GENDER RELATIONS
IN THE WORKPLACE

Miscommunication between the genders contributes to decreased productivity, harassment, discrimination, suspicion, and lost potential. 

Seminar participants will discover how, in many ways, men and women are members of different cultures. Through honest conversation and playful exercises we'll learn powerful and effective ways to improve our relationships with the other sex. We will increase our understanding of differing male and female styles of communication, the specific challenges each gender faces in the workplace, and develop a new cooperative model for team building with women and men. 
We will also:

• Discuss the differing emotional and verbal languages of men and women.
• Provide a safe, non-blaming forum to express conflicts and ask questions of one another.
• Examine hot issues, such as sexual harassment, from equally valid male/female viewpoints.
• Deepen our understanding and appreciation of unique contributions each gender offers.
• Develop a lasting process with simple techniques and guidelines that can mediate future gender conflicts before they escalate into legal issues.
   

This 1-Day program utilizes two facilitators for up to 30 participants. It is designed for women and men from all work environments, executives, managers, trainers, sales representatives, intact work teams who want to be more skilled in listening and being heard, in team-building, in resolving gender issues, and in preventing financial and human resource losses while creating a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

When all employees feel valued for who they are and the talents they bring to the workplace, the entire organization functions at a higher level of effectiveness.

Sexual Orientation is a topic that is often difficult and sometimes volatile because of it's inherent connection to ethics, morality, and religious belief. It can challenge individuals by bringing up very personal feelings about their own relationships and sexuality.This workshop is for managers, teams, and individual employees who want to create an environment in which these issues are understood, communicated, and dealt with openly.

In the workshop we focus on four main goals:

1. Understand the business rationale for sexual orientation and why it is a workplace issue
2. Identify important facts and common myths about gay, lesbian, and bisexual people
3. Raise awareness about sexual orientation in society and the workplace, and
4. Determine how you and your organization can more fully support gay, lesbian, and bisexual employees. 
    

Utilizing exercises, discussion, and visual media this highly interactive 1-day session invites participants to explore this issue in a safe and professional learning environment. The workshop is facilitated by 2 consultants, with a maximum of 30 participants. (Some adjustments to the program can be made to accommodate a larger group size.)

AGE AND THE WORKPLACE

How does the corporation best value and utilize the experience and contributions of all employees regardless of age? Aging is one of the primary dimensions of Diversity, and yet often the least understood. Everyone is affected by aging.

This course is for managers who are genuinely interested in helping their people move effectively through life and career transitions, and for all employees for whom age in the workplace is an issue. The goal is to support all employees, regardless of age, to be more productive and creative.

In this 1/2 day workshop, we look at current views on Aging, and examine the presumptions and stereotypes present in the workplace. Beyond definitions and statistics, we consider what is it like to age at your particular company. We present an Age-Continuum Model to help us look personally and professionally at Aging and Ageism. We end the workshop with personal action plans as well as specific recommendations to management drawn from the group.

Participants will be given the information and inspiration to change their own and others' limiting views around issues of age in the workplace.

The format is interactive, using small and large group discussions, individual reflection, and visual media. The program can be adapted to accommodate a range of group sizes.

DISABILITY

"Disability...is the one minority that anyone can join at any time, as a result of a sudden automobile accident, a fall down a flight of stairs, cancer or disease." Joseph P. Shapiro 

People with disabilities are people first who differ in personality and ability. This course is about acknowledging and respecting people with disabilities.

The workshop goals are to:

• Understand the workplace as a system of supportive/non-supportive social environments
• Form collaborative partnerships between disabled and non-disabled people
• Achieve social inclusion for employees with disabilities

Benefits to program participants include:

• Increased awareness of one's own beliefs, attitudes, and feelings about the disabled
• Expanded knowledge-base regarding the range of disabilities.
• Understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the resources pertaining to disability in the workplace
• Enhanced skills and comfort-level in working with fellow employees who are disabled

This 1-day program provides valuable insights on how to work effectively and productively with people with disabilities. We will all experience first hand what it is like to be disabled in a non-disabled world. You will leave with the tools and knowledge you need to empathize with disabled people and their concerns, be culturally sensitive to their values, and appreciate their differences.

EXPLORING RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
The seeds of Cultural Wisdom

 

Because of increasing global enterprise, it is critical to have an awareness of the tenets of major religions which are often the basis of our values and beliefs. Learning to appreciate the varieties of religious and spiritual thought that comprise our workforce can create understanding, and thereby foster greater cooperation.

This workshop is for all employees who wish to contribute to an atmosphere of mutual respect of one another, particularly regarding Religious and Spiritual Diversity in the workplace.

Participants will learn about the basic unifying concepts related to religious and spiritual perspectives around the world, as well as explore their own personal beliefs and religious influences.

The course will in no way advocate any particular religious ideology but rather, in an inclusive manner, promote understanding and appreciation of the core ideas of religious and spiritual traditions around the world.

This 1/2 day workshop utilizes a combination of lecture, discussion, large/small group exercises, topical articles and visual media. The program can adapt to accommodate a range of group sizes.