Organizational Management
Implementing Diversity and Inclusion in the Corporate Environment
Purpose of the Course-Objective
To enable professionals and students to put together and implement a solid Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) program for any organization/company. A program built on the foundational blocks of the Diversity and Inclusivity components that support a successful program. Help students recognize and understand the human, technological, organizational, and legislative challenges impacting and influencing most Diversity & Inclusion programs and overcoming them.
Lesson 1 - Unconscious Bias and its relation to Diversity Implementation
Content
Explore your own unconscious Bias to understand better how it works
Understand how we act with people demographically different from us
Understand how Unconscious Bias affects our decision making
Activity
Closest friends’ activity, Stereotype activity, cultural activity.
Assessment
500-word reflective exercise on the discovery of one's own unconscious bias.
Lesson 2 - Definition of Diversity
Content
Understand that Diversity is not just the categories you see on governmental forms
Discover the foundations of Diversity and its components
Break down the components
Begin to identify separate Diversity from other organization issues
Activity
Building Diversity Mind or Tree map.
Two origination studies where diversity or non-diversity issues need to be identified.
Assessment
There will be a case study where diversity issues must be identified.
Lesson 3 - What does it mean to be an Inclusive company?
Content
Understand the relationship between Diversity and Inclusivity
What is the definition of Inclusivity
Relationship between Accessibility and Inclusivity
The Landscape of Accessibility in Global Economy and its relation to Diversity
Activity
Case Study building an Inclusive website for a company. Identifying actions for Inclusivity and linking them to the components of Diversity
Assessment
Grading scale includes number of inclusivity opportunities that can be identified in the activity and how link to diversity components
Lesson 4 - The Business Model for Diversity and Inclusion (reference: idea from Bentley)
Content
Worldwide statistics on D&I
Explore Studies that link D&I and performance
Develop an argument on why companies should implement D&I
Activity – Some Lecture and presenting, Pair discussion on case studies
Assessment
Using research and studies on D&I and performance, formulate an 10-minute verbal argument to your CEO on why your company should implement D&I.
Lesson 5 - Laws, legislation, and other parameters govern Diversity & Inclusion
Content
Learn most significant EU/US Laws and Legislation
Explore the way to be compliant
Know the Consequences for non-compliance
Activity
Reading and Studying, Debates around quotas, the implementation of quotas and the various laws.
Assessment
This is a critical issue for CEO’s and HR because non-compliance can cause money, so this must be a quiz.
Lesson 6 – History of Segregation-its Effect on Diversity & Inclusion Today
Content
A look at movements of Segregation beginning 1000 years ago until today
Identify how these movements effect todays issues surrounding diversity & Inclusion
Activities
Lecture, reading, mind mapping on how history can affect present
Assessment
500 word on choosing one significant historical segregation issue and mapping it to laws or situations today surrounding diversity & Inclusion
Lesson 7 - D&I in the organizational Structure
Content
Understanding the causes for lack of D&I in companies
Identify the organizational Pillars that can support D&I in an organization
Identify the components of each D&I pillar
Activities
Lecture, active matching of the diversity pillars with their components. Discussion on how those components support implementation in an organization.
Assessment
Outline the first Phase of an implantation plan, which pillar goes first and which components go first in a high-level project plan. Max 1 page outline
Lesson 8 & 9 - Implementing D&I into an organization/company - Project Plan
Content
Over the following two classes, the Students must put together a D&I plan for their company or a fictional company. I will provide 2-3 fictitious companies. This is a time-consuming project and will take two classes. They will learn:
How to use the D&I pillars to build a D&I program
Learn how to set up an implementation action plan which includes the sub-components of the D&I pillars
Understand priorities and timing behind the implementation
Recognize the challenges that come with the implementation
Activity I
Are done in phases. Each Student will do their work in groups of 4.
Phase One
1. Identify the pillars in your company that either has good D&I or weak D&I
a. Asses why
b. Put the why into either a change action item or a keep action item
2. Identify the components in those pillars that either has a good D&I or a weak D&I
a. Asses why
b. Put the why into either a change action item or a keep action item
Phase Two
Develop a Plan for change and retention of the Diversity components (based on the pillars) and challenges recognized.
Activity II
After each Phase, the students will have a chance to argue present their arguments/changes/plans to the pretend CEO.
Student 1 will present to Student 2 (fake CEO)
Students 3 and 4 will observe and then provide constructive feedback to Student 1 on the agreeing/change/plan.
This will switch off, so all get the chance for feedback.
Assessment
Will be on a peer assessment among the four students and will be submitted to the teacher. The observers and the fake CEO will assess the experience to have 3 reviews each for the two phases. It will be 300 words and anonymous.
Lesson 10 - Leadership and Communication
Content
In this lesson, the students will discover what kind of message and Leadership is needed to make their plan successful
Learn how to formulate the right message to the masses
What is the job of Leadership
How to get teams and leaders involved
How to cascade the through levels and affiliates
Activity
I would intend to keep the same groups because they are involved in the plans. I have some examples of good messages and leadership actions and bad ones. We will explore those in the groups to understand why they are practical or not practical. They will then developed their own to complete the plan.
Assessment
Would be peer assessment on how well the message and the leadership assessment fits the plan.
Lesson 11 - Measurement and Controls
Content
How do you measure D&I
What measurement tools are available for what kind of measurements
Where and when should they be used
How often do you need to assess and adjust
Activity
Peer discussion on the various tools and when they could be implemented, and how.
Assessment
A quiz will be needed here because using the wrong tools for the wrong reasons is counterproductive.
Lesson 12 - Class Presentations
Content
Give students a variety of ideas on D&I implementation
Help them recognize that they are not the only company dealing with these issues
Activity
Short Presentation of each’s D&I Plan main objectives, implementation, communication, and measurement.
Assessment
This would be a summary activity peer assessment would be valuable.