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Issues Associated with Workplace Diversity

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Workplace Diversity refers to the human characteristics that are present in the workplace making people different from one another. Various human characteristics would include race, gender, age, certain physical attributes, experience, and personal habits.
Workplace Diversity does not only refer to those groups that have been discriminated against or that are different from the dominant or privileged groups, but to the mixture of differences, similarities and tensions that can exist among the elements of a pluralistic mixture.
Sexual Orientation Issues
Sexual orientation is a topic that organisations tend to discount or overlook.
E.g. Janet, a lesbian, started working as a purchasing assistant at a mid-sized plumbing supply store. She got along fine with her co-workers, but she felt very uncomfortable about the attitudes of many of the salespeople, who regularly made jokes about Bob, a co-worker who was gay. Janet thought that if she stood up for him, she also would become a target of their jokes.
Recommendations
1. Include respect for all forms of diversity, even sexual orientation, into the organisation’s vision statement
2. Make a point to include sexual orientation issues in both your diversity awareness programs and new-employee orientation programme.
3. Ask managers to confront prejudiced remarks, jokes and behaviours.
4. Promoting and reinforcing the value of respecting people’s beliefs
Gender Issues
Women are entering the work force in greater numbers than ever

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