Definition Assignment 2 (1)

7/25/2019 Definition Assignment 2 (1)

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WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

Diversity is generally 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., 199!. Diversity issues are now considered important

and are pro"ected to become even more important in the future due to increasing differences in the #.$.

population. %ompanies need to focus on diversity and look for ways to become totally inclusive organi&ations

because diversity has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages ($'), 199!.

$tephen *. +utler, cochair of the +usiness'igher Education -orum, believes that diversity is an invaluable

competitive asset that merica cannot afford to ignore (obinson, /00/!. )anaging and valuing diversity is a

key component of effective people management, which can improve workplace productivity (+lack Enterprise,

/001!. Demographic changes (women in the workplace, organi&ational restructurings, and eual opportunity

legislation! / will reuire organi&ations to review their management practices and develop new and creative

approaches to managing people. %hanges will increase work performance and customer service.

DEFINITIONS:Workforce diversity is a orkforce co!sisti!" of a #road $i% of orkers

fro$ differe!t racia& a!d et'!ic #ack"ro(!d of differe!t a"es a!d "e!ders)

a!d of differe!t do$estic a!d !atio!a& c(&t(res*

+!ot'er Defi!itio! is:

Work force diversity $ea!s t'at t'e or"a!i,atio!s are #eco$i!" $ore'etero"e!eo(s $i% of -eo-&e i! ter$s of "e!der) a"e) et'!icity a!d se%(a

orie!tatio!*

IMPORTANCE OF WORK FORCE DIVERSITY:

s workforce demographics shift and global markets emerge, workplace diversity inches closer to becoming a

business necessity instead of a banner that companies wave to show their commitment to embracing differences

and change. Employees reap tangible and intangible benefits from workplace benefits, not the least of which

include respect from coworkers and business gains.

MUTUAL RESPECT

2orkplace diversity fosters mutual respect among employees. 2hether employees work in groups or teams

comprised of coworkers with varied work styles, or colleagues who represent different cultures or generations,

synergistic work environment become the norm. lthough an idyllic atmosphere may be difficult to achieve,

employees nevertheless recogni&e the many strengths and talents that diversity brings to the workplace and they

gain respect for their colleagues3 performance.


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CONFLICT RESOLUTION

%onflict inevitably occurs in the work environment. 'owever, employees who acknowledge others3 differences

often also find similarities, particularly when there are common goals production and uality. espect for co

workers either reduces the likelihood of conflict or facilitates an easier road to conflict resolution. 4he ability to

resolve workplace conflict minimi&es potential liability for employee complaints that would otherwise escalate

to formal matters, such as litigation. 2orkplace diversity preserves the uality of employees3 relationships with

their coworkers and their supervisors.

BUSINESS REPUTATION

Diversity in the workplace is important for employees because it manifests itself in building a great reputation

for the company, leading to increased profitability and opportunities for workers. 2orkplace diversity is

important within the organi&ation as well as outside. +usiness reputations flourish when companies demonstrate

their commitment to diversity through aggressive outreach and recruiting efforts. n organi&ation known for its

ethics, fair employment practices and appreciation for diverse talent is better able to attract a wider pool ofualified applicants. 5ther advantages include loyalty from customers who choose to do business only with

companies whose business practices are socially responsible.

JOB PROMOTION

4he importance of workplace diversity cannot be overstated when it comes to an organi&ation3s ability to reach

markets in foreign countries. 4he appeal of global markets creates two kinds of opportunities for employees6

opportunities for promotion and employee development. global marketplace opens doors for employees with

diverse language skills and multicultural understanding to build global profit centers. Employees interested in

learning multinational business strategy and who are available for possible expatriate assignments may also findnew and challenging career opportunities.

INCREASED EXPOSURE

diverse workplace offers more than exposure to employees from different cultures and backgrounds.

Employees learn from coworkers whose work styles vary and whose attitudes about work varies from their own

4his is particularly true for employees within multigenerational work environments. 4raditionalgeneration

workers learn new technology and processes from workers who belong to the techsavvy )illennial generation.

7ikewise, *eneration 8 employees learn from exposure to the assertive, gogetter work ethic typical of many

+aby +oomers.


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GOALS OF THE WORKFORCE DIVERSITY:

1. 4o identify, attract, and retain the best people of each group./. 4o create a workplace where that talent can perform at its best to maximi&e shareholders value.

. 4o assess and understand the diversity of the market place.

SIGNIFICANCE OF WORK FORCE DIVERSITY:

1. )aximi&e the productivity./. Enhance the creativity.

. :ncrease the loyalty of employees.;. *etting competitive advantage.

. :mproving decision making by providing different perspective on problems.

rimary Dimension

/. $econdary Dimension

PRIMARY DIMENSION

:t mainly includes inborn differences such as a"e) race) et'!icity) "e!der) -'ysica& a#i&ity a!d se%(a&

orie!tatio!*

SECONDARY DIMENSION

:t mainly includes ed(catio!) re&i"io!) #e&ieves) $arita& stat(s) fa$i&y #ack"ro(!d a!d ork c(&t(re


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Age

Gender

City/state/region of residence Ethnicity

Nationality

Marital status; family

responsibilities

Cultural heritage

Socio-economic status

Physical appearance

Physical ability

Demographicdivers

ity

Constructdomain of

diversity

Socio-cognitive Organizational

eligious beliefs !radition

Se"ual orientation

#ntelligence le$el;

mental challenges

%anguage

&eliefs

!hin'ing patterns

(no)ledge le$el;

education

Personalitycharacteristics

*ccupation+ functional

or ,ob portfolios

ob status .blur or

)hite collar

ob tenure or seniority

0ierarchical ran'ing

1or' e"perience

2unctional e"perience


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ADVANTAGES OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY:

+usinesses are recogni&ing the need and importance of investing in diversity and inclusion as part of their overa

talent management practices and to continually challenge their organi&ations to make the connection between

those principles and their corporate performance.. Diversity is especially crucial in today3s global marketplace,

as companies interact with different cultures and clients. 4he payoffs touch every area of the business by

potentially resulting in increased creativity, increased productivity, new attitudes, new language skills, global

understanding, new processes, and new solutions to difficult problems. greater agility, better market insight,

stronger customer and community loyalty, innovation, and improved employee recruitment and retention. 4hebusinesses that fail to see the importance of Diversity and inclusion might find themselves unable to attract and

retain the kinds of customers, employees, and business partners that constitute our changing world in to 10

years

Among theadvantages of diversity in the workplace are6

34 INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY5

Diversity and :nclusion brings in diverse different talents together working towards a common goal using

different sets of skills that ignites their loyalty and increases their retention and productivity

64 INCREASED CREATIVITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING5

2ith so many different and diverse minds coming together many more solutions will arise as every

individual brings in their way of thinking, operating and solving problems and decision making

3.ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT

that add a competitive edge to any organi&ation. -eeling included and appreciated increases loyalty and

feeling of belonging. 7anguage skills pool is increased and propels organi&ation forward either to

compete in the :nternational global world or to increase its diverse customer base

74 Help to build synergy in teams and enhances communication skills


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that brings in new attitudes and processes that profit the whole team pplying the proper diversity?

inclusion management strategies does not only save money on &iti"atio! e%-e!sesgenerated by

discrimination lawsuits but is the right thing to do for the business.

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It increases market share and create a satisfied diversecustomer base

by relating to people from different backgrounds. :t does propel the #nited $tates and its status to claim

its place and success in the global business world of the /1stcentury

4he advantages of diversity? :nclusion embracing affects the base line revenues of any organi&ation and can be

the make or break of any business. :gnoring the effects or the existence of diversity in this global new market

will only keep organi&ations back loosing on all the productivity and most important profitability of any busines

and its core of existence

Approaches to overcome workforce diversity:

4here are two ma"or approaches=

1. INDIVIDUAL APPROACH TO MANAGE DIVERSITY

7earning

Empathy

2. ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH TO MANAGE DIVERSITY

4esting

4raining

)entoring

MANAGING WORK FORCE DIVERSITY

4ry these five steps to help you manage diversity effectively5

1.Emphasize communication.


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Ensure that all employees understand your policies, procedures, safety rules, and other important

information. 2ork to overcome language and cultural barriers. 'ave key materials, such as safety

information, translated when possible. #se pictures and symbols on warning signs so that everybody canunderstand.

2.VIEW EMPLOYEES AS INDIVIDUALS.

void both positive and negative stereotypes. Don3t make assumptions about employees from different

groups. @udge successes and failures individually. espond promptly and firmly when employees exprespre"udices or stereotypes. emind them of your policies that prohibit discrimination. Encourage

employees to view coworkers as individuals and "udge them on their work, not on personal factors.

3.ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO WORK IN DIVERSE GROUPS.

ssure that work teams reflect the diversity of your workplace. Diverse work teams let employees get to

know and value one another as individuals. Diverse teams also expand the experiences and views of allthe workers on the team and help them recogni&e the strength of their combined talents and perspectives

4.BASE DECISIONS ON OBJECTIVE CRITERIA.

Expect all employees of all backgrounds to meet reuired standards and perform to the best of theirability. Don3t set different criteria for different groups. Don3t make excuses or allow employees to make

excuses for shortcomings. +ase all employment actions, including discipline, on specific, performance

related criteria. lways focus on "obrelated issues, not personal issues, when dealing with employees4

5.BE OPEN-MINDED.

ecogni&e, and encourage employees to recogni&e, that one3s own experience, background, and cultureare notthe onlyones with value to the organi&ation. $et an example of encouraging diversity by

developing relationships with colleagues whose backgrounds differ from yours. 7ook for ways to

incorporate diverse perspectives and talents into efforts to achieve organi&ational goals.

Definition Assignment 2 (1)

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