Diversity

Abstract

A while ago I read "A Peacock in the Land of Penguins," a story about corporate diversity that takes the form of a children's fable. Its hero is a flamboyant peacock whose talents go unappreciated and whose potential contributions are smothered by the conformity-based culture of the penguins, where everyone is expected to look and act alike. Though the penguins are disciplined and industrious, they can never break through to a richer life because they won't allow anything but similarity. (G Henderson p. 54) The story's moral is straightforward, when birds of a particular feather exclusively flock together; they are the poorer for it. But when we fail to respect and reward the many different colors and cultures that surround us, we lose the opportunity to make our own lives richer, and our workplace more rewarding. The importance of diversity in the workplace is what this paper outlines along with steps to achieving it.

Diversity in the Workplace,

What it Means and Steps in achieving It.

We live in a society often defined by its differences. Multiculturalism, gender politics, affirmative action, preferences, and mandates have become part of our national vocabulary. At one time our country was celebrated as the "melting pot" of America due to our differences; now we as a country seem more interested in identifying the separate ingredients (differences) that make up the stew. We categorize ourselves by gender, race national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, cultural norm, physical ability, and socioeconomic status. We have discovered that the melting pot we are poured into originated from a lot of diversity. This discovery is not just an enlightenment of who we are individually but what we can create when we melt together. To embrace this awareness is to emphasize diversity, which will benefit not only social policy but economic policy as well. How do we embrace diversity? By first understanding what it means.

Workforce diversity is defined as, A workforce that's more heterogeneous in terms of gender, race ethnicity, age, and other characteristics that reflect differences. A broader definition of diversity ranges from personality and work style to all the visible dimensions of diversity, to secondary influences such as religion, socioeconomics and education, to work diversities such as management and union. ( Robbins & Coulter p. 673) The broader definition is the one for the workplace that reaches all who dwell there. In the workplace, diversity describes the approach to business that values human differences for the vital contributions they can make to the organizational success. Properly managed, diversity optimizes the willingness and ability of all employees to contribute to that success, and encourages each to draw fully on the talents, different points of view, skill and practices that benefit both the individual and the company.

In the book "Management 7th edition (Robbins and Couther) the concerns that Human Resource Managers have in implementing workplace diversity covers many areas. Recruitment, Selection and Orientation along with Training are just a few. Recruitment is a major area that can help diversify an organization. Managers can broaden there pool of diverse applicants through; over fifty clubs, training centers for the physically challenged, ethnic newspapers, and gay right organizations. Selection of these applicants must be handled carefully by managers to ensure there is no discrimination. Orientation and Training needed to help the new recruits transition to in their new work environment need to be available. (Robbins & Coulter p. 326) With attention given to the organizations policy on diversity in the workplace and an understanding on how the organization works together with their employees to establish this climate. Establishing an organizational climate that is inclusive, open and flexible is a large and complex undertaking and it must begin with Training. Companies need to invest in the man power it takes to develop the culture they seek to exist among their companies greatest resource, their personnel. Monies allocated to developing training for managers as well as employees are investments that will reap a large return according to diversity specialist. (Bucher & Bucher p. 37)