A Local and Global Perspective on Diversity

Diversity at Work: Diversity and Inclusion

With consultants in over 30 countries, ITAP understands that the perspective on and manner in which we deal with diversity on a local lever differs. In Europe, for example, ITAP serves organizations for whom diversity is often about “them,” and the diversity challenge lies in the tension between an older population and more recent migrants. Open borders within the European Union has resulted in greatly changed demographic makeup of communities. Dealing with this requires diversity expertise. Clients in Europe typically seek to get along better with “them,” and improve communication and collaboration.

In Canada and the USA, diversity and inclusion are commonly thought of as building upon the legal framework of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity which define certain “protected classes.” In the US, diversity work is often a compliance issue focused to protect the rights or the workers could be disadvantaged or discriminated against due to gender, age, sexual orientation, race or ethnic background.

While different perspectives on diversity exist between the US and Europe, it should be noted that there are diversity compliance issues in Europe and an extensive need for cross-cultural awareness in American work settings.

Organizations turn to ITAP with a variety of diversity and inclusion needs. ITAP’s approach is to link these needs to specific business goals. Drawing on a comprehensive range experience, ITAP applies leading-edge diversity and inclusion methods and technologies to help clients:

• Increase productivity and innovation to meet the needs of existing customers
• Expand their customer base to include distinct populations and demographic groups
• Strengthen internal and external communication and collaboration
• Promote employees on the basis of merit and performance
• Avoid discrimination and legal penalties
• Improve the recruitment and retention of under-represented groups

ITAP works with all types of organizations including:

• Large and Mid-sized businesses
• Government agencies
• Law enforcement
• School districts
• Hospitals and long-term care facilities

To make D&I initiatives sustainable, ITAP always ensures alignment with organizational goals. This is a foundational component of ITAP’s D&I practice. ITAP helps organizations create an inclusive workplace in which all stakeholders work together towards common goals or business outcomes. Diversity and inclusion are about the mix of similarities and differences in the workforce, taking into account human attributes. Clients seek interventions to improve operating results and manage their reputation by building cooperation and collaboration. The diversity intervention typically focuses on creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes the contribution of all employees, both regardless of, and because of their cultural identity.

ITAP's Local Diversity and Inclusion service description continues below. However, if you would rather schedule a meeting with one of our diversity experts, just fill out this form.

ITAP's Research-based Tools for Diversity

ITAP supports its diversity and inclusion practice with unique tools and processes that are research-based and vetted and reliable across cultures. ITAP’s proprietary tools can be used to diagnose and resolve diversity challenges. For example:

ITAP’s competency tools ensure that organizations have the right people with the right skills in the right jobs. Organizations identify capability gaps at the individual level, and then aggregate this data to identify gaps at the job, team and organizational levels. The capability data can be likened to a map, or a blueprint. Based on the blueprint, ITAP draws up a plan broaden and deepen the talent pool available to the business - facilitating “career pathing,” internal mobility and transferability across functions and departments. This helps avoid discrimination and legal penalties and increases productivity.

The Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire™ (CWQ) is used to:

• Identify cultural preferences within and across groups
• Uncover similarities among people who consider themselves different
• Define differences in a non-judgmental vocabulary
• Identify behaviors and skills that help people bridge and leverage differences

The CWQ is particularly useful for organizations with employees, partners, or customers from more than one national cultural group. It may also be very helpful with extremely-diverse domestic organizations. The instrument builds sensitivity to cultural differences and provides a framework for people to develop skills in communicating and working effectively with, and understanding the needs of, people from cultures other than their own.

The Global Team Process Questionnaire™ (GTPQ) and the Organizational Team Process Questionnaire™ (OTPQ) measure human processes on global or domestic teams. They provide a baseline for the team’s current state of human process interactions. Against that baseline, companies can measure change, identify areas for improvement, compare results to industry averages, and eliminate barriers to high performance.