The Role Of Diversity In The Workplace

Diversity is a wonderful asset to an organization and brings with it many benefits. Employees bring in their own personal experiences and knowledge to the team (Burns & Kerby, 2012). Having diverse teams allows for the possibility to fix a problem or perfect a process by using different employee’s experiences and past knowledge to find solutions. A diverse workforce can drive economic growth and capture a greater share of the consumer market (Burns & Kerby, 2012). With diversity as a core value, the recruitment pool is widened to find the most qualified candidate and reduces employee turnover as a result. An organization can be highly competitive with a diversity initiative by adapting to a changing environment (Burns & Kerby, 2012).

Diversity is vital in today's workplace. Having a diverse workforce opens up a wealth of possibilities and helps to encourage creativity and innovation.

Workplace diversity is when there is diverse culture of individuals in the workplace. It is when there is a value placed on the variety of ideas, race, ethnicities, religion, gender, sexuality and orientation, which is flourishing in an environment. Depending on your employer and workplace, workplace diversity can vary based off several different factors. Usually, there is a preferential standpoint taken on the matter and it can be either display a high or a low context culture of diversity. According to Mason (2013) Workforce diversity has been described as “a double-edged sword; it has the potential for positive and negative outcomes” (p.659). Workplace diversity is important in a business setting because it carries forward a combination of different types of people to work together in unity, encourages uniqueness, innovative, creative approaches, and supports interesting divergent ideas to accomplish tasks or goals.

According to Ozbilgin (2008), diversity is one of the top global issues and requires management attention. There are both benefits and challenges in managing diversity. However, Golnaz and Hoa (2002) stated that most organizations agree that diversity is a reality and while managing the same, it can be either an asset or a hindrance towards goals (Gleason 2004). Diversity helps the organization become proactive and flexible to new aspects and scenarios (Pwc 2011). To manage a successful diverse workforce, organisations need to promote self-awareness, openness, clear-headedness, adaptability, candour and egalitarianism. This can be a challenging task due to complex human behaviour and biases (Parkin 2009).

Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organisation. Diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It is an understanding that each individual is unique, and a recognition of our individual differences. These differences can include ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, family status, religious beliefs, perspective, experience, or other ideologies.

Many employers are unaware of the benefits of and ways to achieve workplace diversity. This Diversity and inclusion training plan provides this information. This plan is designed to be presented by an individual who is knowledgeable in diversity and business strategies and who is familiar with the company’s strategic business plan. By the end of this training the employee should be able to provide a clear understanding of what diversity is and what it is not, to raise a greater awareness and sensitivity to diversity issues that go well beyond

“Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?” When George W. Bush spoke those words amongst a crowd of people in Florence, South Carolina several years ago, he probably had no idea that it would one day be put on a list called The top 25 Bushisms of all time -- and it wouldn’t even be #1. As a politician, no matter how inconsequential your position may seem, you are constantly under a microscope being looked at by your peers, your employers, and the media. Everything you say or do will have an outcome on your career, no matter how unrelated to your field it may be, or how secret you try to keep it. It is for reasons such as this that one must always be aware of their words and actions. To survive under the scrutiny of others, a

Diversity is what makes people different, not just culturally but in human differences. Having a multitude of differences in the workforce gives an organization the ability to use many ideas to reach a common goal. A person could say that a diverse group of people together in one room can accomplish greater achievements than a room filled with the same types of individuals. Managers understand the concept of diversity, and how important diversity is to the success of a company’s ability to implement programs that continue to develop a harmonious and diverse workplace. The recognition that diversity is a reality in the workforce has generated an enormous amount of activity over the years among leaders in business, government, and civil

Former President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” This quote in itself explains my reasons for wanting to become a social worker, which is so that so that I can use my past experiences and work towards the future, so that no child feels forgotten. Also, this quote explains my goals, which are to either be a school or military social worker when I graduate. As well as, this quote explains my perspectives on different conversational topics. This paper, will explain how the reality of my life led me to want to pursue social work, my dreams after graduating and my thoughts on various subject matters.

With both parents in the Navy, I was surrounded by a diverse, ever-changing populace for the majority of my life while we lived in Virginia Beach. My friends, classmates, and fellow city residents consisted of a myriad of different ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds. Being raised in such a diverse culture helped me foster an open mind and respect everyone. Additionally, growing up in a dual-military family I endured multiple moves and being separated from one of my parents for long periods of time. While troublesome, I feel this gave me a unique advantage. I have become self-reliant and I am more apt to take initiative than many of my peers. Furthermore, I learned to quickly adapt to my surroundings. My upbringing has overall led to me

With a shift in demographics in the last decade, workplace diversity has become one of the main concerns for companies. Diversity is now based upon race, gender, ethnicity, disabilities, and sexual orientations. A diverse company will seek individuals who bring “unique perspectives or outlooks to the organization” (Shackelford, 2003). Workplace diversity allows for each individual to have an equal chance no matter what his or her demographic is. Diversity in the workplace also shows that the company is not discriminatory.

Diversity in the Workplace Amber Barger ORG536 – Contemporary Business Writing and Communication Colorado State University –Global Campus Dr. Phillip Jackson November 26, 2013

When organizations actively evaluate their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity plans, several benefits are reported. For example, increased adaptability, variety of viewpoints, and a diverse collection of skills and experiences that allows a company to provide service to customers on a global basis. For this reason, organizations need diversity to become more proactive and welcomed within an organization and its employees.

The general line of reasoning is that if we learn to incorporate each other’s diverse traits and characteristics in the workplace, we can then use these differences to foster an innovative environment, which will give the company a competitive advantage over the competitors that do not accept workforce diversity. According to the Allied Academies International Conference, “Diversity is rapidly becoming a common practice among companies due to the increasing number of minorities entering the job market today. As these groups become more prevalent throughout companies, upper-level employees are facing numerous challenges when determining what changes must take place to create a positive working environment for everyone. Management is responsible for the development and implementation of effective policies directly relating to diversity to ensure the acceptance of minorities into the workplace and to aid in minorities’ success through equal opportunities and treatment.” (Marcia L. James, 2001, Academy for Studies in International Business Proceedings)

Diversity Awareness should be important to all business organizations and business owners. Diversity in the workforce is extremely important because each individual is bringing a different perspective to the table and allowing an increase in productivity. Diversity in business is needed to have long term success and growth. In the 21st century, time has been changing and leaders/ owners need diversity to encourage new ideas and the continuity of their work. In certain company’s the idea of diversity can serve as the foundation of trust and respect between employee and employer. If the employee feels secure at his place of work, he is willing to further their career within the company. Diversity Awareness can be important outside of the organization