A team meeting about diversity

Listen to a team meeting about diversity to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

Transcript

Nina: As you know, our team has grown a lot in the past year and we feel we need to address the diversity in the team.

Brenda: How do you mean, 'address the diversity'?

Nina: Well, we all know that diversity in teams is a good thing, but it can also be a challenge for some people to respect and value people's differences. We've got a really diverse team here – people of different nationalities, backgrounds, religions, ages … and sometimes I don't feel we make the most of this.

Stefano: Yes, and even if it isn't specifically challenging, many people are simply unaware of the isolation that some team members may feel because they are different.

Brenda: So, what does this mean? What are we going to do?

Nina: Well, we need to create a workplace charter. You know, one that promotes equality, diversity and inclusion.

Brenda: That sounds like a good idea. But will people just see it as something the management team has created? Maybe they won't even pay attention to it.

Nina: I know. That's why we're going to involve everyone in creating it.

Stefano: That's a good idea. We could run some workshops and get ideas from the employees about how we can create a more inclusive workplace.

Nina: Exactly. I was thinking that before that we could run some team-building sessions so they can experience the value of diversity for themselves.

Brenda: Yes, I like that. Many people see diversity as something negative, often because there are different opinions or ways of doing things.

Nina: Yes, I know, but if there's no diversity, then the risk is that we all work in the same way, think the same and see the world the same. This makes it hard to be creative and to innovate.

Stefano: I completely agree, Nina. OK. So, what do you want us to do?

Nina: Stefano, can you look for a successful trainer who specialises in running workshops and team-building sessions on diversity and inclusion?

Stefano: Sure. I'll be happy to.

Nina: And Brenda, can you find a fun venue? Somewhere that is quite diverse itself. Something that's not the usual seminar-style environment?

Brenda: Sure. That'll be fun.

Nina: And I'm going to do some further research into how other organisations are benefiting from their diversity. I can share this with the whole team.

Task 1

Exercise

Task 2

Exercise

Discussion

How diverse is your workplace? How can diversity benefit your team?

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Language level

B1 Intermediate

Topics

equality and diversity

My class is very diverse with many students from different countries. We can learn about each other's culture, language and good habits. In addition, we can explore many traditions from many countries.

My workplace is very diverse, we are several people with different professions, in different areas, this is the great benefit, it allows us to have different solutions to the same problem.

I believe it can for a certain degree , but employees should accept the differences in culture,religion,traditions , work ethics , different views to the world , attention to details. otherwise, conflict might arise. for me I am very open minded and I like to mingle with people around the world , and reckon that it positively influences work environment for a lot of reasons. Firstly,it helps people to to know a little more about the different cultures of its members. Secondly, it can benefit the team to come up with diverse opinions to daily troubles or , wide variety of possible solutions Promoting equality and accepting diversity in a company might manifest itself in things like gathering the whole team regularly in a venue where all employees are included Or creating a charter of work ethics where issues like difference, fighting isolation and promoting inclusion are paid attention to.

I disagree. It is a promotion of multiculturalism and tolerance. Do you know a story about the Tower of Babel? It's meaning that peoples of different languages and cultures can't work together doing common things.

hey, I've read the peoples opinions, you are the only one directly disagree that idea. And ı couldn't understand your reason and the relation between the examle you mentioned about Tower Babel, properly. So can you please extend your opinion why you are disagree ? Have you ever been in a group work or project whichs members are from diffirent etnique groups, religions, life standards, ages.. etc. Which kind of problem have you experienced?

Diversity can be something quite interesting, I'd like to share time with people from different cultures and with different beliefs, I mean, I may not adopt their ideology but knowing about that would be something I would really like.

As I have been working in the GCC area for five years, I found how diversity is so crucial for enhancing creativity in our company. it helps me to learn from the culture and work ethics of my workmates who have come from all around the world and destroyed my negative isolated beliefs against others regardless of their race, religion, origins... etc

i am a graduated student but when i was studying i could see foreigners in my university who had came to continue their higher education.they were from different culture with different language,appearance and religion.it was interesting for me seeing and having interaction with people who are thinking,speaking and seeing the world in a different way.in my point of view,diversity in the workplace lead to creativity because we have different people with various opinions.