Diversity in Management

What is workplace diversity, and why is it important? Workforce diversity. The presence of individual human characteristics that make people different from one another. Challenge of workforce diversity. Respecting individuals’ perspectives and contributions and promoting a shared sense of organizational vision and identity.

What is workplace diversity, and why is it important? Workforce diversity is increasing. Accompanying the increasing diversity is the possibility of stereotyping. Demographic characteristics may serve as the basis for stereotypes. Workforce diversity can help in building customer relationships.

What is workplace diversity, and why is it important? Equal employment opportunity. Nondiscriminatory employment decisions. No intent to exclude or disadvantage legally protected groups. Affirmative action. Remedial actions for proven discrimination or statistical imbalance in workforce.

What is workplace diversity, and why is it important? Equal employment opportunity —prohibits employer discrimination with respect to: Race. Color. Religion. Sex. National origin.

What is workplace diversity, and why is it important? Managing diversity. Creating a setting where everyone feels valued and accepted. While groups retain their own characteristics, they will shape and be shaped by organization. Any resistance to diversity management must be properly addressed.

What are demographic differences among individuals, and why are they important? Demographic characteristics. The background characteristics that help shape what a person becomes. Important demographic characteristics for the workplace. Gender. Age. Race. Ethnicity. Able-bodiedness.

What are demographic differences among individuals, and why are they important? Gender. No consistent differences between men and women in: Problem-solving abilities. Analytical skills. Competitive drive. Motivation. Learning ability. Sociability.

What are demographic differences among individuals, and why are they important? Gender. No consistent differences between men and women in: Problem-solving abilities. Analytical skills. Competitive drive. Motivation. Learning ability. Sociability.

What are demographic differences among individuals, and why are they important? Age. Older workers … Are often stereotyped as inflexible. Sometimes complain that their experience and skills are not valued. Have lower turnover. Have lower avoidable absences.

What are demographic differences among individuals, and why are they important? Able-bodiedness. Despite evidence of effective job performance, most disabled persons are unemployed. Most disabled persons want to work. More firms are likely to hire disabled workers in the future.

Socialization Socialization is a process of learning. Socialization is based on the prevailing rules, customs, beliefs, myths, and “knowledge” of the surrounding culture. Through socialization one acquires a personal identity. For the most part, socialization attempts to assure that people behave as they are expected to behave.

Elements of Social Structure Status – positions within a social group Ascribed statuses are assign on the basis of factors over which the individual has no control (sex, race, gender, etc.) Achieved statuses are assigned on the basis of some characteristic or behavior over which the person has some control (parent, college student, professor, etc.) Master Status is that position which a person considers most significant in their social identity.

Elements of Social Structure Roles – the set of rights, obligations, and expectations associated with a status. A person may have several role “sets” within the same status. These role sets may not be well defined (role ambiguity) or may come into conflict with each other (role conflict).

What is Culture? Culture is the distinctive life-way of a people united by a common language and governed by rules and models for their beliefs and behavior. In layman’s terms, culture is what we live everyday and what we bring with us to the workplace. Culture is the root, the stem and the branch, while civilization is the branch, the leaf and the blossom. -Nelson Brooks

Primary & Secondary Dimensions of Diversity Work Background Geographic Location Income Sexual Orientation Race Ethnicity Parental Status Marital Status Gender Age Physical Qualities Military Experience Education Religious Beliefs Loden and Rosener

PATH OF INTERCULTURAL LEARNING Multiculturation Selective Adoption Appreciation/Valuing Acceptance/Respect Understanding Awareness Ethnocentricity Hoopes

Continuum of Cultural Competency Cultural Proficiency Cultural Competence Cultural Pre-Competence Cultural Blindness Cultural Incapacity Cultural Destructiveness

Cultural Competence The LEARN Model: L Listen with empathy and understanding to the person's perception of the situation E Elicit culturally relevant information and Explain your perception of the situation A Acknowledge the similarities and differences between your perceptions and theirs R Recommend options/alternatives and Respect the person and their choices N Negotiate agreement

Ways to Facilitate Communication Across Cultural Boundaries Recognize differences Build Your Self-Awareness Describe and Identify, then Interpret Don’t assume your interpretation is correct Verbalize your own non-verbal signs Share your experience honestly Acknowledge any discomfort, hesitation, or concern Practice politically correct communication Give your time and attention when communicating Don’t evaluate or judge