Diversity in the Workplace - Research Paper Example

Therefore, when analyzing diversity, all these aspects have to be considered in order to understand how they affect performance at workplace, motivation, success and interactions with others. Diversity in the workplace improves morale, builds a greater teamwork, and promotes positive relations among individuals, enhances mutual understanding and respect among them. Furthermore, diversity is all about dignity and respect for all, learning from others and understanding each other well. This research paper provides a thoughtful discussion of diversity in the workplace, exploring its importance, challenges of managing a diverse workplace, and effective strategies to manage diverse workforce.

Generally, diversity can be defined as “acknowledging, understanding, accepting and valuing differences among individuals based on ethnicity, culture, age among other aspects” (Green et al, 2013). Arguably, diversity is very essential especially in today’s global market place since organizations interact with diverse cultures and different clients, thus it should be managed effectively. Therefore, all factors that seem to interfere with the promotion of diversity at workplace should be examined and eliminated.

At workplace, no employee should be discriminated when it comes to recruitment, promotion, merit increase, salary, and training among others, based on gender identity, nationality, religion, or race. In order to achieve effective diverse workforce, the organization should clearly define all its activities that it is interested in improving like expanding customer base (Finn, n.d). Diversity in the workplace is a very important issue that organizations should focus on since it yields greater productivity and competitive benefits to the organization (Green et al, 2013).

Managing diversity is a reflection of effective management that helps to improve productivity of an organization as well as customer service. Due to globalization, there is increased interaction of individuals from diverse cultures, races, religions as opposed to ancient times. With this, people do not concentrate at one place working or interacting with those coming from their cultures, or race (Green et al, 2013). Today, individuals are being recruited in every place they wish worldwide because organizations are competing to promote and achieve diversity to have a multicultural organization where no one is discriminated.

Mangers have to learn necessary skills to fit in multicultural work environment since managing diversity remains to be an organizational challenge and they have to be able to deal with multicultural differences so that everyone in the organization is treated with dignity. Organizational leaders should inculcate the culture of diversity by “ensuring that all managers have inclusive management style” (Pollitt, 2006, p.24). Mor-Barak proposes that diversity is the right thing to embrace with equal opportunities offered to all, irrespective of their background, beliefs, or gender.

This implies that all employees are given equal access to job opportunities in the organization (Mor-Barak, 2011). Organizations and businesses should care about diversity in the workplace since it does not only affect them but also the suppliers and customers. Ensuring that there is diversity in the workplace yields many benefits to employees, customers, and the organization as a whole.