Diversity In The Workplace Essay

A major challenge and benefit to a diverse workplace is diversity itself. It can produce a lot of different scenarios where people’s differences can allow for great prosperity or great dysfunction. The American workforce has changed a lot. It used to be comprised of white males and now it is grown to include women, minorities, gays and many other different primary and secondary characteristics (Ferrell, Hirt & Ferrell, 2012). That has brought upon a new world of innovation and turmoil.

Some difficulties that have arisen from a diverse workplace is prejudice and discrimination (Ferrell, Hirt & Ferrell, 2012). This situation can at times lead to loss of an employee and legal suits against the organization. This reduces the productivity of

Diversity, when tolerated, can create productive working relations because the employees have learned to accept one another (Ferrell, Hirt & Ferrell, 2012). It has become a competitive strategy to be able to attract diverse customers and drive the business with new creative ideas from different people (Diversity in the Workplace: A Literature Review). Some ways to further promote and talk about the challenges is creating a "safe" place for associates to talk about it (Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools). It will allow for the challenges to be put forward and addresse and for people to praise diversity and its gains. Mentoring programs between associates will also create and foster trust that can lower negative consequences of diversity (Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools). I do recall during college; they had a diversity club that the students would go and talk about pertinent social issues. We would also discuss things we can do in the community to promote a positive relationship between different types of people and set the example. We began mentoring and nurturing one another, and I have taken that tolerance and information with me into the