BY ASWATHI T C ANN GEORGE MRINMOY CHAKRABORTY MAHESH REDDY

Diversity in the population, the workforce, and the marketplace is a fact of life no manager can afford to ignore Managing diversity today recruiting, training, valuing, maximizing potential of people

Gender Age Race Ethnicity Culture Religion Language/Accent Disability Height/Weight Sexual Orientation

Education Job Title Job Function Job Skills Union/Non-Union Part-Time/Full-Time Marital Status Political affiliation
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 Top managers value diversity

To give organization access to broader range of opinions and viewpoints To spur greater creativity and innovation To reflect an increasingly diverse customer base To obtain the best talent in a competitive environment To more effectively compete in the global marketplace

Mind-Sets about Diversity Problem or opportunity? Challenge met or barely addressed? Level of majority-culture buy-in (resistance or support)

Organization Culture Valuing differences Prevailing value system Cultural inclusion

Education Programs Educate management on valuing differences Promoting knowledge and acceptance Taking advantage of the opportunities that diversify provides

CHALLENGES OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY

HR Management Systems (Bias Free?) Recruitment Training and development Performance appraisal Compensation and benefits Promotion

Higher Career Involvement of Women Heterogeneity in Race/Ethnicity/Nationality Effect on cohesiveness, communication, conflict, morale Effects of group identity on interaction (e.g., stereotyping) Prejudice (racism, ethnocentrism) Dual-career couples Sexism and sexual harassment Work-family conflict

Primary Dimensions
Inborn difference Have an impact throughout one s life

Secondary Dimensions
Marital Status Education Religious Beliefs

Secondary Dimensions
Acquired or changed throughout one s lifetime Have less impact still impact self definition

Primary Dimensions
Age

Parental Status

Gender Physical Ability

Ethnicity

Person Sexual Orientation Race

Military Experience

Work Background Income

Geographic Location

 A culture that accepts only one way to do things There is only one set of values and beliefs

Goal for organizations seeking cultural diversity is pluralism

Ethnocentrism = belief that one s own group or subculture is inherently superior to other groups or cultures Enthnorelativism = belief that groups and subcultures are inherently equal Pluralism = an organization accommodates several subcultures
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The Challenge of Workplace Diversity?

The challenge lies in the continuous improvement of the integration and social acceptance of people from different backgrounds. Our differing human characteristics influence the way we think, act, interact, and make choices. Often, these differences interfere with our ability to support, trust, and respect each other, and thus to effectively function together.

 Assumptions of Superiority
I m better than you.

Assumptions of Correctness
This is the way it should be

Assumptions of Universality
We re all the same. Everybody is just like me.

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 The organization is diverse by default, and now it

must deal with it. The goal is to fix, cover-up, and/or defer the problem with a minimum of hassle. The effort is top management-driven, thus forced throughout the organization. The concern is more for a change in behavior than attitudes.

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 An invisible barrier separates women and minorities from top management positions
Fortune 500 Women Corporate Officers

2004 = 15.7% 2000 = 12.5% 1995 = 8.7%

Only eight Fortune 500 companies have female CEOs

Ethical Dilemma: A Man s World

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Current Responses to Diversity

Building a corporate culture that values diversity Changing structures, policies, and systems to support diversity
Recruitment Career advancement

Providing diversity awareness training

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Recruitment Examine employee demographics Examine composition of the labor pool in the area Examine composition of the customer base Career Advancement Eliminate the glass ceiling Accomplish mentoring relationships Accommodating Special Needs Child care Non-English speaking training materials and information packets can be provided Maternity or paternity leave Flexible work schedules Home-based employment Long-term-care insurance, special health or life benefits
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Highest Level of Awareness

Stages of Diversity Awareness

Integration Multicultural attitude-enables one to integrate differences and adapt both cognitively and behaviorally

Minimizing Differences Hides or trivializes cultural differences Focuses on similarities among all peoples Defense Perceives threat against ones comfortable worldview Uses negative stereotyping Assumes own culture superior

Adaptation Able to shift from one cultural perspective to another Able to empathize with those of other cultures Acceptance Accepts behavioral differences and underlying differences in values Recognizes validity of other ways of thinking and perceiving the world

Denial Parochial view of the world No awareness of cultural differences In extreme cases, may claim other cultures are subhuman

Lowest Level of Awareness

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Two Issues of Concern of Close Relationships in the Workplace

Emotional Intimacy Sexual Harassment - various forms defined by one university:

Generalized Inappropriate/offensive Solicitation with promise of reward Coercion with threat of punishment Sexual crimes and misdemeanors
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 Expatriates = employees who live and work in a country other than their own Global Diversity Program
Employee selection Employee training Understanding high vs. low-context communication context

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 Multicultural teams = made up from diverse national, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds Employee network groups = based on social identity, and organized by employees to focus on concerns of employees from that group
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 Advantages

Enhanced creativity, innovation, and value in today s global marketplace Generate more and better alternatives to problems Produce more creative solutions than homogeneous teams
Disadvantage - increased potential for miscommunication and misunderstanding
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 Diversity in the workplace reflects diversity in the larger environment

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Smart managers value diversity & enforce the value in decisions

Organizations that value diversity encourage and support network groups to enable minority organization members to
reduce their social isolation be more effective in their jobs have a greater impact on the organization achieve greater opportunities for career advancement
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