Title: Social Diversity in the Workplace
Course: Question Banks

Q: Which of the following best describes a diverse group of employees?
- Seven Indian women; Five have brown eyes and two have green eyes.
- Five Chinese men, who have been in the US for six months.
- Six American men and three American women, who are from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
A: Six American men and three American women, who are from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Q: A diverse team at work could be described best by which of the following choices?
- A group of employees from Brazil
- A group of employees who are introverted
- A group of employees with different ages, genders, and religions
A: A group of employees with different ages, genders, and religions

Q: Three different groups have meetings with you today. Which of the following groups could best be defined as a diverse group?
- A group of female software engineers from Vietnam.
- A group of Mexican economists.
- A group of male and female software engineers.
A: A group of male and female software engineers.

Q: According to McKinsey, the relationship between increased racial and ethinic diversity and financial performance is which of these?
- Exponential. As diversity increases, financial performance increases.
- Exponential, but only if there is also gender diversity.
- There is no relationship between diversity and financial performance.
- Linear. As diversity increases, financial performance increases.
A: Linear. As diversity increases, financial performance increases.

Q: The financial performance of a company in the US would be stronger with which type of diversity?
- mobility and sight diversity
- gender and sexual orientation diversity
- racial and ethnic diversity
A: racial and ethnic diversity

Q: Hirra leads a team of male software developers that always gets excellent feedback on the quality of their work. However, she also gets feedback that her team would benefit by being more diverse. What competitive advantage could diversity bring to Hirra’s team?
- Improved quality level of software development and design.
- Increased exposure for successful diverse teams.
- Increased awareness to identify opportunities and avoid blind spots.
A: Increased awareness to identify opportunities and avoid blind spots.

Q: The biggest factor in creating challenges in a diverse workplace would be which of the following?
- men and women arguing
- too many different views
- unconscious bias
A: unconscious bias

Q: For people who work in diverse organizations, which of the following would be the biggest challenge to working well together?
- Too many languages to understand each other.
- Awareness of hidden blind spots.
- Perceived threats to the established order.
A: Perceived threats to the established order.

Q: Over the years, Kevin has received many awards for leadership at his company. Many of his team members, men and women, have gone on to achieve great success in their fields, and they credit Kevin for much of their growth. At the same time, people of color on Kevin’s team have overwhelmingly been passed over for advancement, even when they are more qualified than other team members. What is a common reason for this situation?
- Gender diversity is more important than ethnic diversity.
- People of color are overlooked for STEM occupations.
- Kevin has an unconscious bias.
A: Kevin has an unconscious bias.

Q: Modern scholarship views race as:
- an inherent physical quality
- related to social class
- a social construct
A: a social construct

Q: A typical description of ethnicity would be:
- it is the same as race.
- an inherent biological quality.
- the shared culture of a group.
A: the shared culture of a group.

Q: Aruna was born in Mumbai to an Indian mother and a Sri Lankan father. The family moved to Vancouver when she was a baby. Five years later, they all became Canadian citizens. Which of the following would best describe Aruna?
- She is multi-racial.
- Her daily interactions are challenging.
- She is multi-ethnic.
A: She is multi-ethnic.

Q: “Standard English” is typically influenced by which of the following factors:
- Correct use of grammar.
- Appropriate tone of voice.
- Our early social influences.
A: Our early social influences.

Q: Angela enjoys working in a highly diverse company. She feels she’s grown and been exposed to different cultures and perspectives, and she is very grateful for that. From time to time, Angela overhears some of her co-workers’ conversations and corrects their English when she feels it’s not correct. She doesn’t understand why her co-workers find these corrections annoying. She believes that she is helping them fit in. What could be at the root of this communication problem?
- Angela’s co-workers are not very polite.
- Angela’s co-workers are not very grateful for help.
- Perceived racial differences.
A: Perceived racial differences.

Q: In the workplace, the concept of “professional language”:
- is primarily connected to being very serious.
- is based on how much personal information someone shares.
- is subjective and based on several different factors.
A: is subjective and based on several different factors.

Q: In terms of culture and communication problems, which of the following would be the most common cause of such problems?
- Differences in language skills.
- Differences in how loudly people speak with one another.
- Differences in nonverbal communication and business etiquette.
A: Differences in nonverbal communication and business etiquette.

Q: In the 1950s, Vice President Nixon arrived in Latin America. He greeted the crowd by raising both his arms and giving them the A-OK sign, all with a big smile. He felt the trip was very productive, as he met with several key government members. Later on, the local media expressed how deeply insulted they were by the vice president. What could explain this misunderstanding?
- His big smile made him look unprofessional.
- He was too focused on work during his trip.
- He used a gesture that is considered to be rude in Latin America.
A: He used a gesture that is considered to be rude in Latin America.

Q: A cross-cultural communication problem would most likely be caused by which of the following?
- discussing sports
- grammar skills
- clothing choices
A: clothing choices

Q: Which of the following would be considered a main contributing factor for an inadvertent communication barrier in a religiously diverse workplace?
- fear of losing one’s job
- fear of reprisals
- fear of the unknown
A: fear of the unknown

Q: Shanti’s religious conviction to be a vegetarian is very important to her. Sometimes at team events, she finds that she has very few food options while others fill their plates. What could her team do to be more inclusive of different religions and spiritual beliefs?
- Assume that everyone follows the same general religious/spiritual principles.
- Provide food and drinks that the majority of people want.
- Ask team members about food/drink preferences or restrictions.
A: Ask team members about food/drink preferences or restrictions.

Q: Communication breakdowns and misunderstandings based on religious/spiritual beliefs may happen in the workplace from time to time. A good practice for avoiding these situations would be to:
- Ask colleagues to defend their religious/spiritual beliefs.
- Assume that all colleagues share the same religious/spiritual beliefs.
- Approach colleagues with empathy, curiosity, and respect.
A: Approach colleagues with empathy, curiosity, and respect.

Q: Companies that sell to an international audience have a large market but also have to be careful not to unexpectedly offend people. What could a company do to prevent intercultural communication problems?
- Assume your good intentions will be understood.
- Explain the actual meaning of the campaign to those who are offended.
- Create a process to ensure cultural awareness.
A: Create a process to ensure cultural awareness.

Q: Dev has a big problem. His team just spent months working long hours to launch their video game. Now, they’ve learned that their logo is deeply offensive in parts of South America. What can Dev’s team do to fix this problem?
- Assure offended nations that every effort will be made to change the logo in the future.
- Make small changes to the logo to show they’re taking the feedback seriously.
- Conduct a formal investigation and assure nations no deliberate offense was intended.
A: Conduct a formal investigation and assure nations no deliberate offense was intended.

Q: After the “Air-Allah” incident, which of the following actions did Nike take to increase their cultural awareness?
- Asked for forgiveness and continued using the unintentionally insulting logo.
- Apologized to CAIR and avoided doing business with Islamic countries.
- Consulted with Islamic organizations to ensure logo designs would be more appropriate in the future.
A: Consulted with Islamic organizations to ensure logo designs would be more appropriate in the future.

Q: The host of a medical conference introduced two doctors, Gwen Burns and Seunghun Park, in the following way: “...Please welcome Dr. Seunghun Park and his colleague, Gwen Burns.” What would be a more equitable way to make this introduction?
- “...Please welcome Dr. Seunghun Park and Mrs. Gwen Burns.”
- “...Please welcome Dr. Park and Dr. Gwen.”
- “...Please welcome Dr. Seunghun Park and Dr. Gwen Burns.”
A: “...Please welcome Dr. Seunghun Park and Dr. Gwen Burns.”

Q: What would be the most gender-inclusive way to change the following sentence: “If man is to improve his treatment of this planet, then he must learn to live in harmony with nature.”
- If man is to improve his/her/their treatment of this planet, then he/she/they must learn to live in harmony with nature.
- If mankind is to improve his/her treatment of this planet, then he/she must learn to live in harmony with nature.
- If humanity is to improve its treatment of this planet, then we must learn to live in harmony with nature.
A: If humanity is to improve its treatment of this planet, then we must learn to live in harmony with nature.

Q: What would be the most gender-inclusive way to change the following sentence: “Next time you visit your dentist, ask him about our toothpaste.”
- Next time you visit your dentist, ask him/her about our toothpaste
- Next time you visit your dentist, ask him/her/them about our toothpaste
- Next time you visit your dentist, ask about our toothpaste
A: Next time you visit your dentist, ask about our toothpaste

Q: The main purpose of communication for many socialized in a feminine community is to:
- Demonstrate authority and power.
- Apologize for any mistakes that have been made.
- Cultivate relational connections with other people.
A: Cultivate relational connections with other people.

Q: The main purpose of communication for many men is to:
- Create safety.
- Deepen relationships.
- Establish identity.
A: Establish identity.

Q: Men and women sometimes have different styles and priorities in how and why they communicate. A general way to describe these differences is:
- Women understand, while men question.
- Women accept, while men apologize.
- Women create rapport, while men report.
A: Women create rapport, while men report.

Q: People with disabilities often deal with a lack of understanding--or even discrimination. What is one of the main reasons for this?
- They are perceived to be not as qualified as able-bodied people.
- They are not interested in being in the public eye.
- They lack exposure in society and the media.
A: They lack exposure in society and the media.

Q: Nan is a data scientist working at a large American company. She enjoys her job and gets along well with her colleagues. She also has a stutter, but as long as she speaks slowly, she can effectively communicate with all around her. What can Nan’s colleagues do to improve communication with her, and avoid misunderstandings:
- Limit her speaking opportunities to avoid frustration.
- Finish her sentences whenever she struggles to say something.
- Confirm understanding by repeating back what she said.
A: Confirm understanding by repeating back what she said.

Q: When working with a person with a disability, which of the following would be an inclusive way to improve communication:
- Assume understanding and ask very few questions.
- 3 Try to “over-assist” whenever possible.
- Be patient, flexible, and supportive.
A: Be patient, flexible, and supportive.

Q: Elizabeth manages a group of millennials at an American technology company. As a traditionalist, what might she prioritize in a written report:
- Direct communication with a collaborative approach.
- Use of graphics and images.
- Formal language, following traditional grammatical rules.
A: Formal language, following traditional grammatical rules.

Q: For Generation X, a common reference point for a communication device would be:
- Internet.
- Social Media.
- Cell phones.
A: Cell phones.

Q: In terms of cell phone use, which of the following choices best describes the texting habits of Americans.
- 43% of Americans use smartphones to send texts.
- They send 67 texts a day, on average.
- They make far more texts than phone calls.
A: They make far more texts than phone calls.

Q: In terms of bridging the cross-generational gap, which of the following would be considered the best case scenario result:
- Encourage Baby Boomers to collaborate and learn from younger generations.
- Give more support to Millennials to help them move forward in the workforce.
- Create opportunities and a culture for cross-generational sharing and mentoring.
A: Create opportunities and a culture for cross-generational sharing and mentoring.

Q: Intergenerational learning is a strategy that helps bridge across generations. What are some of the business benefits of this strategy:
- It can help older generations feel safer in the workplace.
- Younger generations gain more access to leadership positions.
- Increased efficiency, productivity, and competitive positioning.
A: Increased efficiency, productivity, and competitive positioning.

Q: Cultivating “generational intelligence” is an essential aspect of bridging intergenerational teams at work. As a manager of team with four generations, this is very important to Chloe. Which of the following choices would best cultivate “generational intelligence” on Chloe’s team.
- Encourage older generations to teach younger generations about work culture.
- Cultivate an environment where younger generations can help older generations be more comfortable with new technology.
- Partner older and younger members to share experience and new ideas.
A: Partner older and younger members to share experience and new ideas.

Q: One of the problems of stereotypes, according to Chimamanda Adichie, is:
- They prevent awareness of everyday errors.
- They are always hurtful and damage reputations.
- They are incomplete generalizations of people.
A: They are incomplete generalizations of people.

Q: Prejudice often refers to:
- Actions against people.
- Oversimplified generalizations about groups.
- Biased thinking.
A: Biased thinking.

Q: What is the main difference between discrimination and prejudice, keeping in mind that they sometimes overlap:
- Discrimination can be erased, while prejudice is long-lasting.
- Discrimination is connected to beliefs, while prejudice focuses on actions.
- Discrimination is based in action, while prejudice refers to thoughts.
A: Discrimination is based in action, while prejudice refers to thoughts.

Q: Some people are treated unfairly in diverse workplaces from time to time because of:
- lack of ethics
- oversensitivity
- unconscious bias
A: unconscious bias

Q: There are laws and regulations currently in place to create equality in the workplace. These laws mainly protect employees from:
- unintentional insults
- the perception of bias
- extreme forms of bias
A: extreme forms of bias

Q: Sandra and Raj have worked together for five years. In Sandra’s mind, their working relationship has been professional. She was brought up to treat people equally and tries to live that way every day. One day, Raj told her that he’d felt uncomfortable with some jokes she’d made in the last few years. He believed her actions were unintentional, but it had bothered him for some time. He’d been afraid to tell her this for fear of damaging their working relationship. Sandra insisted that Raj was mistaken and that any slights towards him were coming from his imagination. Which of the following choices would best describe what is happening in this situation.
- Sandra is consciously trying to make Raj feel uncomfortable.
- Sandra has been misunderstood and falsely blamed.
- Sandra is demonstrating unconscious bias.
A: Sandra is demonstrating unconscious bias.

Q: Ayesha is the only woman on her team at work. At the end of one meeting, her manager said, “Ayesha, I need to compliment you. When you joined our team we were all worried you wouldn’t fit in because of your beliefs and stuff. But, it turns out you’re just as normal as the rest of us!” What would be an appropriate way to deal with this microaggression:
- Ayesha could laugh to put everyone at ease and, as a result, fit into the group even more.
- One of the bystanders could take Ayesha aside, tell her he knows the manager’s words were inappropriate, and then ask her not to complain, in order to maintain team unity.
- Ayesha could have a private meeting with her manager, explaining that even though he may not have intended it, his words made her feel marginalized in the group.
A: Ayesha could have a private meeting with her manager, explaining that even though he may not have intended it, his words made her feel marginalized in the group.

Q: Veronica has been told on a few occasions that her words and actions have made some of her co-workers uncomfortable. In order to avoid future microaggressions, what could Veronica do:
- Let people know that this is her sense of humor and that no one should be offended by it.
- Try and work only with co-workers who have not given her feedback on her behavior.
- Avoid making comments on people’s appearances unless it is asked for.
A: Avoid making comments on people’s appearances unless it is asked for.

Q: Even when it is unintentional, what is the impact of bias in the workplace, when not called out:
- There would be an increase in leadership training programs.
- More women would join advocacy organizations.
- It can slow down the development of an inclusive culture.
A: It can slow down the development of an inclusive culture.