Achieving Workforce Diversity - Assignment Example

Name Course Tutor Institution Task one Introduction Broadly speaking, diversity is the difference among people in terms of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, capabilities, social-economic, gender, age and religion. Diversity is limited by tradition, preference, and customs of an organization. Customers, preferences and tradition must be subject to change if the organization intends to grow and prosper in the changing world. An organization that is successful in tapping diverse workers and inspiring these strengthens their business and described diversity in terms that merge to their exact business environment. Workforce diversity pros and cons to an organization can be fully identified. In other words, diversity ensures that all employees working within the organization bring their differences together. A wide definition moves diversity workface issues "us versus them" fight to a focus on accomplishing individual and organization goals (Benton Pp 46). Advances in technology in the global economy have brought people around the world closer together than before. Given this fact, businesses and educational system are investigating better ways to serve their clients. This has the ability to attract and retain most efficient and qualified workers. The term “Workforce Diversity” may be defined as policies and practices which intend to include individuals within the workforce who are believed to be different from those existing in the market. Organization that develops and employ the required policies and procedures do this in order to maintain a competitive advantage among the other business competitors. Organisation must work hard to recruit and retain best talent if they intend to achieve their statutory objectives and their bottom line. Advantages of workforce diversity In order to maintain a competitive advantage, organizations need to be able to draw on important resources. With the increasing workforce diversity in the whole world, organizations need to expand their strategies in order to be successful. Diversity is important to organizations and the employees at large. It brings considerable benefits such as greater creativity, used for decision making, improved ways in solving problem and innovation. Workforce diversity also helps to link different variety of talents within the company. The act of analyzing and recognizing diversity allows employees with talents to feel more needed and have a logic of belonging, which will ultimately increases their obligation to the company in a unique way (Benton Pp 46). Diversity provides organization with viable ability to compete in the international world. It is possible to diversify workforce if there is sufficient communication within them. Miscommunication within the organization may lead to a great deal of challenges. Diversity workforce is not just about preventing unfair discrimination and administering for equity, it is important to value differences and enclosure, straddling such areas as age, sexual orientation, religious belief, race and physical disability. Diversity helps to increase efficiency, effectiveness, quality, speed, flexibility, and innovation within the organization. Disadvantages of workforce diversity It is important to determine barriers of workforce within the organization. This barrier varies intensively within different organization. However, these barriers are so much different within organization, but their effect is the same; for instance discrimination or rather stereotyping, such as inadequate skill preparation or poor career planning. Both internal and external disadvantages and barriers can be detrimental to diverse groups. Majority of internal barriers takes place as a result of external barriers. Since these two types of barriers influence each other in one way or the other, it is therefore very difficult to handle them separately. Managing workforce diversity has a lot to do with acknowledging differences within people (Benton Pp 46). Many organizational or businesses theorists have argued out that the reasons as to why work teams are diverse and difficult to manage is where the management fail to acknowledge the difference within employees at work place. There are many disadvantages or challenges which are faced by culturally diverse workforce, and miscommunication within the organization. According to Judi Brownell, messages can never at any moment be ignored; she argues that no two individuals or person experiences events in the same way. As native speakers are made to listen to the same messages, this information can be translated different by different people. It is therefore very important for employee’s who are not potentially familiar with the language within the organization to be given special attention whenever they are in such meetings. Low context culture, provide slight information on the best way to base common understanding and therefore, communication must be explicit. As a result of these facts, it is important to view all diverse workforces as context culture. Cultural bias is another factor that challenges culturally diverse job within many organizations if not all. It includes prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice may be defined as a negative attitude by an employee towards another organizational member based on identity and culture. On the other hand, discrimination may be defined as an observable and unfavorable behavior for the same notion. Another disadvantage faced by the culturally diverse is the assimilation concept. According to Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: The State of the Field journal, it explains assimilation as a dominant organizational culture as a strategy that has negative impacts in an individual and the organization at large. Those individual who assimilate are deprived of their aptitude to express their authentic selves in the organization, they are left with no option but to express their selves within social frames (what they have experienced in different workforce diversity). Task two Introduction IBM was established in the year 1896 by Herman Hollerith as a tabulating machine organization in Broome Country, New York where IBM still maintains little operation. On June 16, 1911, IBM was incorporated as a computing tabulating recording organization; it was later on listed as New York Stock Exchange in the year 1916 by Winthrop Fairchild. IBM took its trading name in the year 1924 under the control of Thomas J. Watson. Since 1990, other subsidiary companies existed in countries like German. International Business Machines (IBM) is an American cosmopolitan computer technology and Information Technology (IT) corporation. It is headquartered in Armonk based in New York. International Business Machine is the 4th largest technology organization and the second valuable brand after Coca-Cola. It is one of the information technology organizations with a continuous record dating back to the nineteenth century. IBM produces or manufactures and sell computer software as well as hardware, and it also offer hosting services, consultancy services, infrastructure services to the people living within and outside United States (Riat Pp 6). IBM is well known as the world’s biggest computer organization as well as system integrator through its recent history. It is believed that IMB has up to 400,000 employees throughout the world. By market capitalization, IMB is ranged as the second largest and profitable IT and services manager in the world with regards to the Forbes 2000 list with turnover or sales of more than $100 billion. International Business Machines holds more patent rights as compared to the rest of other United States based technology organization. It also has a total of 9 laboratories worldwide. The organization has engineers, sales professionals and consultants in more than 200 countries in the world. Its employees have secured or earned a total of 5 Nobel Prizes, 9 national medals in technology, 5 medals in science and a turning award (Jackson 1992). IBM is working on key objective to balance work life in the coming years among, women, Hispanics, people who are disabled, Native American and men. This is mainly as a result of today’s global world competition. IBM members across the world have specified what kind of organization they want to work for. Workforce diversity is apparently seen as a competitive notion and strength towards good leadership. Advantages and disadvantages of approaches used by IBM are discussed below. It is self-evident that IBM policies are influenced by political, ideological and economic trends. There are different ways in which diversity approaches have been understood within employees working in IBM. IBM organization diversity approaches existing are: (i) as an evolutionary step from equality development; (ii) is superiority of the equity approach; and last but not least is the comfort zone, this is where IBM allows its employees working within the organization to avoid fighting amongst themselves. Several discussions were made in newspaper, journals, magazines, media and academic forum on the importance of workforce diversity. First, diversity of IBM argues that differences within its employees should be positively recognized, rewarded as well as nurtured rather than diluted. There is a saying that says that every individual must simulate in one way or the other in order to meet the IBMs objectives. IMB employees are committed in creating workplace which facilitates involvement of all, enabling all employees to contribute positively to the organization. Employee’s diversity is recognized based on race, gender, age and cultural background. The focus shifts away from a right based on discrimination and disadvantage. Second, differences are usually viewed as individually based. A diversity approach of IBM has individualism policy. It has moved far away from standardized policies to get rid of discrimination as well as positive actions in order to restore historical shortcoming of particular social group. For that reason, diversity approaches engrosses a wider range of individuals than the social group that is normally covered in ‘EO’ policies, moving away from equity strands towards a person’s differences. Third, diversity approach aims to meet organizational objectives or goals. It is therefore said to be a business driven approach other than one which is underpinned by broader ideas of social justice. The IMB diversity approach seeks to critics of the traditional approaches, where different researchers have argued that moral causes equality which ultimately has very little purchase in a competitive business world. Consequently, workforce diversity is valued by many leaders in the sense that it brings success to organization, for instance IBM. To end with, the diversity approach is not only concerned with arithmetical representation of diverse types of IBM employees but its major concern is to change the organizations culture. The following are advantages and disadvantages with regards to diversity approach in IBM (Gardenswart and Anita 1998). Advantages of workforce diversity IBM organization has realized that diversity workforce approach has the ability to enhance the company effectiveness. Diversity within IBM has generated new ideas in geometric progression enhancing greater creativity as well as innovation. It has the ability to stimulate different consideration of fewer alternatives. This in turn results in flurry of products and services in order to meet customers’ needs. Another advantage is the better team work: IBM is operating its activities in such a way that it becomes impossible to carry out its objectives in order to achieve its yearly goal without teamwork. As a result of this interaction through teamwork, it enhances better ideas as well as improving or increasing employee’s morale within the organization (Bissonnette and McInnes Pp 34). An effective and efficient workforce helps in multiplying motivation thus increase the IBM productivity due to the utility employees tend to enjoy on being equally treated, valued and given the dignity they deserve at the workplace. IBM helps to reduce chances of employee’s turnover or absenteeism, undue stress, discriminatory and unnecessary frustration in the organization through diversifying its activities. Many organizations are implementing the diversity workforce not because it is a statutory requirement but in order to able to recruit efficient employees within the organization (Özbilgin and Syed 2010). Disadvantages of workforce diversity Managers are faced with challenges of managing employees diversity thus set the following challenges: 1. Resistance to change: very long established corporation culture is resistant to change. As a result of this resistance major roadblocks are created for both women and minorities who are seeking to prosper in corporate society or setting. 3. Resentment: EEO (Equal Employment Opportunities) within IBM was imposed and enacted by the government rather than by individuals. 4. Is the group interrelated and interpersonal conflict: even though employee’s diversity has the tendency of creating and establishing new ideas and solving problems, it may lead to conflict as well as chaos if there is lack of respect as well as mistrust among employees working in the same organization. As organization including IBM and Telstra become more diverse, they are at a risk of employees not working effectively as a team. Task three Introduction One of the organizations that I am going to critically evaluate is known as Telstra. Telstra is the largest service provider of local and international telephone services, cable internet access, dialup, DSL and wireless in Australia and across the world. Australian telecommunication services were initially controlled by (PMG) Postmaster-General Department. PMG was later on replaced in the year 1975. Duties and responsibilities for telecommunication services were transferred to the APC (Australian Postal Commission). In the late 1992, the Overseas Telecommunication Commission, which operates as a separate government body formed in the year 1946, was merged with ATC (Australian Telecommunication Commission) which continued to trade under the established name of OTC (Overseas Telecommunication Corporation). OTC was later on renamed to a new brands name "Telstra” in the year 1993. This name "Telstra” was adapted both domestically and internationally; it was later on introduced throughout the whole organization in the year 1995 (Corporation and Jaques Pp 139). Telstra has been facing competition since 1990 from Optus. Optus is the second largest communication service in Australia. As a result of this competition, the management opted to diversify workforce in order to remain the leading organization within Australia and across the world. It retains its ownership of fixed-line communication network as well as a data cable network and two competing pay-TV (Corporation and Jaques Pp 139). In this century, workforce diversity has become an essential notion to Telstra business concern. At this information age, the biggest asset of Telstra is now on two feet. Indisputably, there is a talent war raging. No organization whatsoever can afford to gratuitously restrict its liability of attracting and retaining its efficient employees (Bissonnette and McInnes Pp 44). Telstra organization uses two trends to address diversity. On trend emphasizes more in defining diversity while the second trends concentrates in diversity in its affirmative paradigm. These two trends produce two major approaches of workforce diversity in the organization. The first approach concentrates more on the nature of diversity and the second approach deals with diversity when it is juxtaposed. Although both the approaches used by Telstra have controversial at times, they are widely used to ensure that diversity management takes place. In order to effectively manage diversity, Telstra has developed initiatives which use employee’s capabilities. Approaches of managing workforce diversity of Telstra Telstra uses three approaches in managing workforce diversity, this includes: the transformational approach, the liberal approach and radical approach. Liberal approach seeks to establish a complete social reward. The aim of this approach is to deduce a fair market where the best employee is selected based on his/her performance and experiences. Telstra organization implements the liberal approach through the formal rules. The company ensures that no one is discriminated by the formulated rules and policy of the firm. Positive affirmative action is used by the managers of the company to guarantee total effectiveness. One of its impacts is that it cannot tackle all aspect within the organization. Liberal approach within Telstra gives equal treatment to employees and job applicants regardless of their gender, ethical origin, disability, sexual orientation and religion. Radical approach- is a contrast to liberal approach. Telstra uses this type of approach in order to balance workforce as well as give a fair promotion among its employees. The other approach used by Telstra organization is the transformational approach- this is an approach that gives employees equal opportunity of greater length. It is a combination of both liberal and radical approach. The organization implements new strategies to minimize in different procedures such as recruitment as well as promotion (Kirton and Greene 2010). This approach concedes on the existence of power systems which it ultimately tackles them. In short-term electricity concept is handled on the above mentioned measures. In long-term scenario, the existing power is kept by implementing the values of equity in an organization. Most of the older employees within the organizations are usually associated with higher cost level. Therefore, Telstra organization prefers young employees as compared to the old employees. Most of the companies prefer young employees because they are more energetic thus provide better services which boost the organization profitability. Conclusion Workforce diversity is an important tool to every organizational success. Telstra and international Business Machine organization have diversified workforce in their organization depending on the nature of the organization. As a result, they have both managed to secure good places both domestically and internationally due to workforce diversity. It is important to understand that workforce diversity is not only concerned with people differences in the organization but their relationship to each other as well. Due to the changing world’s economy, it is best for an organization to diversify its activities in order to secure a place in the market, failure to which may lead to wounding up of the organization. References Benton, David. Best Practices in Achieving Workforce Diversity. U.S: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, 2009. Bissonnette, Denise and Rob McInnes. Diversity World. New york: jack and sons, 2006. Corporation, Telstra and Mallesons Stephen Jaques. Memorandum and articles of association of Telstra Corporation Limited: a company limited by shares. New York: Mallesons Stephen Jaques, 1991. Riat, Witney. Diversity & Inclusion @ IBM. New york: IBM Canada Ltd, 2007. Gardenswart, Lee, and Anita Rowe. Managing diversity: a complete desk reference and planning guide. UK: McGraw-Hill Professional, 1998. Jackson, Susan E., and Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (U.S.). Diversity in the workplace: human resources initiatives. New York: Guilford Press, 1992. Kirton, Gill, and Anne-Marie Greene. The Dynamics of Managing Diversity: A Critical Approach. Australia: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2010. Özbilgin, Mustafa, and Jawad Syed. Managing cultural diversity in Asia. China: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2010. Read More