Making it easier to address diversity in the work community
Addressing diversity in the work community can feel intimidating and stir up all kinds of emotions in individuals. As a topic, diversity has become increasingly current in recent years in almost every work community.
As a term, diversity is difficult to define specifically. It should mean that everyone has room to be who they are, without having to spend energy on hiding certain characteristics or fearing to bring something up.
Work communities consist of different people who come from different backgrounds, think in different ways and whose job roles differ. By taking diversity up for discussion, what is really being addressed is how everyone's participation and full contribution for the good of the work community can be promoted.
Topaasia's Diversity game helps address diversity and its various dimensions through conversation at an everyday level in work communities, consisting of four themes the game digs into: inclusion, leadership practices, one's own attitudes and privileges. Developed in content collaboration with Technology Industries of Finland and the University of Eastern Finland, Topaasia's Diversity game dives into work community diversity with the help of 52 different theme cards.
Work community diversity requires courage
Diversity can be a personal topic and requires an atmosphere of trust around it. An atmosphere of trust can be built by agreeing on ground rules for playing in advance, following the basic principles of dialogue: listen, respect, wait and speak directly. This makes it possible to create a safe, shared atmosphere of trust that enables the use of a tool like this.
In addition to trust, addressing the topic requires courage. One of the most discussed cards in the Diversity game has been "Courage", which is described like this: "Here we are brave and dare to intervene in inappropriate behaviour, speech and wrongdoings".
A work community that takes diversity into account strives for better and more open interaction. It has been shown to promote employees' wellbeing, satisfaction and capacity for innovation.
The Diversity game in support of developing the work community
The Diversity game helps work communities discuss diversity themes at a concrete level. The purpose of the game is to help identify the most important issue emerging as a development target. It is not just conversation; ultimately it steers towards concrete action. Based on this issue, a concrete action plan is drawn up, including the people responsible and a timetable for implementing the action plan. Even small things and measures bring about progress.
The more diverse the work community, the more opportunities it has to find different creative solutions and innovations. Taking diversity into account helps companies develop better services and products.
Read more about diversity: https://topaasia.com/topaasia-monimuotoisuus/
Read Elomatic's experiences of Topaasia's Diversity game: https://topaasia.com/monimuotoisuus-tyoelamassa-elomaticin-nakokulmasta-apuna-monimuotoisuus-peli/
Read more about the Diversity game: https://topaasia.com/monimuotoisuus-tyoyhteisossa/
Would you like to play the Diversity game with tangible physical cards?
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