Below are
recent KnowledgeStart newsletters and press releases:
 Leveraging the Millennial Generation
May 2010
Did you know that this is the
first time in U.S. history that our national workforce has
included FOUR generations of employees? Because of this, it is
imperative that we all view Diversity as more than just
differences in race and gender. Differences in generations, or
the era in which a person has lived, can equally effect everyday
business interactions and viewpoints while posing a variety of
new challenges on an organization. In fact, most managers and
supervisors (belonging to the Traditionalist or Baby Boomer
Generations) dub leveraging talent within a Millennial direct
report as their most challenging responsibility when attempting
to bridge generational gaps. [Read
Full Article]
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Press Release: 25 US
Organizations Receive Annual Diversity Council Honors
Awards During Reception in Atlanta
April 2010
Atlanta, GA, April 29, 2010 -- KnowledgeStart, on behalf of The Association of Diversity
Councils (a division of PRISM International, Inc.), would like to
present the recipients of this year's Diversity Council Honors
Award™.
[Read
Full Article]
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From
Rationalization To Results
November 2009
"Everyone else does it."
"I'm sure nobody will care."
"We really need this."
"My boss does it."
"Nobody will even notice."
These are just some of the common
rationalizations people use for not doing what's right.
Regardless of what one might feel justifies their
decision making process, we all have a responsibility to
act ethically.
[Read
Full Article]
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Most
Common Myths about Affirmative Action
October 2009
The term "Affirmative Action" was first introduced by
President Kennedy in 1961 as a method of addressing
discrimination that had persisted in spite of civil
rights laws and constitutional guarantees. Directed to
all government contracting agencies, Affirmative Action
was created "to ensure that applicants are employed, and
that employees are treated during employment, without
regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin."
It was later developed and enforced for the first time
by President Johnson. "This is the next and more
profound stage of the battle for civil rights," Johnson
asserted. "We seek... not just equality as a right and a
theory, but equality as a fact and as a result."
[Read
Full Article]
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Disabilities in the Workplace
August 2009
Industry reports consistently rate employees with
disabilities as on track or above average in
performance, safety, and attendance. And, when it comes
to retaining employees and reducing turnover costs,
research has found that employees with disabilities tend
to have higher retention rates when compared to
employees without disabilities. This in itself is
definitely a major plus in a market where employers
continue to struggle to find qualified candidates.
But, despite these tangible facts, employers still are
hesitant to hire those with disabilities because of the
many myths of high costs and low productivity
surrounding employing a person with a disability.
[Read
Full Article]
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Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity in the Workplace
August 2009
Fairness in the workplace has been recognized as a
fundamental right protected under federal law.
Currently, federal law provides basic legal protection
against employment discrimination on the basis of race,
sex, religion, national origin or disability. However,
there is currently no federal law that consistently
protects lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT)
individuals from employment discrimination; it remains
legal in 29 states to discriminate based on sexual
orientation, and in 38 states to do so based on gender
identity or expression.
As a result, LGBT people face serious discrimination in
employment, including being fired, being denied a
promotion, or experiencing harassment on the job,
regardless of how qualified they are or how hard they
work.
[Read
Full Article]
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Religion
in the Workplace
June 2009
Practicing Diversity & Inclusion principles in the
workplace often asks managers and employees to be
flexible in their approach when interacting with people
different from themselves. In most cases, people will
rise to the challenge of addressing their own prejudices
or stereotypes while being open-minded to different
values, lifestyles, and cultures.
Distinctions based on religion, on the other hand, can
pose more of a challenge, partly because religious
beliefs define how a person chooses to live their life.
These distinctions may even define what one holds to be
the absolute truth. So, when differences arise in the
workplace concerning such strong beliefs, people can be
much less flexible in their approach.
[Read
Full Article]
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Leveraging
Diversity in "Not-So-Diverse" Environments
May 2009
The United States has been called a "melting pot" of
culture and ethnicity. This term was coined in 1908 when
the US population was only 88.7 million and People of
Color made up a total of about 11% of that population.
Since then the population has nearly quadrupled and
People of Color now comprise about 34% of the entire
population. The US Census Bureau projects that by 2042,
People of Color are expected to become the majority, and
will reach 54% by 2050. Clearly, this shift in
demographics will have a significant impact on our
workforce and marketplace.
[Read
Full Article]
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Rising
to the Challenge - Maintaining Diversity & Inclusion
Training with Less...
April 2009
With the economy in its current status, it seems as
though we've all been asked to maintain productivity
with less. Less money. Less time away from work. And
even in some unfortunate cases - less managers and
employees.
A recent report shows that the U.S. corporate training
market shrank from $58.5 billion in 2007 to $56.2
billion in 2008, the greatest decline in more than 10
years.
With training budgetary cuts this large, is your
organization one that is thinking about putting
Diversity and Inclusion Training on hold as a way to
save money? Well, your organization might want to think
twice about this decision.
[Read
Full Article]
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The
Business Case for Substance Abuse Prevention
March 2009
Substance abuse prevention is not only the "right thing
to do," both legally and professionally, but by
implementing prevention and treatment programs you will
directly benefit your company’s bottom line. Any company
that can ensure the ability of its employees to make
sound decisions for their company enjoys a true
competitive advantage.
[Read
Full Article]
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Compensation
Discrimination
February 2009
As a manager, part of maintaining a fair and inclusive
work place means preventing compensation discrimination.
Simply put, we as an organization must provide equal pay
for equal services to all of our new hires and current
associates - regardless of diverse backgrounds. Not only
is fair pay the ethical and professional thing to do,
but laws exits to prohibit compensation discrimination.
[Read
Full Article]
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Diversity
and Innovation
January 2009
Customer satisfaction is a major contributor to any
company’s long-term growth and success. In fact, it’s
what usually separates leading companies from their
competitors.
[Read
Full Article]
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The
Business Case for Diversity
September 2008
With the rapidly changing market and workplace, we
believe there is a strong business case for appreciating
diversity in the work place. As an employer of choice,
we can summarize this belief in two phrases: We want to
attract and keep the best and the brightest - and we
want to be the provider of choice to keep and expand our
customer base.
It's simple; inclusive cultures foster higher employee
engagement. Engaged employees produce results and report
higher job satisfaction.
[Read
Full Article]
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Micro-Messages:
The Power of Small
August 2008
Did you know that up to 80% of all human communications,
whether personal or business, have NO necessary
relationship to WHAT is said or done, but rather HOW it
is said or done?
Part of strengthening a respectful and inclusive work
climate relies on your team members' ability to
effectively communicate with colleagues and clients from
backgrounds different from their own.
[Read
Full Article]
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The
"Next Generation" of Diversity and Inclusion
June 2008
Here is a startling prediction:
According to The American Society of Training and
Development (ASTD), 76 million Americans will retire
over the next two decades. If this isn't enough cause
for concern, it is also estimated that only 46 million
will be arriving to replace them. This means there will
be a shortage of skilled workers as the Baby Boomers
begin to retire and Gen X and Gen Y-ers take over the
workforce.
To address this workforce challenge of the future,
proactive companies should adapt their Diversity and
Inclusion practices of today to accommodate the next
generation of employees.
[Read
Full Article]
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Diverse
Recruitment Checklist
May 2008
Your goal, as an organization that
embraces Diversity and Inclusion best practices, is to
not only be the provider of choice but to also be the
employer of choice. In order for your organization to
build the highest level of talent, you must first
promote the job and the opportunity to attract the best
candidates regardless of diverse backgrounds. Below, is
a checklist that your managers or supervisors can
utilize to ensure that your recruitment process is a
fair, respectful, and inclusive experience.
[Read
Full Article]
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Two
value-driven companies joined together with one vision:
Client success.
For Immediate Release/ March 2008
Philadelphia, PA. April 1, 2008 –
KnowledgeStart, a high-impact e-learning company, and
PRISM International, Inc., a leading provider of
diversity/inclusion and cross cultural training have
announced a partnership to offer a true "blended"
approach to training.
[Read
Full Article]
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Substance
Abuse Prevention: From Rationalization To Results
By Bryan Yingst/ January 2008
Those who rationalize substance abuse
all have one thing in common– they all share the common
misconception to assume that the "ends justify the
means." In other words, if you carry out your day-to-day
responsibilities, it doesn’t matter how you get them
done. With substance abuse prevention in the workplace,
this isn’t the case.
[Read
Full Article]
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Check
Yourself - An Ethics Self Assessment
By Bryan Yingst/ October 2007
Self-evaluation is a critical component
of business ethics. People should spend as much time
looking in the mirror as they do watching and judging
the behavior of others. Ethics is not just the act of
complying to rules, but involves the desire to do the
right thing. Periodically examine and reflect on your
own behaviors to ensure you are staying on the ethical
track.
[Read
Full Article]
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Working
Across Generations
By Doug Webster / August 2007
Diversity in today’s workforce is more
than just differences in race and gender. Age and life
experiences are just as important in shaping a person’s
perspective. Differences in generations, or the era in
which a person has lived, can effect everyday business
interactions and viewpoints.
[Read
Full Article]
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E-learning
vs. Onsite Training
By Doug Webster / July 2007
With the advances in the Internet being
made everyday, more and more organizations are embracing
e-learning to replace their onsite training. Here are
ten reasons to choose e-learning over in-house training:
[Read
Full Article]
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Employer
Liability with Discrimination\Harassment Claims
By Bryan Yingst / July 2007
So, your organization has policies and
procedures for Equal Employment Opportunity in place.
But, does your organization ACTIVELY practice them? If
not, your company may be exposing itself to substantial
legal liabilities should an employee should act out of
turn.
[Read
Full Article]
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Performance
Management Tips
By Bryan Yingst / June 2007
As a manager, you hold the responsibility of guiding
your employees towards efficient and productive work
ethic. Sometimes this includes pointing out negative
behavior, attitude, weaknesses, and liabilities that may
hinder the full potential of the organization.
Performance reviews are the most common source of
conflict between managers and employees. Nobody likes to
be told that they are not doing a good job, and many
times, people do not perceive their own actions as
"unacceptable" or "sub-par."
[Read
Full Article]
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What
is Ethics? It's the Little Things...
By Bryan Yingst / May 2007
For most business people, it is the "little things"
that we’re faced with in our day-to-day lives that
represent the largest areas for ethical problems. Even
what we feel may be the smallest of decisions can have a
BIG impact on our company and the people around us.
[Read
Full Article]
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Inclusion - Harnessing Diversity
By Bryan Yingst / April 2007
The concept of diversity in the workforce goes beyond simply recognizing and respecting differences or adhering to Equal Employment Opportunity requirements. To harness the true power of diversity, we must also practice Inclusion.
[Read
Full Article]
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Office
Romance - Playing With Fire
By Bryan Yingst / February 2007
As positive professionals, common
sense tells us that having an intimate relationship
with a coworker may lead to an uncomfortable working
environment. Your company may already frown upon workplace
romance and may even have policies in place to discourage
and prevent it.
But what legal ramifications can office romance have
on you and your organization?...
[Read
Full Article]
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Workplace
Humor - The Fine Line
By Bryan Yingst / January 2007
Humor can unify teams, form friendships
and relieve office stress. But, determining where the
lines are drawn between a simple joke and disrespectful
behavior can be blurry...
[Read
Full Article]
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"Investment"
in e-Learning
By Doug Webster / December 2006
Putting your organization's money into an e-learning
course may seem more like a frivolous expense than an
investment. "Soft skills" training seems to
have an invisible and immeasurable ROI. However, it
is possible to put a monetary value on "soft skills"
training to demonstrate its financial value to your
company.
[Read
Full Article]
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