4 and a wide variety of religious and cultural
traditions are practiced. As diversity in language and ethnic backgrounds in Australian
increases, so should diversity in the workplace. The following sections look at other areas
of diversity that will affect workplace diversity.
3 Deep listening: working with Indigenous mental distress, 2007, radio program, ABC Radio National,
Melbourne, 7 September. Transcript available at
<http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/allinthemind/deep-listening-working-with-indigenousmental/3226200>.
4 Australian Bureau of Statistics <http://www.abs.gov.au>.
Student Workbook
Race
Race includes skin colour, descent, nationality, ancestry, ethnic background or any
characteristics associated with a particular race. As previously mentioned, Australia is a
diverse and multicultural society with people from over 180 countries. It is vital that
workplaces do not discriminate on the basis of race. The following scenarios help
demonstrate how racial discrimination may sometimes be used by an organisation:
Religion
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In Australia there are many religious faiths practised today. Every person has the right to
freely observe their religion. Religion in the workplace can bring unity and productivity, but
tensions are all too common. Sensitivity towards all cultures and faiths is what makes
Australia great, and it is important to continuously try to be open and understand cultures
different to your own. Respect for another persons belief is key in this area.
Disability
psychiatric
sensory
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As you can see from this list, many kinds of disabilities may not be immediately obvious to
you. More than two million Australians of a working age have a disability of some kind,
although many of these disabilities are not immediately recognisable. Employment of
Australians with a disability is low compared to those without a disability, but this does
not have to be the case. Government policy is encouraging higher rates of employment of
Australians with a disability. This group of people represent an untapped pool of talent
and ability.
Parts of the Disability Discrimination Act require employers to provide reasonable
adjustment to enable disabled employees to perform their work effectively. This is
covered further in Section 3, but it is important to recognise the adjustment does not
mean a lowering of work standards and output. Staff with disabilities should be expected
to meet the same level of quality and performance as other staff. Sometimes adjustments
may need to be made to facilitate this.
Businesses are finding that there is great value in employing people with a disability.
Some of the companies and organisations who have active policies in this include, among
many others; Subway, IBM, The Australian Public Transport Authority, Ford Australia and
Google.
Student Workbook
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Challenges
Benefits
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Challenges
Age
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Due to Australias ageing population, the number of people between the age of 65 and 85
is predicted to more than double between now and 2050 5. This means that the number
of working Australians over the age of 15 will decrease. Mature age Australians will
become an increasingly important group of potential workers. With time, it will become
increasingly important for employees and employers to recognise the value of the mature
age workforce.
Figures show that mature-aged job applicants become discouraged through constant
rejection and end up retiring or withdrawing from the workforce. This is a waste of talent
and experience. It should be noted that:
age is not a genuine employment criterion
age is a poor predictor of performance
it is inaccurate to equate physical ability, mental ability or competence with age.
Student Workbook
Youth also confront many biases based on presumptions about younger generations.
Generation Y (individuals born between the 1980s to the 2000s) are sometimes
accused of:
an inability to concentrate for an extended period of time
lack of commitment or loyalty to a particular project
over-reliance on person-to-person interaction online.
Both mature age and young employees can face unnecessary generalisations that fail to
recognise the individuals work capacity and knowledge.
Learning activity: Case study
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What is your experience of generalisations towards a certain age grouping (for example;
people aged between 1821, 2230, 3045, 45+)?
Read the case studies provided at the Australian Human Rights Commissions Know
your rights: Age Discrimination, available at < https://www.humanrights.gov.au/knowyour-rights-age-discrimination>.
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Based on the style of these two case studies you, create one around your own
experience (or the experience of a friend/family member) of being a young/old person
in the workplace.