Diversity, Inclusion and Teamworking Flashcards
(58 cards)
What are some examples of teamworking that you have demonstrated?
- Use specific examples
Key principles are based around:
- Utilising the team’s strengths and weaknesses
- Harnessing the expertise of each specialist within the team
- Problems that the team overcame
- Explain how the team decided on a strategy
- Explain the end outcome
- Explain how the team communicated and worked towards a common goal
What is the Tuckman Theory?
Bruce Tuckman’s theory (1965) focuses on how a team approaches a task.
It originally consisted of four phases but a fifth phases was later included.
1) Forming = Assembly of a team, planning, collating information and bonding
2) Storming = Address task by suggesting ideas and strong facilitative leadership is crucial
3) Norming = Agreeing rules and values of operation
4) Performing = Identified by high levels of independence, motivation, knowledge and competence, decision making is collaborative
5) Adjourning/Transforming = End of the project and breakup of the team, the team can return to any phase, typical this is the forming.
What is Herzberg Theory?
Frederick Herzberg’s theory is two factor motivational theory based on hygiene and motivational factors:
- Works are encouraged to work harder based on motivational factors such as empowerment, job enlargement and job enrichment.
- Workers can become de-motivated if hygiene factors are not met such as remuneration, comfortable working conditions and annual leave entitlement.
What is workplace diversity?
- Diversity in the workplace relates to the acceptance and inclusion of employees of all backgrounds.
- Ensuring diversity in the workplace is an important asset of an organisation as it acknowledges the individual strengths of each employee and the potential they bring.
What are some of the advantages of a diverse team?
- Increased productivity - diverse range of talent results in a broader range of skills
- Increased creativity - differing skill sets and perspectives within the team will increase the chance of generating solutions to workplace solutions
- Improved cultural awareness - a diverse range of cultures within the workplace allows companies to operate more effectively within a global marketplace
- A positive reputation - companies that have a diverse workplace are often perceived as better employers as potential employees want employers who accept and is tolerant of all backgrounds and who treats their employees fairly
What are inclusive environments?
- A culturally inclusive environment requires mutual respect, effective relationships, clear communication, understanding of expectations and critical self-reflection
- Within an inclusive environment, people of all cultural orientations can freely express who they are, their own opinions and points of view
What legislation or regulations relate to inclusive environments?
- Equality Act 2010
- The Human Rights Act 1998
Please explain your understanding of inclusion within the workplace?
- Inclusion within the workplace is creating an environment and culture where all company employees feel like they belong in the organisation
- This results in every employee being comfortable to voice their opinions and that no one person feels excluded on the basis of their identity
What is meant by the term unconscious bias?
- Unconscious bias refers to the associations and assumptions that a person may have about someone solely because of their race, gender or disability
- These judgments are made without conscious awareness
- These automatic assumptions stereotypes are a major contributor to a lack of workplace diversity
What is equality?
It is about ensuring everybody has an equal opportunity, and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of their individual characteristics.
The Equality Act 2010 was introduced bringing together various separate pieces of legislation into one single act. What were they?
- The Equal Pay Act 1970
- The Sex Discrimination Act 1975
- The Race Relations Act 1976
- The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
What is the purpose of the Equality Act 2010?
To protect individuals from unfair treatment and promote a fair and more equal society
What are the 9 protected characteristics defined under the Equality Act 2010?
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
What are the 4 types of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010?
- Direct discrimination
- Indirect discrimination
- Harassment
- Victimisation
What is direct discrimination?
It occurs when someone is treated less favourably because of:
- A protected characteristic they possess
- A protected characteristic of someone they are associated with e.g. friend or family member
- A protected characteristic they are thought to have, regardless of whether this perception by others is actually correct or not
What is indirect discrimination?
It is where a provision, criterion or practice is applied equally or to a group but has the effect of putting those who share a certain protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage. Usually less obvious and can often be unintended.
What is harassment?
Unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic or be ‘of a sexual nature’.
It must also have the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for that individual.
e.g. bullying, gossip, inappropriate questions
Can be verbal, written or physical
Based on the victim’s perception of the unwanted behaviour rather than that of the harasser, and whether it is reasonable for the victim to feel that way.
Can also apply to an employee who witnesses harassment because of a protected characteristic and that has a negative impact on their dignity at work.
What is victimisation?
When an employee suffers what the law terms as a detriment - something that causes disadvantage, damage, harm or loss because of:
- making an allegation of discrimination
- supporting a complaint of discrimination
- giving evidence relating to a complaint about discrimination
- raising a grievance concerning equality or discrimination
- doing anything else for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010
What other regulations are relevant to equality?
- The Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000 - unlawful for part-time workers to be treated less favourably than full-time workers
- The Fixed-Term Employees Regulations 2002 - unlawful for fixed-term employees to be treated less favourably than permanent employees
- Human Rights Act 1998 - lets people defend their rights in UK courts and compels public organisations to treat everyone equally, with fairness, dignity and respect
What is affinity bias?
When someone feels an affinity with the person as they have similar life experiences
What is the halo effect?
Where a positive trait is transferred onto a person without anything really being known about that person.
How can you reduce unconscious bias?
Being aware of your unconscious bias
- Taking time to reflect on decisions without rushing them
- Observing the facts and justifying decisions with evidence
- Being open and engaging with a wider range of people
- Think about positive behaviours shown as opposed to negative
- Follow company policies and procedures
What makes an effective team?
- Having a common purpose and clear objectives
- Having sufficient resources
- Mutual respect
- Knowledge and expertise being shared openly
- Team members being able to speak out openly
- Variety of personality styles
What are some barriers to effective teamwork?
- Inadequate resources
- Misunderstanding of objectives
- Wrong mix of skills and personalities
- Poor leadership
- Inadequate training
