Workplace diversity is the ability of managers to accept, acknowledge, value and understand the differences that exist among different people with regard to class, age, mental and physical abilities, gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientations. Issues related to workplace diversity have been crucial in the recent past due to the increase in differences among people.
It is important for organizations to address diversity and adopt new methods to embrace inclusiveness, since diversity has the capacity to increase their productivity. In order to address diversity effectively, managers are supposed to familiarize themselves with certain concerns and considerations.
The first consideration that managers should familiarize themselves with at the workplace is the place of women. The importance of understanding diversity is necessitated by women in organizations. The current workforce is characterized by a high number of women who participate in various activities.
Changes in the structure of the family imply that the traditional family roles of men and women have been reduced drastically. The second one is that they should be aware of organizational restructuring. Organizations have been forced to initiate many changes as a result of outsourcing and downsizing. Consequently, this has impacted human resource management.
Technology and globalization have changed practices at the workplace which makes it important for managers to be aware of the changes. In addition, they should be aware of legislations that influence workplace diversity. There are legislations on equal opportunity that prevent workplace discrimination. Such laws outline the responsibilities and rights of employers and the diversified workforce.
There are various ways through which managers can promote workplace diversity. The first way through which workplace diversity is promoted is by training all employees on diversity issues. Training is done by hiring other corporations to provide employee training on issues like effective communication.
The second one is that managers are supposed to implement diversity friendly policies which recognize the diversity of the employees. For instance, allowing them to embrace their culture in the workplace on condition that it does not violate the policies of the organization makes them appreciate organizational support.
In addition, managers are supposed to establish committees that assist them to discuss diversity issues and come up with ideas of its promotion .
There are various reasons that compel organizations to struggle in order to make their workplaces more diverse. The first one is that workplace diversity is instrumental in creating an environment where all employees develop a feeling of acceptance and respect for the contribution they make. This enables them to work freely towards the achievement of the organizational goals.
The second one is that interaction among people of diverse origins helps to reduce workplace discrimination. In organizations where diversity is respected, employees share ideas and various ways of addressing issues hence they are able to cooperate well. Eventually, they shun stereotypes and prejudices they have towards their colleagues .
The most challenging aspect of diversity in my organization is to convince every person that workplace diversity is beneficial. Most of the employees believe that it has more disadvantages than advantages. The first strategy to deal with this issue is to educate all employees on the importance of workplace diversity.
The second one is to introduce tasks that require them to work together and seek assistance from one another in order to encourage them to appreciate their colleagues, while the third strategy is to offer employees training on workplace diversity.
References
Kelli, G., & Mayra, L. (2012). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools. Web.
Shakhray, L. (2009). Managing Diversity in the Workplace. New York: GRIN Verlag.
The Importance of Diversity at the workplace. (2012). Web.