Training specialist Steps Drama, will be explaining how organisations can use drama-based learning to translate diversity policies and practices into a genuine culture of inclusion, on stand 837 at HRD 2008.
Steps has considerable experience of working on diversity with financial services organisations, solicitors and others professional services firms.
On Tuesday 15 April, its actor-facilitators will be delivering a free showcase entitled Diversity: Theory and Practice – how can they work together? in the Learning Arena at 10.00-10.45am.
Professional actors will portray employees – in real work situations – in order to show how organisations can bring diversity policies to life and encourage individuals to take ownership of this issue in the workplace.
“The keys to success with diversity are awareness, communication and management,” said Richard Wilkes, Director of Steps. “The challenge for trainers, however, is to find a way to present the issue so that it feels relevant to people. Drama allows delegates to fully engage in the learning without having to role-play themselves. They get to concentrate on the training issues and they learn by analysing and summarising the action.”
Steps’ diversity awareness training sessions examine the moral, legal and business cases for diversity, using live dramatic examples to show how working relationships can be made more effective through an understanding of the issue.
“We highlight the subtleties and the grey areas of diversity,” said Richard Wilkes. “We challenge people’s assumptions, using humour to engage and provoke thought so that they question their own working relationships. The long-term benefits of this include an increase in staff retention and overall employee satisfaction, which in turn leads to greater motivation and productivity.”
Since it was founded in 1992, Steps has evolved to become Europe’s premier provider of experiential drama-based learning.
The company designs and produces training programmes, workshops and events on people issues and behaviours, to help individuals and organisations improve their effectiveness.
