Diversity and Equality - Essay Example

DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY By Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Diversity Forms 3 Benefits of Equality and diversity 4 Implementing Equality and Diversity 5 Equality and Diversity Culture 6 Promotions and Recruitment 7 Maintaining Equality and Diversity 8 Challenges of implementing Equality and Diversity 9 Solutions for Challenges 11 Conclusion 11 Diversity and Equality Introduction The recent years have seen increased diversity levels in different regions prompting the need for organizations to adopt appropriate measures of controlling and managing diversity within the workforce. Diversity management is the “management philosophy of recognizing and valuing heterogeneity in organizations with a view to improve organizational performance” (Ozbilgin and Tatli, 2011). Although diversity is seemingly a measure of differences, effective organizational management may turn it into a highly useful resource. This is owing to the fact that diversity is accompanied by a large pool of unique skills and expertise hence presenting organizations with an opportunity for prosperity. However, managing diversity is relatively hard especially paying considerations on attaining equality across organizations with a diverse workforce (Malvin and Girling, 2000; Kirton and Greene 2010). Additionally, discrimination in relation to diversity may at times be committed unconsciously thereby hindering the effective performance of the organization (Rowe, 2008). As such, there is imminent need for organizational managements across different departments within the organization to evaluate, examine and adopt workable solutions relating to diversity and equality. Diversity Forms Nonetheless, evaluating appropriate diversity measures requires identification and comprehension of all possible diversity forms within the organization. In this particular context, diversity forms refer to the different ways in which diversity might manifest itself. For instance, diversity may be manifested through religion, disabilities, age, gender, and race among others (Mannix and Neale, 2005). Increasing diversity can be attributed to globalization resulting in increased international interactions including convenience of working in foreign countries. International organizations are however seemingly more affected by diversity issues due their presence in different regions. Nonetheless, diversity forms such as age and gender are inevitable in organizations implying that diversity management plans are essential regardless of the nature of an organization. Additionally, modern day trends and developments have further increased diversity forms. For example, the issues of sexuality such as gays and bisexuals has parked increased debates not only in organizations but also across other platforms globally. This can be attributed to the linkage between sexuality and human rights with supporters arguing that people should not be discriminated based on sexuality lines. Making consideration on all these diversity forms it is evident that diversity is a pressing issue requiring to be addressed. Benefits of Equality and diversity Investing deeply in diversity and equality has direct implications on the overall performance of both employees and employers. This is mainly due the necessity of creating and maintaining healthy relationships within an organization. Healthy organizational relationships are crucial since they create a conducive working environment that facilitates employee commitment and job satisfaction (Mitchell, 2003). As a result, there is bound to be reduced absenteeism and work related stress giving room for innovation and creativity consequently improving the overall organizations’ performance. In relation to diversity and equality, organizational relationships hold great importance due the mediation between different links such as among employees and the within the management. This implies that diversity and equality has a toll on all levels regardless of possession of the same work position. For example, diversity issues may be a cause of disintegration within the top management owing to the stereotypes associated with various diversity forms hence providing room for discrimination. Therefore, successful adoption of appropriate diversity and equality initiatives and policies is bound to create healthy relationships in the entire organization. Implementing Equality and Diversity Although matters pertaining to equality and diversity ought to be the responsibility of entire organization, the management is tasked with a greater role. This explains the increased focus on the management in various organizations to come up with effective strategies to incorporate equality and diversity initiatives and policies. Nonetheless, there is seemingly some challenges especially in determining the most appropriate strategies that should be adopted. As such, there are risks of adopting the wrong moves that may either offer short term solutions or no solution at all. For example, in relatively many scenarios, management may adopt a reactive approach that mainly focuses on ensuring mere compliance with the set equality and diversity initiatives and policies. While this approach is seemingly appropriate, a proactive approach is arguably better due to the benefits accompanying embracement of the set initiatives and policies such as maximization of employee potential (Subeliani and Tsogas, 2005, p. 832). This implies that the management is pivotal in determination of the outcome of the various strategies implemented to attain equality amid diversity. Additionally, the outcome of equality and diversity strategies is dependent upon the perceptions of the organization. Relatively many organizations, especially profit oriented, measure efficacy of any investment in terms of the overall benefit to the organization. Since implementation of equality and diversity initiative and policies entails utilization of organizational resources such as finances and time, this process may be regarded as an investment. As such, in many scenarios organizations expect investment on equality and diversity to boost human capital benefits including but not limited to reduced labour shortages and increased employee retention. For example, a research study among 285 diversity officers showed a 63.9% response in favor of employee retention owing to embracement of equality and diversity (Koall, 2007). Moreover, maintenance of equality amid increasing diversity within the workforce is bound to create a positive corporate image. A positive corporate image is a resource for organizations especially in appealing to customers and other stakeholders (Melewar, 2008). Furthermore, possession of a diverse workforce may also present organizations with an opportunity for expanding operations in different markets. As such, the main reason for venturing in equality and diversity investments should be focused on attainment of permanent solutions such as creation of an appropriate culture. Generally, achievement of equality in organizations with a diverse workforce is bound to create a culture that promotes healthy relationships across the entire organization. Creation of such a culture is essential to the utilization hence realization of the benefits accrued to creativity, innovation, skills, and experience possessed by a highly diverse workforce. Equality and Diversity Culture Nonetheless, creation of a culture that harbors equality amid increased diversity within the workforce is dependent on maintenance of some conditions. As seen earlier, the management is crucial in the successful adoption of equality and diversity initiatives. This implies that organizations require high levels of support from the top management. Such support may be shown through commitment from leaders to demonstrate the importance of equality and diversity (Zanoni, Janssens, Benschop, and Nkomo, 2010). For example, management positions should portray some sense of diversity such as through maintenance of gender equality. Additionally, relationships within the diversified management should be healthy without any portrayal of discrimination based on stereotypes associated with various diversity forms. Implementation of such an environment makes it easy for the management to enforce equality and diversity initiatives in the entire organization. This can be attributed to the ability of other employees to relate and see practical benefits of equality and diversity initiatives. Additionally, creation of a culture that promotes equality and diversity relies on integration of suitable policies in the foundations of organizations. For example, incorporation of policies promoting equality and diversity in the organization’s vision and mission may assist in creating a suitable culture. However, this is seemingly more appropriate for new organizations during the drafting of organization’s vision and mission. Nonetheless, even already existing and established organizations may incorporate equality and diversity policies in their vision and mission statements. Such a strategy ensures that the entire workforce including new entrants are aware of the importance of equality and diversity. Additionally, since organizations’ vision and mission acts as the guide for the organization, all stakeholders will work towards the realization of this vision and mission (Phadtare, 2011). This makes equality and diversity a core activity of the organization making it possible for creation of a suitable culture that promotes equality and diversity. Promotions and Recruitment Organizational cultures are built over time and are determined by the general mode of operation including the seemingly minor aspects such as employee recognition and rewarding. Recognition and rewarding approaches are mostly used by organizations to motivate workers to participate in a given activity (Armstrong, Murlis, and Hay Group, 2007, p.9). This implies that incorporation of recognition and rewarding programs for employees showing professionalism by avoiding discriminatory behaviors may motivate the entire workforce to take equality and diversity initiatives. In relation to diversity, recognition and rewarding may be carried out on a departmental basis. This is a show of support by the management for the commendable efforts towards promotion of diversity and equality. Furthermore, recognition and rewarding should be done regularly such as on an annual basis to increase motivation levels. Employee participation in equality and diversity initiatives is crucial to the creation of a favorable culture since after all they constitute the largest portion of the organization. Although rewarding is mostly done through approaches focusing of monetary rewards, there may also be other approaches such as promotions. In fact, promotions are arguably one of the best ways of motivating employees. Nonetheless, issues revolving around promotions and recruitments have been closely associated with equality and diversity. However, it is important to note that issues revolving around promotions and recruitment in relation to equality and diversity don not necessarily arise from reward programs. Generally, promotions and recruitments are seemingly delicate due to increased cases of dissatisfaction emanating from discrimination associated with equality and diversity. In fact, promotions and recruitments are a major avenue of checking the effectiveness of organizational management in promoting equality and diversity. This implies that effective managements should ensure to incorporate diversity in promotion and recruitment activities. Making promotions that are keen to issues of equality and diversity implies potential candidates should not be discriminated against based on the lines of diversity of any nature. Implementation of such a policy would imply that the management is at the fore front of promoting diversity and equality within the organization. Maintaining Equality and Diversity Focusing on policies and programs that prompt acceptance of equality and diversity within the organization is arguably not enough. There is imminent need for organizations to adopt necessary measure that carry out follow up functions in a bid to identify gaps that may hinder further efficiency of equality and diversity initiatives. In simpler terms, there should be regular assessments to identify specific organizational needs related to equality and diversity. This is important since it gives room for customization of solutions befitting the specific needs identified hence facilitating adoption of equality and diversity in the organization’s culture. However, to ensure efficacy of the assessment process, there is need for mobilization of efforts from the entire organization rather than leaving the task to the human resources department. For example, there can be formulation of workforce specializing in advocacy for equality and diversity. This is due to the weight accrued to matters pertaining to equality and diversity whereby efficiency is accompanied by some sort of significant power to invoke the necessary organizational change consequently creating a favorable culture. Challenges of implementing Equality and Diversity Nonetheless, implementation of equality and diversity is still a major challenge for many organizations especially global organizations. Increased challenges for global organizations can be attributed to the variations of different, inevitable, and crucial aspects across different regions. These differences have direct implications on the overall operations of global organizations more so in relation to equality and diversity. For example, political factors have a great impact on the management of organizations. Different regions have different forms of governance ranging from democracies to aristocracies. However, more importantly are policies associated with operation of organizations in these specific regions. For example, labor laws vary across different regions yet they are crucial and have direct impacts on the organization. As such, it may be relatively difficult for foreign organizations to adjust fully to some of the labor laws followed in some regions. This implies that the organizational management has to make considerations of political factors due to the seemingly inevitable possibility of conflicting values. This is seemingly more challenging in employment processes since some of the legal requirements such as minimum salaries may conflict with the organizational policies or policies in other regions. As such, it may be difficult for the organization to come up with equitable solutions amid this diversity. As such, organizations need to examine and come up with appropriate measures that ensure equality amid the increased diversity. Matters pertaining to religion and socio-economic factors also possess great influence on the operations of organizations in relation to equality and diversity. Socio-economic factors mainly refer to the perceptions of people owing to societal and cultural settings. Challenges emanate mainly due to the possible differences emergent between organizational culture and societal culture (Watson, Kumar, and Michaelsen, 1993). This implies that the management of global organizations needs to be flexible to the cultural variations experienced in different regions in a bid to promote equality. Moreover, issues pertaining to religion especially in the modern day area major pose a major challenge to the achievement of equality. For example, global organizations have a workforce ranging on different regions some that may vary greatly in relation to beliefs. Moreover, conduction of prayers in the organization may present variations with some religions requiring time within the organization’s working hours for prayers. Additionally, the dressing code of some cultures and religions may conflict with the organizational policies especially in organizations that require a uniform dress code. This may pose a challenge and create an avenue for discrimination against people in that particular religion and or culture owing to the perception that they may be less industrious or difficult to handle than others. Therefore, socio-economic and religion factors may pose challenges for the implementation of equality amid diversity. Solutions for Challenges Nonetheless, organizations need to have provisions and measures of dealing and mitigating the challenges posed by diversification of the workforce. For instance, global organizations may adopt policies that are specific to the regions of operation. This would ensure that global organizations are flexible to the influencing factors in different regions thereby reducing the amount of influence hindering equality. However, amid the specialization by global organizations, creation of awareness among employees on the importance of equality and diversity is crucial. This is because given the current increment of diverse interactions in the wake of globalization, diversity is almost inevitable. Moreover, interactions between organizations located in different regions but within the same global organization are bound to take place. As such, the only amicable solution seems to lies in comprehension hence adoption of a mindset that accepts and appreciates equality and diversity. Conclusion Conclusively, equality and diversity is key function of modern organizations mainly in efforts to improve the overall performance. This can be attributed to the increased international interactions in the wake of globalization. Nonetheless, matters pertaining to diversity seemingly have more impact on global organization due presence in different regions. Diversity in organizations mainly manifests itself in various forms such as religion, gender, and sexuality among others. Additionally, political, socio-economic, and religious factors have great influence in the implementation and promotion of equality and diversity in different regions. However, successful implementation of equality and diversity is accompanied by increased organizational performance. This is due to the large pool of skills and expertise presented by a diverse workforce. As such, it is highly important for organization management to ensure implementation of equality and diversity. Works Cited Armstrong, M., Murlis, H., & Hay Group. (2007). Reward management: A handbook of remuneration strategy and practice. London: Kogan Page. Kirton, G. and Greene, M. (2010). What does diversity management mean for the gender equality project? 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