Staff of major Australian insurer are encouraged to address colleagues as “folks”

Suncorp staff have been encouraged to address colleagues as “folks” and “team” instead of “guys” and to add pronouns to their email and social media as part of compulsory gender diversity training.

The training, which includes an assessment component requiring an 80 per cent pass mark, also instructs staff to stop saying things like “you’re acting like a girl” or “that’s so gay,” and that gender identity is not about “physical markers but rather how we feel on the inside.”

The training, which was due to be completed this week by Suncorp’s 13,000 staff, has received a mixed reaction in the Brisbane-based financial giant with some concerned about the cost of the training as well the general condascending tone in the course material.

“The vibe at Suncorp is that they are annoyed that the underlying assumption is that they need the training,” says someone with knowledge of the situation.

“It implies they’re all a bunch of bigots in the first place. Which they ain’t.”

The insider said the “woke agenda” was being pushed because of concerns industry funds would vote against companies not considered to be pushing reform agendas in areas like gender diversity.

Suncorp Group spokesman said the “once off short training module was developed internally by our employees, for our employees, and aims to provide practical information so we can better support all our customers and workforce.”

“The overwhelming majority of our employees have already completed this course and we have received very positive feedback,” the spokesman said.

The training comes as Suncorp, headed by chief executive Steve Johnston, also introduced “gender affirmation leave” which grants workers going through gender transition six weeks of paid leave and up to 12 months unpaid leave.

The training includes an instruction to staff not to assume anyone’s gender and that instead of Mr or Miss the salutation Mx could be used as a “non-binary option.”

“Non-binary is a gender all on its own and can also be used to recognise the fluidity and diversity that some of us feel,” according to course material seen by News Corp.

“Some people who are non-binary also describe having a trans experience. The point is we all describe our gender experience in different ways and the labels we use, if we use them, are personal.”

The questions in the quiz section of the course include “What is gender identity?” and “Gender expression, like gender identity is very personal, and we cannot asssume someone’s gender identity just by their appearance. Is this statement true or false?”

The course material also references “allyship” a term used in social activism to describe building and nurturing relationships with underrepresented, marginalized, or discriminated individuals or groups.

Another question in the quiz says: “Allyship is very important for all marginalised groups, including the LGBTIQ+ community. Which of the following statements are true? - an ally is someone who listens to, believes and amplifies LGBTIQ voices? Anyone can be an ally? Allyship means showing up, speaking up and offering support to others? or all of the above?

Suncorp’s investments in gender diversity training comes amid growing evidence such courses do nothing to harbour gender diversity in the workplace.

A study by the Harvard Business Review in 2019 found very little evidence that diversity training affected the behavior of men or white employees overall—the two groups who people claim hold the most power in organizations.

The study found that in the “absence of any observable change in the behavior of male or white employees” suggests companies need to “stop treating diversity training as a silver bullet” instead investing in programs that encourage “underrepresented talent to join, stay, succeed, and lead within your organization.”

https://www.couriermail.com.au/business/citybeat/guys-not-welcome-suncorp-gender-training-under-fire/news-story/8cd25d26342b1a3227420c832d2a4959

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My other blogs. Main ones below:

http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)

https://immigwatch.blogspot.com/ (IMMIGRATION WATCH)

https://awesternheart.blogspot.com/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)

http://jonjayray.com/blogall.html More blogs

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