Synopsis
Straight Talk About Gays in the Workplace is also a very personal book, filled with stories and interviews with real people working at real companies. These tales illustrate the frustrations of being gay at an indifferent or hostile company and the energizing effects of working for an inclusive one.
Straight Talk About Gays in the Workplace provides insights and practical advice for everyone in your company, and it has specific help for managers and human resources professionals. The book shows how to create a harassment-free, inclusive workplace that recognizes the rights and answers the concerns of all employees; design and deliver sexual-orientation education for all employees; develop an AIDS/HIV educational program that can save lives; and implement domestic partner benefits programs (with detailed information on costs, tax issues, how to overcome objections, and why these benefits are so important to gay employees).
Gays are a significant portion of our diverse workforce. In its powerful discussion of both human and organizational needs, Straight Talk About Gays in the Workplace will expand your understanding of this diversity, and help build a safe, equitable, and productive climate - for everyone.
Reviews
How do American companies develop diversity in programs in their workplaces today that successfully integrate gays and lesbians into the corporate fabric of inclusivity? This question is the first premise for both these books. Bob Powers and Alan Ellis, long-time diversity trainers, look at specific individuals?gay/lesbian/bisexual/heterosexual?who have come to terms with sexual orientation workplace issues themselves and influenced others in a positive way. In six chapters the authors build on these personal accounts to explore how managers can implement diversity programs and make them work. A highlight of the book is a listing of "101 ways to make your workplace more inclusive." An excellent resource listing concludes the work. Winfield and Spielman, who are founders and principals of Common Ground, a consulting firm that specializes in workplace education about sexual orientation, offer a far more ambitious book. While they also incorporate personal stories to make points, they succeed in creating a far more comprehensive manual on how to achieve true diversity for sexual minorities. In addition to describing successful corporate diversity programs (notably Lotus and AT&T), they go on to cover discussions of what "domestic partnership benefits" are and how they can be realistically achieved in work settings. Both works are recommended to general readers.?Richard Drezen, "Washington Post" News Research Ctr., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
There are so many books about lesbians and gays in the workplace that it has become difficult to distinguish between them. This latest offering is notable because it comes from AMACOM, a division of the American Management Association not necessarily known for trendy or cutting-edge titles. Winfeld and Spielman founded and head Common Ground, a consulting firm that provides workplace training on the topic of sexual orientation. They argue that gays must be included in corporate diversity programs and that doing so is both good in general and good for business. They provide information on the cost of domestic partner benefits, implementing AIDS and HIV educational and prevention programs, and combating harassment. They offer moving, real-life examples that show the ugly effects of homophobia and help undo misconceptions. Various sample policies and a brief bibliography are included. David Rouse
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