Diversity: human characteristics that make people different from one another This includes all the differences we bring to our workplace, such as: Gender Religion Thinking Style Local Knowledge Physical Abilities Sexual Orientation Life Experience Business Experience Disabilities Age Ethnicity Education Personal style Skills Passion Hobbies Languages
We at KUKA aim to: 1. Engage each employee 2. Create an open, inclusive environment where everyone can: Acknowledge the benefits of our differences and similarities Achieve his or her full potential
1. Embracing diversity leads to higher productivity, profitability, creativity, and respect. Diversity creates greater employee satisfaction, which in turn leads to higher productivity and profitability Harnessing employee skills and perspectives increases creativity and innovation 2. Being known for respect and diversity means more customers and suppliers want to do business with us. 3. Overcoming challenges to embrace diversity brings many benefits: Greater variety of information, experience, and perspectives More creative and effective problem-solving Greater system flexibility Better equipped to serve diverse customers
Demographic changes Global Marketplace Diverse customer base Economics More open society The US workforce is changing, and these changes affect diversity: Aging workforce More women in the workforce Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority in the workforce Different cultures Varied lifestyles are continually being accepted into the workforce
Effective communication mainly involves three things: 1. Mutual respect 2. Empathy 3. Inclusion
Mutual respect: Recognize that everyone has cultural biases, including you Be willing to consider alternatives other than your own, without devaluing other people s input Explore others ideas and approaches without judgment View differences as opportunities to learn and expand your own thinking
Empathy: Emotions affect how we communicate and react to situations Social Radar Take active interest in other s concerns. Listen actively Respond, don t react!
Inclusion: Aim to create an environment which Encourages contributions from everyone Allows everyone's differences to thrive Values people for the distinctive skills, experience, and perspectives they bring Provides opportunities to explore all information in order to mutually agree on an action plan
Be flexible. Look for common ground. Look for the good in people. What we expect of people affects how we interact with them. We get what we expect. Learn to appreciate differences in cultural practices and experiences.
Stereotypes: assumptions made about a person or group s character or attributes, based on a general image of a particular group of people Originates from Personal experiences Family/peer influences Media portrayal Cultural, ethnic, and religious beliefs When we define people based on stereotypes, we often make false assumptions and we always fail to recognize the person as an individual.
Prejudice: a judgment or opinion formed before gaining knowledge of or examining the facts. Creates barriers to communication Listening negative expectations about what the speaker will say Speaking expecting that the listener won t understand or accept what you say
Negative behavior toward others based on their diversity will not be tolerated, including: Harassment Bullying Discrimination Abuse of Power
With our changing workforce, we must embrace diversity in order to remain productive and competitive in the marketplace. Barriers to diversity include stereotypes and prejudice, resistance to change, and communication challenges. Effective communication has three components: 1. Mutual Respect; 2. Empathy; and 3. Inclusion At KUKA, we strive to acknowledge everyone s differences through an open and inclusive environment where you can achieve your full potential and where KUKA can provide greater value to our customers and our communities. END