Why Is It Important for Managers to Have an Understanding of Equal Opportunities Legislation - Literature review Example

?Why is it important for managers to have an understanding of equal opportunities legislation and skills of managing a diverse workforce? The definition of management clearly states that it is an art of getting work done through the people. So basically the manager does not have to do everything on his own but inspire others to carry out the tasks to achieve the desired result. This is the part of leading individuals towards achieving a predetermined common goal. Further, it is known that one of the most important jobs of a manager is allocating and utilizing the resources in the best possible manner and one of the most crucial resources of any organization is their human resource or manpower. This clearly shows that the manager’s most important duty is leading the workforce. The role of managers within the changing dynamics of business is a significant one. This is because the managers have a clear cut task at their hands. They need to be answerable for their actions and this must be performed in a way that there are equal opportunities for growth and development for the people who work under their realms. What is most significant here is the fact that the managers will outsmart their subordinates and employees, and discern ways through which success domains could be achieved at the end of the day. It is required that a manager shall take care of the management realms by devising plans which are up to date and current with the organizational ranks. Furthermore, how these managers manifest their basis is through application of activities and tasks, all of which are dependent on the organizational domains. The diverse workforce must be given the respect, both in terms of their personal characteristics as well as work routines, so that they can manifest their truest basis time and again. The managers must back up their tasks by providing the subordinates solid support and the much needed confidence so that they develop a sense of belonging and attachment with the organization in essence. It is a fact the world over that the present day workforce, mostly comprising of young adults are focused on reaching the top with little hassle (Ford, 2005). This setting is so much different from what their ancestors relied on – hard work, commitment and total dedication towards reaching their coveted goal. However the young workforce of present times wants to strike gold and that too in a quick way. There is reason behind this madness and the fact for the same lies in their upbringing regimes. Also the manner in which they undergo interaction with the changing technological times is something to write home about nonetheless. They are constantly finding out that their peers are doing better than them and thus their desire to outshine is what is proving to be a destructive influence in such discussions of today’s workforce. Management through leading is not an easy task and involves several different steps and measures. These steps will insure that the manager inspires the people who look up to him and creates an environment that allows creativity and maximizes efficiency. Firstly, it is very important to select the right type of people for a specific task. Wrong people putting in cent percent effort cannot produce the effect that the right type of people with half the effort and energy can (Davies, 2007). Therefore, the group or team should be inspected and finest of details considered before finalizing a particular set of people. Factors that need to be considered include the talents and knowledge related to the task at hand, the terms that individual has with the rest of the team members and head or supervisor and also are these individuals comfortable with the leading style of that particular manager. This though is considered a step of organizing however, due to its close connection with the leading part of management it becomes a crucial part of the topic under consideration. Once this step is successfully implemented the managers can smoothly move to the next agenda on the leading list and that is communicating the goal of the task at hand. This is going to vary from department to department and from one project to another. However, the normal procedure of carrying this out will not differ from one situation to another. For this it is very important that the leader himself is very clear about the purpose of the task conducted (Lawrie, 2001). Only then will he be able to communicate it to others properly. However, only communicating it is not enough. It is very crucial that employees are also as enthusiastic, about achieving the goal, as the heads are otherwise they will not be motivated to apply the best of their efforts and energy. For this purpose, the managers have to align the goals of the task with that of the employees. One way of doing is to show how the task under consideration is related to the overall goals of the organization which the employees are already aware will benefit their personal goals. It is very important that the managers also create a positive image of themselves. It is not only enough to be a leader through the legitimate position but it is very important for subordinates to accept managers as a leader. The basic difference between a leader and a manager is within their working domains. They are basically doing the same job of managing people but in slightly different capacities. Whereas the leader looks at forming instructions of his own which he will forward to the middle management, the middle line managers basically aim to ‘manage’ people in the real sense of the word (Branscome, 2008). This means that managers have a duty of understanding the deep rooted values of the organization and the same cannot be compromised no matter what happens. These need to be aligned in a proper fashion with the activities and tasks of the team that the manager is heading. It would be fair to comment that the managers have a lot going for them and it is their will and determination to bring out the best from the whole team and indeed the entire process that they are working upon. Managers have a responsibility to play within an organization, no matter how large or small it is. Leader has to lead and that too by example. He has to show no compromise in his actions, saying and principles whereas the manager could be a bit lenient from time to time in his policies and undertakings. So the basic difference between a leader and a manager arises here on all counts. On some occasions, a manager has to take up the leadership role as well. This could include his team building tactics, getting the work done out from individuals who might have pretty different backgrounds and diverse educational capabilities, smoothening of the whole process of business management within several units spread across the company’s horizon, motivating the employees and being accountable for their tasks and activities, living up to the values of the organization. But a leader would stick to his already formed principles and would not stray from the set course of action. He would have to demonstrate his oneness in decisions and actions that he undertakes and there would be no compromise on this aspect all said and done (Dale, 2008). A leader must remain proactive in all his decisions while a manager can articulate and change his decisions from time to time in order to suit the need of the workers and the employees working under him for a set task or objective. The role of a manager is one that evolves over a period of time and the pivotal thing here is to fathom that this is something which requires a balanced head on the shoulders and more than anything else a clear vision, deep insight into the relevant knowledge circles and expertise to back them all up. The manager focuses on the strong points that the employees have learned from their past colleagues and best case examples are also something that they can touch upon in the long run. Moving on, cultural diversity could be pinpointed in the area of managing the people well with the help of a manager who not only takes care of them but also acts as a person who is professional and knows how to get work done from his specialists, technicians and other sub-ordinates present at various levels within the very company. This manager thus not only plans their work that they have to carry out within a specific period of time but also organizes their routines, looks after them both from the company and the human perspectives, and not to forget his integration skills which are deemed so very necessary for involving people and their commitment towards their assigned tasks and jobs over a period of time. A manager also measures their performance that they have done over this time period. This measurement tool goes against a number of managers in the work environment of present times as it is usually very difficult to get a hang of because employees feel that the managers were the one to guide them along and hence they should also be held accountable in cases of extreme failure where the burden only falls on the person who carried out a task or a job (Egan, 2001). This is pretty much true of the negative aspects related with managing people and treating them fairly. It makes all the more reason that the culturally diverse workforce issue gets its base from the fact that people work as a team rather than working alone yet they perform their own respective tasks and duties in their own capacities within the office environment for which there is no direct or indirect connection as concerns the groups and teams that they are working under from time to time. The manager thus chalks out a plan to review each and every sub-ordinate’s performance and then allot him the potential duties which may or may not be linked to their strengths over a given period of time. The essence of equal opportunities legislation takes its roots from the discussion on cultural diversity. These bring about the success domains for the people who are working under the aegis of an organization. The ramifications of the issue of diversifying work and making people accustomed to management tactics only helps the corporate ladder as much as the employees, specialists and top management themselves. Thus a clear understanding has to be the guiding force to tell one and all in this situation as to the rationale behind doing the same. The end result is achieving success for the company or the enterprise that they all strive to be a part of and not to forget their individual growth that will take them up the ladder of expansion and development over the years (Tyler, 2009). However, on the flip side of the coin, falling short of this diversification within the organization can have poor employee morals as well as a work ethic that does not support progress within the company nor amongst the personnel present in different departments of the business and at the end of the day, everyone is on the losing end with no winners to take the center stage. Therefore, cultural diversity in work and its related fields is the order of the day and must be supported by managers, top management and people who are in a position to bring about a change in the hierarchy of the business enterprise and its related departments. The role of diverse workforce within an organization is one of an image building one as well, as it tells the people at large that the organization is forward looking and is based on a progressive path. Conflict in a workplace is something that needs to be understood properly. The managers work solely for the different functions within the various departments and it is up to these people as to how they execute their undertakings and measures on a regular basis. Conflict is something that remains quintessential for them to tackle. The basic purpose is to bring the whole list of activities and tasks of the organization on a common platform, a place from where the top management is better able to draft its policies and eventually execute the manner in which these policies are basically run after the decisions are made on those very aspects of consideration. In line with the proposition as to whether these managers discern ways of enacting responses from the relevant quarters when it comes to products, services and their related operations, we see that their role is immense and they have to bring about activities right from scratch (Sims, 2002). In other words, they are the actual fathers of different processes and activities which are going on within an organization and with which there are a lot of hopes and wishes attached (Handy, 1996). The whole idea of extracting the benefits and achieving the laid objectives rests on their shoulders and this is indeed a very significant proposition on their part. Managers bring with them a whole list of different undertakings and steps, though accountable at many different levels yet open for judgment on the part of one and all. With this, they ensure that the different policies and steps are in line with the organization’s basic values, core mission and vision statements and more than anything else, in line with the ethical and moral grounds in which the particular business operates without any due conflicts. This is a fact that the managers need to plan in a sound manner the different things, control these activities and tasks and make them plot against short term gains rather than having a long run perspective and integrate all these activities so that there is a complete mesh in the related ranks and the synchronization is pretty apparent at the end. Managers have the task of maximizing profits but not at the peril of losing the shareholders which are present in partnership with the organization. The different activities being planned, controlled and integrated in distinct fashions makes them look as a complete whole more than anything else (Adirondack, 2001). This means that these activities, tasks and processes are complete and they give a view of wholeness when we talk about the organization whilst looking at the products and/or services which are brought out for the general customers. For the induction of these new products and/or services in the market place we find that out that the synchronization process might just be a difficult process to undertake in the first place and it is because of the persistent efforts of the manager himself that the same becomes readily possible. In the end, it would be proper to state here that if the managerial leaders are true to their jobs and know what they expect from the workers working under them, then it is duty bound on the part of these employees to be truthful about their work and apprise the manager as to where they have been lacking and what plus points have thus been achieved. All said and done it is to the manager himself as to how best he can toe along the workers on those lines and till what extent he can drag them but in the name of a genuine organizational gain. Bibliography Adirondack, S., 2001. Just about Managing - London; LVSC Branscome, G., 2008. Ethical Leadership. Public Management, 90 Dale, K., 2008. Leadership Style and Organizational Commitment: Mediating Effect of Role Stress. Journal of Managerial Issues, 20 Davies, B., 2007. Developing Sustainable Leadership - London; Sage Egan, M., 2001. Workforce Diversity Training: From Anti-Discrimination Compliance to Organizational Development. Human Resource Planning, 24 Ford, K., 2005. Leading and Managing Youth Work and services for young people - Leicester; National Youth Agency Handy, C., 1996. Understanding Organizations - London; Penguin Lawrie, A., 2001. Leading Work with young people - London; Sage Sims, R., 2002. Organizational Success through Effective Human Resources Management. Quorum Books Tyler, M., 2009. Managing Modern Youth Work - Exeter; Learning Matters Read More