We Must Promote Diversity in the Workplace

Nancy Lockwood emphasizes the benefits of having workplace diversity. Diversity-embracing organizations will likely enjoy larger market share since they will have access to a potentially larger customer base (Lockwood, p.125). Actively pursuing workplace diversity assists employers to address talent shortages and improve organization effectiveness and productivity by hiring right talent people to fit their needs. In addition to that, diverse teams provide a wider rage of creative solutions and decision alternatives compare to homogeneous groups. The opposing view is presented by social critic Roger Clegg, who attacks the notion that pursuing diversity for its own sake is a wise strategy regardless of whether it occurs in the workplace or in the educational system. The author explains that, if a company is not able to embrace diversity means it is subjected to penalize, by lawsuits, legal harassment, increased government intervention and regulations, and social and political pressure. Due to these, organizations are forced to maintain diverse workplace to prevent legal harassments from government supremacy.

Diversity as a concept focuses on a broader set of qualities than race and gender. In the collaboration of cultures, ideas and different perspectives results greater creativity in the corporate business. Many companies are focusing on corporate diversity initiatives to improve organizational performance. In the context of the workplace, valuing diversity means creating a workplace that respects and includes differences, recognizing the unique contributions that individuals with many types of differences can make, and creating a work environment that maximizes the potential of all employees. In the recent years due to rapid changes in the economy and globalization, corporations are facing competitiveness in delivering innovative products.

The information exchange between individuals, teams, customers, suppliers, stakeholders and stockholders are depended on the quality of relationships and talent in the workplace. Therefore, workplace diversity is viewed as a success factor in the business growth. The author emphasizes corporate strategies around diversity includes adaptability, flexibility, retaining best talent, reducing costs associated with turnover, return on investment, policies, practices, gaining new market share with an expanded diverse customer base, and increased sales and profits. From the statistics, it was clearly shown that, diversity is one of the key factors that influence performance and effectiveness of the organization. Organizations can achieve competitive advantage in the corporate culture, employee morale, retention and recruitment by using diverse talent.