Cultural Change Initiative : Timely, A Non Profit Organization

Regardless of how diversity is defined, it is an issue that is sweeping the nation. By the 21st century, racial and ethnic minorities will constitute 25% of the U.S. population, affecting the makeup of the U.S. labor force (7). By the year 2000, women will constitute 47% of the total workforce and the average age of the workforce is expected to increase from 36 in 1986 to age 39 (7). If the corporate society does not address the issue by learning how to manage diversity, they will fail.

The artifact allowed me to gain knowledge in the approaches of diversity leadership issues. Thomas (1995) offers eight basic leadership responses as an approach to diversity. The foster mutual adaption response approach, “…unequivocally endorses diversity” (Thomas, 1995, p. 251). Thomas (1995) states that under this approach, “…the parties involved accept and understand differences and diversity, recognizing full well that those realities may call for adaption on the part of all components of the whole” (p. 251). Thomas (1995) purposes a diversity framework be used to as a, “… point of departure for evolving a framework to guide managers in making decisions regarding diversity mixtures of all kinds” (p. 252). The framework processes revolve around three objectives for leadership as recognize diversity mixtures present, decide whether a response is required, and select an appropriate response or blended response (Thomas,

As nonprofit boards have the responsibility of solving complex issues and a diverse array of problems it would be auspicious to ensure boards employ individuals with a diverse backgrounds/points of view to arrive at creative solutions. Unfortunately, that is not happening in board rooms across the social sector. BoardSource, the recognized leader in nonprofit board leadership, conducts a biannual study, Leading with Intent: A National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices. The study gathers information from chief executive officers and board chairs about board practices, performance, and composition. According to BoardSource 2015 Leading with Intent report of nonprofit boards, 89% of CEOs identified as white. When surveyed again in 2017, the statistic remained the same, 89% of CEOs identified as white. This suggest a lack of diversity within nonprofit boards and the process to change will be slow.

Three ways of gaining executive commitment to diversity are to gather data and to assess the organizations current commitment to diversity to show where and why there is a need for change. The development of diversity council can also garner executive support because it offers a way for executive members of an organization to have a dialog with other members of an organization about diversity. Systematic changes are also necessary such as hiring from a diverse roster of candidates when filling a position. (Moodian, 2009,

I have learned that it is important that educators  and health providers be trained on cultural competency to understand the population they are serving. Marks, Sims, and Osher (King, Sims, & Osher, n.d.) define cultural competency  as a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enables that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross–cultural situations" ( as cited in Cross et al., 1989; Isaacs & Benjamin, 1991). Health providers and educators should investigate demographic patterns or trends in the place where they live and work. This brings awareness of the types of cultures that they might come across when they are working with people. Organizations should integrate and implement policies that promote the value of  diversity, self-assessment, manage the dynamics of difference, acquire and institutionalize cultural knowledge, and adapt to diversity and the cultural contexts of communities they serve (Georgetown  University, 2004). Georgetown University (2004) also stresses that culture competency grows gradually and is always open for improvement.

P5 Review the methods used by public services to ensure they have a diverse workforce

The target of this paper is to explore the strategic diversity plan of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ' (VA) with an end goal of supporting its efficacy. Accordingly, this paper organizes this exploration into three correlating sections, the first of which presents an overview of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) within the VA. In addition, this area summarizes the VA diversity plan, created by the ODI. Next, the second exploration section outlines specific focus areas as defined in the Standard University Publication Best Practices for Managing Organizational Diversity (2007). The third and final segment offers a concluding synopsis of this analysis and proposes remedies for the gaps. In conjunction, this paper includes appendices which serve as informative supplements with relevant exhibits of the documents used in this research. First, appendix “A” contains the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan FY 2012 – 2016, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Quarterly Progress and Accomplishment Report Template – FY 2012, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report – FY 2014, and the VA Strategic Plan FY 2014 – 2020. Second, appendix “B” includes the mission, vision, values and goals of the ODI, as well as an illustration of their organizational chart. Third, appendix “C” provides the Pew Research Center graphical data on the United States population. Fourth, appendix “D” consists of the veteran population graphical data from the National Center for Veterans

Healthcare managers are responsible for ensuring that their organization has a plan or strategy that is geared toward eradicating health inequality through cultural competency. Best practices are of utmost importance in assuring cultural proficiency. Buchbinder and Shanks (2012) outlined these practices in their textbook Introduction to Healthcare Management: a diverse workforce, leadership and organizational culture that fosters cultural competence as well as human resource policies which do the same, appropriate training/education for all employees, linguistic services and materials, systems capable of tracking data with regards to health outcomes, and responding to and engaging the community (p. 321). Additionally, a Commonwealth Fund study provided a list of actions that diversity leadership should adhere to in accordance with the National Standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards. Aside from employing a culturally diverse staff and patient services and regular re-evaluations of goals, healthcare leaders engage and report their progress to diversity goals the community (Dreachslin, 2008). Inasmuch as cultures change and evolve, it is suggested that cultural competence training be an ongoing process and that organizational policy and strategic plans be reassessed periodically for effectiveness (Buchbinder & Shanks, 2012). Time, revenue, and energy spent in interventions that do not bring the desired results is not

Furthermore, Ms. Dixon serves currently as the Interim Chair for the Diversity Staff Alliance. Prior to this position, Ms. Dixon served as Office Coordinator for the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement at ECU. Additionally, she worked previously at ECU’s Ledonia Wright Cultural Center as the Program Assistant. Ms. Dixon is a graduate of Liberty University's School of Business with a Master of Arts in Business Management and Leadership. Ms. Dixon is also a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in African American Studies.

At Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH) at All Saints, we celebrated diversity week in June of this year. The Café featured a meal from a different culture each day. Then, in the main atrium, a culture map was hung with push pins available to mark the country of a person’s heritage. Later, an employee could choose to complete a puzzle related to diversity in health care. The completed puzzle could be turned in to Human Resources (HR), and the employee would be entered in a drawing for a prize. Another activity for the employees was Bingo. The card had quotes and trivia about diversity and were handed to employees to complete. Once the card was finished, the card was turned into HR. At that time, the employee was entered a drawing. Briefly, these activities demonstrate how BSWH at All Saints is actively educating the staff and others in the different cultures surrounding our hospital. In essence, the exercises focus on the positive aspects of the different cultural groups. This was a fun and enjoyment way of learning about the cultural and traditions of different groups of people. The atrium was filled with excitement and interaction with people. Incidentally, hospital administration was present during the festivities.

When the institutionalization of cultural knowledge and the adaption of diversity is implemented, an organization can provide education services that are created from the understanding of various cultures in which they work and learn, and can provide better adaptation and services to diverse individuals (de Felice, Martucci & Schirone,

Cultural shapes how individuals experience the world around them. These experiences are a vital component of how services are both delivered and received. Gladding (2012) describes three key aspects of a multicultural leader. The first key aspect is to be aware of a diverse population and the effect on group work interventions (Gladding, 2012). To better facilitate a multicultural group, a leader

Today’s management in the workforce is composed of all types of people verses thirty years ago when white males held a majority of upper-management positions in companies. These positions are now held by a mixture of ethnic back grounds and women who hold just as many if not more management positions then men. Just by looking at the changes in management demographics shows how important it is for people to understand cultural competency in the workplace. Dr. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. (1999) stated, “Diversity is the collective mixture of whomever we have in our workforce characterized by their differences and similarities” (p.11). Managers and supervisors must understand the characteristics of a diversity mature individual; they also need to be

Most people assume that workplace diversity is about increasing racial, national, gender, or class representation -- in other words, recruiting and retaining more people from traditionally underrepresented "identity groups." Taking this commonly held assumption as a starting point, we set out six years ago to investigate its link to organizational effectiveness. We soon found that thinking of diversity simply in terms of identity-group representation inhibited effectiveness. Organizations usually take one of two paths in managing diversity. In the name of equality and fairness, they encourage (and expect) women and people of color to blend in. Or they set them apart in jobs that relate specifically to their backgrounds, assigning them, for example, to areas that require them to interface with clients or customers of the same identity group. African American M.B.A. 's often find themselves marketing products to innercity communities; Hispanics frequently market to Hispanics or work for Latin American subsidiaries. In those kinds of cases, companies are operating on the assumption that the main virtue identity groups have to offer is a knowledge of their own people. This assumption is limited -- and limiting -- and detrimental to diversity efforts. What we suggest here is that diversity goes beyond increasing the number of different identity-group affiliations on the payroll to recognizing that such an effort is merely the first step in managing a diverse workforce for the

population. Companies need to focus on diversity and look for ways to become totally inclusive organizations because diversity has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages (SHRM, 1995). Stephen G. Butler, co-chair of the Business-Higher Education Forum, believes that diversity is an invaluable competitive asset that America cannot afford to ignore (Robinson, 2002). Managing and valuing diversity is a key component of effective people management, which can improve workplace productivity (Black Enterprise, 2001).