Managing Diversity

Write an executive report of 4–5 pages that analyzes the role of diversity in an underperforming community program, unit, or department, and outline a plan for providing ongoing training on cultural awareness, inclusion, and sensitivity to current employees.

Questions to Consider When Writing:

• How well does the workforce within your organization reflect the diversity of the community?
• Are the needs of the community well served by the organization?
• Have you ever observed or experienced situations of prejudice or bias by a coworker? How did you respond to the situation?

Report Content

• Outline a plan to recruit, hire, and retain a more diverse workforce. Note: Your outline should be a high-level overview of a plan, not a detailed plan. Other courses in your program will go into human resource practices and diversity in depth. In drafting your plan, consider the following questions:
  • How does a leader develop a diverse workforce?
  • Where will you look for more diverse employees? Will you post job ads?
  • What will the interviewing and hiring process look like? Who will do the interviewing? Who will make the final decisions?
  • What kind of incentives will you offer diverse employees to retain them? What do you need to know about the culture and values of diverse employees before developing a retention plan?
  • How will you address issues related to diversity that result in conflict?
• Outline a plan for the ongoing training and professional development of existing staff in cultural awareness and sensitivity. Consider how your plan can:
  • Improve communications and interpersonal skills.
  • Help overcome bias and resistance to change.
• Explain the benefits, to both the organization and the community it serves, of having a diverse and culturally competent workforce.
  • Explain the relationship between health care organizations and communities.
  • Explain the role that diversity plays in providing culturally competent care and access for the under-served in a community.
• Determine the influence of effective leadership on the development of a diverse and culturally competent workforce.
  • Explain the importance of cultural competence for leaders in an organization.
• Explain how the academic and research skills you develop as a practitioner-scholar can serve you in your role as an effective health care leader.
  • Explain how those skills might contribute to your credibility and effectiveness as a leader.
  • Explain how those skills might prepare you to lead a diverse workforce.

References

Wynne, R. (2012). Defining diversity. BizEd, 11(1), 32–34.

Benefits of a Diverse Workforce

• Downey, S. N., Werff, L., Thomas, K. M., & Plaut, V. C. (2015). The role of diversity practices and inclusion in promoting trust and employee engagement. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 45(1), 35–44.
• Jackson, C. S., & Gracia, J. N. (2014). Addressing health and health-care disparities: The role of a diverse workforce and the social determinants of health. Public Health Reports, 129(Suppl 2), 57–61.

Leading for Diversity and Cultural Competence

These resources examine the impact of leadership diversity and cultural competence to improve quality health care delivery.

• Dotson, E., Nuru-Jeter, A., & Brooks-Williams, D. (2012). Setting the stage for a business case for leadership diversity in healthcare: History, research, and leverage. Journal of Healthcare Management, 57(1), 35–44.
• Wesley, Y. (2015). Leadership competencies to reduce health disparities. Nursing Management, 46(2), 51–53.
• Dreachslin, J. L., Weech-Maldonado, R., Gail, J., Epané, J. P., & Wainio, J. A. (2017). Blueprint for sustainable change in diversity management and cultural competence: Lessons from the national center for healthcare leadership diversity demonstration project. Journal of Healthcare Management, 62(3), 171–185.
• Gotsis, G., & Grimani, K. (2016). Diversity as an aspect of effective leadership: Integrating and moving forward. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 37(2), 241–264.

Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce

This resource address diversity practices in health care settings.

• Flores, K., & Combs, G. (2013). Minority representation in healthcare: Increasing the number of professionals through focused recruitment. Hospital Topics, 91(2), 25–36.

Training Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity

These resources examine the impact of cultural and sensitivity training in health care settings.

• Dabney, K., McClarin, L., Romano, E., Fitzgerald, D., Bayne, L., Oceanic, P., … Holmes, L., Jr. (2016). Cultural competence in pediatrics: Health care provider knowledge, awareness, and skills. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(1), 1–10.
• Debiasi, L. B., & Selleck, C. S. (2017). Cultural competency training for primary care nurse practitioners: An intervention to increase culturally competent care. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 24(2), 39–45.
• Mareno, N., & Hart, P. L. (2014). Cultural competency among nurses with undergraduate and graduate degrees: Implications for nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 35(2), 83–88.

Research and Diversity

• Holck, L., Muhr, S. L., & Villesèche, F. (2016). Identity, diversity and diversity management: On theoretical connections, assumptions and implications for practice. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 35(1), 48–64.
• Nguyen, S. (2014). The critical role of research in diversity training: How research contributes to an evidence-based approach to diversity training. Development and Learning in Organizations, 28(4), 15–17.