Diversity in Workplace - Essay Example

Diversity in Workplace Introduction Diversity at workplace is a contemporary social issue manifest in most organizations, which recruit employees from diverse backgrounds. Diversity in races, cultures, religions, physical and mental abilities imply that an organization becomes a cosmopolitan setting in which any feature arising from the diverse workforce affects the productivity of the employees thus the profitability. Diverse workplace requires effective management in order to steer the diverse employees towards a similar goal within the organization. The paper bellows therefore investigates the ways in which managers can develop an efficient diverse workforce. The report investigates the types of diversities that exist at BuyRite, a grocery store. In doing this, the researcher will use numerous data collection techniques in order to assess the organization with the vie of determining the management methods employed by the company, the types of diversities manifest at the grocery store and the advantages of effective management of diverse workforce. Among the data collection techniques used include structured questionnaires that the researcher will distribute to the employees of the organization thus giving them adequate time to complete the questions before collecting them back for data analysis. Additionally, the researcher will carry out interview as a method of data collection. Through interviews, the researcher will engage the employees in face-to-face interactions thereby asking them numerous questions on the management and the manifestation of diversity at the grocery store. Besides the two effective techniques, the researcher will carry out effective observation of the organization with the view of obtaining the daily operations at the store. Through observation, the researcher will establish the relationship among the employees both during their official and non-official hours such as lunch breaks. Program objectives The program seeks to: 1. Determine and present the different forms of diversities manifest in most modern day workplaces using the BuyRite grocery store as a sample of such organizations. 2. Prove the disadvantages and advantages of diversity in workplaces 3. Determine and present ways of managing workplace diversity 4. Prove the essence of organizational cultures and the effects of diversity in the development of organizational culture As stated earlier, diversity is a contemporary social feature that continues to influence the nature of workforces globally. Effective management of diversity in an organization improves both production and efficiency by providing realistic ways of problem solving. However, poor management of diversity in the organization results in the manifestation of the negative traits of the social diversity at the workplace thereby impairing productivity. The above explanation implies that assessing and determining effective management of diversity is often evident in the level of productivity in an organization. In assessing the efficiency of management at BuyRite grocery store, the researcher will therefore investigate the efficiency of the organization. This will include investigation of the flow of information and the communication models that the organization employs. Additionally, the researcher will investigate the level of motivation in the employees a feature that easily portrays the efficiency of the management in managing diversity at the organization. The project will therefore assess different features of the grocery store with the view of determining the effects of diversity and the manifestation of respective individual cultures at the organization. This will compel the researchers to interact with booth the management and the junior employee of the organization in order to determine their views on the issue. An effective management should for example discourage the manifestation of individual employee cultures by developing an effective organizational culture (Fargus, 2000). Organizational culture refers to the accepted way of doing things at an organization. Such may include the attire of employees, channels of communication and the timing of activities among many other intricate features of the organization. When developing such cultures, the management must consider different features of both the organization and the society in which it operates. Training methods The effectiveness of a training relies on the amount of knowledge that the learners obtain from the session. The project thus seeks to improve these employing realistic teaching methods including lectures, practical experience and periodic evaluation of the learners. The project thus vouches for timed lessons in which the learners interact with the trainers. The interactivity nature of the lessons helps improve the participation of the learners thereby improving their understanding of the topical issues. The trainers will develop the teaching materials including lecture notes and other pertinent learning aids including arts. Preparation of notes requires the trainers to carry out effective research on the internet among other physical sources thereby preparing consistent notes that the learners will readily understand. The internet is the largest source of information on nearly every topical issue. It thus forms the primary source of information and learning material for the training process. This implies that the trainers must browse the internet with the view of obtaining adequate information on diversity at workplace. Besides the lectures, practical experience is fundamental in improving the comprehension of the learners. The training project therefore incorporates different practical projects that will include the analysis of the BuyRite grocery store. The analysis will include the investigation of particular features of the organization. The learners must contribute to the analysis by determining different features of diversity manifest at the grocery store. Each learner must for example list a number of diversity features at the organization and the possible effects of such. The practical experience of the training will encompass the evaluation of different features of the store including the races, religion and cultures of the employees at the store. The learners must have the ability to list such factors. Besides the lectures and practical experience, it becomes imperative to test the learners in order to determine their comprehension and application of the theories taught. This way, it becomes possible to revise some of the issues most of them failed to understand thereby improving the success of the training project. The project therefore includes an effective assessment method that will include random assessment of the learners during the lessons. The project requires intense learner participation a feature that will compel the learners to carry out parallel academic research on the topic in order to improve both their participation during the lesson and understanding of the concepts taught in the lessons. At the end of the training session, the project will include a detailed assessment of the learners through an exam. This way, the trainers determine the performance pattern of the learners thereby possibly providing the learners with appropriate certificates of merit. In order to ensure effective learning by the trainees, the project has specific methods that seek to improve the participation of the learners in the learning process thereby improving their understanding of the concept. Among the techniques will include the provision of regular assignments. Coupled with a singular topic of discussion will improve the learner’s understanding of the concept. Student participation in lessons is essential in improving their understanding of the concepts. The learning process will therefore include regular assessment in the form of assignments that will compel the students to carry out their own researches on the topical issue thereby improving their participation in the lessons. The assignments will motivate the students to carry out their own researches and engage each other privately thereby improving their comprehension of the issues. Active participation of learners during the learning process is imperative in expediting their understanding of the concepts taught. The trainers will therefore strive to engage the student at varied levels in lively discussion coupled with the provision of real life examples. Diversity is a social concept and the numerous possibly exhibit some level of diversity. Engaging the learners at such varied levels in discussion therefore motivates them to brainstorm thereby contribute to the learning process. This way, master the concept easily owing to their input in the lessons. The sense of belonging an appreciation that the learners develop whenever they participate in lessons improves the effectiveness of the lessons. Lesson plan Diversity in workplace The lesson requires a duration of four hours weekly for six weeks. The duration is appropriate for the numerous lessons, practical experiences and the numerous assessments done both within and at the end of the learning duration. Among the materials used in the lesson are the trainer’s notes, chalk and a writing board. However, the learners will require a writing pad and a pen to facilitate their learning. The lesson requires active participation of both the students and the learners a feature that compels both parties to have research facilities that may include either a smart phone or a laptop both with internet connectivity. Additionally, both the learners and the trainers must access a physical library to carry out their researches on the topical issue thereby enhancing the learning process (Ahrenfelt & Neal, 2006). At the end of the learning process, the learners must have the ability to list and discuss the different forms of diversity in workplaces. They should also understand the effects of diversity and the reasons for effective management of diversity in workplaces. The assessments will ascertain this by testing their understanding on the numerous concepts that relate to the topical issue. Two hours weekly Week 1 and week 2 Week 3 and week 4 Week 5 and week 6 Interactive lessons Practical experience Assessment, grading and revisions As the table above portrays, in the first two week the trainers introduce the learners to the topic. However, the plan advises the adoption of an interactive approach a feature that will compel the trainers to use real life examples and a simple language in order to incorporate every learner. Prior to the lessons of the second week, the students shall remit written assignments after the trainers assigned them to respective questions in the previous lesson. Practical experience will require the students to employ their knowledge in assessing BuyRite. This way, they assess the principles learnt thereby having a hypothetical view to both the organization and the anticipated results. At the final segments of the lesson, students sit written exams which helps assess their understanding of the concepts taught. As a practical lesson to adult learners, the assessment will incorporate the recognition of active participation of the learners. This implies that the learners must strive to participate during the lessons by giving their independent contribution. Assessment of the participation of the learners will thus contribute 30% of the total marks while the written exams at the end of the learning process entertain the remaining 70%. Students must therefore portray agility in the learning process and engage the trainers at different levels of the learning process. Additionally, after the written exams, it becomes imperative to revise the questions with the view of equipping the learners with practical skills and adequate understanding of the concepts taught and tested in the lesson (Skowron, 2006). Assumptions Among the assumptions the projects makes include that the learners are adults with prior experience on diversity in workplaces. This implies that the learners have prior experience and existing knowledge on some of the issues entailed in the learning process. This thus validates the need for active participation of the learners during the learning process. Educated adults must have the ability to brainstorm and provide practical solutions to such hypothetical problems as those entailed in the lesson plan. Group assessment is often effective in developing learners. However, the time constrains of the learning process coupled with the fact that the learners are adults with prior similar education; it becomes redundant to divide them into groups thus making the participation realistic. References Ahrenfelt, J. & Neal, W. (2006). 100 Ideas for Essential Teaching Skills (Continuum One Hundred). New York: Continuum. Fargus, P. (2000). Measuring and improving employee motivation. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Skowron, J. (2006). Powerful Lesson Planning: Every Teachers Guide to Effective Instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Read More