Managing Diversity

DIVERSITY
Differences among people in age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, capabilities/disabilities and in the thought process.

What do we mean by diversity in the thought process??

Lets Find out

For that.

We need to diversify our horizons Diversity is not just in age, gender, race it ACTUALLY lies in your thinking, your thought process

We limit our perspectives and choices..

Connect all the dots with 4 straight lines Do NOT lift your pen off the paper Do not RETRACE any line.

Why is it that most of us do not think about going out of the boundaries? We had to draw the lines outside the boundaries. This is what is required of us when we interact with others as every thinks differently (outside of our boundaries or "box"). Why is it so hard to others' point of views? We often so busy thinking about our point of view, that we fail to see others' point of views.

Can you see the gray spots between the black squares ??????

This is an example of how we sometimes see things that are not really there. And thats how we tend to conclude the wrong first impression of someone by looking at the physical attributes.

These were some examples to show what is diversity in terms of thought.

What Do We Mean By Managing Diversity?

A management system which incorporates the differences found in a multicultural workforce in a manner which results in the highest level of productivity for both the organization and the individual.

CASE STUDY:
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICS AT

IBM

Sources of Diversity in the Workplace

Source:

Figure 4.1

Workforce Diversity: Gender

Women in the Work Place Womens earnings are less than two-thirds of the earnings of men. Women hold only 12% of corporate officer positions

Workforce Diversity: Religion

India:

multi cultural country. Accommodation for Religious Beliefs Providing flexible time off for holy days Posting holy days for different religions on the company calendar

Workforce Diversity: Capabilities and Disabilities

Disability Issues Providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities

Promoting a nondiscriminatory workplace environment Educating the organization about disabilities and AIDS

Workplace diversity

Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. That sounds simple, but diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more

Benefits of Workplace Diversity

Increased adaptability

Broader service range

Variety of viewpoints More effective execution

Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace

Communication

Resistance to change

Successful Management of Diversity in the Workplace

1.

1.

Recommended steps that have been proven successful in world-class organizations are: Assessment of diversity in the workplace Development of diversity in the workplace plan.

Promote diversity in leadership positions. Implementation of diversity in the workplace plan .

Recommended diversity in the workplace solutions include

Ward off change resistance with inclusion.

Foster an attitude of openness in your organization .

CASE STUDY:
PROMOTING DIVERSITY:

THE AMERICAN EXPRESS WAY

Managing Diversity in the Workplace

Demonstrate the Following Behaviors

Learn the professional aspirations of all team members and support their efforts to achieve them. Create opportunities for highly talented employees to be exposed to leaders who may not otherwise interact with them. Create cross-functional teams

Demonstrate the Following Behaviors cont..

Volunteer for community projects that teach tolerance, both directly and indirectly Delegate fairly

Demonstrate the Following Behaviors cont..

Communicate and support intolerance of inappropriate and disrespectful behavior Evaluate performance objectively

Consider individual needs when enforcing company policies and guidelines

Actions that Make a Difference

Talk privately with each of your employees

Ask your staff about their preferences

Take your staff to lunch

Prevailing Diversity
According to a recent survey conducted by the Families and Work Institute, 52 percent of Americans prefer to work with people like themselves while only 34 percent would rather be with colleagues who are ethnically or culturally different.

Issues That Can Divide Us

Language Differences Differences in Values and Etiquette Tone of voice

Clustering

Solutions to Culturally-Rooted Conflicts

Ask Questions

Seeking Commonalities
Do not project your own culture onto others Communicating Respect

Diversity Rules: How to Interact with Colleagues from Different Backgrounds

Dont make assumptions Communicate appropriately Search for common ground Be aware of formal versus informal work environments.

Elements of Diversity

Income Education Marital Status Religious Beliefs Geographic Location Parental Status

Age

Gender
Ethnicity Race

Physical Ability
Sexual Orientation Physical Characteristics

Personality Type

Barriers and Challenges to Managing Diversity

1. 2. 3. 4.

5.

Inaccurate stereotypes and prejudice Ethnocentrism Poor career planning An unsupportive and hostile working environment for diverse employees Lack of political savvy on the part of diverse employees

Barriers and Challenges to Managing Diversity

6. 7.

8.
9.

10.

Difficulty in balancing career and family issues Fears of reverse discrimination Diversity is not seen as an organizational priority The need to revamp the organizations performance appraisal and reward system Resistance to change

Conclusion

A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and marketplace. Diverse work teams bring high value to organizations. Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity. Diversity management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges. Most workplaces are made up of diverse cultures, so organizations need to learn how to adapt to be successful practices.