Diversity, Inclusion and Teamworking Flashcards
What is workplace diversity?
- Diversity in the workplace means that a company hires a wide range of diverse individuals.
- Diversity is often misconceived as solely multicultural matters; however, it also applies to diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, language, educational, background, etc.
What are some of the advantages of a diverse team?
- Different ideas and new ways of thinking.
- Different backgrounds bring different experiences.
- A diverse workforce adds to the employer’s brand and company culture.
Please explain what inclusion in the workplace means to you?
The achievement of a work environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully, have equal access to opportunities and resources and can contribute fully to the organisation’s success.
Why is diversity important in the workplace?
- It brings different perspectives and ideas to the company.
- It is beneficial to have all perspectives and viewpoints aimed at helping to calibrate, refine and define the company’s executions and services that it offers.
What is the difference between diversity and inclusion?
- Diversity - the characteristics and things that make us all different.
- Inclusion - making everyone feel welcome.
What is meant by the term unconscious bias?
The underlying attitudes and stereotypes that people unconsciously attribute to another person or group of people that affect how they understand and engage with a person or group.
Can you explain what equal opportunity is please?
Ensuring everybody has an equal chance to take up opportunities, make full use of those opportunities on offer and fulfil their potential.
What is meant by teamwork?
- A cooperative effort by a group of people to achieve a common goal.
- In a teamwork environment, people understand and believe that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when done cooperatively.
What makes a strong and effective team?
- A common sense of purpose.
- Clear understanding of team objectives.
- Resources to achieve objectives.
- Mutual respect.
- Valuing members strengths and weaknesses.
- Mutual trust.
- Willingness to share knowledge and expertise.
- Willingness to speak openly.
- Range of skills amongst team members.
- Range of personal styles for various roles.
What are the benefits of teamwork?
- Shared workload.
- Improved productivity.
- Improved quality.
- Improved customer focus.
- Speed up the development of solutions.
- Increase employee motivation.
- Utilise different skillsets.
What is the difference between a team and a committee?
- A committee is a body of people appointed for a function.
- A team is a group of people aiming for a common goal in good spirit.
How would you go about selecting the right people to join your team?
- Firstly, understand the task and identify what skills and experience are required.
- Review the existing team to understand the skills and experience already available.
- Select new team members to fill the shortfall; the dynamics of the existing team should be considered to ensure the new people ‘fit with the existing team.
How would you deal with an inexperienced team member?
- Provide encouragement and motivation.
- Draw up a plan to strengthen their areas of weakness.
- Give constructive feedback.
- Provide support where needed.
How do you promote open discussions within your team?
- Create a calm and relaxed environment during meetings / workshops to make people feel welcome, significant and at ease.
- Promote the ‘there are no silly questions or answers’ culture.
- Encourage involvement from all parties by doing a ‘round the table’ for key topic points.
Why might a team fail?
- Poor selection of team members that do not meet the skills required to achieve an objective.
- Inadequate resources, conflicting personalities and poor leadership.
