DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

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1 DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES 1 Dr. Paul G Aquinas, 2 Dr. Yashaswini. B 1 Associate Professor and Chairman, Post Graduate Department of Studies and Research in Social Work, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Mangalore (India) 2 Assistant Professor, Post Graduate Department of Studies and Research in Social Work, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Mangalore (India) ABSTRACT Workplace diversity means the differences among employees in terms of certain characteristics like age, cultural background, cast and creed, religious practices physical abilities, gender etc. Diversity makes the work force heterogeneous. Employing diversified workforce is a necessity for every organization but to manage such diversified workforce is also a big challenge for management. The objective of this paper is to critically analyses the workplace diversity and discuss the impact it has on productivity. Though workplace diversity is faced by many organizations today, if managed properly, can increase the productivity. A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world that we are in today as a result of globalisation and the development of modern communication and telecommunication system. Diverse work teams certainly bring high value to organizations and therefore it is imperative for them to maintain them and nurture them. It is therefore necessary for organisations to embrace diversity and make it as a tool for building successful organisations. Key Terms: Diversity, Workforce, Disadvantaged Groups, Equal Opportunity I INTRODUCTION Workforce diversity is a primary concern for most of the organisations. Today s organisations need to recognise and manage workplace diversity effectively. Workplace diversity is a complex phenomenon to manage in an organisation. The management of workforce diversity as a tool to increase organizational effectiveness cannot be discounted in today s situation where sweeping changes are taking place in the global scenario. Workforce diversity management has become an important issue for organizations in the public sector as well as in the private sector. Its importance has mainly been brought about by the free movement of labour due to globalization and the fight for human rights by certain minority groups who feel excluded from the employment sector. In today s economy there is a fundamental shift that is occurring. We are moving towards a world in which barriers to cross border trade and 167 P a g e

2 investments are tumbling. The world is shrinking due to advances in transportation and telecommunications technology. Employing diversified workforce is a very essence for every organization. In the current scenario the organizations that employ quality and competitive workforce regardless of their age, attitude, language, gender, religion, and caste can only compete at the marketplace. What is workplace Diversity? Managing workplace diversity refers to managing heterogeneous categories of employees in terms of gender, cast, race ethnicity etc. Harnessing heterogeneous category of employees helps to build synergy among the workforce. However the major challenges for the organisations is to accommodate the needs and desires of the diverse groups of people who may need different styles of management; practice different work styles and have different personal and family needs. The increased mobility and interaction of people from different backgrounds and cultures has resulted in improved economic and political systems followed by most of the countries of the world included those countries which did not follow the democratic form of government. In today s world most of the countries follow and recognize human rights. The recognition of human rights by most of the nations of the world has put most organizations under pressure to embrace diversity at the work place. Diversity brings with it the heterogeneity that needs to be nurtured, cultivated and appreciated as means of increasing organizational effectiveness in this competitive world. II REVIEW OF LITERATURE The concept of managing a diversified workforce has gained attention with globalisation and the need for organizations to reach customers across the world. Managements therefore have a need for understanding more about workforce diversity. The future of human resources will include more women, more disabled and people with a different life style (Wentling and Palma-Rivas 2000). Diversity needs to be accommodative to employees and help them peruse their aspirations without any impediments (Bryan 1999). India as a nation has a great deal of diversity in beliefs and appreciation of values (Singh 2000). The plural society that India is has created a pattern that is put to test by different forces (Singh 2000). Organizations can succeed at diversity if top management gives it full support (Hayes 1999). Workforce diversity management is the systematic and planned commitment to reward and promote an heterogeneous mix of employees (Saji 2004). Diversity refers to the co-existence of employees coming from different backgrounds (Wentling and Palma-Rivas 2000). Diversity has become a hot-button issue (Willisams and O Reilly 1998). Diversity in the workforce can be a competitive advantage as difference increases creativity and innovation leading to better organization performance (Allen et al 2004). It is important that we understand diversity and present clear business case for diversity initiatives (Bagshaw 2004) 168 P a g e

3 A diverse body of talented workforce with fresh ideas and perspectives is one of the essential ingredients to an organisation's long-term success. The long-term success of any organisation be it for profit or not-for-profit organisation calls for a diverse body of talented people that can bring fresh ideas, perspectives and views to their work. The challenge that diversity poses is enabling managers to capitalize on the mixture of genders, cultural backgrounds, ages and lifestyles to respond to business opportunities more rapidly and creatively. Diversity is no longer just a black/white, male/female; high cast/low cast old/young issue. It is much more complicate. According to Harris Sussman "Diversity is about our relatedness, our connectedness, our interactions, where the lines cross. Diversity is many things - a bridge between organizational life and the reality of people's lives, building corporate capability, the framework for interrelationships between people, a learning exchange, and a strategic lens on the world." A benefit of a diverse workforce is the ability to tap into the many talents which employees from different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities and disabilities bring to the workplace. Many companies, however, still face challenges around building a diverse environment. III NEED FOR DIVERSITY Demographic changes have taken place with more women employees coming into the workplace, organizational restructuring to accommodate workplace diversity etc. Under the present circumstances organizations will require to review their management practices and develop new and creative approaches to managing people. Positive changes will increase work performance and customer service. The modern day workplace has a large number of dualincome families who need to be taken care of as the traditional families are giving place to nuclear families and employees are following back on employers to provide child care facilities, more off time to take care of children and elders etc. This has changed the dynamics of the workplace. Changes in the family structure means that there are fewer traditional family roles. Significant changes in the workplace have occurred due to downsizing and outsourcing, which has greatly affected human resource management. Globalization and new technologies have changed workplace practices. 3.1 Guidelines for effective diversity programmes: Organisations with the most effective diversity programs take a holistic approach to diversity. Some of the guidelines are given below: When organisations are exploring ways to increase corporate profits, they usually look to new markets or to partnering with their clients more strategically. Organisations are required to also consider how a diverse workforce will enable your company to meet those goals. The magic to success is to Think outside the box Link diversity to the bottom line. 169 P a g e

4 If top-level management advocates a diverse workforce, make diversity evident at all organizational levels. In other words walk the talk. Organisations need to broaden your efforts with regard to diversity. When an organisation looks at diversity care should be taken not only to refer to race and gender but also to look at diversity as a whole and take other issues into consideration. In other words, organisations need to expand their definition of diversity and make more efforts to consider other elements of diversity. Organisations should be proactive in removing artificial barriers to diversity. Efforts should be made to retain diversity at all levels. The definition of diversity should go beyond race and gender to encompass lifestyle issues. Programs of organisations need to address work and family issues - alternative work schedules and child care and also include elder care etc., Organisations should provide practical training to its employees to get use to diversity in the workforce. Employees should be taught to how to resolve conflicts and value diverse opinions. Training needs to emphasize the importance of diverse ideas as well. Workers should be trained to be more accommodative to whether or not their managers to value their ideas. Measure your results. Conduct regular organizational assessments on issues like pay, benefits, work environment, management and promotional opportunities to assess your progress over the long term. 3.2 How can organizations manage workplace diversity? Effective managers are aware that certain skills are necessary for creating a successful, diverse workforce. Some of the skills necessary to manage workplace diversity is given below: Managers must understand the consequence of discrimination. They must treat all employees in the same way without any favour to one group over the other. Managers must recognize their own cultural biases and prejudices and attempt to overcome them. Diversity is not about differences among groups, but rather about differences among individuals. Each individual is unique and does not represent or speak for a particular group. Organizations need to learn how to manage diversity in the workplace to be successful in the future. Managers must be willing to change the organization if they find that discrimination exists and take strong measures to minimise the effects of discrimination. According to Roosevelt (2001), Managing diversity is a comprehensive process for creating a work environment that includes each and every employee. Everyone in the organisation should feel wanted and cared for. When a manager creates a successful diverse workforce, he should focus on personal awareness. Both managers and employees must be made aware of their personal biases. 170 P a g e

5 IV CONCLUSION A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world that we are in today as a result of globalisation and the development of modern communication and telecommunication system. Diverse work teams certainly bring high value to organizations and therefore it is imperative for them to maintain them and nurture them. Respecting differences among individuals and groups will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity. Diversity management also has the benefit of creating a fair and safe environment where everyone irrespective of gender, ethicality cast or religion. Everyone has access to opportunities and challenges and is free to contribute to the success of the organisations. It is therefore necessary for organisations to embrace diversity and make it as a tool for building successful organisations. REFERENCES 1. Allen R, Dawson G, Wheatley K, White CS (2004). Diversity Practices: Learning Responses for Modern Organisation, Development and Learning in Organisations: An Int. J. 18 (6): pp Arpita Saha, (2007) Nurturing Cultural Diversities A Leadership Challenge HRM Review 3. Asmita Jha, (2009) "Need for Cross- Cultural Management" HRM Review ICFAI University Press 4. Ashok Chanda, (Dec 2006) Driving Diversity Management in India: HR s Alienation HRD News Letter Issue Bryan J. H (1999) The diversity imperative, Executive Excellence July 1999 P16 6. Flagg, A. (2002) Managing diverse workgroups successfully. United Behavioral Health. 7. Koonce, R. (2001). Redefining diversity: It s not just the right thing to do; it also makes good business sense. Training and Development (December, 2001). 8. Hayes E (1999) Winning at Diversity Executive Excellence July 1999 P16 9. Jakob Lauring, (2009) Managing cultural diversity and the process of knowledge sharing: A case from Denmark Scandinavian Journal of Management (2009) 25, Janice L. Dreachslina, Robert Weech-Maldonadob, Kathryn H. Dansky, (2004) Racial and ethnic diversity and organizational behavior: a focused research agenda for health services management Social Science & Medicine 59 (2004) Singh M (2000) Diversity Management in Educational Campuses University News Vol.38 No.40, 2 October 1999 PP Roosevelt, T.R. Jr. (2001) Elements of a successful diversity process. The American Institute for Managing Diversity. 13. Wentling R. M and Palma-Rivas N (2000) Current status of Diversity Initiatives in selected Multi-national Corporations, Human Resource Development Quarterly Vol.11 No.1 pp P a g e