Workplace Diversity - Research Paper Example

? Workplace Diversity & Section Number of Introduction Increasing globalization of the world requires more interaction between people of different cultures, faiths and backgrounds than ever. People no longer live and work in an insular market, but now are part of a global economy with competition coming from nearly every continent. For this reason, the benefits and non-profit organizations need diversity to be more creative and open to change. Maximize and take advantage of workplace diversity has become an important issue for management today. Supervisors and frontline managers could benefit from reading this document. Supervisors and managers are the target audience, as they have to recognize the ways in which the workplace is changing, evolving, and diversification. Since managing diversity remains a major organizational challenge, managers must learn the management skills needed in a multicultural work environment. Supervisors and managers must be prepared to teach themselves and others in their organizations to appreciate the multicultural differences in both partners and customers so that everyone is treated with dignity. This paper is designed for administrators to effectively manage diverse workforce populations. It provides a general definition of "diversity", discusses the benefits of diversity in the workplace, the challenges of managing a diverse workplace, and presents effective strategies for managing the diverse workforce. Diversity defined Diversity is generally defined as the recognition, understanding, acceptance, value and celebrates distinctions between people with respect to age, ethnicity, class, gender, physical and mental ability, race, spiritual practice, and public assistance position. Diversity issues are now considered important and are expected to become increasingly important in the future due to increasing differences in the U.S. population. Companies need to focus on diversity and find ways to become fully inclusive organizations because diversity has the potential to lead to greater productivity and competitive advantages (SHRM, 1995). Managing and valuing diversity is a key component of effective people management that can improve labor productivity (Black Enterprise, 2001). Demographic change like the woman in the workplace, organizational restructuring, and equal opportunities legislation, which need organization to evaluate their management practices and expand new and creative move toward to managing people. Changes will amplify job routine and customer service. Women in the Workplace The need to understand diversity is also driven by women in the workplace. Today's workforce has higher levels of participation in employment of women ever. The number of dual income families and single working mothers has increased. Therefore, diversity issues are covering both race and gender. Organizational Restructuring Significant changes in organizations as a result of downsizing and outsourcing, which has greatly affected human resource management. Working practices have changed due to the impact of globalization and technology and there is a tendency to longer hours of work. In general terms, usually, re-organization results in less people do more work. Legislation Federal and state legislation on equal opportunities describes that discrimination in the workplace illegal. These laws specify the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers in the workplace and keep the two groups responsible. Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace Diversity is beneficial to both employees and employers. Although the members are interdependent in the workplace, respecting individual differences can increase productivity. The diversity in the workplace can reduce demand and increase marketing opportunities, creative recruitment, and company image. In an era when flexibility and creativity are the keys to competitiveness, diversity is essential to the success of an organization. Furthermore, the penalty (loss of time and money) ought not to be ignored. Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace There are challenges to managing a diverse workforce. Managing diversity is more than a simple recognition of differences in people. It is about recognizing the value of differences, combating discrimination and promoting inclusion. Webmasters can also be challenged with the loss of personnel and labor productivity due to prejudice and discrimination and complaints and legal actions against the organization (Devoe, 1999). Negative attitudes and behaviors in the workplace include prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination should never be used by management to recruitment, retention and completion practices (could lead to costly litigation.) Execution of diversity in the workplace plan - The personal commitment of executive of managerial team is a necessity. Leaders and managers within organizations must incorporate diversity policies in all aspects of the organization's role and purpose. Attitudes toward diversity originate at the top and filter down. Management cooperation and participation is required to create a culture conducive to the success of your organization's plan. Recommended in the range of working solutions include: Ward off change resistance with inclusion. - Involve every employee possible in formulating and executing diversity initiatives in their workplace. Promote openness in your organization. - Encourage employees to express their ideas and opinions and to confer a sense of equal value to all. Promote diversity in leadership positions. - This practice provides visibility and realizes the benefits of diversity in the workplace. Use diversity training. - Can be used as a tool to shape your diversity policy. Launch a survey of employee satisfaction provides comprehensive customizable. - Use the results to build and implement successful diversity at work policies. As the economy becomes increasingly global, our workforce becomes increasingly diverse. Organizational success and competitiveness depend on the ability to manage diversity in the workplace effectively. Assess your organization's diversity policies and plan for the future, starting today. Tools needed for Managing Diversity. Effective managers are aware that certain skills are necessary for creating a successful workforce, diverse. First, managers should understand discrimination and its consequences. Secondly, managers must recognize their own cultural biases and prejudices (Koonce, 2001). Diversity is not about the differences between the groups, but rather on the differences between individuals. Each individual is unique and does not represent or speak for a particular group. Finally, managers must be willing to change the organization if necessary (Koonce, 2001). Unfortunately, there is no single recipe for success. It all depends on the manager's ability to understand what is best for the organization based on teamwork and the dynamics of the workplace. According to Roosevelt (2001), managing diversity is a global process for creating a work environment that includes everyone. By creating a diverse workforce successfully, an effective manager should focus on personal awareness. Both managers and partners should be aware of their personal prejudices. Therefore, organizations must develop, implement and maintain ongoing training and a session of a training day will not change people's behaviors (Koonce, 2001). Managers must also understand that justice is not necessarily equality. There are always exceptions to the rule. Managers should expect change to be slow, while at the same time promoting the change (Koonce, 2001). Another fundamental requirement when it comes to promoting diversity is a "safe" for communication partners (Koonce, 2001). Social gatherings and business meetings where each member has to listen and have the opportunity to speak, are good ways to create dialogue. Managers should implement policies such as mentoring programs to provide associates access to information and opportunities. Conclusion A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and the market. Diverse work teams bring high value to organizations. Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive advantage and increased productivity. Diversity management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges. Management tools in a diverse workforce should be used to educate everyone about diversity and issues, including laws and regulations. Most workplaces are made up of different cultures, so that organizations must learn to adapt to succeed. References Black Enterprise. (2001). Managing a multicultural workforce. Black Enterprise Magazine (July). Devoe, D. (1999). Managing a diverse workforce. San Mateo, CA: InfoWorld Media Group. Koonce, Richard. (2001). Redefining diversity: It's not just the right thing to do; it also makes good business sense. Training and Development, December. Rooselvet. T. R. Jr. (2001). Elements of a successful “diversity” process. The American Institute for Managing Diversity. Available on the World Wide Web at http://www.aimd.org/articles/elements.html. Date visited, February 8, 2002. Society for Human Resource Management. (1998). SHRM survey explores the best in diversity practices. Fortune 500 firms outpace the competition with greater commitment to diversity. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Available on the World Wide Web at http://www.shrm.org/press/releases/980803.htm. Date visited, February 8, 2002. Read More