Diversity, Inclusion and Teamworking Flashcards
What is workplace diversity?
- A company that hire a wide range of diverse individuals
- Is multicultural but also applies to diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, language, educational background
- Should be accepting and inclusive of employees of all backgrounds
- Should acknowledge employees individual strengths and potential
Advantages of a diverse team / inclusive environments?
- Increased productivity - broader range of skills
- Increased creativity - Differing skill sets and perspectives
- A positive reputation - Potential employees want an employer who is diverse
- Studies that indicate more diverse companies are more profitable
What are inclusive environments?
Work environment where all individuals treated fairly and respectfully and have equal rights, access, and opportunities
Difference between diversity and inclusion?
- Diversity - characteristics that make us all different
- Inclusion - making everyone feel welcome
What is meant by unconscious bias?
- Underlying attitudes and stereotypes that people unconsciously attribute to another person / group of people that affect how they understand and engage with them
- These can contribute to a lack of workplace diversity
What does “equal opportunity” mean?
Everyone has equal chance to take up opportunities and to make full use of opportunities on offer and to fulfill potential
What is meant by the term “teamwork”?
- Cooperative effort by group of people to achieve common goal
- People understand and believe that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when done cooperatively
What makes an effective team?
- Common sense of purpose
- Clear understanding of team objectives
- Resources to achieve objectives
- Mutual respect and trust
- Value member strengths and weaknesses
- Willingness to speak openly, share knowledge and expertise
- Range of skills and personal styles for various roles
What are the benefits of teamworking?
- Shared workload
- Improved productivity, quality, customer focus
- Speed up development of solutions
- Increase employee motivation
- Utilise different skillsets
Difference between a “team” and “committee”?
- Committee - body of people appointed for a function
- Team - group of people aiming for a common goal in good spirit
How would you go about selecting the right people to join your team?
- Understand the task, identify skills and experience available and required
- Select new team members to fill shortfall, dynamics of existing team should be considered to ensure new people ‘fit’ with existing
How would you deal with an inexperienced team member?
- Encouragement and motivation
- Draw up plan to strengthen areas of weakness
- Constructive feedback and offer support where needed
How do you promote open discussions within your team?
- Create calm, relaxed environment during meetings/workshops - make people feel welcome, significant, at ease
- ‘no silly questions / answers’ culture
- Encourage involvement from all parties - do ‘round the table’ discussion for key topic points
Why might a team fail?
- Poor team member selection
- Inadequate skills, resource, conflicting personalities, poor leadership
What is the “Herzberg theory”?
A motivational theory based on hygiene and motivational factors:
* Motivators: are factors that lead to increased motivation, such as recognition.
* Hygiene Factors: are factors that, if absent, can lead to dissatisfaction, such as pay and working conditions
Difference between “leadership” and “management”?
- Leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating individuals to achieve a common vision
- management focuses on planning, organizing, and directing resources to achieve specific goals
How can you improve a team?
- Understand what motivates them
- Address concerns quickly
- Define roles and responsibilities
- Create clear communication lines
- Provide powers to undertake role
What are some examples of good “Team Working” you have demonstrated?
- Brighton: when issue arose on site, set up clear communication lines with design team and arrange weekly meetings
- Workplace: when juniors were struggling with cost plan measurement, proactively provide guidance
How would you assess suitability of an individual for a team?
- Assess thier strengths and weaknesses to compliment other members
- Interview the individual if i do not know them well enough
What are some types of teams?
- Design Teams
- Project Teams
- Office Teams
- Accounts Teams
What is the Tuckman Theory?
Describes the five stages of team development:
- Forming (assembly of team)
- Storming (suggesting ideas)
- Norming (agreeing rules and principles)
- Performing (Make decision / taking action)
- Adjourning / Transforming (end of project or return to any previous phase)
What legislation or regulations relate to inclusive environments?
The main legislation within the UK:
* Equality Act 2010
* The Human Rights Act 1998.
Can you tell us more about your firm’s EDI group?
- They promote awareness and provide support for the business.
- For example during EDI week they hosted tasks each day on a different disability or issue.
How do you participate in your firm’s EDI group?
I have provided anonymous summary of my experiences for inclusion in the EDI group publications.
