THE WORLD OF work is changing.
Changes in general society find their way into our work environments, whether it’s cutting-edge technology becoming a mainstay of most offices or changing work dynamics thanks to the popularity of remote working.
More and more, companies are looking at how they can best serve their employees, facilitating everything from four-day work weeks for a better work-life balance, to allowing pets into the office.
One area of particular focus for all businesses is diversity and inclusion. An increasingly diverse world needs to be reflected in the workplace and as companies look to keep up with the times, diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of their minds.
We spoke to two specialists in diversity and inclusion, who both earned postgraduate degrees from DCU Business School in courses related to HR practices, to see what insights they have gleaned about the area.
Having launched successful careers in the world of HR, Siobhan Sweeney and Andrea O’Reilly decided that a postgraduate degree would be extremely beneficial to advancing their career and developing their expertise.
Both attended DCU Business School, where Siobhan received an MSc in Work & Organisational Psychology / Behaviour, and Andrea received an MSc in Talent, Leadership and HR Strategy. Both of these courses place a huge focus on the importance of diversity and inclusion in a modern workplace.
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is no longer ‘nice to have’, it’s a business necessity which adds a serious competitive advantage,” says Siobhan.
“The world and society are changing rapidly, our customers expect us to adapt to the world around us which includes the workforce. By 2025, estimates predict the workforce will be 75% millennials, which will continue to be another driving force for D&I. This segment of the workforce highly values diversity, with a 2016 survey reporting that 47% of millennials actively look for diversity in the workplace, meaning that diversity should also be a primary concern for organisations looking to attract the best and brightest employees,” she added.
As HR professionals, a key part of Andrea and Siobhan’s role is to choose the makeup of their companies. “In my role, I need to identify and implement the organisation and people changes needed to deliver on company strategy to achieve high growth,” said Andrea.
Siobhan and Andrea both stressed the benefits of ensuring the workplace is diverse and inclusive – which include a wider range of ideas, environments and lifestyles – that can all contribute to greater success within a business.
“The research has shown that with diverse and inclusive cultures several benefits can be received,” Siobhan said.
These include:
#1: Variety of different perspectives.
#2: Increased creativity.
#3: Higher innovation.
#4: Faster problem-solving.
#5: Better decision making.
#6: Increased profits.
#7: Higher employee engagement.
#8: Reduced employee turnover.
#9: Better company reputation.
#10: Improved hiring results.
Diversity and inclusion is an area that any company looking to improve its model and ensure greater customer satisfaction should be looking at to see what advancements it can make for the benefit of its business.
DCU Business School’s courses of MSc in Leadership and People Strategies and MSc in Work & Organisational Psychology / Behaviour are designed to create the next leaders of diversity and inclusion. Diverse student profiles, a participative and inclusive approach to learning and the depth of expertise of the teaching team are just three of the pillars these courses are built upon.
“The School engages with industry, enterprise and professional bodies constantly, meeting regularly to discuss and better understand new developments and staff development needs,” said Dominic Elliott, Executive Dean of DCU Business School.
We have an Industry Advisory Board, drawing from many professional and industry sectors. Our members are very much part of the School, meeting regularly, providing guest lectures and shaping new programme developments to ensure that we are aligned to the needs of our students, our industry sponsors and the needs of the Irish economy,” Elliott added.
This approach ensures that the material covered in the course is always relevant to the professional world. Graduates are therefore able to adapt seamlessly in their new roles and be thought leaders in their workplaces.
Andrea O’Reilly enjoyed her time studying immensely and particularly liked having support from staff on a variety of subjects.
“We had fun, and laughs, staff were always there to give the best advice and, above all, the support,” Andrea said.
Andrea understands the importance of diversity and inclusion both from her studies in DCU, but also since being diagnosed with dyslexia with a high IQ several years ago. The support she received from DCU with regard to her dyslexia helped nullify her worries and achieve a high mark in her course.
“DCU facilitated me by highlighting tools that would help fulfil me along my academic journey. These tools have helped me in my working life also,” said Andrea.
I achieved an excellent mark. I hope I can inspire others to realise that you can do anything you put your mind to. The world is my oyster as it is for others; make the most of your life; perceived barriers and obstacles are only challenges to overcome and will make you the best you can be,” she added.
Looking at the course material itself, Professor Aurora Trif, programme chair of the MSC in Leadership and People Strategies, describes how her research and the work of her colleagues are used in the course.
“For the ‘Future of work’ module, I’ll draw on the findings of an international project that I’ve coordinated on flexible working practices in five sectors across 10 EU countries. Also, I plan to invite practitioners (e.g. the IBEC CEO) and scholars to give guest talks on specific topics. In the past, I’ve visited with the class to companies in Silicon Valley to learn about their international HRM practices,” Professor Trif said.
Professor Yseult Freeney, programme chair of MSc Work & Organisational Psychology / Behaviour, seconded the assertion that the modern course material that helps the Master’s stand out in its field.
“Rather than a reliance on textbooks, which quickly go out of date, we bring ongoing research from around the globe and from within DCU into the classroom, said Freeney.
Because of our own area of research expertise, we know that relationships are fundamental to thriving in learning and working, so relationships form the foundation of the programme design.”
The faculty themselves are also appreciated by students, with Siobhan Sweeney saying she “couldn’t have asked for more from the DCU faculty.”
“I knew from day one that the faculty wanted its students to succeed and because of that mission they constantly went over and beyond to support the student population.”
DCU Business School is the obvious choice for those looking to further their career in the world of HR, people management, and leadership, who are already educated to degree level. With top-class teaching within the heavily accredited School on top of an extremely high employment rate of graduates (DCU is ranked first in Ireland amongst universities) as well as a modern campus, the MScs in Leadership and People Strategies and in Work & Organisational Psychology / Behaviour are designed to create the driving forces of change in the workplace.
For more information about the part-time postgraduate courses offered by DCU Business School, visit here.
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