Bsbdiv501 PPT V2

BSBDIV501 Manage Diversity in the Workplace
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Imagine Education Australia Pty Ltd | CRICOS 02695C | RTO 31302 01
Introduction
Selecting the right team and keeping a team focussed and motivated is an ongoing challenge
for the manager. One analogy that is commonly used to describe this situation is "to get the
right people on the bus" and to ensure everybody knows where you are travelling.
In a team it really pays to have a mix of people with different backgrounds, experiences and
personality types. They can all bring different skill sets to the business and often achieve
more than a team made up of similar people. Different cultures also enhance the business as
staff possess language skills, cultural awareness and understanding which can often be used
as a competitive advantage. Imagine if you are hosting a tour group from China and some of
your staff speak Mandarin or Cantonese. This means that your staff can converse with the
customers directly, rather than through an interpreter. They can also be involved in planning,
providing valuable input on the expectations of this client group.
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Imagine Education Australia Pty Ltd | CRICOS 02695C | RTO 31302 #2
Diversity in the Workplace
A diverse population mix means that most workplaces are multicultural and include
people from varied backgrounds. Diversity in a workplace can also refer to language,
disability, gender, age, sexuality and family make-up. In Australia and New Zealand,
there is anti-discrimination legislation affecting various areas of public life, including
employment, whereby it is unlawful to discriminate against people or to treat them
unfairly.
All employers and supervisors must treat their employees and job applicants fairly. This
applies regardless of their, or any relative or associates' sex, ethnic extraction, marital
status or age. Prejudices and stereotypes must not be allowed have any influence over
who is interviewed and hired, how they are treated at work, or who is made redundant.
When employing people, it is unlawful to discriminate and you must look solely at the
attributes of the person to determine whether they can perform the job. It is not
acceptable to only consider specific preferences, such as age when developing criteria
for a new staff member. If discrimination based on any of the prohibited areas occurs,
the person can complain to the Anti-Discrimination Board.
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Diversity in the Workplace
These prohibited areas of discrimination include:
• Carer's responsibilities
• Sex
• Pregnancy
• Race, colour, ethnic or ethno-religious background, descent or nationality
• Religion, culture or language
• Marital status or family arrangements
• Disability (including past, present or future physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability, learning disorders, or any
organism capable of causing disease e.g. infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS)
• Homosexuality (male or female, actual or presumed)
• Age (including not forcing people to retire at the former retirement age).
It is important to stay up to date with legislation affecting diversity and to ensure your company policies and procedures
are in line. If you find areas of the diversity policy which do not fully address the current anti-discrimination legislation
then you must address them. This may involve providing feedback to the relevant colleagues to ensure the policy is
updated and also communicating the changes to management and staff.
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The Principles of Cultural Diversity
Australia and its States support a multicultural population and aim to achieve harmonious relations between the various
racial groups. For example, ethnic affairs policies and programs in the NSW Public Sector are based on four principles of
cultural diversity. According to section 3 (1) of the Ethnic Affairs Commission Act 1979 as amended, the four principles are
as follows:
Principle 1:
Individuals in NSW should have the greatest possible opportunity to contribute to, and participate in,
all aspects of public life.
Principle 2:
All individuals and public institutions should respect and accommodate the culture, language and
religion of others within an Australian and NZ legal and institutional framework where English is the
primary language.
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The Principles of Cultural Diversity
:
Principle 3:
All individuals should have the greatest possible opportunity to make use of and participate in relevant
activities and programs provided or administered by the Government of NSW.
Principle 4:
All public institutions of NSW should recognise the linguistic and cultural assets in the population of
NSW as a valuable resource and promote this resource to maximise the development of the State.
The Act also states that the principles of cultural diversity are State policy. Therefore, every public
authority must observe these principles when conducting its affairs. All States have similar guidelines
for their workplaces.
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Diversity Statistics
Statistics are important; they give us an essential insight into the chosen subject matter. The census, which is Australia’s
largest statistical collection done every four years, helps to estimate things such as population, citizens country of birth,
religious beliefs and languages spoken at home.
Country of Birth
The following table indicates the numbers of Australian citizens who were born
outside Australia, according to the 2011 census conducted by the Australian
Bureau of Statistics.
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Imagine Education Australia Pty Ltd | CRICOS 02695C | RTO 31302 # 07
Diversity Statistics
County of Birth Number of People
United Kingdom 1,153,264
New Zealand 476,719
Italy 220,469
People's Republic of China (Excluding SARs and Taiwan 203,143
Province)
Vietnam 180,352
India 153,579
Philippines 135,619
Greece 125,849
South Africa 118,816
Germany 114,921
Malaysia 103,947
Netherlands 86,950
Lebanon 86,599 page
Hong Kong (SAR of China) 76,303
Diversity Statistics cont.
Religious Belief
The following table indicates the religious tendencies of the Australian population
according to the 2011 census.
Religion Number of People

Christianity 13,150,600
No religion 4,796,800
Buddhism 529,000
Islam 476,300
Hinduism 275,500
Judaism 97,300
Other non-Christian 168,200
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Diversity Statistics cont. Language Spoken at Home
Language Spoken at Home Number of People The following table indicates
the languages of the Australian
English only 15,394,700 population according to the
Mandarin 319,500 2011 census.
Italian 295,000
Arabic 264,400
Cantonese 254,700
Greek 243,300
Vietnamese 219,800
Spanish 111,400
Hindi 104,900
Tagalog (Philippines) 79,000
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Examples of Cultural Diversity
The most common cultural difference is language or pronunciation. Additionally, there are different customs associated
with different cultures. For example, different cultures have different customs when addressing people:
• In Asia, the handing over of a business card is very formal; the card is presented to the other person and handled with
great respect.
• Germans are not used to being called by their first name, it is usually Mr Muller or Dr Freund. Once the person is on a
friendly basis, the first name is offered.
• Some cultures do not make direct eye contact when talking to the opposite sex, including some of the Asian, Native
American or Middle Eastern cultural groups.
Work ethics also vary between cultures. While Australians and New Zealanders are supposedly easy-going, they have a
reputation overseas of being hard workers and you will find many Australians working in the English and Canadian TH&E
industries. Germans and Americans have the reputation of being quite work-focussed and demanding of high standards.
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Examples of Cultural Diversity
Multiculturalism also flows on to dress and grooming standards. Cultural dress regulations amongst cultures vary
enormously depending on beliefs and customs. For example, some Jews wear the yarmulke, Sikhs wear turbans and many
Muslim women wear the hijab. The special requirements of people with diverse customs have now been incorporated into
many daily routines.
Accommodations for differences in dietary requirements, such as kosher food and vegetarian meals, are readily available
throughout the industry and allowances for religious ceremonies during work can be made.
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Other Diversity Issues
Diversity refers to the wide range of human issues that are present within any population
sample. All of these need to be respected and acknowledged equally. As outlined in the anti-
discrimination legislation, people cannot be discriminated against on the basis of disabilities,
special needs, sexual preferences or gender. In many workplaces, Affirmative Action is taken
to encourage participation of disadvantaged groups in the workplace.
A disability or disease does not impair the functioning of an individual within society. Stephen
Hawking, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, suffers from progressive
neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. This has not
prevented him from proving Einstein's theory of relativity and writing one of the most
acclaimed bestsellers, 'A Brief History Of Time', in which he explains complex scientific
problems in simple language. In the same light, the Paralympics enables all to witness the grit,
determination and achievements of people with a range of disabilities.
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Other Diversity Issues
An example of the growing acceptance of and accommodation of people with disabilities is
that wheelchair access to businesses is now a requirement in society. Although it may be a
significant cost to undertake renovations or additions to accommodate people with disabilities,
it is a requirement of the Law and therefore must be done.
It is important that you have an awareness of the diversity of your employee- and client-base
and act accordingly. People sometimes discriminate unthinkingly. It always helps to put
yourself in another person's position to try and understand their viewpoint. Never joke with a
customer about something that could be deemed discriminatory, for example ethnicity. Apart
from being poor practice, you may unwittingly be touching on a sensitive subject. You might
make a joke about an ethnic group, without realising that the customer's spouse is from that
group.
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How Does Population Mix Affect Me at the Workplace?
Different cultures have unique value systems and behaviours. When communicating with others, it is important to
consider these values and treat people with respect and sensitivity. English is an international language, however, the
pronunciation of words can be very different in England, Canada, USA, India or New Zealand. We are accustomed to
our pronunciation and what sounds strange to Australian ears is standard somewhere else. Migrants from non-English
speaking backgrounds may have little or no grasp of the language when they arrive, but this is not an indicator of their
intelligence or ability to do a job.
When dealing with colleagues who are not familiar with the English language, speak slowly and clearly and display a
supportive and patient attitude. It is demeaning to joke about an accent or mispronunciation. Just imagine how you
would feel going to a foreign country and having to learn to speak and write in a new language.
However, overcoming language barriers does not have to be hard. Young children from different cultures are able to
overcome them quickly and their tactics are worth noting. They play, talk, point, laugh, use gestures and seem to be
able to simply dissolve the difference in language. When giving directions or instructions, try to use visual means
wherever possible and keep verbal instructions simple. Maps are perfect for showing directions and pictures are worth
a thousand words in an explanation. The first rule you need to remember is that "people are people everywhere". This
means that people all around the world have similar issues, such as:
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How Does Population Mix Affect Me at the Workplace?
The similarities are bigger than the differences. For example, some cultures, such as the Australian indigenous people
and the New Zealand Maoris, have very strong family ties. If one of their relatives is ill they have a definite cultural
obligation to support their family member. In the workplace, it is necessary to be aware of and make allowances for
these differences in cultural obligations. People with strong religious beliefs may object to blasphemous innuendo,
others may have specific dietary requirements or may not work certain shifts due to their religious customs e.g.
Seventh Day Adventists do not work on a Saturday because they observe this day as their Sabbath.
Some universal rules apply to communication:
• Greet and farewell people with a smile
• Give clear and simple directions or instructions
• Try to use visual means whenever possible
• Use words that are easy to understand and commonly spoken
• Avoid using slang or jargon
• Avoid using sarcasm and words or phrases with double meanings. page
BSBDIV501 Manage Diversity in the Workplace 9
Monitoring Cultural Tensions Between Staff
While there are many benefits of fostering cultural diversity in the workplace, tension
between different people from different cultures can escalate if it is not monitored and
managed effectively.
People may interpret language, behaviours or emotions differently from each other, or
have pre-existing stereotypes about what people from other cultures are really like. This
can become a problem area if not managed correctly.
The following examples of cultural differences can cause of tensions between
workmates.
• People not understanding work instructions because of language barriers
• Workers not having an understanding of each other's religious beliefs or
requirements
• Interpreting body language in different ways, such as looking or not looking
people in the eye, standing too close or too far from people, making small talk
before engaging in business
• Misinterpreting emotional responses. Someone showing no emotion when a
problem occurs at work may be interpreted as uncaring, however in some
cultures it is considered unprofessional to show emotion at work.
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Monitoring Cultural Tensions Between Staff
By offering some basic training in cultural awareness, language

barriers, social customs and religious beliefs, you may help staff to
work with each other more effectively. This type of training can help
to create understanding and ease tensions. Managers who have not
managed a multicultural workforce before may need extra training
in communication techniques and how to identify areas of tension
and encourage collaboration between staff.
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Diversity Legislation
In Australia, anti-discrimination legislation governs acceptable behaviour in many aspects of public life, including
employment. Anti-discrimination laws cover Equal Employment Opportunity and harassment in the workplace.
What Is Illegal?
It is illegal to discriminate against people or to treat them unfairly, on the basis of:
• Sex
• Pregnancy
• Race, colour, ethnic descent, nationality or religion
• Marital status
• Age (including not enforcing previous retirement ages)
• Disability (including past, present or future physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability,
learning disorders, or infectious diseases, e.g. HIV)
• Sexuality (homosexuality, transgender or bisexuality, actual or presumed)
• Carer's responsibilities.
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Unlawful Discrimination
• Asking different interview questions to applicants applying for the same job.
• Not offering someone a job, training or career advancement on the assumption that the person will leave and have a
baby, take too many leave days or be inflexible due to parental responsibilities.
• Offer different terms of employment to people doing the same jobs.
Federal Laws
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is responsible for implementing all laws that cover federal
human rights and anti-discrimination law in Australia. There are five laws which it administers:
• Age Discrimination Act 2004 - protects younger and older people from unlawful treatment on the basis of their age.
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 - protects against discrimination on the basis of a disability.
• Racial Discrimination Act 1975 - protects against discrimination on the basis of ethnic extraction, skin colour,
descent, national origin, etc.
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984 - protects against discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status or pregnancy.
• Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 - established the Australian Human Rights Commission, gives it
powers and defines discrimination.
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State Laws
In addition to the Federal laws, there are also several state laws which are of relevance to the
employer, such as the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act and the
Workplace Relations Act.
As an example of the potential impact from breaching this type of legislation, the Anti-
Discrimination Board of New South Wales suggest that the following costs might be incurred
by not following EEO legislation. This will vary between situations and between states, but
will be similar in effect:
• Grievance resolution costs including lost productivity - $35,000
• 10 days stress leave and workers compensation - $4,000+
• Staff replacement costs, including recruitment, training and performance differential -
$50,000
• Legal costs for court case or tribunal hearing - $3,000 per day
• Compensation payable - maximum $40,000 per complaint in NSW, no maximum
federally
• Losses due to bad publicity - unknown
• Losses due to organisation-wide productivity reduction - unknown.
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Go to www.humanrights.gov.au for up-to-date information.
Employment
All employers and supervisors must treat their employees and job applicants fairly, regardless
of whether they, their relatives or people they associate with are male or female, married or
unmarried, old or young, from one particular ethnic group or another, straight or gay. They
must not let any prejudices or stereotypical views affect who they hire, how employees are
treated, or who they dismiss or make redundant.
When employing people, you must look at the attributes of the person to determine whether
they can perform the job. It is not acceptable to only consider specific preferences, such as
age, that you may have as your desired criteria for a new staff member. If discrimination
occurs, a person can complain to the Anti-Discrimination Board.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has a series of fact sheets on how to ensure
workplaces are free from discrimination and harassment.
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Equal Employment Opportunity
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is a framework of practices that ensure all employees have equal opportunities in the
workplace. EEO legislation aims to make sure that work environments are free from discrimination, by implementing
strategies to ensure merit-based access to employment and opportunities such as professional development and promotion.
This means that people should be employed and have their career advanced based on their work performance, rather than any
other reason such as sex or preferment.
EEO is also designed to help disadvantaged groups.
The 4 groups flagged as disadvantaged:
• Women
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
• People from non-English speaking backgrounds
• People with a disability.
There are penalties involved for employers who do not follow EEO guidelines and provide a harassment-free workplace. Staff
must ensure that their work activities and behaviour are carried out fairly and respectfully of others and that they follow the
organisation's policies and procedures.
For information on EEO laws in your state, visit www.business.gov.au...
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Workplace Policies
Every business must consider diversity as part of their official policies. The business
may have a specific diversity policy, or it may incorporate diversity when creating its
HR policies. The policy will outline how the business will embrace and utilise
diversity in its operations as well as how to prevent breaches of legislation and
workplace requirements. The policy should also detail grievance procedures and
actions that will be taken if breaches or complaints are reported.
All employees are expected to follow the requirements detailed in the policy. The
policy may cover aspects of business operations affected by diversity including:
• Vision statements
• Responsibilities and accountabilities
• Recruitment and induction practices
• Training and development opportunities
• Anti-bullying, anti-harassment and grievance procedures.
Here are 2 examples of large corporations' diversity policies:
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Workplace Policies
Here are 2 examples of large corporations' diversity policies:
Woolworths
Commonwealth Bank.
All staff should be made aware of the business' policies on diversity in the workplace
during their induction process. It is important to ensure that all staff members
understand the content and intent of the policy, as well as their rights and obligations
under it. Staff should also be able to freely access it and refer to it whenever they need
to.
Ways of promoting the diversity policy include:
• Displaying the policy on noticeboards and other public areas
• Distributing copies of the policy to staff during the induction process or via email
or hardcopy whenever there is an alteration
• Explaining the policy to staff at meetings or other forums
• Reinforcing key messages from the policy in supervisory discussions, performance
appraisals or other interactions.
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Tourism
Within the tourism industry, you will interact with customers and colleagues from all parts of the world and you will
encounter a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and beliefs. In tourism, use your communication skills and customer
service focus to fulfil the needs and expectations of the clients. Employ active listening skills to be effective in your
verbal communication and to fully understand the needs of the client. Do research into specific customer requirements
and when writing to the client, use professional and correct language and formats. It is important to be aware of and
avoid discrimination. Professional behaviour aimed at client needs will minimise the danger of inadvertent
discrimination. This, of course, applies to customers as well as colleagues.
The following table shows some of the issues that may arise with a tour group coming from Japan.
Language Most Japanese tourists have little or no knowledge of English. Provision of an interpreter
is essential. Clarify needs with the Japanese embassy or a tour group organiser in Japan. It
is crucial to use the correct form of address.
Cultural needs Food provisions, sightseeing, memorabilia and souvenirs, photo opportunities,
entertainment and cultural experiences.
Preferences Travelling in groups with planned accommodation and services, study tours, mixture of
experiences.
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Tourism
This example shows the importance of working closely with representative bodies in Japan and establishing good
relationships with local support, such as hotels and interpreters, to ensure that the needs of the groups are met. If you
carry out adequate research and preparation, you will find that package tourists and working holiday tourists will be
major market segments. Within these segments, there are further brackets such as honeymoon couples, single women and
retirees, all with very different and specific needs. The profile of your product needs to be maximised and your business
can become very profitable if you demonstrate a strong customer focus, with cultural awareness.
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Events
Throughout their careers, Event Managers will interact with people from all walks of life. You will be required to converse
with, understand, value and provide services for a huge range of people.
Diverse Individuals
• International conference Range of Colleagues Diversity in Service Areas
• Gay wedding your colleagues are As long as their qualifications are sufficient for the
• Bible studies Christmas likely to have a diverse job and they can perform the required tasks
party range of cultural and effectively, it is irrelevant that some of their
• Short Statured People of social backgrounds. English pronunciation may be different. In fact, it
Australia National Respect each individual is often an advantage to have people from different
Convention and receive respect in backgrounds because they may have a different
• Special Olympics return. approach to a problem, can communicate more
• Paralympics effectively and can assist overseas guests in feeling
• English as a Second more comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.
Language school function'.
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Events
Throughout their careers, Event Managers will interact with
people from all walks of life. You will be required to converse
with, understand, value and provide services for a huge range of
people.
International Experience
Importance of Teamwork
The TH&E industry has many
Teamwork is crucial in all circumstances and
opportunities for aspiring people to gain
it is the successful interaction of the
experience in a variety of workplaces. One
different players that make the team more
of the major drawcards is the
effective. Customer service provision is
international nature of the industry and
enriched by the different life experiences of
the opportunity to work overseas. Always
the team members. Colleagues with a
remember – if you work overseas then it
physical disability or diverse cultural
will be you with the different cultural
background may have personal experiences
background!
in dealing with diversity issues, resulting in
better outcomes for the customer.
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Front-of-House
Working in front-of-house you will greet many people from all parts of the world. Consider the different
backgrounds, needs and customs they may have. If you expect a large tour group from overseas, a quick check on
the Internet will show you some of their menu items or social etiquette. For example, Japanese tourists like to eat
miso soup and rice for breakfast, so it would not be appropriate to serve them bacon and eggs, or vegemite on toast.
Before the tour group arrives, compile a file of relevant information about the country of origin, engage an
interpreter service if required, practise the correct pronunciation of guest names, find out the contact details of local
cultural organisations and have the contact details of their embassy on hand. Go to www.dfat.gov.au or
www.safetravel.govt.nz for detailed information on foreign countries.
Always remember that all customers contribute to your wage packet. It helps to put yourself in their shoes and
imagine some of the challenges you would face if you were to travel through a foreign country. Imagine if you were
in Korea and had to deal with the language and Korean script Han-gul! Treat people from other countries with
respect and do not belittle them just because their English is not fluent.
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Front-of-House
In front-of-house you will have colleagues from a wide range of countries and you need to understand their varying
backgrounds and customs. Their approach to work is often steeped in cultural beliefs and influenced by their
upbringing. As long as their qualifications are sufficient for the job and they can perform the required tasks
effectively, it is irrelevant that some of their English pronunciation may be different. In fact, it is often an advantage
to have people from different backgrounds in front-of-house jobs because they may have a different approach to a
problem or can assist overseas guests to feel more comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.
Teamwork is crucial in all circumstances and it is the successful interaction of the different players that makes the
team more effective. Customer service provision is enriched by the different life experiences of the team members.
Colleagues with a physical disability or diverse cultural background may have personal experiences in dealing with
diverse issues, resulting in better outcomes for the customer.
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Cultural Eating and Drinking Customs
Service staff receive requests including country-specific snacks, particular cuts of meat and different cooking styles.
Cultural ignorance on the part of staff can be the difference between happy and disgruntled customers. Members of staff
can unintentionally offend and be unconscious of the hurt. Some things seen to be appropriate in one culture are impolite
or offensive in another. These issues can also occur when working with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds,
resulting in an unpleasant working environment and atmosphere.
People expect to be treated as individuals and it is generally not appropriate to assume that a person has the same likes and
dislikes as her/his group. However, in the hospitality industry it is often necessary to make assumptions about people in
order to provide good service. For example, there is a dinner booking for a group of 50 people from Saudi Arabia and the
function coordinator is asked to recommend food and beverages for them. A professional hospitality person assumes that
this group of people are Muslims (because Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country) and therefore would not recommend pork
dishes or alcoholic beverages because Muslims don't eat pork or drink alcohol. Therefore in this case stereotyping was not
only acceptable but actually expected.
It is vital for professional wait staff to be familiar with the more important eating and drinking customs of people from
different cultural backgrounds
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Cookery
Cookery in Australia draws from a wide variety of cultures, therefore a mixture of employees is desirable, as they can
contribute new ideas and concepts. Many kitchens around the world are a "melting pot" of different cultures and
backgrounds. Regardless of their backgrounds, however, all team members must understand the desired quality of the
product and the presentation required. This is achieved through adequate training and using Standard Operating
Procedures (SOP).
Discrimination in the kitchen used to be quite commonplace:
• The majority of chefs were male

• The language used was often obscene and abusive
• Mistreatment and harassment of staff was used as a way to 'toughen them up' for the industry
• The use of modern technology and equipment has reduced the amount of hot, hard, heavy physical labour
This is now changing and a much larger proportion of workers are female.
Under the legislation, you can be prosecuted and held liable if found guilty of breaches of the Act.
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Working in a Socially Diverse Environment in Cookery
Remember to make new staff feel welcome. Respect the individual and
receive respect in return. The new staff member is part of your team and
contributes to the efficient running of the operation. Some people belittle
the contributions made by staff who fulfil operational roles, such as kitchen
hands or cleaners. If these staff do not perform their tasks, you would have
to do it yourself!
There are still some inappropriate industry habits that need to be changed
and you can actively contribute to this process. Some chefs refer to kitchen
hands as 'dish pigs'. This derogatory term not only puts the person down but
shows a severe lack of management skills on behalf of the chef. Initially,
many new migrants seek jobs as kitchen hands as they are readily available.
You may find that these people have university degrees and are working in
hospitality until they receive recognition of their qualifications, or improve
their language skills.
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Leading a Socially Diverse Workplace
As a Manager you will be responsible for the actions in the
workplace. If you set a bad example of discrimination then the
other people in the workplace will think that it is acceptable to
be discriminatory. If you set a good example by respecting the
cultural diversity in the workplace, then your employees will
follow suit.
The best leaders provide a role model for others through their
actions. Being a role model involves quite a bit of
responsibility, as you are directly influencing the moral and
ethical standards of others. This can be a burden but it can also
be an opportunity. Being a role model is an opportunity to help
others become better people.
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Getting to Know Your Staff
Show Respect
Showing that you respect them, their cultural origins, will allow them to feel they are a valued part of the workforce.
Communicate
Take the time to talk to your staff members as this will set an example for the rest of your staff.
Don't Encourage Segregation
Taking the time to talk to staff and understand them will allow you to help them fit in. Seeing that the Manager has time
and respect for the person will indicate to the rest of the staff that they should have time and respect for them too. You
should avoid prying into personal details as this will only serve to alienate the individual. Try asking general questions
that apply to the situation at hand. If the person has previous experience in the industry, then encouraging them to share
their experiences will help to foster understanding of different cultures.
React to Individual Situations

Standard methods of dealing with people will not always apply to everyone. People from different cultural backgrounds
will have different pressures on them from outside the workplace and will also react differently to pressures from inside
the workplace. Being able to anticipate problems or how staff members will react to situations will increase your ability to
manage effectively.
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Using Diversity as an Asset
Rather than being seen as a potential problem in the workplace, diversity should be seen as an asset. In today's multicultural
society, both staff and customers will come from a vast array of cultural backgrounds. Particularly in the customer service
areas, cultural diversity has very real benefits.
In large cities there is often a need for service staff who speak many languages. While many tourists have at least
rudimentary skills in the local language, often they are not skilled enough to read particular documentation. New Zealand is
famed for its adventure sports and many enthusiasts and tourists will engage in some of the more dangerous activities. Each
of these activities has terms and conditions regarding duty of care associated with it, which are required by Law to be read
and understood. If there are service staff able to assist in translating the risks and requirements, then the customer service
process will flow much more smoothly.
Other times there may be a medical condition that staff need to be aware of. This type of information is not often easily
translated, so having a speaker of the language can be of great help. When attempting to make international bookings, it can
be hard to get an informative answer if the person at the other end does not speak the same language. Pick-up times and
locations can easily get confused if the communication between the parties is poor.
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Maximising Your Customers Comfort
Staff with different cultural backgrounds can provide benefits in
other areas as well. People of different backgrounds tend to have
various approaches to problem-solving, for example. Including
people with a variety of cultural backgrounds might result in different
or unusual solutions that you would not have considered. Older
workers will have experienced many different situations and cultural
shifts; and will have a wealth of experience to draw upon.
When you are conducting business negotiations or strengthening

relationships it often helps if a member of staff with the same cultural
background is involved. Particularly internationally, there can be
cultural prejudices which result in people treating businesses or
products from other countries with suspicion. If they see that
someone from their own culture is involved with the business, then
the suspicions are more easily dispelled.
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Reflecting Social Diversity
It is a good idea to try and reflect the diversity in society in the diversity of your workplace. This may not always be
possible, due to factors such as certain ethnic groups gravitating towards certain jobs or roles, or immigrants from
countries with low socioeconomic standards choosing lower paying jobs such as kitchen hands.
In order to maintain a good reflection of society in your workforce you will need to keep up-to-date with trends in
cultural diversity. Although Australia has a very tight immigration policy and does not take in very many refugees, it is
still affected by international situations. In recent years there has been an increase in immigrants from African nations,
which traditionally is not a very well represented source of immigration. Previously there was large immigration from
Eastern European countries. It will become increasingly important to be able to deal effectively with the changes in
society and therefore in the customer profile.
Many businesses deliberately hire staff with the ability to communicate with different guests. Airlines, for example,
often recruit people who speak the language of their major destinations. Flight attendants wear flags next to their name
badges to indicate the languages that they can speak.
Regardless of people's ethnic or cultural extraction, working in the TH&E industry will require you to accept, promote
and cope with cultural diversity and its issues.
page
Benefits of a Socially Diverse Workplace More Interesting Place to Work
Reduction in Skills Shortages Life would be boring if we were all the same!
In recent years the Australian government has Diverse work environments mean that staff are
sought overseas labour to help fill skills exposed to new ways of doing things, a variety
shortages in particular industries, including of opinions and beliefs, different technical skills
Hospitality, cookery and bakery. International and different ways of life. This may not only
staff bring a diverse pool of talent to a enrich their vocation but also their personal life
Improved Customer
business, a different perspective on how to do Service
things and they may even provide skills not Service delivery is
locally available International Trade Opportunities
enhanced when staff
TH&E businesses can use diversity as a
can understand and
way of tapping into overseas markets by
Increased Productivity communicate
utilising the language, international
Staff who feel that they are in an inclusive skilfully with
experience and cultural understanding of
environment and that their cultural identities customers from
staff to develop export opportunities
are valued are happier, more motivated, less diverse backgrounds
likely to leave an organisation and can work For more information go to
freely to achieve their full potential www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au
page
Using Diversity to Enhance the Business' Image
The diversity of your staff can actually be used to generate help
create a positive image for your business. By hiring and
encouraging people from a range of backgrounds, you are
actively contributing to the acceptance of a multicultural
society. Large corporations freely publicise their diversity
policies to make it clear that they embrace people from all
walks of life. Advertising campaigns often utilise a range of
people in their imagery to help portray the diversity of the
business.
Businesses often promote their diversity internally as well in

order to help build the corporate culture and to encourage
acceptance of others among staff. Newsletters, bulletins, staff
meetings and other forums can be used to keep the issue at
the forefront of peoples' minds.
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Imagine Education Australia Pty Ltd | CRICOS 02695C | RTO 31302 # 41
Recognising Diversity Issues in the Workplace
Diversity-related issues that you will have to deal with as a Manager will result from clashes of culture and
communication hurdles. Different cultures have different belief structures so what is acceptable in one culture may not
be acceptable in another. People who speak different languages may have a hard time understanding each other, which
can lead to frustration and anger. Many prejudices are culturally entrenched, due to geographical conflict, religious
differences, fear, ignorance and lack of understanding.
Some issues can become complex. For example, a Muslim chef may not touch or taste pork dishes and serving alcohol
may cause an issue for some staff. It is possible to work around these issues by putting staff on a different section, or
sharing these tasks with colleagues who have no objection to doing them.
Other issues may be solved by educating the involved parties, but some issues may never be completely solvable.
Many workplace conflicts can be attributed to pressures from outside the workplace. In these instances, your focus
should be on working with the people to make the workplace a harmonious one, rather than trying to solve the root
cause
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Resolving Diversity Issues in the Workplace
As a Manager, you are responsible for dealing with any
problems in the workplace, including problems stemming from
diversity. You will need to use your people management and
conflict resolution skills. Extra discretion will be needed, as the
conflicts arising from cultural diversity can involve deep
personal sentiments.
As with any problem, the best way to deal with it is to remove

the problem before it occurs.
Setting a good example has been discussed previously and this

is one way of helping to prevent intolerance or discrimination.
You may also institute discussions of diversity into your staff
training regimes to help foster awareness and tolerance in the
workplace. Some individuals may require special attention in
order to prevent a possible problem.
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Racism, Harassment and Bullying Bullying
Physically abusing or threatening abuse
Racism Using aggressive or obscene language
prejudicial, discriminatory or offensive behaviour based Making belittling remarks
on differences in race, colour, descent or ethnic origin. Telling or sending offensive jokes/emails
Racism can be direct and deliberate. Indirect racism treats Making fun of someone's accent or name
everyone in the same way, but has a racist effect, e.g. Refusing to work with staff from a different culture
implementing a workplace uniform policy which requires Excluding/isolating particular members of staff
female employees to wear a certain skirt. If this type of Participating in initiation ceremonies
policy contravenes EEO laws, then the policy will have to Displaying or distributing racist or other
be changed. discriminatory material
Deliberately modifying rosters to inconvenience
Harassment certain people
Harassment is a broad term that covers any actions Intruding on a staff member's privacy by spying or
or conduct that causes another person to feel stalking. The costs of workplace discrimination can
uncomfortable, intimidated, humiliated or offended. be seen in lost productivity, low morale, personal
There can be many reasons for harassment and it can stress, reputation loss and diminished service.
occur in any workplace, to any person. Harassment
is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with strongly.
page
Bullying
Bullying is "the repeated less favourable treatment of a person by another or others in the workplace, which may be
considered unreasonable and inappropriate workplace practice. It includes behaviour that intimidates, offends, degrades
or humiliates a worker."
Bullying is often done by groups of people or individuals who hold some type of power over others, however it is not
limited to these situations. Bullying may be done by men or women, managers, supervisors or co-workers. Bullying
behaviour can be obvious or subtle, verbal, physical or psychological.
• Physical or verbal abuse
• Yelling, screaming or offensive language
• Excluding or isolating employees
• Psychological harassment
• Intimidation
• Assigning meaningless tasks unrelated to the job
• Giving employees impossible jobs
• Deliberately changed work rosters to inconvenience particular employees
• Undermining work performance by deliberately withholding information vital for effective work performance.
Under WHS legislation every worker has a right to a safe and healthy workplace. This includes freedom from being
harassed and bullied, due to the significant and severe damage that bullying can do to individuals.
page
Bullying
As a manager, you must not take part in, ignore, encourage or condone any
racist, harassing or antisocial behaviour, however subtle you think it to be.
Under WHS laws, it is an employer's duty to impose harsh penalties on
people who carry out these types of activities. Depending on the severity of
the situation you could either be reprimanded internally, have your
employment terminated, or in serious cases, legal action may be instigated.
For example, 3 employees and the owner of a Melbourne café were handed
down heavy fines in relation to the suicide of another employee as a result of
systematic bullying and harassment. The owner was found guilty of failing to
provide a safe working environment and the employees were found guilty of
failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of other persons.
For more information go to the Australian Human Rights Commission

website www.humanrights.gov.au.
page
Sexual Harassment Sexual Harassment Facts
"Sexual harassment is not behaviour which is based on In 2002 HREOC published a review of sexual harassment
mutual attraction, friendship and respect. If the interaction is complaints. Some of the key findings were:
consensual, welcome and reciprocated it is not sexual •86% of complaints involved a man harassing a woman
harassment." •95% of complainants were female
It is unlawful for a person to be victimised for making, or •71% of complaints involved verbal harassment, 37%
proposing to make, a complaint of sexual harassment to the involved physical intimacy and 23% involved sexual
Australian Human Rights Commission. physical behaviour
It’s illegal to harass another person sexually. Any behaviour that •22% of cases had continued for more than 12 months
is sexual in nature and causes another person discomfort can be •In 72% of cases harassment began in the first year of
deemed sexual harassment. employment and 51% in the first 4 months
• Distributing or displaying sexually explicit material •60% of complaints were against more senior employees e.g.
• Staring or leering, Wolf whistling Managers
• Unwanted touching, hugging, slapping or pinching •Financial compensation received varied between $500 and
• Intrusive questioning $200,000, mostly paid by the employer.
• Repeated unwanted sexual invitations and badgering In many cases, employers are found to be at least partially at
• Sexually explicit phone calls or text messages inside and fault, due to a lack of training, education and proper
outside of work procedures.
• Stalking, Indecent exposure, Sexual assault.
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Encouraging Acceptance of Diversity
It is not realistic to expect that all workplaces will welcome all people with open arms. Often there is a need for a
business to be proactive in encouraging diversity, explaining its importance and helping staff to accept people who are
"different".
It is therefore important for a business to foster respect for all people within the workplace. In order to help foster a
welcoming workplace and to prevent problems occurring, many businesses Institute training programs specifically to
address how to work with people from various backgrounds. Even if there are no problems identified, it may still be a
good idea to implement training programs for general awareness.
Some of the types of training programs that may be appropriate include:
•Cultural competency training
•Culturally-specific training
•Diversity training
•Equal opportunity training
•Ethics training
•Grievance management training
•Human rights training
•Recruitment and selection training
•Workplace bullying, discrimination or harassment training.
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BSBDIV501 Manage Diversity in the Workplace 12,16,17
Dealing With a Discrimination Complaint
If you receive a complaint regarding bullying, racial vilification, sexual harassment, violence or other forms of
discrimination, you will need to investigate it formally. Where possible, appoint someone who has dealt
successfully with a similar situation to take charge of the investigation. There may be serious legal ramifications and
responsibilities so it is essential that your business deals with claims immediately, responsibly and correctly.
There are 2 ways a complaint may be lodged and handled:

• Within the workplace, following the guidelines and procedures in place
• Involving a government agency such as an Anti-discrimination Board.
Under federal and state legislation, such as anti-discrimination, EEO and WHS, employers have a legal responsibility
to ensure that workplaces are safe from harm, including psychological hazards. Bullying, harassment and
discrimination are all considered psychological injuries. An employer can be held liable for any unlawful
workplace behaviour unless they can prove that all reasonable steps have been implemented to avert unlawful
behaviour. That is why record-keeping is necessary.
page
Dealing With a Discrimination Complaint
Employees should understand what is unlawful workplace behaviour and who to inform, persons in authority they
should speak to and alternative steps to take if they’re not happy with the outcome.
• The person investigating should have a senior role in the business. It is illegal and highly unethical to pressure
the claimant, the defendant or the investigator. Any possibility of a cover-up or favouritism towards a party
could be extremely detrimental to your business.
• Your first step should be to removing the possibility of the actions occurring again in the future. Offer the
complainant assistance, ask for the complaint to be put into writing and learn the relevant policies, procedures,
personal records and legislation governing the type of complaint and how to deal with it.
• Interview the complainant in a private to ensure confidentiality.
• Ask for any witnesses of the alleged incident and what outcome is desired.
• Interview the defendant and ask the same questions. If witnesses are provided then you should interview them
and ask for their version of events. You will need to review the facts and make a recommendation for further
action.
If the parties are satisfied with the outcomes then the matter should be dropped. If the parties do not come to an
agreement or are not satisfied, then the matter could proceed to the next stages. Conciliation or arbitration can be
used and if that is not successful then the matter may proceed to a tribunal or Court of Law.
page
CONTACT DETAILS
EMAIL
info@imagineeducation.com.au
VISIT OUR WEBSITE

www.imagineeducation.com.au
PHONE US
Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5pm AEST
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BSBDIV501 Manage Diversity in the Workplace

Religion Number of People

By offering some basic training in cultural awareness, language

• The majority of chefs were male

React to Individual Situations

When you are conducting business negotiations or strengthening

Businesses often promote their diversity internally as well in

As with any problem, the best way to deal with it is to remove

Setting a good example has been discussed previously and this

For more information go to the Australian Human Rights Commission

There are 2 ways a complaint may be lodged and handled:

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5pm AEST

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