Crossing the Great Divides: What to Do With Differences in the Workplace

We are living in a time of almost unparalleled separation and dissension. Societies all around the world have moved from environments in which people might “agree to disagree” to environments in which people are quick to disavow others’ right to an opinion. On a societal level here in the United States, we have seen these social cultural debates being raised around race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, politics, and other identity traits. In these times of extreme (and toxic) societal polarization, organizational leaders, diversity and inclusion specialists, and human resources professionals struggle to cope with the impact of having social divides intruding into their workplaces. This session will discuss these concerns and seek to answer the question: How can we deal effectively and ethically with societal culture issues that undermine employee engagement and team cohesion?