I watched a video by the Muma School of Business and Finance on I’m Speaking Series – Conversations that Teach. The discussion is guided by Shree Sindra, the dean of students and a member campus dean at the Saint Petersburg campus. The current video captures the last part of a three-part series on the I’m speaking series and focuses on diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workplace. The conversation seeks to raise awareness of the three issues and enlighten the public on how to deal with the issues (Muma, USF). Rebecca Harris is a representative of the women in the leadership team. She indicates that the series covers conversations that move, inspire and teach. The video emphasizes the need for organizations to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity.
The two facilitators are Tammy Briant and Dr. Ruthmae Sears. Tammy Briant worked as a program director community of Tampa bay, a local organization working for a community free from discrimination. She is also an internationally renowned spoken word poet professionally and personally where she uses her voice to speak for the marginalized identities in society. Dr. Ruthmae Sears was an Associate Professor of mathematics education at the University of South Florida (USF) Institute on black life and USF college of education (Muma USF). She advocates for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields. Both facilitators have vast experience, practical academic knowledge, and passion to speak on the issues as they seek justice in society.
Diversity, inclusion, and equity are fundamental elements in organizations that have to be considered in the workplace. A leader is mandated with creating an environment where all workers will feel accommodated. This can be realized by setting performance indicators on critical human resource areas, including promotion, representation, talent acquisition, and retention (Cuyler, 34). Everybody in the company should be involved in guaranteeing diversity, inclusion, and equity by providing feedback, referring suitable candidates, and supporting the appropriate company culture. In addition, the leader should be at the forefront of promoting pay equity and building a just hiring process. Opinions and talks on workplace issues should be encouraged across different channels. The discussion can be improved by supporting diverse thinking and providing training as well as educational resources on diversity, inclusion, and equity. There should be policies that support these issues and eliminate biases across all levels of the organization.
I desire to work in the manufacturing industry where organizations have policies for employee engagement. The sector supports diversity by supporting innovative ideas from all people notwithstanding their gender, race, color, or ethnicity. There are also attractive employment opportunities and benefits at creating an affinity in the sector and interconnectedness among the employees. For instance, the manufacturing sector in the United States seeks to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity by 2030 through the National Association of Manufacturers’ Pledge for Action. According to Cuyler (35), the policy paper requires that the industry creates 300,000 job openings for people of all color and takes 50,000 concrete steps to increase pay parity and equity for underrepresented populations.
In conclusion, diversity, inclusion, and equity are critical matters of concern in modern places of work. There is the need to raise awareness and educate people on these concerns. Leaders are supposed to put in place appropriate measures to ensure the issues are considered in everyday operations. The National Association of Manufacturers’ Pledge for Action represents an actual policy paper by the manufacturing industry to create a diverse, inclusive, and equal working environment.
Works Cited
Cuyler Antonio. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statements in the U. S. Creative sector: Progress, or more bullshit?” Cultural Management: Science and Education, vol. 5, no. 2, 2021, p. 33–46. Web.
Muma, USF. “I’m Speaking Series – Conversations That Teach.” YouTube, 2021, Web.
