THE GLOBAL CONTEXT FOR HRM
Managing Diversity
For an organization looking to cultivate a more diverse and inclusive workplace, it is important to understand what constitutes workplace diversity.
Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between individuals in an organization. Diversity not only includes how individuals identify themselves but also how others perceive them. Diversity within a workplace encompasses race, gender, ethnic groups, age, religion, sexual orientation, citizenship status, military service and mental and physical conditions, as well as other distinct differences between people.
There are many benefits to having a diverse workplace. For starters, organizations that commit to recruiting a diverse workforce have a larger pool of applicants to choose from, which can lead to finding more qualified candidates and reducing the time it takes to fill vacant positions. Businesses that do not recruit from diverse talent pools run the risk of missing out on qualified candidates and may have a more difficult time filling key roles, which increases recruitment costs.
According to a survey conducted by Glassdoor, 67 percent of job seekers said a diverse workforce is important when considering job offers and 57 percent of employees think their companies should be more diverse. These numbers are telling. Not only can organizations fill positions with qualified candidates more quickly by recruiting from different talent pools, but a diverse workforce also benefits their employer brand which is crucial when it comes to getting the right talent.
Having a diverse workforce with multi-lingual employees and employees from varying ethnic backgrounds can also be helpful for organizations who want to expand or improve operations in international, national, regional and local markets.
- Employees from diverse backgrounds imbue organizations with creative new ideas and perspectives informed by their cultural experiences
- A diverse workplace will help organizations better understand target demographics and what moves them
- A diverse workplace can better align an organization’s culture with the demographic make-up of America
- Increased customer satisfaction by improving how employees interact with a more diverse clientele and public
Manage Diversity in the Workplace
Managing diversity in the workplace presents a set of unique challenges for HR professionals. These challenges can be mitigated if an organization makes a concerted effort to encourage a more heterogeneous environment through promoting a culture of tolerance, open communication and creating conflict management strategies to address issues that may arise.
For leadership to effectively manage diversity in the workplace, they need to understand their backgrounds and how their behavior and beliefs can affect their decision-making within a diverse environment.
- Prioritize Communication
- Treat Each Employee As An Individual
- Encourage Employees To Work In Diverse Groups
- Base Standards On Objective Criteria
- Be Open-Minded
- Hiring
Encouraging diversity is the way forward for organizations. In a global talent market, businesses that can successfully manage diversity in the workplace will have a definite competitive advantage over others in terms of differentiation, innovation, and employer branding.
Reference:
Cox, T. and Blake, H. (1991) Managing cultural diversity: implications for organizational competitiveness. Academy of Management Executive, 5(3), 45–57.
Cumming, B.S. (1998) Innovation overview and future challenges European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol 1 (1). Dansky, H.K., Maldonado, R.W., De Souza, G. and Dreachslin, J.L. (2003)
Organisational strategy and diversity management: Diversity sensitive orientation as a moderating influence, Health Care Management Review, July–September, 243– 253.
Dass, P. and Parker, B. (1999) Strategies for managing human resource diversity: From resistance to learning. Academy of Management Executive, May, 13(2), 68–81
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