Beyond the Illusion of Inclusion: Leveraging the Talents of Employees with Disabilities
Inclusion goes beyond employing individuals with diverse backgrounds; it means building a culture of engagement and respect. Organizational policies and practices affect the way this message is communicated. This interactive session offers a case-study exercise as well as tools and strategies to mitigate unconscious bias and increase cultural competence. Learn effective communication skills and best practices for leveraging the innovation and creativity of all employees. Gain insight into and appreciation of employees’ multiple diversity dimensions, to ensure inclusion beyond illusion.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain information about the business case for expanding diversity initiatives that capitalize on the skills and abilities of all employees, including those with disabilities.
- Learn effective methods for managing unconscious bias, which may affect morale and impede the contributions of all employees.
- Demonstrate best practices and communication tools for engaging in productive interactions with employees, to drive business success.
- Apply insights gained in the session through an interactive case study exercise.
Judy Young
Judy Young is Associate Director at the Executive Education of Cornell University’s ILR School. She is responsible for the instructional design and management of public workshops and custom programs for HR and D&I practitioners seeking to advance their skills and leverage equity and inclusion for organizational effectiveness. Judy’s focus is on developing and sharing strategies for effectively balancing legal obligations with promising practices that promote respectful and inclusive work environments for all. Judy’s special interest and expertise include the inclusion of workers with disabilities and veterans and she has assisted many organizations in their efforts to increase the integration of these groups in the workplace. Judy is a frequent presenter at major diversity, employment, and veteran-focused conferences and she is a member of the speaker’s bureau of the Society of Human Resource Management.
Susan W. Brecher Esq.
Susan W. Brecher, Esq. is on the faculty and a Director at Cornell University, ILR Scheinman Institute. In addition, she is a legal consultant, conducts internal investigations, coaches and facilitates in the fields of employment law, employee relations and conflict resolution. For Cornell, Susan manages, develops instructional design and provides training and online instruction for open enrollment, e-learning and customized programs in Employment Laws, Employee Relations, Internal Investigations, Diversity and Inclusion and Conflict Resolution.
Ms. Brecher also was in-house employment Counsel at ABC and NBC and associated with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom and Epstein Becker Green.