Last issue we talked about Imus, Dog, and supervisors who are “diversity dinosaurs.” But how about the case where your dinosaur is also your best producer? Here’s help from a program that can keep the productivity, while losing the negative attitudes.
Initially, it sounds like a difficult choice—your rules on discrimination and harassment or your top producer. But when you look at the downside of keeping dinosaurs around, the decision is not hard: Dinosaurs have to modify their behavior or leave.
Here’s what you face if they stay, and continue their offensive ways:
–Lawsuits. It’s not if, but when. Either a co-worker will say “I’ve had enough” and file a charge, or you’ll take adverse action against someone and they will sue, blaming their problem on the dinosaur.
No matter how justified that action, it’s going to be hard to defend your dinosaur. Charges like “He didn’t promote me because he won’t promote women” or “She fired me because I refused her invitations” or “He demeans members of my race” aren’t going to sit well with a jury, no matter what the other facts of the case.
Bad publicity. These suits often hit the airwaves—and the Internet. By the way, remember that old saying, any publicity is good publicity? Try telling that to companies that have been boycotted by customers and inundated with government inspectors.
Low morale. Morale is bound to dip when everyone sees no discipline for superstars. When employees view policies as a sham, they simply lose interest.
Low productivity. Low productivity follows low morale like a caboose. Disenchanted workers just won’t put in the extra effort required to maintain top productivity.
What to Do?
Train, train, train, the experts advise.
Make sure everyone in your company knows the new rules on diversity and workplace behavior. Make it clear that management expects compliance.
The key to success is, of course, good training materials. And inexpensive wouldn’t be bad either.
BLR’s Audio Click ’n Train: Diversity—Legal Basics for Supervisors uses both PowerPoint® slides and a soundtrack to help you reprogram your last-century managers. Read more
One program that’s both is BLR’s Audio Click ’n Train: Diversity—Legal Basics for Supervisors. It uses PowerPoint slides and a professionally recorded audio soundtrack to impart its lessons and make them stick.
Here are some practical steps that Audio Click ’n Train: Diversity—Legal Basics for Supervisors advises your managers take to ease the human relationships that keep business humming:
–Learn employee names. Use them frequently when you work together to give a personal touch that shows that you recognize each employee’s individuality.
–Show interest in co-workers. When time permits, go beyond the job at hand. Ask about others’ cultural celebrations or traditions.
–Never assume stereotypes about specific groups of people. You wouldn’t appreciate co-workers assuming something about you.
–Use discussion guidelines at meetings. Guidelines help keep everyone on topic and avoid potentially exclusive behavior that keeps minorities out of the discussion.
–Avoid personal attacks and comments of a derogatory nature. Supervisors need to deal with any personal attacks that they witness or have reported to them immediately.
What’s it worth to get rid of your dinosaurs? How about less than $150? Do it with BLR’s Audio Click ’n Train: Diversity—Legal Basics for Supervisors. Click to learn more.
–Don’t guess co-workers’ identities. Don’t assume the identity or racial affiliation of any individual. Don’t look at skin tone or hair type to categorize people. In fact, don’t categorize them at all!
–Learn—and use—acceptable terms. Say “people with disabilities,” for example, instead of “handicapped.”
–Look at co-workers’ abilities—not their disabilities.
And always think inclusive—not exclusive.
Imparting such advice to all on your management and supervisory team is the objective of Audio Click ’n Train: Diversity—Legal Basics for Supervisors. We highly recommend this program and suggest that you click the link below for more information or to order—satisfaction assured.