Task 2

Professional Development Plan.

A Professional Development Plan is a vital tool in career development that serves as a long-term plan for self-management and career decision-making. It outlines skills and competencies needed to achieve career development and contains long-term career goals and the strategy to achieve them.

Professional Development Plan for Diversity and Inclusion Specialist.

Skills and competence to be Developed Description of Activities Required for the Development Duration Importance of the skills to the role Impact on Business

Multi-Cultural and Diverse Programmes Knowledge Take an online course on Professional credential training to earn a certification in Diversity Certification.

Attend screening and watch Steve Robbins videos on diversity and inclusion and actively participate in the discussions. 6 months To build my toolkit and increase my expertise in developing diversity and inclusivity programmes.

To keep in tabs with emerging issues on inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. Having adequate knowledge and understanding is essential in developing programmes and implementing practices in an organisation that is up to date with global requirements.

Diversity and Sensitivity Training Take a course on various business malpractices such as workplace violence, sexual harassment.

Attend various minority groups awareness training such as LGBTQ awareness training during Pride month

3 years Inclusivity and diversity revolve around creating a conducive work environment for all and recognising and respecting personal characteristics. This training will be vital in my role of developing a fair, equitable, respectful, and inclusive work environment. Employees often accuse businesses of employment malpractices; gaining this knowledge will be crucial in identifying, investigating, and resolving various malpractices to prevent the organisation from lawsuits.

Problem Solving and leadership Skills Take training on problem-solving and leadership skills. 1 Month each The position of Inclusivity and Diversity touch on employee-employer relationships, hence the need for excellent problem-solving skills to remain objective in handling issues.

Implementation of various policies and programs that I propose requires strong leadership skills. Excellent problem-solving skills are essential in ensuring effective conflict resolution to prevent incidences where employees opt for the media to air their challenges.

Networking Activities for a Diverse and Inclusion Specialist

Time Frame Description of Networking Activity Professional Advantage

Every 3 months Join African-American ERG programmes and attend their various activities such as holiday parties and physical and online meetings This programme brings together individuals working towards creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. Therefore, it provides a great learning opportunity.

Every 6 months Develop a diverse community outreach workshop where different identity groups from our organisation and the community meet and share their experiences Outreach workshops provide a platform for learning and understanding individuals’ perspectives and concerns about an issue. Bringing together these people will equip me with adequate knowledge to effectively develop practices and implement policies that promote a diverse and inclusive work environment

Every month Implement several team-building activities such as group lunch that bring junior staff and management together. Team buildings enhance communication, relationships, and interactions among junior staff and management. This is essential in creating a work environment free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination.

Meeting Notes

I had a meeting with my immediate supervisor to seek feedback on my performance and general professional competency as a Diversity and Inclusion Specialist.

The feedbacks include;

The Human Resource Manager thought it wise to take an online training programme on problem-solving skills to enhance my problem-solving techniques. It is essential in handling different issues and concerns the workforce is raising.

The Human Resource Manager appreciated my efforts in developing and implementing practices that have contributed immensely to building a respectful work environment.

The Human Resource Manager raised concerns on the consultation programmes that I formulated for managers to gain insights on developing inclusive and diverse strategies and handling a diverse workforce. The manager thought it wise that the programme was handled by a member of a higher hierarchy than myself.

Journal

After working in Adept Owl Games Company as a Diversity and Inclusion Specialist for six months, I decided to assess my professional competency to develop a Professional Development Plan. I engaged my colleagues for feedback; I asked one member from the Diversity and Inclusivity department, the Human Resource Manager, and three individuals from different departments for honest feedback on my performance in the last six months. Additionally, I administered a self- Assessment test through a questionnaire to investigate my abilities and self-perception.

Unlike the other colleagues, I held a face-to-face meeting with the Human Resource Manager to seek feedback on my performance and general professional competence. The manager had a myriad of feedback ranging from appreciation, evaluation to encouragement. I keenly listened to the manager talk, asked for clarifications where applicable. Towards the end of the meeting, I summarised the feedback, and the manager acknowledged that they were everything we had discussed.

From my discussion with Human Resource Manager, the feedback from other team members, and the gaps I identified in my self-assessment, I developed a Professional Development plan to develop skills and competency necessary to build a strong career as a Diversity and Inclusion Professional. I decided to take a course in problem-solving and leadership skills as instructed by the manager. Additionally, from my self-assessment and team feedback, I realised a knowledge gap exists in my understanding of merging issues in inclusion and diversity. Therefore, I joined several diverse and inclusivity associations and courses to build my knowledge, keep up with emerging trends and develop my ability to interact with different individuals.

Mentorships, associations, and networking are essential in career development. In building a strong career in inclusion and diversity, I have joined several networking associations and created various platforms that encourage networking between company employees, employers, and the general community. For instance, I created community outreach workshops and various team-building activities to encourage the development of a respectful and conducive work environment. These activities align with the organisational goal of creating and encouraging a fair, equitable, and respectful work environment that value and recognises personal differences. Additionally, these activities provide me with an avenue to seek feedback and employee perception on various practices and policies I plan to implement.