Diversity In The Workplace Essays Example

Introduction

The management of diversity is the main issue in today’s workplace across the world. A diverse workforce can present certain disadvantages, but if this issue is managed well this can result in a long-term benefit such as in the development of the employee potential, improving organization’s productivity, improving business growth and providing excellent customer service to the customers.
A culturally diverse workforce also helps in improving the problem-solving skills and enhancing employee creativity. In this paper, the issue of managing diversity will be considered along with management of this important issue. A project schedule will be developed with the use of Information Technology in the planning process.
In order to increase the positive outcomes of the workforce, it is integral that a project schedule should be developed along with incorporation of the Information Technology to manage workforce diversity (Elmuti, 2001).

Diversity Management in Workplace

It is important to realize that inevitable changes are occurring in the workplace today. The increase in the diversification issue in the workplace is mainly due to two major factors – firstly the changing business dynamics due to globalization and secondly the change in the structure of the country’s population.
According to a research performed by Mayo that the rising trend in diversity management at the workplace is increasing throughout the world and the composition of the national population is changing due to rise in immigration as well as the high birth rates of the minority ethnic population, which is being reflected in the organization’s workforce trends.
The rising trend in globalization, today means that every company despite their size is facing increased competition from foreign countries operating in home country and simultaneously facing an increased pressure from international market. In order to succeed this international competition, it needs to adopt to new ways and become sensitive to the changing needs and requirements of the culturally diverse workforce operating within them.
The organizations must compete for the best talent available along with search and identifying the best employees. This trend involves focusing on the virtual teams through the use of Information Technology in the plan to implement diverse workforce within the company. Hence, the management of culturally diverse workforce is of utmost importance in today’s organizations (Elmuti, 2001).

Advantages of a Diverse Workforce

When the organization manages the potential of a diverse workforce, it is able to increase its competitive advantage and add value to its products and services as compared to the competitors who are unable to respond to changing business dynamics.
One of the major advantages of managing a diverse workforce is that if they are given importance within the company regardless of their background, their performance level will improve, with enhanced work relationship, commitment towards organization and higher retention level (Elmuti, 2001).
The second major advantage is that the companies can improve their business growth and future trends along with improved customer service if they are better able to manage a diverse workforce. This involves making use of the local workforce abilities such as language skills, knowledge of business ethics and norms in home countries and even market information.
With these main assets, the company can gain competitive advantage over the competitors in marketing and production of the products and services it offers to the global market as well as to the immigrants.
Take for example, the Avon Company was able to convert its unprofitable business venture in the inner city areas of the United States by changing the managers to Hispanic and African-American and making them in charge of all the marketing activities of the local population. The ethnic minorities prefer to work for the organizations that value and respect the diverse workforce and consider them as valuable (Elmuti, 2001).
The third main advantage to the organization for managing a diverse workforce is creating multiple solutions to one problem and creative problem-solving skills from diverse employees. Various researchers have demonstrated that the diverse employees tend to be more creative than the employees belonging from similar culture and background as their experiences are almost similar and the diverse workforce has different perspectives and ideas to the problem solving (Elmuti, 2001).

Disadvantages of a Diverse Workforce

If the organization is unable to manage the diverse workforce properly, it can certainly create a lot of challenges for the company. The first major challenge is the financial cost that is incurred through the high turnover rate due to the diversity management issues at the workplace.
The dissatisfaction level can increase absenteeism within the company and can increase the financial cost which is lost due to the investment in the recruitment and selection process of employee and then the employees leave the organization at the learning stage which also involves an individual training cost (Elmuti, 2001).
If the management does not value the diverse workforce, it can also result in the lawsuits against racial and religious discrimination that is another form of the financial burden for an organization.
Another major challenge of managing diversity is the reduced organizational productivity level as the people may experience a prejudiced attitude and may feel unfit within the company. This behavior and response can result in low morale, reduced level of innovation and less concentration towards promoting their creative ideas in team work. This will eventually result in poor communication and irresponsive attitude towards an organization (Elmuti, 2001).

Plan to Integrate Diversity Management within an Organizations

The project schedule will be developed in order to address and implement diversity management at the workplace. The process of project management has quality, time, scope and cost limitations.
It is important that a project management team is able to deliver a project that is technically correct, designed as per user criteria within the budget and deadline provided to the development team. In order to ensure project success, it is essential that a competent staff is employed for the project, and the risks should be measured and reduced to an extent that the project team is able to maximize the profits. (Gray, 2008).
The first phase of implementation of diversity management is to identify the needs and requirements of the workforce. Since the organization I work in, face intense challenge of diversity management, hence it is integral to develop a hiring strategy to increase the diverse workforce.
The second phase will involve discussion with the local organizations, including the local community, colleges, and various institutions. This can help to come in contact with the diverse candidates. The candidates must also be searched through the Internet. The candidates must be asked for referrals, and they should have peers in the same industry – local or international and must have a clear idea of the kind of candidates are required. The rewards must be offered for referrals (Glenn, 2011).
The third phase of the project will require the implementation of a policy that involved equal opportunity employment policy that follows the rules and regulations as required by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity. The main goal is to establish a policy that supports diversity management.
This phase will also involve establishing a committee that will help implement the designed policy company-wide. The desired changes in company mission and vision should be made in this phase that will help in effectively integrate the designed diversity policy (Glenn, 2011).
The fourth phase will involve implementation of an effective training program at the workplace. The recruitment process should be transparent, and an equal opportunity must be developed for all the candidates. The senior managers should be trained, so they understand the significance of diversity management.
The fifth phase will involve providing various facilities such as a daycare facility, various flexible schedules and encourage to celebrate various cultures and religious occasions that support the diverse management at the workplace (Glenn, 2011).
The sixth phase will involve providing the diverse workforce an attractive package to stay connected for long-term with the company. It is imperative that senior managers and the human resource management should spend additional time with the employees in order to familiarize them with the organization’s culture and work ethics.
This phase involves the establishment of small groups that help in brainstorming for creative ideas, problem-solving concerns, thoughts and concepts to penetrate and expand into local and international market. The last phase will involve reevaluating the phases discussed above in order to make any improvements if required (Glenn, 2011).

Integrate Information Technology into the Diversity Management

An integration of Information Technology can help in assisting the management of diversity at the workplace. There are employees working in international organizations that might find some physical approaches to more difficult than assistive because they face language barriers between them and the managers.
Various knowledge management and communication tools such as video conferencing, intranets, emails, electronic bulletin boards and messaging system will help in fostering the communication level in diverse employees. These Information Technology resources help with the breakdown of the language and different cultural barriers at the workplace.
There are now new ways of integrating Information Technology to improve diversity management at the workplace such as virtual teams which help in assisting diverse workplace. One important Information Technology tool that can be implemented in my organization is Email as many diverse cultures rely upon non-verbal gestures to understand their surrounding which may involve the background, different contexts, and decisions. This technology base should be implemented appropriately as some low-context cultural employees prefer more factual information rather than communicating through technology (Ford, 2003).

Conclusion

A culturally diverse workforce also helps in improving the problem-solving skills and enhancing employee creativity. The increase in the diversification issue in the workplace is mainly due to two major factors – firstly the changing business dynamics due to globalization and secondly the change in the structure of the country’s population. The rising trend in globalization, today means that every company despite their size is facing increased competition from foreign countries operating in home country and simultaneously facing an increased pressure from international market. In order to succeed this international competition, it needs to adapt to new ways and become sensitive to the changing needs and requirements of the culturally diverse workforce operating within them.

References

Elmuti, Dean (2001), Preliminary analysis of the relationship between cultural diversity and technology in corporate America’, Equal Opportunities International, Vol.20, Iss. 8, pp. 1-16.
Ford, Dianne P. and Chan, Yolande E. (2003), Knowledge sharing in a multi-cultural setting: a case study, Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Vol. 1, Iss. 1, pp. 11-27.
Glenn L. (2011) Diversity Management Is the Key to Growth: Make It Authentic, Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2011/06/13/diversity-management-is-the-key-to-growth-make-it-authentic/
Gray, C. F., and Larson (2008) Project Management: The managerial process. 4th Edition, McGraw–Hill Educations, Singapore, p. 26.