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importance of managing diversity in the workplace
importance of managing diversity in the workplace
rights and responsibilities of age discrimination in employment
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Abstract This paper is aimed at providing a framework for discussion of diversity and how it pairs with demographic characteristics. It is divided into four parts. Part I represents diversity in the workforce, which reflects the rational of organizations and how they handle diversity in the occupations of their workers. Parts II characterize diversity and age, as it responds to the fact that older people have the skill set to keep them working well past retirement age. Part III denotes religion, where as more employers are beginning to recognize the need to allow employees to take time to pray. Part IV symbolizes the personality traits in diversity and how “different” is not always viewed as wrong but can be an incentive to other employees. Introduction Diversity relates to gender, age, language, ethnicity, cultural background, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. Diversity also refers to the countless ways we are different in other respects such as educational level, job function, socio-economic background, personality profile, geographic location, marital status and whether or not one has family or other career responsibilities. Diversity in the Workplace Managing workplace diversity well requires the creation of an wide-ranging environment that values and utilizes the contribution of people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspective. All organizations policies, practices and processes that impact on the lives of employees need to recognize the potential benefits that can be derived from having access to range of perspectives and to take account of these differences in managing the workplace. Work systems, organizational structures, performance appraisal measurements, recruitment and selection practices and career development opportunities all have impact on the organizational behavior upon the management of diversity. Managing diversity builds on the EEO foundation but puts a new emphasis on the importance of valuing workplace difference as good management practice. This approach means that organizations must develop people management strategies to value and accommodate differences in the background perspective and family responsibilities of their employees. It requires them to acknowledge the positive contribution that diversity can... ... middle of paper ... ...fore, appreciating personality diversity means following risk-averse people when risks must be minimized, and following the risk-takers when its time to be bold. Appreciating personality diversity is the opposite of dogmatically expecting everyone to view situations the way you do, no matter how successfully you have been using your approach. We don’t all think alike but that’s often a good thing. Ultimately, to create a culture of tolerance that helps attract and retain employees, top executives need to set a tone that accommodates diversity practices. There is no point in diversity programs if management does not get it. And, there is no point in addressing age, and religion. The demographic diversification of the American workforce is well underway and will become only more challenging in the future. Reference: Bennett, Georgette (2005) Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious, Understanding Religious Demographics. Durden, Lisa (1994) Diversity in the Workplace: Bridging the Cultural Divide. Marofsky, Myrna (2005), Progroup – Innovative Diversity Solutions.
As companies began to offer workplace principles of independence, out of the box thinking and open-door policies; wouldn't it be even more important to have a cultured workplace. Workplace diversity is the here & now and also the wave of the future as markets expand into global territories. Setting the legal obligations asides a company should want to maximize its potential by reaching out beyond its current marketable persons and into other bodies of people. The cause of having such a diverse foundation shows growth and understanding to support the "changing of the times" of the modern workforce. The effects are how diversity impacts the company's personnel, economy, and global markets.
It helps to promote the organization which leads the company in the direction of becoming an international force to be reckoned with. When diversity is embraced in an organization, it grows the global portfolio and provides employers and employees with multiple options. It helps a person learn to be flexible and to overcome obstacles that get in their way. We all know that the world is diverse with many different cultures, genders, religions, and ethnicities. However, implementation of diversity is imperative within an organization because it allows access to a larger pool of complex ideas. As demographics shift globally, diversity is a necessity that organizations need to embrace in order to show their commitment to being open to change. Diversity in the workplace is important for the organization and the employee because it allows the organization to flourish through outreach and recruiting efforts.
Today’s management in the workforce is composed of all types of people verses thirty years ago when white males held a majority of upper-management positions in companies. These positions are now held by a mixture of ethnic back grounds and women who hold just as many if not more management positions then men. Just by looking at the changes in management demographics shows how important it is for people to understand cultural competency in the workplace. Dr. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. (1999) stated, “Diversity is the collective mixture of whomever we have in our workforce characterized by their differences and similarities” (p.11). Managers and supervisors must understand the characteristics of a diversity mature individual; they also need to be able to articulate the differences between affirmative action, managing diversity, understanding and valuing diversity to build skills that transforms awareness into productive and supportive workplace behaviors.
Diversity in the workplace is very important in today’s global workforce because workers in the economy all over the world are currently made up of many different ethnicities, varied cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds. People that are involved in management such as managers, and supervisors could greatly benefit from being accustomed to diversity in the workplace because their job entails dealing with a multicultural work environment on a daily basis. Knowing how to handle diversity in the workforce and having the necessary skills for supervisors would be beneficial not only to them but also to the success of the company and economy because a strong, diversified workforce will create a more “creative, innovative, and productive workforce.” (Kerby, 2012).
Today’s modern workforce is made up of a diverse group of individuals. People of different nationality, race, creed, color, age, sex, and sexual orientation work side by side every day. This diversity has many advantages, but it also ads a level of complexity to management. The potential for discrimination is real, and needs to be managed so as not to incur lawsuits, loss of productivity, and unhealthy working conditions. Happy employees are productive employees, so it is in any organizations best interests to ensure that discrimination does not happen, but unfortunately, it does.
The impact of diversity in the workplace is contingent upon several factors. Across companies diversified workforces are becoming increasingly common. To successfully manage a diverse workforce, organizations are ensuring that employees understand how their values and stereotypes influence their behavior toward others of different gender, ethnic, racial, or religious backgrounds; are gaining an appreciation of cultural differences among themselves; and behaviors that isolate or intimidate minorities are being improved (Noe et al., 2010, pg. 302).
Barak, M. E. (2005). Managing diversity: toward a globally inclusive workplace. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.
Recent studies show that, across the generations, 85% of the workforce needs to be given the chance to continually improve and grow (Eroke, 2014). In addition, the way to dealing with a multigenerational and diverse workforce lies in making a comprehensive and harmonious workplace. The employers need to perceive that in order to attain organizational cohesion, positive interaction and understanding of different backgrounds ought to be encouraged within the workplace. Moreover, most organizations hire an individual for a specific reason and then disregard the rest of their abilities which able to increased turnover (Jenkins, 2008). The employers need to guarantee that those taking care of the HR functions are sufficiently prepared and equipped to effectively guide the organization through the improvements in the territory of workplace diversity (Anon.,
In today's workforce, there have been drastic changes. Diversity in the workforce now ranges from race and sex to sexual orientation and political views of an employee; Compared to 50 years ago, where the primary race in the workforce was Caucasian and other differences were not expressed. Managers must adapt to the overall appeal to the audience that is needing motivation. Although one cannot make every single body in a room motivated to do something with one appeal, it is important that a managers work personally with their employees to reduce diversity issues and work productively. In the article, 'The Top 10 Diversity Facts in the Workforce Today,' It is stated that, "Diversity creates a more creative and innovative workforce."
Resistance to change - there are always employees who will refuse to accept the fact that the social and cultural makeup of their workplace is changing. And "always done this way" mentality silences new ideas and inhibits progress. Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies and this could be the biggest challenge for all advocates of diversity. Armed with the results of assessments of employee research and data, they must build and implement customized to maximize the effects of diversity in
The “we’ve always done it this way” mentality silences new ideas and inhibits progress. Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies - This can be the overriding challenge to all diversity advocates. Armed with the results of employee assessments and research data, they must build and implement a customised strategy to maximize the effects of diversity in the workplace for their particular organisation. Successful Management of Diversity in the Workplace - Diversity training alone is not sufficient for your organisation’s diversity management plan.
According to a survey conducted in New Zealand on need for increasing diversity in organization, employees responded that there is application of diversity in public sector, there is wide application of family-friendly practices and support activities, this helps in enhancing employees commitment towards organization. It is crucial to understand that ignoring diversity can cause both financial and non-financial loss to firms as it will cause higher cost, time and less scope to get talented workforce within organization.
The different diversities of an association's workforce and finding a way to create, and hold diverse employees have turned into a fundamental part of a business’s achievement. It urges supervisors to utilize all assets when recruiting people of social differing qualities in the work place. Morals speak to the standards by which individuals recognize what is ethically right. “Diversity is characteristics of individuals that shape their identities and the experience they have in society” (Certo, 2010, p.117) Diversity in the workplace has similarities and distinctions among personnel as far as age, ethnicity, physical abilities and handicaps, race, religion, sex, sexual alignment, and personality. This is how individuals see others and how
In general, workplace diversity is defined as the variety of different people working in an organization; however, diversity bring about a range of elements such as religion, difference in national origin, social status, sex, race, culture, ages and many more that need to be taken in account in order to run a successful company and make the world a better place. Because we are living in a country where diversity is highly present, it is important to know how companies and organizations promote and deal with diversity in their work environment. The History of Diversity in the Workplace It all started in 1964 when the Civil Rights Act was signed, which made illegal for organizations to engage in employment practices that discriminated against
Diversity is defined as race, gender, age, language, physical characteristics, disability, sexual orientation, economic status, parental status, education, geographic origin, profession, life-style, religion, personality, position in the company hierarchy and any other difference[3]. In other words, diversity refers to ...