Diversity In The Workplace

Diversity In The Workplace

2006

INTRODUCTION

The world 's increasing globalization necessitates more interaction among people from diverse cultures , beliefs , and backgrounds than ever before People no longer live and work in an insular marketplace they are now component of a worldwide economy with competition coming from nearly every continent . Consequently , profit and non-profit organizations need diversity to turn into more creative and open to change . Maximizing and capitalizing on workplace diversity has become a significant issue for management today . The foremost focus of this research is to describe in

br detail the diversity in the workforce to bring about an understanding of the difficulty and breadth of workplace diversity issues . The research also intends to give insights on the trends that have emerged in the field of diversity , and information that can be used to develop new and exceptional approaches that fit the precise needs of particular organizations

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Diversity is commonly defined as acknowledging , understanding accepting , valuing , and celebrating differences among people with respect to age , class , ethnicity , gender , physical and mental ability race , sexual orientation , spiritual practice , and public assistance status (Esty , et al , 1995 . Diversity is the catalyst for innovative thinking , entrepreneurial spirit and new ways of building our communities . Diversity is individuality . It 's a wide spectrum of traits including personal style , age , race , gender , ethnicity , sexual orientation , language , physical ability , religion , family , citizenship status , socio-economic circumstances , education and life experiences (Thomas , 1991 . People see diversity as any trait that makes someone unique and does not interfere with effective job performance . Diversity is not about quotas or affirmative action . And it involves , in part , the conscious recognition of the changing face of our nation and the economy in which we operate . Diversity as a concept is one that welcomes various ways of thinking and expression as valuable business resources for the reason that those differences can generate new and creative product and service ideas and methods of problem solving . Diversity is not easy to achieve . Therefore , it is significant as a manager to take advantage of the opportunities to support a diverse work environment as they arise Candidate sourcing is one of those opportunities . Managing diversity is defined as planning and implementing organizational systems and practices to manage people so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized while its potential disadvantages are minimized (Carr-Ruffino , 1996 . Managing diversity well provides a distinct advantage in an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness . An organization needs to be flexible and adaptable to meet new customer needs . We live in an age where understanding diversity is becoming more vital that ever . The word "diversity " has assumed new meaning throughout the past few years . Diversity has become associated with affirmative action programs and racial or gender-based sensitivity training . Yet "diverse " does accurately describe nowadays a typical firm 's employees , independent contractors and customers . In this context , it merely describes reality . Society views diversity as a combination of the following elements : race , ethnicity gender , age religion , disability , and sexual orientation

Diversity issues are now considered significant and are projected to become even more vital in the future due to increasing differences in the population . Companies need to focus on diversity and look for ways to become has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages . Diversity is an invaluable competitive asset that America cannot afford to ignore (Robinson , 2002 . Managing and valuing diversity is a key component of effective people management , which can improve workplace productivity (Black Enterprise , 2001 . Demographic changes will require organizations to review the management practices and develop new and creative approaches to managing people . Changes will increase work performance and customer service . The need to understand diversity is also driven by women in the workplace . Today 's workforce has the highest levels of employment participation ever by women . The number of dual income families and single working mothers has increased Change in the family structure means that there are fewer men and women in traditional family roles (Zweigenhaft and Domhoff , 1998 . For that reason , diversity issues cut across both race and gender . There have been important changes to organizations as a result of downsizing and outsourcing , which has greatly affected human resource management . Work practices have changed due to the impact of globalization and technology and there is a trend toward longer working hours (Losyk , 1996 Generally speaking , reorganizations typically result in fewer people doing more . Federal and State equal opportunity legislation make discrimination in workplaces illegal . These laws specify the rights and responsibilities of both associates and employers in the workplace and hold both groups accountable . To address diversity issues , consider these questions : what policies , practices , and ways of thinking and within our organizational culture have differential impact on different groups ? What organizational changes should be made to meet the needs of a diverse workforce as well as to maximize the potential of all workers Most people believe in the golden rule : treat others as you want to be treated . The implicit assumption is that how you want to be treated is how others want to be treated . But when you look at this proverb through a diversity perspective , you begin to ask the question : what does respect look like does it look the same for everyone ? Does it mean saying hello in the morning , or leaving someone alone , or making eye contact when you speak ? It depends on the individual . People may share same values , such as respect or need for recognition , but how people show those values through behavior may be different for various cultures . How do we know what different cultures need ? Perhaps instead of using the golden rule , people could use the platinum rule which states "treat others as they want to be treated " Moving the frame of reference from an ethnocentric view to a culturally relative perspective will help us to manage more effectively in a diverse work environment "Managing diversity " is fast becoming the corporate watchword of the decade not because corporations are becoming kinder and gentler toward culturally diverse groups but for the reason that they want to survive Edwards , 1991 . And in to survive a growing number of U .S organizations will have to recruit , train , and promote culturally diverse employees . In essence , this is nothing more than developing additional human resources ( Riche , 1991 . Many people think that fairness means treating everyone the same . How well does treating everyone the same work for a diverse staff ? For instance , when employees have limited English language skills or reading proficiency , although that limit might not affect their ability to do their jobs , transmitting important information through complicated memos might not be an effective way of communicating with them . While distributing such memos to all staff is treating everyone the same , this approach may not communicate vital information to everyone . A staff member who missed out on essential information might feel that the communication process was unfair . A practice that takes account of the diverse levels of English language and reading proficiency among the staff might include taking extra time to be sure that information in an important memorandum is understood . Such efforts on the part of supervisors and managers should be supported and rewarded as good management practices for working with a diverse staff . Managing diversity focuses on maximizing the ability of all employees to contribute to organizational goals . Affirmative action focuses on specific groups because of historical discrimination , such as people of color and women . Affirmative action emphasizes legal necessity and social responsibility managing diversity emphasizes business necessity . In short , while managing diversity is also concerned with under representation of women and people of color in the workforce , it is much more inclusive and acknowledges that diversity must work for everyone . Ignoring diversity issues costs time , money , and efficiency Some of the consequences can comprise unhealthy tensions between people of differing gender , race , ethnicity , age , abilities , etc loss of productivity because of increased conflict inability to attract and retain talented people of all kinds complaints and legal actions and inability to retain women and people of color , resulting in lost investments in recruitment and training

Operating in a global economy presents important challenges to businesses . On the human resources side of the equation , assembling a diverse workforce can be part of an effective overall strategy to remain competitive and generate more employee and customer loyalty . The diversity of workforce is a direct reflection of the organization and the appreciation of the benefits a diverse workforce has to offer (Wheeler , 1996 . Diversity recruiting is becoming more and more important as the world becomes more global . At first , legal compliance was the primary driver behind most diversity recruiting . But now organizations have learned that if they want to operate around the world they must be able to recruit and retain individuals who are different than those who are in the majority at corporate headquarters . In other words , it 's vital to recruit diverse individuals not only for the reason that many corporations must operate facilities at multiple locations around the globe , but also because they need diverse-thinking individuals to design products that will be in high demand in every major country . In a global economy , having a diverse workforce is no longer an option . It has become an absolute requirement for success in a global economy

Many companies have established processes and procedures for locating job candidates . And often those are executed through a dedicated staffing or recruiting department that uses , for example , employee referral programs , college campus recruiting , news ads , job fairs Web site postings , external recruiters , or affiliations with various trade and professional organizations . In terms of job ads , there are local newss and job-search magazines all over the country that are targeted to particular diverse audiences . Think about spending a few dollars to place an ad in those s at the same time that you run an ad in the more traditional s . The company may have employee resource groups , like the Black Professionals , Disabled Workers , or Globe . After checking with the legal counsel , there may be a way to leverage those relationships to help the company find additional candidates without involving the groups in day-to-day business issues And that may be as simple as weekly or monthly e-mails to all the employee resource groups to be sure they know regarding current job openings in the company . In addition , there is diversity hiring coalitions all over the country . There also are dedicated Web sites that provide ideas and resources to explore ways in which the company can identify possible minority candidates . And there are diversity-based job boards on the Internet that have already put together a diverse pool of applicants all the manager needs to do is enter the site and conduct a search for the appropriate qualifications . The value of a diverse workforce cannot be understated . Paying attention to it does not mean that you have to hire someone who isn 't qualified . Rather , managers are seeking to hire the most qualified person from a more diverse candidate pool . When the manager pays attention to how candidates are sourced manager can help increase the likelihood that the pool includes more of the best qualified candidates in your area . If , as a result , manager hires a person from a traditionally disadvantaged group , managers have gained a lot more than simply filling the open position . Be sure to consult with the staffing and human resources departments about the many ways in which you can help diversify the candidate pools . The efforts will not go unrewarded . Diversity of staffing in any organization or industry can prove to be a tremendous competitive advantage for a variety of reasons , one being that it is often easier to attract and retain a more diverse staff if some diversity already exists within the organization . It matters less , however , which individuals on the staff are diverse , than current and prospective employees ' perceptions of how effectively diversity is actually valued , managed , and leveraged within the organization . The mere existence of employees from diverse backgrounds is not as critical as whether it is evident to others that they are comfortable and committed working for the organization and feel that they are being treated and regarded appropriately by their coworkers and managers . It is not enough merely for certain a position to be staffed with diversity candidates or for only the HR department to believe that diversity is significant to the organization . It is not possible for the HR Department alone to enhance the effectiveness of diversity management or to change corporate culture if management does not assume accountability for whether or not the change actually occurs Prospective or existing employees can easily identify when diversity issues exist and /or when touted diversity initiatives appears to be more window dressing or program of the month than representative of actual values and beliefs that are held by the organization 's leadership embedded in business goals /objectives , and continually reinforced through accountability mechanisms . A crucial factor in the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce is the development of managers and supervisors within the staff and faculty who have the skills to recruit manage , and mentor diverse populations . Managing diversity within the workplace means creating an environment where each faculty and staff member is empowered to contribute to the work of the unit , being sensitive and alert to the interactions among and between faculty and staff , and articulating clear expectations about behaviors in the workplace . Effective mentoring in a multicultural setting involves offering opportunities for faculty and staff to learn about diverse people and cultures . It means understanding diverse learning styles and approaches to problem-solving

Workplace diversity is about acknowledging differences and adapting work practices to create an inclusive environment in which diverse skills perspectives and backgrounds are valued . It is about understanding the individual differences in the people we work with that arise from a broad range of backgrounds and lifestyles , and recognizing the value of using those different perspectives , ideas and ways of working to enhance the quality and outcomes of work . Our diversity is shaped and informed by a variety of characteristics including age , ethnicity , gender disability , language , religious beliefs , life stages , education , carer responsibilities , sexual orientation , personality and marital status Workplace diversity builds on the traditional principles of equal employment opportunity (EEO . While EEO focuses on ensuring that all people have access to employment opportunities and conditions , diversity means accepting , welcoming and valuing the differences inherent in every individual and recognising the contribution that a diverse workforce can make to organisational effectiveness and performance . A key aspect of workplace diversity is the contribution that we all make to a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment . The need for a diverse workforce is part and parcel of the human resource requirements associated with successful continuous quality improvement initiatives . A diverse workforce in which the contributions of each member faculty staff , or administrator , are respected and valued is an institution 's most important asset . Such a workforce is able to synthesize a variety of perspectives and processes for the successful completion of tasks Employers can build on established individual and group strengths and develop policies that create an environment to get the best out of each individual . Diversity is beneficial to both associates and employers Although associates are interdependent in the workplace , respecting individual differences can increase productivity . Diversity in the workplace can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities recruitment , creativity , and business image (Esty , et al , 1995 . In an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness diversity is critical for an organization 's success . Also , the consequences should not be overlooked . Diversity is considered as a key value in managing all aspects of a modern business where people are its primary asset . Diversity has a positive impact on employee morale and the development of a working environment that feels inclusive to everyone . Company aims to provide a working environment that treats people with fairness and respect and where the talents and resources of all employees are utilized to the full . Reflecting the national debate on work-life balance , companies approach forms part of the broader diversity agenda and supports the underlying core values of openness and respect . In the past two years strategy of the company have been created from many people from different levels in many different jobs from a huge variety of backgrounds . Appointed by the Board they form a vital part of the annual business strategy consultation and development for that year and are an excellent example of the value placed in all staff having an input and a part to play in the future of the company

Diversity is about everyone . It is about creating a working culture that respects , welcomes , and harnesses difference for the benefit of the organization and that individual (Napoli , 1998 . Difference includes visible differences and non-visible differences . People aim to be inclusive to all who accept and demonstrate the values that make-up our working culture . Managing diversity is not about favoring people or to make people fit in but it is tackling any aspect of the existing culture that prevents us being inclusive in the way that we relate to existing or potential employees , colleagues , customers and business partners . It is about creating an environment where people from different backgrounds , with different experience and different perspectives feel valued for the positive contribution they can make to the business . Have you ever wondered what it might be like if all there was to eat in this country was apple pie and hot dogs ? After all , if there were no value in diversity of eating preferences in the culinary world , there might not be Chinese take out or an Italian buffet and there may certainly be little appreciation for German potato salad . What about soul cuisine or Mexican food . What could that possibly be like ? In organizations , the same issues exist . If companies are to stay competitive in this fast changing work environment , they are going to have to make it okay for everyone to step up to the plate . This demands that a culture of acceptance be established along with an environment of opportunity and an atmosphere of trust developed . Trust in the innate goodness of an individual . It is significant to believe that most people want to do the best they can in the job they have . Employee potential is maximized through self-awareness and understanding combined with management and leaderships ' commitment to provide a safe environment for employee development . Working in tandem with an employee 's talents discovered through self-awareness , employees can realize improved self-management skills and increased job satisfaction . The world is growing smaller every day and as a result we are living in a global society . Any company wanting to hire and keep the best and brightest , meet the needs of its customers both internally and externally , and ride the wave of success in product development and financial rewards is going to need the brain power , efforts and commitment of everyone to make it happen

CONCLUSION

A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and marketplace Diverse work teams bring high value to organizations . Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity . Diversity management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges . Management tools in a diverse workforce should be used to educate everyone about diversity and its issues , including laws and regulations . Most workplaces are made up of diverse cultures , so organizations need to learn how to adapt to be successful . When people think of diversity , they may think first of ethnicity and race , and then gender however , diversity is much broader than that . Diversity is otherness or those human qualities that are different from our own and outside the groups , to which we belong , yet present in other individuals and groups . Dimensions of diversity include , but are not limited to : age , ethnicity , ancestry , gender physical abilities /qualities , race , sexual orientation , educational background , geographic location , income , marital status , military experience , religious beliefs , parental status , and work experience It 's important to understand how these dimensions affect performance motivation , success , and interactions with others . Institutional structures and practices that have presented barriers to some dimensions of diversity should be examined , challenged , and removed . It is clear that achieving excellence in diversity recruiting requires the same kind of organizational attention as any other major strategic effort . What is needed is focus , persistence , setting tough goals and adhering to tough evaluation standards . Strong leadership and management support are necessary so that your diversity recruiting program doesn 't become routine and stale

REFERENCE

Abbasi S . M Hollman K . W "Managing cultural diversity : The challenge of the 90s . Records Management Quarterly , 25 , 24-32 ( 1991 .Albert S Dobbs J . M . Jr "Physical distance and persuasion . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 15 , 265-270 (1970

Carr-Ruffino , N . Managing diversity : people skills for a multicultural workplace , Thomson Executive Press , Cincinnati , Ohio (1996

Esty , Katharine , Richard Griffin , and Marcie Schorr-Hirsh . Workplace diversity . A managers guide to solving problems and turning diversity into a competitive advantage . Avon , MA : Adams Media Corporation (1995

Loysk , Bob . Managing a changing workforce : Acheiving outstanding service with todays employees . Davie , FL : Workplace Trends Publishing (1996

Napoli , J . Understanding Equal Employment Opportunity : A Guide for the Workplace , Prentice Hall , Australia (1998

Robinson , Kary-Siobhan . U .S . must focus on diversity or face decline in competitiveness (2002

Thomas , R Roosevelt Jr . Beyond Race and Gender : Unleashing the Power of Your Wheeler , Michael L . Corporate Practices in Diversity Management : a Research Report , Report No . 1164-96-RR , Conference Board , Ottawa (1996

Zweigenhaft , Richard L , and G . William Domhoff . Diversity in the power elite : have women and minorities reached the top ? New Haven , CT : Yale University Press (1998

PAGE

PAGE 13

Diversity In The Workplace ...