New Year's Eve Diversity Training

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

The New Year’s Eve Diversity Training program offers an interactive, non-threatening and fun way for county employees to learning more about other cultures while addressing differences and appreciating similarities. New Year’s Eve is a county workday, and although many employees take the day off, the day is often very quiet for those that remain. County Officials took this opportunity to work together to enhance the office’s understanding of diversity. Every hour, the work group came together to celebrate a country in which it was turning midnight at that precise moment. One worker was assigned that particular location and gave a brief description of the country, its culture and provides food or some other representation of the country. This typically would lead to an open discussion of other cultures and for the past two years has opened dialogue between employees about topics such as arranged marriages, matriarchal/patriarchal family dynamics, religious beliefs and other customs. County employees have all learned much about the world in general and about their fellow coworkers as well. This event has provided the impetus for discussion leading to greater understanding between employees.