Communications Workplace Diversity Question

Assignment 2: DiversityThis assignment has a number of parts. Be sure to complete all parts for full points.
Grading rubrics are at the very end of each assignment description. Please look them over
since they clarify how each assignment is graded and how to maximize your points.
Part 1: Defining Workplace Diversity
Please read the following article: The Power of Diversity in the Workplace – Lēad Blog (wordpress.com)
Adecco (2014)
Once you’ve read the article, answer the following questions:
1. Name and explain two potential benefits of workplace diversity.
2. According to this article, if four Canadian applicants are qualified for a job – Chirag
Kumar, Aaron MacKenzie , Jean-Pierre Levesque, or Li Jun – which one is most likely to
get a callback for a second interview and why?
3. Imagine you are a supervisor for a franchise that is expanding into an area of Canada
that has a large Chinese-Canadian and Indian-Canadian population. Currently, your
trade is made up of predominantly young, white men. If the company you work for
wanted to be more proactive about diversifying its workforce, how might it go about it?
The goal here is to strategize: what might work? But also consider what problems you
might run into in the process. I don’t have any specific answers in mind; I just want you
to think about how companies go about diversifying. For full credit, please write at least
three to five sentences (a full paragraph) to explain your ideas.
4. Consider your trade/occupation for a moment: is it predominantly made up of one
people group? If so, which people group? If your trade/occupation wanted to
encourage greater diversity, how could it go about it?
So, I’m not talking about a specific company or workplace, but your trade as a whole.
For example, elementary school teachers in North America tend to be women. Knowing
that, how could a teaching college encourage men to go into teaching elementary
school? As above, I don’t have any specific answers in mind; I just want you to think this
through. For full credit, please write at least three to five sentences (a full paragraph) to
explain your ideas.
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Part 2: Discuss Adichie’s Perspective on Stereotypes
Now to get into two specific kinds of diversity represented by the next two videos:
First, watch the following TED talk “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Adichie
(2009).
Then, complete the following:
1. Summarize her talk in at least three to five sentences (one paragraph) such that I can
confirm that you watched the whole thing.
2. Explain how her talk relates to the idea of workplace diversity in three to five sentences
(one paragraph). If you have trouble getting started, then consider these questions:
•
•
•
•
Why does she choose this title for her talk?
Can you think of any examples of how our perception of a people group was too
or may still be too narrow or based on stereotypes?
When in a professional setting, how could stereotypes become an issue?
What can be done about it on the Indi dual level (how can I personally avoid
letting stereotypes unfairly influence how I perceive or interact with others)?
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Part 3: Discuss Josh’s Perspective on Workplace Diversity
This next video represents another kind of diversity specifically in a workplace setting and how
people may react to it. The show is an American series airing since 2008 on ABC Primetime
called What Would You Do. The episode that we are going to watch came out in 2013 and is
about an employee with special needs being insulted by an actor to gauge how bystanders will
react (and if they will get involved). Be sure to watch all the way to the end (it’sworth it).
Then, answer the following questions:
1. What is Josh’s real job? (You’ll have to watch the video to find out.)
2. Who is Elvis?
3. Discuss any aspect of the video that interests you. Please write at least three to five
sentences (a full paragraph) and be sure that it is clear that you watched the video from
your discussion. If you have trouble getting started, these prompts may help (but are
not required):
• Did anything about people’s reactions surprise you?
• How do you think you would have reacted?
• Does this idea apply to other “minority” groups in the workplace? (Have you
seen any examples of people making assumption based on some physical
difference – perhaps gender or ethnicity – and then treating others differently?)
NOTES
How to Submit: Please create this assignment in Word (.doc or .docx) and upload to Dropbox,
which you’ll find in the menu across the top under “Assessments.”
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GRADING RUBRIC: UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT
Description
Part 1
Value
Question 1: Name (2) and explain (4) at least two benefits
6
Question 2: Who gets callback and why
2
Question 3: Consider how to diversify a company/franchise (one
paragraph)
6
Question 4: Consider diversity in your trade (one paragraph)
6
Question 1: Summarize Adichie’s talk (one paragraph)
4
Question 2: Relate it to workplace diversity (one paragraph)
6
Question 1: Name Josh’s real job
1
Question 2: Who is Elvis?
1
Question 3: Discuss video (one paragraph)
6
Format
A standard font, size, and margins have been used on this
assignment. All information (the different parts) is identified
(labeled or numbered) and easy to read (line spacing is included
between chunks).
3
Writing
Mechanics
Spelling, grammar, word choice: ½ point deducted for each error
3
Part 2
Part 3
Total
Score
44
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