Diversity is a word that describes the differences among people. It encompasses any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another including age, gender, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin.
Visit the Diversity Works New Zealand website and view the Case Studies of the Diversity Awards Winners from 2016 -2021. (Will & Able, Tupu Tai etc.)
Exercise 38
Think about the various strategies adopted by each business to include a previously under-represented minority group. Discuss the following as class:
- What are some challenges of a diverse team?
- How does diversity benefit the workplace?
- How does team diversity contribute to conflict?
- How does team diversity contribute to collaboration?
- What can team members do or say to help create the feeling of inclusion?
- What can the team leader do to help promote inclusion within the team?
Checkpoint
Assessment 3.1, Task 1
Self-Directed Learning
- Describe and compare the information presented in the two charts below. You should mention actual statistics/percentages etc in your response such as “69% of chefs in Auckland are male”.
- Comment on any trends you notice and suggest possible reasons for these.
Culture, defined in its broadest sense, is the underlying fabric that holds together a person’s world – or just about everything that binds one to a particular group and place in time. A culture is made up of a group of people who share attitudes, beliefs, behaviours, practices, products, experiences and/or conditions of existence. This includes language, values, beliefs, customs, rituals, oral and written history, art, music, dance, food and much more. Multiculturalism is seeing, understanding, and finding good in cultural differences. Appreciating differences and developing multicultural awareness starts with everyone.
Frendo, 2012
Knowledge is the key to learning about the values and traditions of a particular culture. This could include the role of authority and family, communication styles, perspectives on time, ways of dealing with conflict, and marriage traditions, among other things.
Keeping the Relationships Going, n.d.
Exercise 39
What effect did stereotypes have on this conversation? How can they complicate the interactions between people?
Describe a time when you found yourself in a similar situation. Were you the one making the assumptions, or were assumptions being made about you? How did you feel during that interaction? Did the interaction make you think about your identity
Facing History and Ourselves, 2022
Exercise 40
Complete the diagram by filling in the 5 outer circles.
Name a stereotype associated with the culture you identify with that is not consistent with who you are. Complete the following sentence:
I am (a/an) _______________ but I am NOT(a/an)_______________.
Self-Directed Learning
You can expect to work with people from many different cultures in hospitality. Knowing about the differences between cultures can help everyone work better as a team. Here are some of the things that workers from different cultures say about how they work.
Working in aged care, n.d.
I think it is rude to ask the boss questions.
I like to know who is in charge and who the big boss is. I do not usually address people older or more senior than me by their first name.
I often ask direct questions as I like to get things right.
I like to know exactly what the rules are and will stick to them and get the job done. I do not like surprises.
I use quite a bit of slang and often make suggestions without being asked.
I do not like being told what to do all the time.
I like to call everyone by their first name. I expect to be consulted and want things to be fair.
I am usually quiet in meetings until I am asked to speak.
I like to know exactly what I have to do and that my job is secure. I will work hard and stick by my employer.
I show respect by not looking my boss in the eye.
'How I like to work' by Immigration New Zealand, © NZ
- How does your own culture impact on your preferred working style?
- Create a diagram similar to the one above as a class, with your statements of how you would like your workplace to run.
We have seen that one of the most useful skills in times of conflict is effective communication. Practising good communication skills whilst implementing change ensures we keep an open mind, ask questions, and listen to the answers.
3 key stages to implement change
-
Communicate the reasons for change
- Explain the details of the why, when and how.
- Allow opportunity for questions, concerns and feedback on the changes.
-
Phased implementation of changes
- If possible, introduce the changes in stages so as to not overwhelm the workplace with too much, too soon.
-
Analyse effect of change
- Monitor the results of the change with reviews of the process and results.
- Report back to all parties on results – positive and negative and use these to inform the next change process.
Kirke, 2013
Some strategies to improve team communication
-
Scheduled one-on-one check-ins
- Diarised meetings to check on employee’s well-being and any issues they wish to raise can be effective in improving morale and motivation.
-
Team meetings
- Can be over a shared staff meal or other informal occasion or in a meeting room. It is a good idea to hold it in a somewhere other than the kitchen.
- Use to canvass new ideas e.g. for menu items, specials etc or to raise issues in processes or equipment.
- Can be used to communicate other important information – but allow time for questions and comments.
- Give plenty of opportunity for all who wish to speak.
-
Use technology to communicate brief messages
- Mobile technology is great to communicate details of rosters and daily notices.
- Different groups can be set up for different teams with different communication requirements (e.g. kitchen, front of house, management etc.).
- Private one to one communication is also possible this way (e.g. alerting Head Chef that you are running late and why).
-
Visual or printed communication
- Notice boards, posters etc to communicate important information which needs to be seen by all (e.g. menu changes, rosters, health and safety information, minutes from team meetings etc).
- Standard recipe folders and training manuals.
-
Be aware of cultural and language barriers when communicating
- Look at the list of barriers to clear communication – ensure you are speaking slowly and clearly, allow time for comprehension and questions.
- Be aware of differences in interpretation of body language neutral when speaking to people from different cultural backgrounds.
Pinto, 2020
Exercise 41
Imagine you have just started a new Head Chef job managing a team of 10 kitchen staff. Think about your first team meeting with all the staff and how you would approach it.
- When and where would you schedule the meeting?
- What are your goals for this first meeting?
Now re-read Scenario B, listing any diversity or communication issues, as well as any other issues highlighted in the story. List them below and be prepared to discuss your thoughts on them in a class discussion.
Self-Directed Learning
Think about ways to support diversity in the workplace. List:
- Five individual actions I can take to break down the barriers to creating a diverse workplace are:
- Five staff group actions we can take to break down the barriers to creating a diverse workplace are:
Record in your journals.
What is meant by “Management Style”?
A management style is a way in which a manger works to fulfil their goals.Management Styles, 2022
This includes how they plan, organise, make decisions, delegate and manage their staff.
Just like personality types, there are many different ways managers can manage their staff, and there are many online business and human resource websites which discuss them in detail.
For our purposes, we will initially consider 3 broad category of management style:
- AUTOCRATIC
- DEMOCRATIC
- LAISSEZ-FAIRE
Management Styles, 2022
Exercise 42
Read about management styles in this link. Summarise and paraphrase the content for each category of management style. Include pros and cons of each and record your answers in table format as shown.
| MANAGEMENT STYLE | POSITIVES | NEGATIVES |
|---|---|---|
| Autocratic | ||
| Democratic | ||
| Laissez-Faire |
Self-Directed Learning
Click on this link to read Silvija Delekovcan’s dissertation - Impacts of head chefs’ leadership styles on job satisfaction of kitchen staff in Dublin’s top gourmet restaurants.
The aim of her research was threefold:
- To identify the most common leadership styles used by head chefs in Dublin’s top gourmet restaurants in (a) busy service hours and (b) non-service hours.
- To examine the impacts of head chefs’ leadership styles in Dublin’s top gourmet restaurants in each of the situations on job satisfaction of kitchen staff.
- To outline recommendations to head chefs in Dublin’s top gourmet restaurants to develop their leadership style which will enable them to optimise kitchen output, improve employee job satisfaction and maintain current levels of the quality of their culinary creations, hence sustaining the competitive edge and profitability position of their respective organizations.
- Write a Critical Analysis of the research paper, focusing solely on the three aims. Do not comment on the methodology used or analysis techniques.
- Why was leadership style separated into two categories (during service hours and non-service hours)?
Delekovcan, 2013
Critical analysis is the detailed examination and evaluation of another person's ideas or work. It is subjective writing as it expresses your interpretation and analysis of the work by breaking down and studying its parts.Indeed, 2021
Your tutor will discuss your critical analysis with you.
Teamwork is important for the success of all businesses. In order to have a satisfying and successful career, you must work well with others.
Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.Patrick Lencioni quote, image © Quotefancy
Most teams aren’t teams at all but merely collections of individual relationships with the boss. Each individual vying with the others for power, prestige and position.Douglas McGregor
How would you define ‘teamwork’? What differentiates a team from a group?
Benefits Of Teamwork
5 Second Summary
- Research shows that collaborative problem-solving leads to better outcomes.
- People are more likely to take calculated risks that lead to innovation if they have the support of a team behind them.
- Working in a team encourages personal growth, increase job satisfaction, and reduce stress.
'The importance of teamwork (as proven by science)' by Tracy Middleton, © 2022 Atlassian
Exercise 43
Describe the benefits of working in a team environment. (You may wish to research what other people have said.)
Workplace Environment
Exercise 44
Building a functional team is dependent on the team atmosphere that you develop, the physical environment you create, and the relationships you build.
Describe the ideal workplace environment to foster effective teamwork.
Checkpoint
Assessment 3.1, Task 1
