Hudson, N.R. (2006). Management practice in dietetics, (2nd ed.). Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth

 In the workplace, this refers to ethnic, racial, gender, age, and other differences among workers.  New ethnic groups have gradually integrated into the workforce  Multiculturalism › Culturally diverse organization › Multicultural organization

 Values, encourages, and affirms diverse cultural modes of being and interacting  Creates an organizational dialogue in which no one cultural perspective is presumed to be more valid than other perspectives  Empowers all cultural voices to participate fully in setting goals and making decisions

 Primary: › Race › Gender › Age › Physical Ability › Ethnicity  Secondary: › Education › Work experience › Marital status › Religion › Sexual Orientation › Body Size

 An organization should reflect the community it serves  An understanding of changes in the population is needed to manage diversity

 % of workers were women  %  2020 – 50% (projected)  Organizations are changing: › More flexible jobs › Job sharing › Child care › Family leave › More adjustable benefits package

 Age of the workforce is increasing  Older Americans keep working longer › Better health › Social Security and Medicare Benefits  Special Needs: › Better lighting › Larger print › Equipment requiring less dexterity and strength

 Majority of workforce is white non- Hispanic › 1994 – 77% › 2005 – 73%  African-Americans – 11%  Asians and Hispanics will continue to grow

 Americans with Disabilities Act  Organizations are required to make reasonable accommodations for in individuals with differing physical abilities

 Larger pool of potential workers  Broader variety of viewpoints and ideas  Experiences can be used to develop products and services for diverse markets › Diversity is good for the bottom line  Safe work environment  More responsive to needs of the community it serves

 Xenophobia – Fear of strangers › Employees feel threatened  Takes time, energy, and money to implement a diversity program  Potential employee losses  Change may lead to an unpleasant workplace

 Everyone is a contributing member of the organization  Every person is respectful and respected  Each individual is treated equally and fairly, but also as an individual  All individuals feel secure enough to speak openly

 The entire organization should be committed to a diversity program  Equal opportunity and affirmative action › Compliance to avoid a penalty  Commitment requires an investment of time, money, and self.  To obtain optimal results, the program must belong to everyone!

 Individual workers must be aware of their prejudices and willing to suppress them in order to be sensitive to the needs of their coworkers.  Awareness leads to tolerance which can foster nonjudgmental acceptance of differences

 “It is the responsibility of management to develop and implement programs that explore the diversity issues and deal with them in a constructive manner.”

 Scoring: › Usually: 2 points, Sometimes: 1 points, Rarely: 0 points › Individual Attitudes and Beliefs:  Items 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 › Managerial Skills and Practices:  Items 2, 5, 8, 11, 14 › Organizational Values and Policies:  Items 3, 6, 9, 12, 15

Individual Attitudes and Beliefs Organizational Values and Policies Management Skills and Practices

 In which arenas do you find your greatest strengths in influencing culture change?  What obstacles do you (or might you) encounter?  What steps do you need to take to be more effective in influencing change?  What would be an important next step for you to take to increase your ability to influence change?