BSBDIV601 Develop And Implement Diversity Policy Assessment Answer

Australasian International Academy (AIA)

BSBDIV601 Develop and implement diversity policy

Assessment Task 1: Diversity Policy and Procedure Project

Task summary

This assessment task requires you in the in the role of General Manager of Aus Accountancy to meet with the CEO (role-played by your assessor) to discuss diversity policy requirements and to prepare a briefing report prior to the development of the diversity policy and procedure.

You will then be required to develop the diversity policy and procedure and action plan for implementation and a questionnaire for use in the workplace following the implementation of the diversity and procedure.

Assessment Task 1 Instructions

Aus Accountancy is a large accountancy firm with 25 staff, ranging from senior management staff to administration staff. The company currently has one office located in Sydney.

The company is in a period of expansion and needs to ensure that it can access a sufficient number of qualified staff. The company has been struggling with this over the last 12 months. The CEO has therefore decided that one of the strategies used to try and access staff will be to develop a formal diversity policy and procedures as well as an action plan, which will give the company access to a larger pool of staff, as well as reap all the benefits of diversity.

Complete the following activities:

1. Participate in a meeting to discuss diversity policy and procedure

As the General Manager of the company you have been asked to coordinate the new diversity policy and procedures. Review the case study information provided prior to meeting with the CEO to discuss initial requirements.

Following, this you are required to participate in a meeting with the CEO (role-played by your assessor) at the date and time advised by your assessor. During the meeting, the CEO will discuss the organisation’s requirements for a diversity policy with you, as well as existing practices in relation to diversity.

During the meeting, you will need to demonstrate effective communication skills including:

• Asking questions to identify required information
• Responding to questions as required
• Using active listening techniques to confirm information

2. Prepare a report on the policy and procedures and action plan

Following the meeting, you will be required to conduct research to assist in the development of the policy and procedure, as well as a report on your research.

You may use the links provided to conduct your research.

Conduct research on all of the required content below and develop a report that addresses:

• Purpose of the report, including current company position on diversity and existing policies and procedures that need to be taken into account.
• Australian diversity facts and figures including:
  • Australia’s multicultural society, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and percentage of people born overseas and major countries of origin
  • Religions
  • Age structure
  • Demographics of those with a disability and types of disability
• Intended and unintended impacts of diversity including:
  • The value of diversity in the workplace and to society as a whole
  • How a diverse society contributes to Australia’s image globally and to economic growth.
  • How diversity can drive innovation
  • Concept of reasonable adjustment and give examples of reasonable adjustments that workplaces can make to facilitate participation by people with a disability.
• Identify benchmarks and other measurement indicators for planning and assessing the impacts of policy implementation.
• Legal requirements in relation to workplace diversity. List at least five Acts of legislation and explain the purpose of each.
• Examples of at least 3 diversity policies and procedures.
• Example diversity actions to inform the diversity action plan. You should research at least five examples to start off the diversity action plan. Note that you will also be seeking input from your staff on the diversity action plan in Assessment Task 2.

3. Prepare a draft an email to be sent to the CEO.

When you have developed the report from the previous activity, send it as an email attachment to your assessor in the role of the CEO.

The text of the email should summarise the content of the attachment and seek approval to develop the diversity policy and procedures and action plan.

Your CEO will provide comments and feedback.

4. Develop a diversity policy and procedures

You have now been given approval to develop the diversity policy and procedure as outlined in your briefing report. Develop the policy and procedure based on your research and reporting from Assessment Task 1.

5. Develop a diversity action plan.

You are also required to develop a diversity action plan to ensure the company commences diversity action using your research and template provided.

Note you will be presenting both of these documents in the next assessment task to seek staff feedback.

6. Develop a questionnaire.

As you are also required to assess the impact of the diversity policy and procedure, develop a simple questionnaire that could be provided to staff following implementation of the diversity policy and procedure.

Your questionnaire should include at least 10 questions and include a rating scale for staff to indicate their agreement or disagreement with the statement.

For example, you could include a question such as:

This company is making progress with diversity initiatives Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree Neutral

Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree

Develop at least 10 questions following the example above.

7. Prepare a draft an email to be sent to the CEO (your assessor)

Attach your final policy and procedures, action plan, and questionnaire to the email. The text of the email should seek final approval from the CEO.

Assessment Task 2: Diversity Policy and ProcedureTask summary

This assessment task requires you, in the role of General Manager, to present the new diversity policy and procedures and action plan to Aus Accountancy staff for information and feedback.

After the presentation you will need to seek feedback from the team, including their ideas on diversity actions, which you will use to inform your existing diversity action plan developed in Assessment Task 1.

Required

• Computer and Microsoft Office
• Access to the internet for research
• Your Diversity Policy and Procedure and Diversity Action Plan (developed in Assessment Task 1)
• Presentation space
• Projector for presentation
• Roleplay participants

Assessment Task 2 Instructions

Complete the following activities:

1. Develop a PowerPoint presentation

Prepare to present the new diversity policy and procedures and action plan (from Assessment Task 1) to staff by developing a PowerPoint presentation.

The presentation must address the following:

• Benefits of diversity as described in your briefing report plus diversity facts and figures.
• Intended outcome of the policy.
• An outline of the new diversity policy and procedure and the rationale for development (as per the briefing report)
• Planned diversity actions.
• You will be required to develop at least 8 slides to accompany your presentation. Wherever practical, the slides should include graphics such as table or charts or images.

You should include the diversity facts and figures in your presentation first, and then at the end of the presentation outline the new diversity policy and procedure and action plan.

Use the notes section to help you remember content when you present your presentation. As a guide, your presentation will be for approximately 30 minutes.

The staff that you will be required to present to are a diverse group of individuals with varying levels of language and literacy skills, so you need to make sure the presentation is simple and clear and interesting to increase motivation to adopt the diversity policy and procedure.

2. Prepare a draft an email to be sent to your assessor.

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English. It should give a summary of the contents of the email attachment.

Attach your completed PowerPoint presentation to the email.

Your assessor will advise you of the date and time that your presentation is to take place.

3. Deliver your presentation

Using the PowerPoint presentation that you have developed, deliver a presentation to staff. Your assessor will be present as one of the staff members and will also organise another 2 or 3 students to attend.

At the outset of the presentation, indicate that the team will be able to ask questions during and at the end of the presentation. Also inform staff that you would like to brainstorm further diversity ideas for the action plan at the end of the session.

During the presentation, demonstrate effective communication skills and that are appropriate to a diverse workforce including:

• Speaking clearly and concisely
• Using appropriate non-verbal communication such as gestures and eye contact
• Repeating information to confirm concepts
• Responding to questions respectfully and clearly

At the conclusion of your presentation, seek feedback from staff on the new diversity policy and procedures, as well as ideas to inform the diversity action plan.

4. Revise your diversity policy and procedures, and your diversity action plan. These should include the feedback that came out in the meeting.

5. Prepare a draft an email to be sent to your assessor.

After the meeting, you should email the CEO (your assessor).

The email text should give a summary of the meeting, and the changes that you have made to 

Assessment Task 3: Diversity policy and procedure review

Task summary

This assessment task requires you conduct further research, then review and update the diversity policy and procedures based on input from the CEO.

Assessment Task 3 Instructions

The diversity policy and procedure has been implemented, as well as the action plan. However, the CEO still wants further improvements to the policy and procedure and wants to discuss some outcomes to date. She calls you in for a meeting.

Complete the following activities:

1. Meet with the CEO

This part of the assessment requires to you meet with the CEO (your assessor) at a time and date advised by your assessor.

The CEO will advise you of an area of the diversity policy and procedures which they feel needs to be improved, including the rationale for the improvement.

During the meeting, you will need to use effective communication skills to ask questions and confirm information provided.

2. Report on diversity best practices

Following the meeting with the CEO, assess the information provided to you and research best practices for the area identified by the CEO.

Prepare a draft an email to be sent to the CEO confirming your assessment of the information provided, including the identified unintended impacts of the policy, and advising of the best practices you have identified as well as recommendations for updating the policy and procedures.

The CEO will be advising of any comments and approval to proceed.

3. Update diversity policy and procedures

Following approval by the CEO to proceed, update your final diversity policy and procedure from Assessment Task 2 with the new area you have.

Assessment Task 4: Diversity case studies

Task summary

This assessment task requires you to review the case studies included in the document provided to you by your assessor, to consider the questions posed, and to research legal requirements.

Assessment Task 4 Instructions

Diversity Case Studies

Case study one

Valarie is employed as an Administration Officer. She also answers calls from customers. Valarie has recently married and converted to Judaism. Her husband follows the Jewish faith and converting was something she felt was really important to her new relationship. Valarie has mentioned that she would like to leave work early on Friday afternoon to begin to observe the Sabbath.

Valarie has now written a formal letter to you requesting permission to leave work early on Friday afternoons. She has stated that she will take responsibility to catch up on any missed work.

The company does not currently have flexible working arrangements.

Valarie has been employed with the company for 2 years and is a permanent employee. Consider:

• What issues do you consider in your response?
• What are the legal requirements?
• What would be your response as a Manager?

Case study two

You have observed that a Muslim staff member never shakes hands with female clients. You are concerned that this will impact on his relationships. You are considering asking him to shake female clients’ hands.

Consider:

• What issues should you consider in your response?
• What are the legal requirements?
• As a Manager, how should you deal with this issue?

Case study three

A staff member, Delores, has approached you with a request not to have to deal with a particular customer because they feel she is treating them in a racist manner.

Consider:

• Can she refuse to deal with a customer on these grounds?
• What are the legal requirements?
• As a Manager, how should you deal with this issue?

Case study four

In a meeting with you (Team Leader), a staff member, Jackie, expresses a concern to you. They have recently disclosed their sexuality to a colleague, Jill, whom they have always got on well with. Jill was surprised and stated that she has a strong moral objection to lesbians and gay men. Jill had said as she felt it was not acceptable to be a lesbian but did want to maintain a positive relationship with Jackie, she requested Jackie should help in this matter by not referring greatly to their sexuality again.

Consider:

• Is this response acceptable?
• What are the issues to consider?
• What are the legal requirements?
• As a Manager, how should you deal with this issue?

Case study five

A staff member employed with the company for five years ago was diagnosed with depression about a year ago. She did not tell you until three months ago, when she confided in you about what she was experiencing and the treatment she was getting from her doctor and therapist. A month ago the staff member was signed off on sick leave.

She returned to work last week but is overwhelmed. You are prepared to help this staff member for another month but after that, you are feeling it might be time to terminate the staff member’s employment.

Consider:

• What support could you offer the staff member?
• Are there any legal requirements?
• As a Manager, how should you deal with this issue?

Complete the following activities:

1.Review the case studies document.

Review each of the questions in the case study and consider the issues involved and what your response as a Manager would be.

Outline the legal requirements, ensuring that you reference relevant legislation.

You will need to provide your response in a Word document, which you must email to your assessor. The response to each case study is expected to be at least 2 to 3 paragraphs and must be written in clear and concise English.