The Responsibility of the Organisation: a Workplace Culture of Diversity - Research Paper Example

Managing Diversity and Equality The Case of the Construction Industry [Insert [Insert [Insert August 6, 2006 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Diversity in the Workplace 3 Diversity Management 4 The Construction Industry 4 Responsibilities of Management and Employees 7 Sexual and Racial Harassment 7 Recruitment and Advancement 9 Workplace Culture 10 Conclusion 11 Diversity in the Workplace Diversity is not a 'bandwagon' some industries jump on and others ignore, instead it is a business decision that can have inherent benefits. Workforce diversity is the inclusion of ethnic and gender minorities into the organisation. Diversity in an organisation has benefits and responsibilities. Rajan and Harris (p 22 20030 studied five hundred UK firms to evaluate the impact of diversity management. Their qualitative assessment found that diversity can increase employee motivation and foster growth in the business while developing innovation from new ideas that come from having a diverse make up of employees. Other benefits identified include: Greater corporate resilience and effectiveness Life experiences of women, ethnic minority groups and the disabled - acquired through discrimination or challenging circumstances - are believed to equip them better to cope with change and stay ahead of it More responsive business cultures The new initiatives seek to shift management attitudes from being inward looking to outward looking, from backward looking to forward looking. Old attitudes are at variance with new market realities. (Rajan and Harris p 22 2003). The implications of diversity in an organisation show that this is an important strategy to be practiced by management and employees. Identifying the responsibilities of managers and employees in fostering diversity will help towards developing an organisational culture that reaps the benefits outlined above. Diversity Management In practice, diversity management should foster a responsible environment with a focus on equality amongst all members of the organization. Kandola and Fullerton (p 10 2003) state that that "equal opportunities was often seen as something that concerned mainly personnel and human resource practitioners. Managing diversity, however, is seen as being the concern of all employees, especially managers, within an organisation" (Kandola and Fullerton, 2003 p10). This statement creates a need to define the responsibilities of managers and employees in diversity practice. Both employee and managers can actively participate in fostering diversity across an organisation if they understand the responsibilities towards diversity management practices. Before the responsibilities can be explained, it first becomes important to identify the problem. To identify the problem of diversity, this paper will look at the construction industry, an industry shown to have historically low diversity in employees. The implications of this essay are to first identify the problem and barriers of diversity. To do so, the case study of the construction industry will be used. This is followed by an explanation of the responsibilities of management and employees in fostering diversity based on the implications found within the construction industry.. The Construction Industry The identification of barriers towards diversity in the construction industry will aid in understanding the responsibilities of management and employees in fostering a diverse environment. The construction industry is used for this analysis because it is a very visible and researchable industry that has consistently low diversity figures. The construction industry has a value of 56.40 billion in 2004, with nearly 4,000 individual companies throughout the UK (National Statistics Web-site 2006). Industry leaders note that there is a "low proportion of women and those from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups in construction" which "remains a significant issue and is covered in the Unit's work program" (The Department of Trade and Industry p 19 2005). The construction industry also states that "We have supported financially a major piece of research in this area" which shows that the industry recognises the benefits of diversity as well as understands that the construction industry does not maintain an average amount of workforce diversity (The Department of Trade and Industry p 19 2005). Dainty (et al 2003) identify barriers to diversity in the UK construction industry, an industry that, as a whole, has one of the lowest representations of minority groups in the UK. Dainty (et al 2003) used in-depth ethnographic interviews to study female and ethnic minorities in the construction industry. The group studied the female experiences of entering and working within the construction industry by comparing the women to male industry professionals based on history profiles. The second part of the study focused on ethnic managers and professionals within the construction industry. The study notes that while the construction industry has campaigned towards the entry of women into the field, it has not worked emphatically towards reducing sexual harassment within the construction industry (Dainty et al 2003). Therefore, women are not likely to enter the industry. The study also shows that the construction industry has not made the same campaign towards ethnic minorities, and many ethnic groups-as well as those currently working in the field-fear racial harassment. This identifies a barrier to diversity as being harassment within the organisation that comes from management and employees. The study finds that both women and ethnic minorities identified the industry's recruitment practices as a significant barrier to entry. While very few minority groups were found within the industry, the study showed that only three women were found in senior management across the construction industry. This identifies opportunities for advancement based on the workplace culture as being a barrier to diversity. Lastly, the study identifies that the industry's accepted culture is exemplified by resentment from traditionally white male peers. This caused negative impact on the women and minorities where: Women had faced discrimination ranging from exclusion from social groupsto overt harassment and even physical assaults. The discrimination faced by ethnic minorities included racist name-calling, jokes, harassment, bullying, intimidation, and physical violenceAlthough frequently tolerated and seen as the generally accepted culture of the industry, such experiences also pointed to the industry as one where racism could prevail. Based on the above, the barriers to diversity can be identified as: 1. Sexual and Racial Harassment contributing to violence and fear. 2. Recruitment Practices and Opportunities for Advancement 3. Workplace Culture Responsibilities of Management and Employees Harris and Foster (p 51 2004) state that "Key concerns for employers are to retain a collective commitment among staff." Setting a universal "zero-tolerance" policy is the employer's human resources or upper management function. In this regard, it is noted that the employer has an overall responsibility to foster diversity commitment amongst managers and employees. For management, the responsibilities towards diversity include practice, communication and discipline. The application of this policy into the workplace is the direct manager's responsibility. Sexual and Racial Harassment Peter Herrington (p 18, 2004) identifies the responsibilities of managers as recognising "isolated jokes, comments or incidences" that may be "insufficient to render liability at law" but cases of behavior that should "trigger disciplinary proceedings." Herrington (2004) further identifies that prevention is the key to action and that managers have a responsibility to "provide disciplinary sanctions up to and including dismissal." Therefore, a key responsibility of direct managers is to foster an environment of prevention by adhering to codes of conduct and diversity policies and providing discipline while protecting the victim. The responsibility of the employee is to refrain from breaking the law as well as adhere to company codes of conduct and policies on harassment. Beyond that, however, the employee has a responsibility to foster an environment that does not subject co-workers to harassment, fear tactics, or violence. At the Queen's College, the responsibilities of employees are described thus: All employees have a responsibility to help ensure a working environment in which the dignity of employees is respected. Everyone must comply with this policy and employees should ensure that their behaviour to colleagues and customers does not cause offence and could not in any way be considered to be harassment. Employees should discourage harassment by making it clear that they find such behaviour unacceptable and by supporting colleagues who suffer such treatment and are considering making a complaint. They should alert a manager or supervisor to any incident of harassment to enable this organisation to deal with the matter (The Home Bursar, The Queen's College p 2 2000). The Queen's College exemplifies the importance of personal responsibility in ensuring that harassment is not tolerated, and secondly, they establish the responsibility of discouragement and reporting. The employee's responsibility is then two-fold, to maintain an appropriate behaviour and to recognise and report harassment to superiors and, possibly, to report in a legal manner. Recruitment and Advancement Recruitment and advancement responsibilities of management are to continuously review fairness and equality within the organisation. Whitebread PLC (2006) has implemented an organisation-wide policy that describes the responsibilities of management very well: Committed to providing equal opportunities throughout employment and in our relationship with former employees, including in rewarding performance, recruitment, training and promotion. Employ and promote people based solely on their abilities, skills, qualifications and suitability for the role. Line Managers and Team Leaders have a duty to ensure equal treatment of all employees and to account for their decisions in an open and transparent manner. Pay structure and other benefits are monitored and reviewed regularly to ensure that any differentials amongst our workforce are justified on non-discriminatory grounds. The company does not discriminate against part-time employees or fixed-term workers in relation to their terms and conditions of employment and /or benefits (Whitebread PLC 2006). The policy of Whitebread PLC shows a strong commitment towards management responsibility in recruitment and advancement that can be implemented within many industries, especially the construction industry, without any alterations. While the employee may not have a direct affect on recruitment and advancement, the responsibility falls on the attitude towards this metric. An employee who verbally disparages the hiring or promotion of another based solely on gender and ethnic characteristics is not fostering a diverse environment. Furthermore, the employee has a responsibility to report discrimination in this regard. Workplace Culture The third identifiable barrier to diversity is the workplace culture. In an industry that accepts gender and racial slurs as part of the culture, management has a responsibility to foster an environment of acceptance, tolerance and fairness. A workplace culture that discourages diversity is "an alarming situation for ethical reasons and because it reinforces A 'blinkered,' narrowly-focused management culture that stifles the ability to market opportunities, both at home and overseas" (Scase p 35 2006). One common point made within the construction industry study was the exclusion of gender and ethnic minorities in the workplace culture. This can be identified as a personality and attitude issue furthered by the 'in-group,' which "determines the organisational culture and what will or won't be taken seriously" (Kandola p 17 2005). The managers responsibility is to foster and environment of continuous change by showing the relevance of diversity to the organization as well as change the behavior of the 'in-group.' Kandola (p 17 2005) explains that fostering diversity in the workplace culture occur when management "reflects on its behaviour and makes the necessary changes on a personal as well as an organisational level," with a final commitment to persuade leaders and employees to change the values of the culture. The employee has similar responsibilities in fostering a diverse workplace culture. Marchington (et al p 867 1994) explains that growth in the workplace culture is highly dependent on employee involvement. Marchington (et al p 867 1994) further places a strong value on the employee's attitudes, experiences, behaviours and general approach to the organisation's community. This suggests that the employees have the stronger affect on the workplace culture, and therefore a responsibility in managing personal attitude and behaviours of acceptance, tolerance and equality. The 'in-group' of the organisation has a responsibility of inclusion. That is, they should not create an environment of us against them by allowing and inviting gender and ethnic minorities into the team functions. The attitude of employees in the workplace culture should create an open communication environment that assists diversity development and allows for additional viewpoints equally from all members of the workplace. This increases the viability of teamwork as well as provides mutual support and encourages new ideas. Conclusion Diversity has benefits as a business strategy to increase ideas, foster a responsive business atmosphere, and develop organisational growth. Diversity management is an organisational strategy that will only work if management and employees understand the responsibilities in maintaining a diverse culture. In the case of the construction industry, it can be stated that neither managers or employees are exhibiting responsibility and commitment towards a diverse workforce. In the study, it was shown that the construction industry creates a workplace culture of harassment and fear, and in some cases violence. This is unacceptable in any humane terms, and clearly identified as unacceptable in legal terms. It therefore falls on the industry, organisation, management, and employees to create an environment that does not accept gender and racial harassment as acceptable activities. Attitudes and workplace values can be changed through training, persuasion and policy. The responsibility of management and employees is to change the workplace culture and develop towards a diverse working environment. While human resources and organisational policies may state that there is a 'zero-tolerance' policy, this policy will only be effective if managers and employees understand their responsibilities. The manager's responsibility is to recognise negative activity and respond to this action. Management also has a responsibility to ensure fair play and equality is exhibited during the hiring and promotional process. Importantly, management must protect the victim in cases of harassment and violence by preventing backlash. Employees also have similar responsibilities. The attitudes and values of employees must incorporate an amount of tolerance for differences, as well as remove any harassing activities. The employee also has a responsibility towards the workplace culture by ensuring that personal and group behaviour is preventing sexual and racial harassment. The responsibility of the organisation is to deliver the tools for managers and employees so they are able to follow the above responsibilities. One study found that, in regards to sexual, racial and religious discrimination, the "extent of training made available to staff is likely to be an important consideration when determining whether 'reasonable steps' have been taken to avoid discrimination" (Reed Business Information UK, Ltd p 43 2005). Not only does the policy need to reflect legal rights of gender and ethical minorities, but also diversity training must be implemented that fosters a workplace culture of diversity. In conclusion, it can be stated that all persons, regardless of their work status, have an undeniable right to be employed in a facility that treats members with equality and fairness without fear of harassment and violence. It is then the responsibility of those who manage the facility to ensure that these rights are continuously ensured by the facility. Those who work in the facility also have a responsibility towards their personal behaviour towards discrimination, as well as prevent and report issues of harassment and discrimination. Diversity training can only do so much, it can not change the way people think or the mannerisms of behaviour, but it can get managers and employees on the right track towards a diverse workplace culture. References Dainty, A.R.J. et al (2004) Creating Equality in the Construction Industry: An Agenda for Change for Women and Ethnic Minorities. Journal of Construction Research; Mar2004, Vol. 5 Issue 1, p75-86, 12p Harris, Lynette (2004) Professional Standards Research: Diversity in the Workplace. People Management; 9/2/2004, Vol. 10 Issue 17, p51-51, 1p Herrington, Peter (2004) Discrimination in Employment. British Journal of Administrative Management; Aug/Sep2004 Issue 42, p18-19, 2p http://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/foi/pdfs/harassment.pdf. Human Relations; Aug94, Vol. 47 Issue 8, p867-894, 28p Kandola, Binna (2005) The Value of Reflection. Personnel Today; 8/23/2005, p17-17, 1p, 1c Kandola, Rajvinder and Johanna Fullerton (2003) Personnel Today Management Resources. Princeton University Press Hardcover Marchington, Mick et al (1994) Understanding the Meaning of Participation: Views from the Workplace. National Statistics (2006) Data Results for Building and Construction Industry. [Online] [Accessed August 5, 2006] http://www.statistics.gov.uk/abi/section_f.asp Rajan, Amin and Harris, Sharon (2003) The Measure of Success. Personnel Today; 9/16/2003, p22-22, 1p, 1 diagram, 1 graph Reed Business Information UK, Ltd (2005) Discrimination Law Changes Makes Little Impact. Personnel Today; 1/25/2005, p43-43, 1/7p, 1 chart Scase, Richard (2006). How Can I Effectively Manage Generation and Cultural Diversity. Strategic HR Review; Jul/Aug2006, Vol. 5 Issue 5, following p35-35, 1p The Department of Trade and Industry (2005) Construction Sector unit Annual Report [Online] [Accessed August 5, 2006] http://www.dti.gov.uk/sectors/construction/peopleissues/page10892.html The Home Bursar (2000) Harassment Policy. The Queen's College [Online] [Accessed August 6, 2006] Whitebread PLC (2006) Corporate Responsibility. [Online] [Accessed August 5, 2006] http://www.whitbread.co.uk/corporate_responsibility.cfmid=employee_benefits Read More