Valuing Diversity— Introduction to Culture Chapter 5

Introduction Diversity – refers to the degree of differences among members of a group or an organization Valuing diversity – means to include all groups at all levels in an organization Diverse people behave differently and have different human relations in organizations

Prejudice and Discrimination Prejudice – the prejudgment of a person or situation based on attitudes  Prejudice is often based on stereotyping a group Discrimination – behavior for or against a person or situation  Discrimination is usually based on prejudice

Common Areas of Employment Discrimination (1 of 2) Recruitment –  People who hire employees fail to actively recruit people from certain groups to apply for jobs with their organization Selection –  People who select candidates from the recruited applicants fail to hire people from certain groups Compensation –  White males make more money than other groups

Common Areas of Employment Discrimination (2 of 2) Upward mobility –  Race and gender are significant influences on advancement Evaluation –  When organizations do not base evaluations on actual job performance, discrimination in compensation and upward mobility occur

Valuing Diversity Valuing diversity, equal employment opportunity (EEO), and affirmative action (AA) are different By valuing work force diversity, management seizes the benefits differences bring Managing and valuing diversity build on the foundations created by EEO and AA

Pre-employment Inquiries Every question asked should be job related  Have a purpose for using the information  Only ask legal questions you plan to use in your selection process  Information should relate to bona fide occupational qualifications Any general question that you ask should be asked of all candidates  Bona fide occupational qualification

Sexism Sexism – refers to discrimination based on sex Sexism limits the opportunities of both women and men to choose the lifestyles and careers that best suit their abilities and interests Men and women face discrimination when they pursue careers traditionally held by the opposite sex Culture promotes differences in males and females

Women in the Work Force Do men and women get the same pay? Comparable worth Myths about women managers The glass ceiling Sexist language and behavior

Minorities’ Progress in the Workplace Minorities are making slow progress into management and professional level jobs  Not rapidly enough to make a significant change in the distribution of those jobs  African-Americans and Hispanics tend to be concentrated in the lower-wage service-sector jobs Some industries have been more receptive than others to advancing women and minorities

Overcoming Sexism and Racism Hiring and promotion decisions should not be based on sex  affirmative action plans may be implemented Avoid using sexist and racist language Call people by name, rather than by sexist and racist terms Be wary of swearing in the workplace State displeasure if sexist or racist implying language is used

Family Sex Roles are Changing Marriage and family agreements Fathers roles are changing Mothers roles are changing Parenting

Work and Family Balance Employees are being asked to work longer hours and to work more days each week Heavy overtime is straining families Both genders are feeling conflict between work and family Men and women want a better balance between work and family

Managing Diversity Managing diversity emphasizes helping ALL employees:  meet their work-life needs, or  improving the quality of work life Many organizations believe that providing family-friendly benefits helps motivate employees to work harder

Organizations with more extensive work-family policies have higher levels of perceived performance

Managing Diversity: Flexible Work Arrangements (1 of 2) Telecommuting  Telecenters  Mobile work Flextime Work-life, cafeteria, benefits Childcare  Onsite and nearby centers

Managing Diversity: Flexible Work Arrangements (2 of 2) Work-life balance classes Tuition reimbursement  Paying all or part of educational expenses Employee assistance programs

Global Diversity: Multinational Companies Multinational company (MNC) – conducts a large part of its business outside the country of its headquarters MNCs link many cultures Effective human relations vary globally Expatriates – people who live and work in a country other than their native country  Often experience culture shock

Global Diversity: Cross-Cultural Relations Diversity in customs Diversity in attitudes toward time Diversity in work ethics Diversity in pay Diversity in laws and politics Diversity in ethics Diversity in participative management

Handling Complaints Model Step 1. Listen to the complaint and paraphrase it Step 2. Have the complainer recommend a solution Step 3. Schedule time to get all the facts and / or make the decision Step 4. Develop and implement a plan, and follow-up

Handling Customer Complaints (1 of 2) Step 1. Admit you made a mistake Step 2. Agree that it should not have happened Step 3. Tell the customer what you are going to do about it Or ask what the customer recommends you do about it

Handling Customer Complaints (2 of 2) Step 4. Take the action to make it up to the customer Step 5. Take precautions to prevent the mistake in the future