Diversity Training In The Workplace

In the context of the global workplace, valuing diversity cultivates an environment that respects and includes differences by creating a workplace setting that maximizes the potential of all employees. Only when organizations know the true return on investment (ROI) behind diversity training will they be inclined to bear the cost and effort associated with implementing programs to effectively manage this diversity.

Diversity Training--a Necessity?

In 2004, Enterprise Rent-a-Car supported a study by the National Urban League that surveyed over 5,500 American workers, including managers and CEOs. The results revealed that fewer than half of the executives surveyed believe that their own companies are effectively managing diversity. In addition, almost 60 per cent feel partly at fault for not being sufficiently involved in workplace diversity training (Fisher, 2004).

The diversity training field forms part of a multibillion dollar training industry resulting primarily from recent demographic shifts, increasing globalization, and anti-workplace discrimination laws.

Laws and Regulations

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces all federal laws prohibiting job discrimination in the United States. Perhaps the most notable of these is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) that prohibits all employment discrimination based on race, religion, sex, color, or national origin.

In addition to Title VII, there are a host of federal laws that prohibit job discrimination, addressing such issues as equal compensation and employment opportunities, unbiased job assignments, equitable promotions as well as age, disability, and sex-based employment discrimination (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2005). These regulations have unquestionably fueled a greater need for organizational diversity training.

Globalization and Increased Competition in International Markets

Diversity in the workplace is a demographic phenomenon affecting not only U.S. organizations, but also multinational companies and institutions in countries across the globe (Littlefield, 1995). Additional business forces, such as global competition, are driving diversity in the majority of large organizations despite their geographic location. Companies are increasingly conducting business in the global arena and not providing the appropriate diversity training programs can be a very costly mistake.

Shifting Demographic Trends

Society in general is changing significantly and recent shifts in demographic trends have the potential to affect several facets of organizational management. In the USA, the workforce is increasingly comprised of men and women from all races, ethnic backgrounds, ages, lifestyles, sexual orientations, and religious beliefs. The surge of immigration in recent years has also contributed to a more culturally diverse workplace environment, a trend that is likely to continue (Keeton, 2003).