Importance of Diversity in Managing People - Essay Example

?Managing People Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Importance of Diversity 4 Introduction to Kandola and Fullerton Models 6 Examples of B&Q And ASDA Company which Tried to Create an Age Diverse Workforce and Exploration of Their Efforts For Achieve This and Benefits that they Experienced 7 Challenges in Achieving Diversification in the Workplace 8 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction The term ‘diversity’ holds primary importance in the overall development of an organization. It relates to overall development which is categorized into a very broad context. However, the term diversity plays a decisive part in structuring the overall design of an organization. Practicing diversity in a particular work environment can lead towards increased productivity which can trigger creativity in the work pattern of the employees by a greater level. All the activities linked with diversification in the workplace intend to minimize numerous problems related to the performance of different types of roles pertaining to the job. Diversification facilitates effectual flow of communication between the employees in the organizations and helps in building transparency. In addition, it helps in increasing the cohesiveness amid the employees at large (Barack, 2005). On the other hand, equal opportunities relates to non-discrimination in the workplace. It concerns in providing fair and equal opportunities to all the employees related to the job irrespective of various factors like caste, colour, position, religion, gender along with other significant aspects (D'Almeida, 2007). The scope of the project will primarily focus on the importance of diversification as well as equal opportunities in the workplace of the organizations. In addition, few companies practicing diversification in their respective workplace and the benefits that they experienced will be highlighted upon. The focus of this discussion will also be laid upon the challenges that could be faced while achieving multiplicity in the workplace. Discussions relating to the Kandola and Fullerton model will be made relating to the concepts of diversification along with equal opportunities. While laying out the importance of diversification, factors concerning the demographics of the workforce will be also be taken into concern (Wylie, 2008). Importance of Diversity The term diversity refers to the process of performing multitasking functions by a company in its respective workplace. However, from an organizational viewpoint, it lays much importance upon its meaning as it concerns the overall performance of the employees of a company. It can be affirmed from a broader outlook that more the variance in the work process, more the diversification is considered. Maintaining diversification and equality in the workplace plays an imperative part as both these aspects trigger growth as well as developmental activities which benefits the whole of the organizations at large. These aspects also eradicate biasness in the workplace which is very much essential for maintaining a healthy work environment. In order to determine the significance of diversity, it can be affirmed from a broader outlook that the creation of a diverse workplace is quite indispensable for any business organisation for the purpose of enhancing as well as raising its creativity and overall productivity by a considerable level. It is worth mentioning that maintaining effectual workplace diversity can support an organisation to attain its predetermined business targets through developing the performance of its entire personnel and also by mounting its operational effectiveness at large (D'Almeida, 2007). Thus, on the basis of the above discussion, it can be stated that diversity plays a decisive part in supporting an organisation to fulfil its expected business targets by a certain degree. However, if a consideration is made about the work demographics of England, it can be studied that the primary importance is given to the older section of the employees rather than the young generation. In order to deliver certain facts as well as figures especially on demographics and age profile of people in work, it has been apparently observed that the workplaces prevailing in England primarily relies mostly upon experienced candidates rather than the fresh talents. They rely mostly on the traditional processes of work rather than the new and innovative processes of working (Ozbilgin, 2009). Due to this reason, the main stress is laid for retaining all the experienced staffs in the organizations rather than selecting as well as hiring the new and inexperienced employees. The government of England strongly feels that people bearing above the age group of 60 should keep working irrespective of any external or internal hindrance. The table portrayed below reveals the employment figures for both older and younger generations of workers. It clearly shows that the age group between (25-49) years is highly employed followed by the age group of (50-64) years. However, people belonging to the age group of (15-24) years are least employed. Based on the figures, it can be analyzed that the workforce population in the UK is getting older and very few number of younger generation employees can be viewed to serve in their respective workplace (Schneider, 2007). Source: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2006 There are various legislations that have been made for the purpose of supporting the rights of the older age groups to engage themselves in the workplace. In the year 2006, a special law called the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations was incorporated by the government of the UK and enforced for discontinuing any kind of discrimination on job seekers, employees and workers concerning one of the demographic factors i.e. age. Since the year 2006, the UK government has made unlawful concerning discrimination against workers, employees, job seekers and trainees because of differences in age. Another Act that was enacted by the UK government in the year 2010 was the Equality Act 2010. This particular law was created for maintaining equality in the workplace and discontinuing the activities linked with harassment or irritation in the workplace in terms of age, inferiority, caste and religion among others (Investor in People, 2011). Introduction to Kandola and Fullerton Models Both Kandola and Fullerton models collectively explains the importance of workplace diversity in various ways. Kandola and Fullerton model was designed to highlight the major differences that exist between the employees in the organizations. The model also explains that if these differences are managed and tackled in a proper manner, then it will result in high level of efficiency in the performance of the employees. These models collectively explained the conception of diversification and its management. The model states that diversification amid the employees can trigger many positive changes in and around the organizations. Along with diversification, harnessing of individual differences can make the employees feel important and unique and their talents and values are broadly appreciated. It has been viewed that the model lays much importance on identifying the loopholes that are needed to be filled. The diversification process itself helps in identifying the problems and thereby exploiting the actions to develop the overall work by a greater level. These perceptions can be regarded as the imperative aspects of the model (Armstrong, 2006). Examples of B&Q And ASDA Company which Tried to Create an Age Diverse Workforce and Exploration of Their Efforts For Achieve This and Benefits that they Experienced Block & Quayle (B&Q) plc is a company which realized the benefits of employing age-diverse workforce after facing high amount of attrition rate back in 1980s. After the happening of this event, the company realized the true need for employing aged workforce which included the employees having the age in excess of 50 years. It has been apparently observed that the company had promoted greater awareness about the benefits of having age-diversified workforce in the workplace. This particular approach eventually turned out to be a very positive approach because people above 50s tend to be very experienced and quite serious about their job. Hiring of those people can lead towards an overall decrease in absenteeism (Skills of Care, 2009). It has been viewed that B&Q had tried to generate an age-diverse workforce by the way of generating greater awareness and thus experienced certain major benefits. One of the major benefits that the company experienced can be related towards raising its overall productivity by a greater level. Moreover, the other benefit that the company experienced towards generating an age-diverse workforce was that it helped the company in attaining greater sustainable development that is going quite strong till now as compared to its major competitors. Specially mentioning, the recruitment of aged employees helped the organizations to gain healthy work experiences that were being shared by the employees. Thus, it helped the company to attain a lot of excellence which reflected in its productivity and performance at large (Skills of Care, 2009). Similarly, ASDA Stores Limited has also been viewed to follow recruitment strategies without discriminating any age group. Moreover, the company favoured all age groups and did not give much importance to a single age group while conducting the recruitment procedure. It is worth mentioning that ASDA worked with Job Centre Plus which is regarded as a special unit that caters to the employment needs especially for the aged-groups and thereby providing help to them in getting recruited. However, the overall approach of B&Q along with ASDA was to move towards an approach of age-neutralism. There were many benefits that the company i.e. ASDA experienced by following the aforesaid approaches. In this regard, ASDA have been awarded with the title of the most innovative employer in the UK and thus enhanced its business reputation by a greater level. Thus, it can be affirmed that all the success of the company has been reflected in total diversification in and around its workplace and amid the employees (Skills of Care, 2009). Challenges in Achieving Diversification in the Workplace Diversification in the workplace is a very broad concept and holds primary importance for the development of the organizations and their respective employees. However, achieving it on a large scale is not an easy task, especially if the culture of an organization is very conservative and traditional (Inglehart & Norris, 2003). In this regard, the effects of stereotypes can play a decisive part in preserving the overall diversification of the organizations. For instance, an organization may show negative attitudes towards younger section of employees. It may consider this section to be inactive and lazy as compared to older sections and for that reason, the organization may favour the idea of hiring young employees (Edmond & Price, 2009). This sort of assumption can be usually developed by stereotypes that may impose drastic impact upon the organizations at large (Dainty & et. al., 2002). However, there are various other challenges that may arise in relation to diversity in the workplace. There may rose biasness in relation to different class of people, ethnicity, races, factors relating to age along with status of the employees and religion among others (Fassinger, 2008). The above factors generally prove to create hindrances in the overall diversification process by a certain degree. Biasness relating to all these factors not only results in low productivity but also restricts the organizations from broadening its scopes and functions (Prasad, 1997). All the factors relating to the above aspects relates to non- diversification prevailing in different workplaces belonging to diverse organizations (Netto & Sohal, 1980). It will certainly result in creating indifferences amid the employees resulting in damaging their morale by a significant level (Esty, 1995). Conclusion From the overall analysis, it can be affirmed from a broader outlook that diversification in the workplace holds primary importance which relates to the overall development of an organization. Practicing diversification in the organization can lead to acquire various advantages that can aid the organizations to shape effectively in terms of productivity as well as performance. It has been viewed that diversification is closely related with providing equal opportunities in the workplace that helps in motivating the employees for developing their respective performance at large. It is worth mentioning that the employment opportunities for the older section of the society is more as compared to the young generation of employees in the context of the UK. The primary importance is given to the aged-groups of employees in order to retain them in the organizations. It has been apparently observed that the significant aspect of diversification is supported by multiple business models. Moreover, it can also be viewed that several business organisations like ASDA and B&Q have experienced multiple benefits by generating an age-diverse workforce. However, with many advantages of practicing diversification in the workplace, there also seem to arise various types of hindrances resulting in slowing down the overall diversification procedure in the organizations by a certain degree. References Armstrong, M., 2006. A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Barack, M. E. M., 2005. Managing Diversity. SAGE. D'Almeida, C. M., 2007. The Effects of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace. ProQuest. Dainty, A. & et. al., 2002. Diversification of the U.K. Construction Industry: A Framework for Change. Leadership and Management in Engineering, Vol. 2, No.4. Esty, K. C., 1995. Workplace Diversity. Adams Media. Edmond, N. & Price, M., 2009. Workforce Re?Modelling and Pastoral Care in Schools: A Diversification of Roles or a De?Professionalisation of Functions? Pastoral Care in Education: An International Journal of Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Vol. 27, No.4. Fassinger, R. E., 2008. Workplace Diversity and Public Policy: Challenges and Opportunities for Psychology. American Psychologist, Vol. 63, No.4, pp.252-268. Inglehart, R. & Norris, P., 2003. Rising Tide: Gender Equality and Cultural Change Around the World. Cambridge University Press. Investor in People, 2011. Age and the Workplace. A guide for Employers and Employees. [Online] Available at: http://www.acas.org.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=588 [Accessed June 04, 2013]. Netto, B. D. & Sohal, M. S., 1980. Human Resource Practices and Workforce Diversity: An Empirical Assessment. International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 20, No.8. Ozbilgin, M., 2009. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Work. Edward Elgar Publishing. Prasad, P., 1997. Dilemmas of Workplace Diversity. SAGE. Skills of Care, 2009. Report into Good Practice in The Recruitment and retention of Workers Aged 50 +. We’re Helping Employers to Recruit. [Online] Available at: https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skillsforcare.org.uk%2Fnmsruntime%2Fsaveasdialog.aspx%3FlID%3D8614%26sID%3D2149&ei=r6etUdz H8b5rAfw0oGwBQ&usg=AFQjCNFtiTQ372wJgKCVVP1AJjwkWsXjlw&sig2=PbifeB42hemlMuvRP4XXtg&bvm=bv.47244034,d.bmk [Accessed June 04, 2013]. Schneider, E., 2007. OSH in Figures: Young Workers — Facts and Figures. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, pp. 1-150. Wylie, K., 2008. Diversity in the Workplace. GRIN Verlag. Read More