Second City returns to WMU for employee training session
KALAMAZOO--The Second City of Chicago will return to Western Michigan University for a new training session open to all faculty and staff members set for 1:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in the Fetzer Center.
The response to Second City's first WMU training session in 2010 was so positive that the University is bringing the sketch comedy group back to campus to focus on the workplace topics of bullying, violence prevention and generational differences.
The new presentation, "Working Better Together: Understanding and Responding to Difficult Workplace Situations," is free and being sponsored by the Michigan University Self-Insurance Corp. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited.
Second City will use its well-known expertise in improvisation and comedy theatre as learning and development tools throughout the training session at WMU. The presentation, which was developed in collaboration with other Michigan universities, depicts real-world situations in three scenes.
The scenes on bullying, violence prevention and generational differences are combined with discussion and hands-on skill building exercises to give participants an engaging, relevant and informative experience. When appropriate, specific tactics are provided for preventing or responding to the issues being brought up in each scene.
Bullying and violence have become more prevalent in the workplace the past few years. In its exploration of these topics, Second City will address what bullying is and how bullying as well as violence in the workplace can be prevented.
The other topic that will be explored is a unique 21st-century phenomenon: people from three and four different generations commonly working side by side in the labor force. Each generation has its own work style and methods of communication. The Second City troup will use an active learning approach to help audience members improve their communication skills and increase their awareness and understanding of generational issues that impact work environments and relationships.
Questions about the Second City training session should be directed to Nichele Moses in Human Resources at @email or (269) 387-3650.