What is valuing diversity Do valuing diversity initiatives work?

1. Learning Goals • What is valuing diversity • Do valuing diversity initiatives work?

2. Types of Diversity Initiatives • Managing Diversity • Change organizational structure, policies, norms & practices (e.g., hiring) to create fairness • Similar to strategies reducing discrimination (Stephan & Stephan ch. 2) • Valuing Diversity • Change employee attitudes and behaviors by • Emphasis on equality/fairness values • Providing training on awareness & skills • Similar to strategies reducing stereotyping & prejudice (See Stephan & Stephan ch 2)

3. Valuing Diversity • Emphasize fairness/equality values • E.g., mission statement, recruitment ads etc. • Provide diversity training to • Improve skills • E.g., Interpersonal, conflict mgt, language skills etc. • Increase awareness/sensitivity • Cultural & historical information about groups • Know about stereotypes • Change attitudes & feelings • Hardest to do (e.g., counteract stereotypes, reduce prejudice)

4. Purpose of one Diversity Training Exercise Online-discussion group for a course • Highlight differences in communication styles • Of people’s preference for communicating orally vs. online • Inter-cultural conflict resolution • Via discussing sensitive topics with a moderator • Increase cultural identity • Learn about each other’s culture • Reduce interpersonal stereotyping • E.g., Bec. you are muscular you must be athletic • Reduce group stereotyping • E.g., Bec. you are Chinese you must be conservative • Gain empathy • For people who are too shy to speak out in class

5. To improve skills or increase awareness….. • Learn about culture • What is culture? • Beliefs, norms, customs, knowledge, habits of a group (e.g., “What are transparent aspects of culture” cultural circles exercise) • Why learn about culture &/ cultural differences? • Increases awareness of role of culture in social interactions & behaviors (e.g., choice of partner; amount of eye-contact) • Assumption: Awareness improves interactions with culturally different other

6. To change attitudes & feelings • Learn about stereotypes, prejudice etc. • What is a stereotype? • What is a prejudice? • How are they different from culture?

7. Does Diversity Training Work • Very few published/documented evaluations (<10) of diversity training efforts • One qualitative review of published evaluations of diversity training programs

8. Why such few Evaluations of Training Programs • Trainers do not like sharing techniques • Trainers do not know evaluation techniques • Evaluation requires time and money • Some evaluations take more time away from trainees’ jobs, are resisted by organizations • Showing no change (or negative change) is disadvantageous to trainer

9. Does Diversity Training Work • One qualitative review of published evaluations of diversity training programs

10. Evaluation of Diversity Training Programs • Tansik & Driskill 1977 • 20 hrs of lectures, case studies, role-playing • Small changes right after, positive changes 5 weeks after, negative attitudes 12 weeks after • Sorcher & Spence 1982 • 10 week prog of watching videotapes of effective behaviors, role playing with reinforcement • No changes immediately or 6 weeks after, but positive changes 20 weeks after

11. Evaluation of Diversity Training Programs • Dunnette & Motowildo (1982) • 3-days of small group discussions, readings, seminars, videos on sexist attitudes & behaviors • No changes for men, but positive changes for women

12. Evaluation of Diversity Training Programs • Alderfer (1992) • Upward mobility program, balanced composition of promotion committees, workshop had lectures, role-plays and experiential activities • Increases in minorities in management ranks • Dominant group members evaluated program more negatively than minority group members

13. Evaluation of Diversity Training Programs • Ellis & Sonnenfield (1994) • 1 day of watching videos of culturally insensitive behaviors and discussing them • 59% evaluated seminar positively • Tan, Morris, & Romero (1996) • 3 days of case studies, simulations, videos, discussions • Increased knowledge of • Diversity issues • Barriers to change • Sensitization to and knowledge of how to prevent negative effects of prejudice & stereotypes

14. Evaluation of Diversity Training Programs • Hanover & Cellar 1998 • Videos, role playing, examination of diversity practices, action planning • Increased ratings on diversity practice measures (e.g., open discussions of group differences, discouraging comments perpetuating stereotypes) • Rynes & Rosen 1995 • 33% of HR managers surveyed rated diversity programs as successful but 18% rated them as unsuccessful • Mandatory prog were rated as more successful

15. Evaluation of Diversity Training Programs • Layng 1998 • Analysis of commonly used video in diversity training programs • Introduced new stereotypes to replace old ones • Too much focus on incompetence of White male managers can alienate intended audience • Suggests that diversity leads to communication problems

16. Does Diversity Training Work • Conclusion from review of published evaluations of diversity training programs • They do not work

17. Why Diversity Training may fail • Content of Training • Participants • Changing established norms & practices of adults in organizations is difficult • Need managing diversity initiatives to occur simultaneously (e.g., Alderfer, 92) • Mismanagement of expectations • Limited time for change to occur • Attitudes/feelings hard to change

18. Content of Diversity Training • Teach inter-group aspects • E.g., Emphasize similarity & differences within groups as in cultural circles • Teach Legal aspects • E.g., Discrimination scenarios exercise • Focus on training skills bec. employers are legally responsible for employee behaviors • Added benefit of making diversity policies palatable to all • Confrontation of Values • Prevalent organizational values • Value differences between groups

19. Participants of Diversity Training • Before Training: Composition of training group • Majority & minority members • Members from all organizational ranks, • Diverse trainers on teams

20. Participants of Diversity Training • During training, anticipate • Majority/dominant groups • Majority members may feel additionally threatened (e.g., as being attacked during training) • Mandatory nature can be resented • People who need it the most get it but popularity may be reduced • Minorities • have negative reactions re: slow pace of change • may feel uncomfortable when focus of attention during training • Conflict between majority & minority groups

21. What we learned… • Valuing Diversity involves training for skills, increasing awareness, changing attitudes • Very few evaluations of diversity training programs • Review shows they do not work • Can be due to several challenges that confront diversity trainers