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Importance of understanding workforce diversity
Importance of understanding workforce diversity
Reflection on workforce diversity
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Some examples of visible diversity include race and gender. Examples of non-visible diversity include education level and values (Griffith & Dunham, 2015). When you look at a person you can clearly see whether they are a man or a woman. You can obviously not look at a person to determine whether or no they are a college graduate or what their belief system might be. There are things that are visible to the eye and things that are not. The way that a person behaves does not determine where and how their childhood was or where they live.
When thinking about the visible and non-visible diversity in the workplace, organizations conform to the more visual aspects. Research shows that being more diverse culturally increases work ethic altogether
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Additionally, without diversity great ideas would not be able to be generated (Griffith & Dunham, 2015). Diversity can be viewed as a positive component in organizations by the unlimited presence of different perspectives. People have to be empathetic to the diversity that is established, but also be able to view the array of differences as an asset to the organization as a whole. Another benefit of diversity is the fact that because there is such a diverse dynamic in the work force some of the issues that may have remained stagnant. In addition to the possibility of increased ideas, diversity also brings forth an increase in production (Griffith & Dunham, 2015). Lastly, another benefit of diversity in the workplace allows people from different cultural backgrounds to interact with one another. People are given the opportunity to give their insight to others that may not otherwise be able to experience. These things are benefits because people are not always granted the opportunity to travel or interact with people outside of their culture. While these things can be an attribute they can also be a challenge. While some embrace the diversity, others might culturally be in shock. That might be due to cultural differences and values that people may not be able to …show more content…
As stated before, we as people tend to identify with people that share some of the same cultural and ethical values as we do. When an individual feels like they isolated from the majority they may perform at lower rates. They start to feel like they may not belong. Not having a sense of belonging in an organization can cause an individual to seek other employment. When leaders do not selective employ diverse members it can lead to a high turnover rate within the organization. Some communication barriers exist due to the diverse ethnicity and age groups in organizations. There are a lot of call centers that will employ younger adults for lower rates of pay in order to get work out. However, there is a communication barrier that automatically exists between the 20 year old employee and the 55 year old employee. The way that they speak to one another is going to be different. This too can cause the feeling of the need to
...ounds bring different talents and suggestions to problems. If the workplace is not diverse, problem-solving could be more challenging. Broader service range is also a benefit from diversity in the workplace. Having employees with diverse skills and experiences, such as speaking different languages and understanding other cultures, allows companies to provide services to customers all over the world.
Decreasing the disparity among whites and people of color eventually leads to higher productivity, stronger work ethic, and better team functioning. “Diversity enhances and affects group performance in diverse teams” (Van Dijk, et. al., 2013). As stated by researchers Winfred Arthur, Jr. and Dennis Doverspike, to have a diverse and successful working environment, employers and business leaders should work on limiting the role they play in privilege and accept more applicants from minority backgrounds (2005). According to researchers at the Texas A&M University and the University of
Workplace diversity includes the attributes, elements, and differences that set a person apart from others in the work setting. There are many factors that influence diversity including age, race, culture, gender, ethnicity, birthplace, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, education and work
Schein in his book “Organizational Culture and Leadership” explains how different believes and behaviors start to be logical when we understand their cultures by stating “When we learn to see the world through cultural lenses, all kinds of things begin to make sense that initially were mysterious, frustrating, or seemingly stupid” (2010, p. 13). This kind of foresight should be the starting point in order to manage the tremendously growing diversity in the workforce nowadays. Leaders and administrators of both public and private organizations through their influence are responsible to promote and manage diversity in an ethical manner.
Merriam-Webster defines diversity as “the condition of having or being composed of differing elements; especially the inclusion of different types of people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization” (Merriam-Webster, 2016). With diversity including many different elements, the concept of workplace diversity also covers a broad spectrum of topics, and continues to evolve as many companies look to expand globally. This subject has become increasingly important among managers over the last couple of decades, and has helped to reinforce other concepts such as affirmative action and equal opportunity employment. While most people believe that everyone should have the same opportunities available to them, and that we
Businesses that promote diversity in today's global marketplace are better able to attract and retain the best talent. Employing a diverse workforce allows a company to utilize the potential within the job market to its fullest and contributes to overall economic growth and prosperity. Differences among co-workers should not divide a workplace. Rather, differences among co-workers should be used to foster creativity and innovation, thereby driving profitability and business success.
Living in a country where it was founded by immigrants, diversity is everywhere you go especially in the workplace. There are many types of diversity; ethnicity, gender, religion and age just to name a few. Working in a diverse organization it can give you a taste of the real world, and what you will deal with wherever you go. There is so much diversity in the world today so it is a benefit to experience it in the workplace as well. You are given the chance to learn so many things from different cultures, why wouldn't you want to work in a diverse organization?
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 is a notion, when applied to the majority of circumstances, can create a positive conclusion. The trick to producing a positive outcome is often how the different aspects are brought together. Consider a classic dinner combination peas and carrots, the two colors look appealing and the two flavors comes together as one making a superb side dish. Now consider oil and water, these two substance are not often considered a good combination. Although, this is not always the case; olive oil and vinegar (which is water based) when mixed, come together into a delectable salad dressing. Diversity and inclusion should also apply to humans by bringing people together who are different it can creates a whole that is enhanced by the uniqueness of each individual.
lack have diversity, the lack equality for all, and perhaps also a strong rule of law and human
Diversity is a value that shows respect for the differences and similarities of age, sex, culture, ethnicity, beliefs and much more. Having a diverse organization, helps notice the value in other people and also how to teach respect to people that might not know how. The world is filled with different cultures and people that might believe in different things as you, but that doesn’t mean you need to treat them any different. It is imperative for people to grasp diversity because it’ll help people how to engage with others in a respectful yet a hospitable way.
In the workplace, it is common to encounter individuals of different cultures, ethnicities, and genders. This diversity can either lead to an introduction of new work methods, or it can lead to conflict between coworkers. In order to avoid conflict, and have all employees work as a cohesive team, managers must educate themselves, and their employees on the topic of cultural diversity. In order for your practices to be considered effective, you must not only respect and recognize an employee’s diversity, you must use their difference to benefit them.
Within an organization, there are always people that think and behave differently, all dependent on their personal values and cultures. Efficient managing of the human resources is an art, and it is hard to find a perfect solution/combination. It is important that management recognize and understand that people work differently. This is why it is important to have strong cultural foundations that also guides how employees are expected to behave and work. Thereby it should be easier for management to utilize the work force diversity to something meaningful.
Diversity issues will gain importance because of the effective interactions and communications between the people. Diversity is the reality of the business world. It can have negative and positive impact on the employee’s behaviour towards work and work results. This also depends on how the employees have understood it and grasps it.
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).