Modern society focuses on providing equal opportunities for all people, as well as being socially inclusive. This process involves the promotion of workforce diversity, which is aimed at integrating representatives of various ethnic, age, and gender groups into the process of operating and managing organizations. From the perspective of the four general education lenses, including history, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, one can identify the specific impact of a given event on modern society. In particular, workplace diversity identifies historical changes that drive the introduction of systematic promotion of social inclusion. Additionally, the event is associated with the transformation of the culture of modern society towards the values of personal characteristics and skills. Workplace diversity is also positively associated with promoting environmental protection initiatives. Finally, there is a transformation in the structure of society as more diverse groups gain greater economic opportunities. Thus, the focus on workplace diversity as a global social event influences the emergence of significant changes in modern society.
Lens Connection
History
Considering an event through the lens of history allows one to analyze how the situation in the present has changed in comparison with the past, as well as to trace this process. With regard to workplace diversity, from a historical perspective, there have been minor actual positive changes, although the development of relevant initiatives has been observed. Flory et al. (2018) identify that “the proportion of Black men in management barely increased from 3 percent in 1985 to 3.3 percent in 2014” (p. 74). At the same time, the number of white women remained unchanged, staying at less than 30 percent (Flory et al., 2018, p. 74). At the same time, both in the policies of companies and in whole countries, initiatives are being actively implemented to promote diversity in the workplace and in managerial positions. Beji et al. (2021) provide the example of a quota law passed in 2011 in France, which obliges large companies to have at least 40 percent of women directors by 2017 (p. 136). Thus, in the historical lens, there is a shift towards the systematic promotion of diversity in the workplace.
Humanities
The humanities lens primarily examines the changes that an event has brought to the culture of a society. Kim et al. (2021) explore how workforce diversity can enhance an organization’s resilience in the face of constant leadership turnover. They conclude that the factor of diversity, among other positive effects, makes the company more socially inclusive, which leads to better long-term exchange relationships (Kim et al., 2021). This find identifies cultural changes occurring in society, where the interaction between people and their characteristics becomes a value and a tool. At the same time, Beji et al. (2021) emphasize that diversity boards, especially gender and age, are positively associated with corporate social responsibility policies. Thus, promoting diversity in the workplace over the long term increases the focus of companies on the social mission, which also identifies cultural change. In general, diversity in the workplace is associated with the perception of people and their interactions within society as a greater value.
Natural Science
Consideration of an event through the lens of natural sciences allows one to identify its impact on the natural and physical world. Beji et al. (2021) give an example of how improved social responsibility policies as a result of diversity stimulate the implementation of programs to protect the environment. They note that the French government passed a law that aims “to increase biodiversity by establishing the Green and Blue Framework and regional ecological coherence schemes” (Beji et al., 2021, p. 144). Thus, increasing diversity in the workplace, in particular in managerial positions, enables initiatives to promote increased social responsibility and care for the environment. Kim et al. (2021) also note that workforce diversity can be a factor in increasing the stability of the company regardless of structural changes. Thus, from a natural science perspective, an increase in workplace diversity can potentially lead to a transformation of the structures of organizations in the future towards those that are more based on indicators of diversity. This factor indicates possible changes in the structure of markets and entire organizational patterns.
Social Sciences
The lens of social science allows you to determine the impact of an event on ongoing social changes and the transformation of the structure of society. Flory et al. (2018) emphasize that the diversity message attracts a large number of applicants from under-represented groups, in particular Hispanic and Black community members. In this case, the focus on workforce diversity allows different groups in society to expand their employment and economic opportunities, which identifies long-term changes in the structure of society. Beji et al. (2021) note that a variety of different types, including gender, age, and educational level, have different impacts on the performance of a company’s social responsibility policy. Thus, not only different ethnic, but also other social groups acquire great opportunities to change their economic status. In particular, the focus on workplace diversity allows more people who previously had limited employment opportunities to expand them significantly. In this situation, the structure of society and the relationship between classes can potentially be transformed due to economic factors.
References
Beji, R., Yousfi, N., Loukil, N., & Omri, A. (2021). Board diversity and corporate social responsibility: Empirical evidence from France. Journal of Business Ethics, 173, 133-155. Web.
Flory, J., Leibbrandt, A., Rott, C., & Stoddard, O. (2018). Increasing workplace diversity: Evidence from a recruiting experiment at a Fortune 500 company. The Journal of Human Resources, 56(1), 73-92.
Kim, Y., Jeong, S. S., Yiu, D. W., & Moon, J. (2021). Frequent CEO turnover and firm performance: The resilience effect of workforce diversity. Journal of Business Ethics, 173, 185-203. Web.