Diversity & Inclusion

Overview

Diversity and Inclusion is defined as the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to help HR professionals embrace the diverse backgrounds of Penn employees and leverage each individual's differences and strengths to enhance overall performance. Penn HR staff members must be aware of and understand the importance of diverse cultural experiences, in order to allow all individuals to feel invited, respected, accepted, and a valued team member. The cultures, systems and processes of Penn's schools and centers support an environment where students, staff and faculty seek and embrace individual differences and support the opportunity for the entire University community to contribute to Penn’s values of inclusion, innovation and impact.

Sub-competencies

  • Advocating for a diverse and inclusive workplace
  • Discrimination and Civil Rights Laws 
  • Cultural competency
  • Operating in a diverse workplace 

Key Behaviors

  • Effectively manages one’s own conscious and unconscious biases.
  • Inspires a climate of inclusiveness, collegiality, shared responsibility & success.
  • Demonstrates self-awareness and recognition of how differences can be points of consensus and dialogue.
  • Follows all legal guidelines as they relate to diversity and inclusion.
  • Implements all policies fairly and equally.
  • Understands how diversity and inclusion relates to staff and labor relations and leverages this knowledge for success.
  • Implements & promotes inclusion awareness programs to support staff and labor relations initiatives.
  • Creates an open environment for feedback mechanisms.
  • Effects and facilitates organizational change to support diversity and inclusion initiatives.
  • Develops recruitment practices that ensure the inclusion of a broad and diverse range of candidates.
  • Develops and facilitates training programs for leaders and individual contributors on topics related to diversity and inclusion.
  • Builds coalitions and consensus with all manner of employees.