Managing Diversity Chapter 5 Diversity [is] the art of thinking independently together. —Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, publisher (1919-1990) McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives Define diversity. Discuss how the U.S. workforce is changing and its impact on the supervisor. Differentiate among prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes in the workplace. Explain how sexism and ageism are barriers to diversity and how supervisors can be more aware of them. See text page: 114

Learning Objectives Describe some ways to communicate more effectively in the diverse workplace. Discuss how and why employers must accommodate employees’ disabilities Describe the goals of diversity training. List the most important recent legislation affecting diversity and its provisions.

What is Diversity? Diversity the characteristics of individuals that shape their identities and the experiences they have in society Dealing successfully with cultural, ethnic, age, gender, and racial diversity is a lifelong process

A Look at Our Diversity As recently as 1980 white men accounted for half of U.S. workers. Today, the participation of women in the workforce has risen to above 50 percent A recent survey found that women held half of all management, professional, and related occupations The workforce also is expected to continue to age, See Learning Objective 2: Discuss how the U.S. workforce is changing and its impact on the supervisor. See text page: 117

A Look at Our Diversity The proportions of African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics in the U.S. population and workforce are rising gradually and expected to continue to do so Mothers of young children in particular have entered the workforce as a permanent contingent at a rate that shows no sign of slowing.

Challenges to Working in a Diverse Society Trends in the composition of the workforce are changing the way business firms operate. Supervisors today need new skills to communicate and collaborate effectively with a broader range of people. Even within the company, differences can flourish between one location and another. See Learning Objective 2: Discuss how the U.S. workforce is changing and its impact on the supervisor. Corporate culture Beliefs and norms that govern organizational behavior in a firm. See text page: 118

Prejudice and Discrimination preconceived judgment about an individual or group of people Discrimination unfair or inequitable treatment based on prejudice

Prejudice and Discrimination A workplace tainted by prejudice and discrimination discourages and divides employees. If a supervisor treats employees unfairly for any reason, the outcome is never positive. The unfair treatment becomes widely known among employees, lowers morale and trust, and can hurt productivity.

Stereotypes Stereotypes Generalized, fixed images of others Supervisors must always guard against generalizing what they believe or observe about a culture and using that to classify its members unfairly

Stereotypes Stereotypes are often unintended, but they occur simply because human beings tend to put information into categories and to prefer things that are more familiar. This leads people to assume that those in the “other” group are more alike than they really are, while perceiving people in their own group as being distinct individuals

Sexism Sexism Examples of sexism: discrimination based on gender stereotypes. Examples of sexism: Passing over a woman for a physically demanding job Asking a pregnant job applicant about child care arrangements Denying a promotion to a qualified woman See Learning Objective 4: Explain how sexism and ageism are barriers to diversity and how supervisors can be more aware of them. See text pages: 121-123

Sexism Sexual harassment Unwanted sexual attentions, including language, behavior, or the display of images Sexual harassment is illegal, and experts advise supervisors to adopt a policy of “zero tolerance.”

Women-Owned Businesses: A Growing Share of the Total

Ageism Some people expect older workers to perform less effectively, but evidence shows such negative expectations are often unfounded. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) makes it illegal to fail to hire, or to fire, based on age. A study of 4,000 executives showed that: Patience doesn’t blossom until after the age of 45. Open-mindedness and teamwork are abilities that actually increase with age. See Learning Objective 4: Explain how sexism and ageism are barriers to diversity and how supervisors can be more aware of them. See text page: 123-124

Ageism Bona fide occupational qualification(BFOQ) an objective characteristic required for an individual to perform a job properly For example, the FAA’s limit of 64 years of age for airline pilots or acting roles that call for persons of very young or very advanced age

10 Reasons to Hire Older Workers

Accommodation of Disabilities Disability A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment

Accommodation of Disabilities Qualified individual with a disability person with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of a particular job

Percentage of People over Age 65 in the United States, 2000 and 2030 5-20

Sources of Diversity in the Workplace 5-21

Advantages of Diversity for Supervisors The opportunity to learn from the varied perspectives of those unlike ourselves A better motivated and more loyal team of employees Enhanced communication skills Improved management ability Enhanced opportunities for career advancement See Learning Objective 4: Explain how sexism and ageism are barriers to diversity and how supervisors can be more aware of them. See text pages: 125-126

Advantages of Diversity for Organizations Greater ability to attract and retain the best employees for the job Increased productivity Higher morale and motivation throughout the company More resilient workforce Greater innovation Reduced turnover Enhanced performance leading to greater market share See Learning Objective 4: Explain how sexism and ageism are barriers to diversity and how supervisors can be more aware of them. See text pages: 125-126

Communication Nonverbal communication is just as powerful in many contexts as the actual words we say. Body language differs from one culture to another. In diverse work places, supervisors should choose words with extra care, particularly when giving directions. Explanation of terms should be a standard part of orientation and training. Think before communicating. See Learning Objective 5: Describe some ways to communicate more effectively in the diverse workplace. See text pages: 126-127

Diversity Training Formal diversity training may be needed to raise employee awareness of multiculturalism and to help reduce prejudice and stereotypes. Appropriate controls and guidelines should accompany the training, which should be administered by professional trainers. See Learning Objective 6: Describe the goals of diversity training. Some firms have experienced a backlash against diversity training—problems include the reinforcement of group stereotypes and even lawsuits based on offensive statements made during “awareness raising” sessions. See text pages: 127-128

Some Important Equal Employment Opportunity Legislation 5-26

Legal Issues Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Instituted in 1964 Acts as the government’s major means of enforcing equal employment opportunity law Has the power to investigate complaints, use conciliation to eliminate discrimination when found, and file discrimination charges on behalf of an individual if needed See Learning Objective 7: List the most important recent legislation affecting diversity and its provisions. See text page: 129