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Office of the Executive Vice President for Administration
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EVPA CARES

EVPA CARES

We remain committed to providing a work environment that is engaging, safe, supportive, and welcoming to all staff.

CARES (Communication, Appreciation, Respect, Empathy, and Sensitivity) about your employee experience and is an acronym that highlights five attributes, representing our values. This diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) journey is shared work and we must all engage and commit to doing our part every day. It is the response from leadership, staff, and HR -- all of us -- that determines the outcome of our goals for inclusion and whether inclusive or exclusive behaviors (what we say and do) become an acceptable part of our unit culture.

 

Communication

 

 “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”  - Tony Robbins

 

Resources:

  • Use words that include, not exclude people
  • Actively listen and validate people’s experiences
  • Make sure your voice does not reveal hints of disrespect, even during moments of disagreement
  • Speak so that people can understand
  • Have constructive conversations about differences that focus on learning
  • Avoid being condescending or patronizing
  • Ask for the correct pronunciation of someone’s name
  • Assume positive intent; Speak up when you see or hear a non-inclusive interaction
  • If you do offend, apologize or say sorry immediately; then learn from the experience and make changes
  • Share additional examples with your teammates

Appreciation


“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”  - Margaret Cousins 

 

  • Resources: Ted Talk: The Power of Appreciation 
    • Acknowledge people around you and their value-added contributions
    • Show genuine appreciation for and welcome unique perspectives
    • Seek the strengths and knowledge of every generation
    • Discourage humor or jokes that poke fun at people
    • Fight the tendency to make assumptions; ask questions instead
    • Extend care, kindness, and understanding to everyone
    • Look for the positive and value that each person brings to the team
    • Share additional examples with your teammates

Respect

 

“When employees respect each other and get along in the workplace, it’s amazing how productivity increases, morale increases and employees are more courteous to customers.” – Maureen Wild 

 

Resources: Ted Talk: “Why being respectful to your co-workers is good for business”

  • Treat everyone with respect, politeness, courtesy, and kindness
  • Encourage co-workers to express ideas and opinions
  • Cultivate friendly, respectful professional relationships
  • Listen to what others have to say before expressing your viewpoint
  • Speak up in the face of disrespect, taunting, threats, sexist or insulting comments/jokes
  • Don't interrupt or talk over people  
  • Keep confidences/ don’t spread gossip or rumors
  • Remain civil when you disagree with or dislike a person
  • Share additional examples with your teammates

Empathy

 

“Empathy is a choice, and it’s a vulnerable choice. In order to connect with you, I have to connect with something in myself that knows that feeling.” – Brené Brown 

 

  • Resources: Brené Brown on Empathy 
    • Establish rapport with your teammates
    • Explore things from the other person’s point of view  and validate perspective
    • Understand other people’s emotions and needs; emotional intelligence
    • Take the concerns of others into consideration
    • Listen with your FULL attention when others are speaking
    • Show reasonable support for your teammates
    • Show interest in learning about other people and their experiences
    • Share additional examples with your teammates

Sensitivity

 

“Sensitivity to others is not a form of weakness but a form of compassion.” - Rubyanne 

 

Resources:

  • Become more self-aware
  • Practice ways to reduce tension
  • Show interest in learning about other cultures
  • Avoid and discourage stereotypes and microaggressions
  • Focus on the impact of your interactions on people
  • Avoid making assumptions 
  • Help to raise cultural awareness
  • Share additional examples with your teammates

Office of DEI