A team meeting about diversity

Listen to a team meeting about diversity to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

Transcript

Nina: As you know, our team has grown a lot in the past year and we feel we need to address the diversity in the team.

Brenda: How do you mean, 'address the diversity'?

Nina: Well, we all know that diversity in teams is a good thing, but it can also be a challenge for some people to respect and value people's differences. We've got a really diverse team here – people of different nationalities, backgrounds, religions, ages … and sometimes I don't feel we make the most of this.

Stefano: Yes, and even if it isn't specifically challenging, many people are simply unaware of the isolation that some team members may feel because they are different.

Brenda: So, what does this mean? What are we going to do?

Nina: Well, we need to create a workplace charter. You know, one that promotes equality, diversity and inclusion.

Brenda: That sounds like a good idea. But will people just see it as something the management team has created? Maybe they won't even pay attention to it.

Nina: I know. That's why we're going to involve everyone in creating it.

Stefano: That's a good idea. We could run some workshops and get ideas from the employees about how we can create a more inclusive workplace.

Nina: Exactly. I was thinking that before that we could run some team-building sessions so they can experience the value of diversity for themselves.

Brenda: Yes, I like that. Many people see diversity as something negative, often because there are different opinions or ways of doing things.

Nina: Yes, I know, but if there's no diversity, then the risk is that we all work in the same way, think the same and see the world the same. This makes it hard to be creative and to innovate.

Stefano: I completely agree, Nina. OK. So, what do you want us to do?

Nina: Stefano, can you look for a successful trainer who specialises in running workshops and team-building sessions on diversity and inclusion?

Stefano: Sure. I'll be happy to.

Nina: And Brenda, can you find a fun venue? Somewhere that is quite diverse itself. Something that's not the usual seminar-style environment?

Brenda: Sure. That'll be fun.

Nina: And I'm going to do some further research into how other organisations are benefiting from their diversity. I can share this with the whole team.

Task 1

Exercise

Task 2

Exercise

Discussion

How diverse is your workplace? How can diversity benefit your team?

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Language level

B1 Intermediate

Topics

equality and diversity

As far as I concerned, that diversity that's a thing that makes the team really productive and competitive. I've been working in a big international company and I know a lot about the value of diversity team with members from the whole world. If we will be politeness and try to understand other colleagues with different from your point of view - we can be great team-players. So, I believe that only a team with a wide circle of different views among ourselves can create some really unique and outstanding.

We've got a really diverse team. We have people of different nationalities, religions male and female, young and old. Diversity is a significant factor in keeping workers happy and retaining them. Businesses that emphasize diversity as part of their companies policy are actually more profitable. Employees ultimately feel more comfortable at work despite their difference, noting that a commitment to their culture is a commitment to them. Teams that are able to talk out their differences and discuss cultures ultimately grow closer. Accepting diversity makes a teem creative and innovative. It also makes the team more akin to family and community, versus somewhere to pick up a paycheck. PS: In my text above I wrote a sentence " Employees ultimately feel..... Is this sentence correct? or should I write "Ultimately employees feel.... Thank you Nikolaos

Hello Nikolaos

Both word orders are fine, though I think putting 'ultimately' first is a little more natural. If you put 'ultimately' first, there should be a comma after it: 'Ultimately, employees feel ...'

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Well, I am a teacher and I believe that diversity is necessary to promote a human education. Our society needs more people aware of the value of different cultures, traditions and beliefs, because these can help improve things. For example, in my country, Colombia, indigenous communities have a respectful relationship with the land and the environment. They believe that natural resources, such as water, are gods, and should take care of them. However, indigenous people are often victims of displacement and murder because of their beliefs. This is a shameful and unfortunate situation, and teachers have many things to do about it.

Diversity in workplace can have postive impact on business if it's well adressed by managers. The difference in culture, in habits, religion, accent and in mother langage doesn't have relationship with work performance. So rules must be written by managers based on egality, integrity and respect. This is a requirement to build a work environment where every employee can make the maximum effort and bring added values to acheive his objectives and contribute to acheive the global employer's business objectives. This also gives the employees the same opportunities to evolve and be satisfied.

Although there are many cultures and religions in my country, the problem of diversity has not caused much trouble.

My class is very diverse with many students from different countries. We can learn about each other's culture, language and good habits. In addition, we can explore many traditions from many countries.

My workplace is very diverse, we are several people with different professions, in different areas, this is the great benefit, it allows us to have different solutions to the same problem.

I believe it can for a certain degree , but employees should accept the differences in culture,religion,traditions , work ethics , different views to the world , attention to details. otherwise, conflict might arise. for me I am very open minded and I like to mingle with people around the world , and reckon that it positively influences work environment for a lot of reasons. Firstly,it helps people to to know a little more about the different cultures of its members. Secondly, it can benefit the team to come up with diverse opinions to daily troubles or , wide variety of possible solutions Promoting equality and accepting diversity in a company might manifest itself in things like gathering the whole team regularly in a venue where all employees are included Or creating a charter of work ethics where issues like difference, fighting isolation and promoting inclusion are paid attention to.

I disagree. It is a promotion of multiculturalism and tolerance. Do you know a story about the Tower of Babel? It's meaning that peoples of different languages and cultures can't work together doing common things.