Diversity in the work place - Term Paper Example

Definition of Terms The concept of diversity emitted from studying culture in organizations. Martires and Fule (2004) define culture as “the accumulated system of ideas, values, beliefs, customs, mores and traditions transferred from one generation to another that reflects and influences the pattern of living as well as lifestyle of a people in a given society” (Martires & Fule, 2004, 227). Accordingly, organizational culture is a set of symbols, myths, ceremonies that reflect the underlying values and beliefs of the organization or its work force.

Organizations that begin to acknowledge the need to hire people from diverse cultural orientations support global operations included diversity in their corporate policies. In an article written by Greenberg (2006), diversity in the workplace is defined as “the variety of differences between people in an organization…Diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more” (par. 1). . Advantages of a Diverse Workforce There are eminent benefits for organizations that support and manage a diverse workforce, to wit: (1) privilege of workers to learn from others of different culture orientations; (2) availability of diverse perspectives and approach in problem-solving; and (3) the creation of positive working environments conducive to honing of skills, abilities and competencies; among others.

The study made by Kirby and Harter (2003) validated the effect of diversity in improving the financial performance of an organization. Further, Greenberg (2006) clearly stipulated that diversity has the capacity for “increased adaptability, broader service range, variety of viewpoints, and more effective execution”, among others. Challenges and Barriers of Supporting a Diverse Workforce Some organizations tend to focus more on the challenges and barriers in supporting diversity, precluding them from harnessing its benefits.

From among the most pressing challenges are: (1) language or issues of communication; (2) resistance of employees to support diversity; (3) dilemmas on policy implementation; and (4) the difficulty and incompetence in managing diversity (Greenberg, 2006). In addition, Green, et.al (2009) recognized that there are additional barriers and challenges for organizations reflecting on implementing a diverse workforce: “negative attitudes and behaviors can be barriers to organizational diversity because they can harm working relationships and damage morale and work productivity (Esty, et al., 1995). Negative attitudes and behaviors in the workplace include prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination, which should