International integration, globalization and free movement of labor and factors of production among countries have resulted to a wider labor market, where companies can employ from countries different from their country of incorporation (home country). Countries employing from different countries, communities and societies, enjoys advantages brought about by diversity; however, there are also some challenges that comes with managing a diverse human capital.
Workplace diversity is about creating an inclusive working environment, which incorporates people of different caste, gender, skin color and ethnicity among other differences that define human beings. Other than the social and physical diversity, workplace diversity also incorporates differences in ideas, skills, perspectives and backgrounds (Renckly & Renckly, 2003). This paper discusses some of the factors that a company that values diversity need to address in order to manage and balance issues related to facets of diversity that may conflict.
Managing diversity
Human resources management has the role of ensuring that an orchestrate team is developed within its organization, when they are addressing diversity, there are expected to understand the scope that the diversity is likely to be attained as well as the definition of diversity within their organizations.
Definition of what diversity is mean to mean within an organization; a clear definition should be attained since the meanings are different with different organizations. for instance at Apple Inc, the world greatest electronic company, the definition of diversity include among others corporate culture, the crucial role of the human capital and global perspective; while other companies like Perisher Blue hotel in Australia defines diversity in the line of difference in cultures of employees and visitors.
With the meaning and the range at which diversity means clear, the next crucial step is managing of the human resources, the human resource department has the role of establishing the differences of beliefs, races, intellectualism and ideas among the team and aim at creating a team that incorporates the strength of the diverse human capital in teams.
An effective human resource manager should be able to combine the strengths and weak-points offered by diversity in a team such that they will reinforce each other and have a winning team. This calls for a wide human resources research and putting on measures that can assist in determining what is best for the team. Some of the factors to consider when making efforts to know ones employees include their motivation, the way they handle situations, some cultural beliefs and the values that they uphold (Jackson, 1992).
With the teams of the right combination in place and working, the next step is to motivate and blend the teams together; when blending them then coaching, mentoring and training on how they should be there to reinforce each other for the benefit of the company should follow.
Team members should be trained on how they should respect the views and beliefs of others, they should be meant to understand that people are different, thus their opinions, standpoints and views may be different; however, they can embrace the diversity of views for their own benefit. When coaching members on how they should stay together, the main emphasis should be on respect to the other persons culture and way of life.
A company should have its own organizational culture that at times may seem to conflict the ethical culture and diversity within individual team members. With such structures, then human resources will respect each other and have a common source of identity, organizational culture (Smith & Mazin, 2004).
Companies sharpen the skill of their team through various training programs; diversity programs are aimed at shaping developing a better cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills, to have a double effect where the company benefit and employees are expected to benefits from such moves.
When a company has a pool of expertise, it increases the level of efficiency in production. Diversity education include Ideological re-education, it offers an environment of tolerance and not understanding. The drive to have diversity can lead to favors, finally the diversity training overlooks.
What types of conflict might occur in diversity workplaces
Cultural Confusion
When people come together, each individual beliefs, values, and expectation from the other person are shaped by the communities and socialization that each individual went through, the problem comes when there was a difference in the way one beliefs which is contrarily to the believe of the others.
The beliefs are shaped by ethnicity age, cultural heritage and culture orientations; when they occur, human resources suffer from culture confusion. For example, in the Muslims culture, men have high status in the society, they are the final decision makers and women are only supposed to take instructions and orders; when a Muslim man is having a team leader who is a woman, in case of a decision that needs the stand of the team leader, the man will feel disrespected.
To avoid such incidences, the most important thing is thorough training and mentorship programs with an organization, when undertaking the programs; they should be given by people who well understand the meaning and the use of culture intelligence to manage people (Swamson, 2009).
Conflict Resolution
Scholars in the field of diversity are of the view that if communication and training in a diverse team is not effective, then individual team members may feel the decisions made are affecting their beliefs and cultural background. In case something of such nature happens, then the employees are likely to resolute within themselves to work for the sake of working but lack the much-needed morale and motivation to accomplish tasks. for example in the case of a Muslim employed in a supermarket that sells meat products, then the Muslim is employed in the section of selling pork meat then he may sell the products since he is in need of money but does that will very low morale and motivation, the resultant is human capital that is less productive.
Language barriers is another diversity-related conflicts likely to affect people, the way people communicate and the way they give attention to different situation can be another form of conflict. Language not only encompasses, the spoken words, but also includes signs, symbols, and dressings among other forms of communication. To ensure that a company has solved chances of conflict resolution and language barriers, there should be effective culture intelligence programs as well as employees roots management (Smith & Mazin, 2004).
Conclusion
Employing human resources from diverse backgrounds is beneficial to a company if the differences likely to occur from the diversity are well managed. Human resources management team has the role of developing structures that will enable effective diversity management; they should ensure they have orchestrate teams that are well coached, mentored and trained on how to respect other people’s culture, opinions, views and religion. To do this they need to develop culture intelligence and roots management programs.
References
Jackson, S. (1992). Diversity in the workplace: human resources initiatives. New York: The Guilford Press.
Renckly, B. & Renckly, R. (2003). Human Resources. New York: Barron’s Educational Series.
Smith, S. & Mazin, R. (2004). The HR answer book: an indispensable guide for managers and human resources professionals. New York: Amacom Div American Mgmt Assn.
Swamson, R. (2009). Foundations of Human Resource Development: Easy read Large Edition. San Francisco: ReadHowYouWant.