HRDI 3:4 (2000), pp. 419–433
PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES
What is managing diversity and why does it matter?
Sharon Mavin and Gill Girling University of Northumbria at Newcastle
Abstract: In the UK, human resource practitioners and academics alike are becoming more aware of the emergence of managing diversity. But what does managing diversity actually mean, how does it translate into practice, and what does it matter? The following paper brie y debates the rhetoric of managing diversity and considers whether managing diversity is a distinct approach to managing people or a means of diluting equal opportunities in UK organizations. With respect to the realities of the concepts in UK organizations, empirical data from a survey of sixty UK
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In a recent report (1999), a Department of Education in America described managing and valuing diversity as a key component of effective people management, arguing that it focuses on improving the performance of the organization and promotes practices that enhance the productivity of all staff. Their dimensions of diversity include gender, race, culture, age, family/carer status, religion, and disability. The de nition provided also embraces a range of individual skills, educational quali cations, work experience and background, languages, and other relevant attributes and experiences which differentiate individuals. In the UK, managing diversity has only recently come into fashion and subsequently gained pace since the mid-1990s. To date there is a lack of critical evaluative research and literature to support a common understanding of the concept of managing diversity, what impact it has on equal opportunities and what this actually means in practice in UK organizations. Existing literature relating to managing diversity can be broadly categorized into two groups, the first of which can be seen as doing little more than reiterating the traditional arena of equal opportunities (see Cooper and White 1995; Copeland 1988; Ellis and Sonner eld 1995). The second literature group views managing diversity as going far beyond the conventional approach to equal
Mavin and Girling: Managing
- Management of diversity is related to equal employment opportunity; however effective management goes beyond the basic requirements. Management sees diversity s a positive and aims to harness it for business
Making sure equality and diversity procedures are followed in a business environment will impacts on overall success of organisation. By recognising the strengths of differences between individuals company can get a great advantage in terms of employee motivation and clients satisfaction.
Diversity has been a hot-button topic for many of today’s companies. Diversity programming and initiatives are regularly implemented by organizations of all types and sizes. As it relates to an organization’s human resources operation, diversity will continue to be an ever-changing term as the work towards equitable treatment for all continues.
Working teams that are diverse in their make-up are able to come up with a wider range of solutions to business problems. Inclusive workplaces that openly communicate their values and strategies on equality, human rights and inclusion are capitalising on this as they are able to attract a wider pool of applicants and talent. Candidates from minority groups may be put off applying for positions in organisations that do not make their commitment to inclusion known.
Diversity itself remains an unclear concept. It is contextually specific and linked to demographic and socio-political features of the population and the workforce. Diversity is a selective concept in that some, but not all physical characteristics are incorporated into Managing Diversity programs (Moore 1999). Diversity also has invisible and hidden aspects that include culture and attitudes (Moore 1999). Managing Diversity programs in general mimic or reflect legislative programs
The purpose of this paper is designed to introduce, educate, and promote diversity within your company. Your company will be shown the merits of diversity and how diversity within your organization can be a benefit. This paper will be broken down into three main areas: Benefits of Diversity, Challenges of Diversity, and Recommendations for an effective diversity within your organization..
This research paper addresses the importance of diversity training in the workplace. Having realized how pertinent workplace discrimination is globally, this paper will give a broad look into the various ways that diversity is displayed in the workplace. The diversity issues involving gender, sexuality, race, age, culture and religion will be explored,
There are numerous forms of diversity-related issues and cultural dilemmas, which afflict individuals or groups. Both aspects have positives and negatives that may or may not impact others, depending on perspective. For instance, gender can be thought as biologically and by genitalia who is considered to be a man and a woman (Kahn, 2015). This definition may not be all encompassing, as it is much more complex than this. There are individuals that may be transitioning from a man to a woman or vice versa or may identify as a woman or man. In fact, gender has become the center of controversy, for individuals that are transitioning and respecting their right to utilize the appropriate restroom in public. Therefore, this affects individuals that
The first thing to acknowledge about diversity is that it can be difficult. In the U.S., where the dialogue of inclusion is relatively advanced, even the mention of the word “diversity” can lead to anxiety and conflict. Supreme Court justices disagree on the virtues of diversity and the means for achieving it. Corporations spend billions of dollars to attract and manage diversity both internally and externally, yet they still face discrimination lawsuits, and the leadership ranks of the business world remain predominantly white and male.
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
In response to the growing diversity in the workforce around the world, many companies have instituted specific policies and programs to enhance recruitment, inclusion, promotion, and retention of employees who are different from the privileged echelons of society. The privileged groups may vary from one country to the next. The workforce of the world is a dynamic environment, and in order for this dynamism to be put to use for the benefit of organizations, they must develop an effective strategy for managing diversity. Global Diversity Management refers to the voluntary organizational actions that are designed to create greater inclusion of employees from various backgrounds into the formal and informal organizational
Managing diversity and equality effectively in the workplace is the core responsibility of any organization in the contemporary business world. Shen, Chanda, D’Netto and Monga (2009) conducted a survey whose results revealed the massive diversity within the British society in terms of ethnicity, nationality and religion. As a result, the Equality Act of 2010 was formulated and became law whose provisions focus on legal protection against discrimination based on gender re-assignment, marriage, civil partnership, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, pregnancy and maternity, sex and beliefs (Monks, 2007). Therefore, managing diversity in the workplace is critical towards the achievement of equality and discrimination free working environment. Bhatia (2008) observed that the ability to understand, accept, value, acknowledge and celebrate differences among people with respect to race, sexual orientation, religion, age, ethnicity and mental ability within an organization is crucial in eliminating discrimination. Discrimination refers to the tendency of denying equal treatment to people believed to be members of the same social group (Ozbilgin, 2009). In other words, discrimination in the work place is related to denial of equal treatment in terms of promotion, compensation, career development, training and empowerment. Therefore, managing diversity in the work place is crucial towards the achievement of a discrimination free working environment and the
Managing diversity within organisation is about ‘recognising this range of differences in people and valuing people as individuals, respecting their differences and their differing needs. It is also about accommodating differences wherever possible so that an individual can play a full part in the working environment’ (Daniels and Macdonald, 2005)
The following essay will delve into the challenges of the changing working force and the positive outcomes of managing diversity at work. Ageing baby-boomers along with an increased number of women in paid work and an influx of workers from diverse backgrounds within the workplace raise new diversity challenges, which people managers must handle. Managing diversity in the workplace has become an essential skill for people managers. There are many social and economic reasons that make it highly beneficial to a business.
Kersten (2000) defined diversity management as a method to achieving equal treatments that encourages employers to utilize and acknowledge individual differences within their workforce. These differences include both visible, such as age, gender and race, and invisible, such as sexual orientation, work experience and some aspects of disability. However, she also argued that there is no single definition of diversity management yet (Kersten, 2000). This absence has caused multiple interpretations of diversity management from employers that lead to inconsistencies and the dominance of expediencies of its practices (Thorpe, 2014a).