Equity and Diversity in the Workplace

Week 9

You Tube clip

As Australia is a multi cultural country we find that in our workplaces there is a large mix of different cultures also. For health care providers this is a good thing as each culture has their own way of practicing and have different skills that they bring with them (Greenburg, 2009). It is the responsibility of everyone to be respectful to others and their beliefs and cultures and expect the same in return. Having a diverse range of cultures in a workplace, gives many ideas to problems and a range of solutions. Just because someone is a Registered Nurse from Australia doesn't mean that a Registered Nurse from England has been trained the same or has the same knowledge. Even drugs can be different country to country which surprised me as I thought drug companies would make and distribute the same drugs everywhere. While we are taught to listen to and respect other cultures within our patients, it is just as important to do so with our colleagues. New arrivals from other cultures may find it difficult to intergrate into the new way of life as the lifestyle may be quite different from what they are use to. By making sure everyone is included, involved and helped where needed, we can make the transition period much smoother. Simple things like home sickness and not being sure how to do procedures the new way can lead some to withdrawal and feel isolated. By being aware of my colleagues and their cultural differences it can make for a happy workplace for all.

References
Skill Boosters. (2013, Dec 11). What is equity and diversity in the workplace? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp5MkhejHGo

Greenburg, J. (2009). Diversity in the workplace: benefits, challenges and solutions. Retrieved from

http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/recruit/diversity/diversity-in-the-workplace-benefits-challenges-solutions.asp