Jan 25, 2020 how well the workplace embraces cultural diversity may spell a companys competitive edge and profitability. Culture is considered to be the underlying values that direct how people behave. But you should also consider acquired diversity when making this assessment, which includes all the psychosocial experiences your employees bring into the workplace. Cultural diversity within a workplace is increasingly becoming important as more organisations are embracing it within the global workforce.
Beyond the products it sells, services it offers or profits it generates, any organization is defined by the people who work there. Manager awareness of culture and cultural diversity is subjective and as such, managers use their own. The study will be useful for the companies under discussion nevertheless it shall also be helpful for people who want to know more about workplace diversity, and how to manage it. Survey results that organisations are slowly awakening to the positive benefits available through a diverse workforce. The advantages and disadvantages of diversity in the workplace must be carefully managed for the results to be successful. When companies recruit and retain a diverse pool of people, it brings about different benefits to the company as well as its employees. Culture refers to the 7 essentials of workplace cultural competence. Cultural diversity in the workplace is when companies are open to hiring employees from all sorts of different backgrounds. The issue of managing cultural diversity is a primary concern for many international organisations. As the importance of diversity in the organizational context has increased manifold, most organizations would like to research on diversityorganizational culture linkage, its effect on diversity openness, and between diversity and performance both at individual and organizational levels. A new approach to diversity and inclusivity article creating a positive workplace culture, and has a sense of belonging.
Organisational culture is the set of shared beliefs, values, and norms that influence the way members think, feel, and behave. Pdf the effects of cultural diversity in the workplace semantic. By understanding nuances in different cultures and backgrounds, you may be able to help your business better meet the needs of your employees and candidates. The impact of workplace diversity on organisations priscilla dike degree thesis.
Stephen butler, cochair of the businesshigher education forum, believes diversity is an invaluable competitive asset robinson 2002. Religion and corporate culture accommodating religous diversity in the workplace 3 according to this research, many organizations are supportive of their employees needs for special ac. Diversity in the workforce journal of education and human. One positive effect is that employees belonging to different cultures usually have different ways of thinking and can thus analyze a matter at hand from a variety of. Economic globalization is one of the driving forces of cultural diversity in the workplace. Pdf advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity in. Aug 29, 2018 a workplace culture is the shared values, belief systems, attitudes and the set of assumptions that people in a workplace share. Managing diversity means enabling diverse workforce to perform its full potential in an equitable work. Thirtyeight percent of executives report that the primary sponsor of the companys diversity and inclusion efforts is the ceo.
Culture is the set of underlying values that govern, whether overtly or not, the way that people act and behave. Organizations and businesses recognize the value of having a culture of equality and diversity in the workplace, as the benefits go beyond just the legal obligations. Diversity and inclusion at the workplace deloitte insights. The study concludes that successfully managing diversity can lead to more committed, better satisfied, better performing employees and potentially better. In order to find out how culture and gender diversity influences the communication in a project team, an experiment combined with an interview was conducted. The shared experiences, training and racialcultural diverse human capital contributes to innovation which has positive results on productivity within organizations. Benefits of diversity in the workplace diversity is beneficial to both associates and employers. Federal laws prohibit workplace discrimination in six areas. Its illegal for employers to discriminate against employees based on their cultural diversity.
Workplace diversity despite having numerous benefits does have its flaws. More importantly, it estimates that from 1998 to 2008 some 41 percent of the people entering the u. It is in this context that the present study was conducted to explore the diversity dimension in the indian context. Having a diverse workforce and inclusive culture allows organizations to offer a wider range of ideas, skills, and experience. Benefits, challenges, and the required managerial tools 2 advantages. When organizations actively assess their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity plans, multiple benefits are reported such as. Understand the value of diversity and how it relates to the workplace. Managing cultural diversity at workplace diva portal.
Researchers of cultural diversity in organizations must look to alternative theoretical perspectives, such as feminist theories. Diversity in the workplace benefits and challenges. But with benefits necessarily come challenges of working. The 21st century american workforce is a melting pot of different races, genders, ethnicities, ages, nationalities and religions. Research by mckinsey and company report that companies with workforces comprising a large percentage of diversity in gender, race, and ethnicity often outperform the national industry median by as much as 35%. Fostering cultural diversity in the workplace should help you drive innovation, creativity and retention.
In the second case, the emphasis is placed on power relations, social exclusion and the need to create inclusive professional climates. Chapter 1 of this paper will, therefore, examine the origins of diversity management by looking towards the us. This is shaped by individual upbringing, social and cultural context. Pdf advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity. Since managing diversity remains a significant organizational challenge, managers must learn the manage rial skills needed in a multicultural work environment. Diversity requires a type of organizational culture in which each employee can pursue his or her career aspirations without being inhibited by gender, race, nationality, religion, or other factors that are irrelevant to performance bryan, 1999. The entrepreneur perceives an opportunity and often exhibits biases in taking the decision to exploit the opportunity.
From qualitative research in three cul turally diverse organizations, we identified three different perspectives on workforce diversity. The results indicate that gender diversity appears to lead to negative communication and culture diversity indicates that there might be. The benefits of workplace diversity greatly outweigh the barriers you may have to cross to get there. Just what is meant by cultural diversity presents its own set of theoretical complexities and prob lematic. Organizational barriers to diversity in the workplace dr. In our diversity, inclusion and intersectionality report 2018 research we found that belonging has a strong correlation to commitment and motivation at the workplace, directly translating to employee. Here is a partial list of the positive impacts a diverse workforce has on businesses of all types.
A positive workplace culture improves teamwork, raises the morale, increases productivity and efficiency, and enhances retention of the workforce. Study the views of various companies regarding the choice and implementation of workplace diversity. The effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes robin j. Over twothirds 69 percent of executives rate diversity and inclusion an important issue up from 59 percent in 2014. Diversity in the workplace edis university of florida. Although associates are interdependent in the workplace, respecting individual differences can increase productivity. Diversity, workplace, cultural mentoring, organisation. Cultural diversity is a form of appreciating the differences in individuals. In recent years diversity management and workforce diversity have been substantial and as. The preoccupation with cultural diversity in the workplace has its roots in the debate that began around the 1980s, concerning the influence of national culture on management and. The importance of diversity in the workplace there are clear signs in the latest leadership, employment and direction l. Looking at how leaders, managers and nonmanagerial employees view diversity, it.
Entrepreneurs are not necessarily motivated by profit but regard it as a standard for measuring achievement or success. Culture as problematic a number of authors bemoan the con fusion often made between managing diversity and managing culture. The current study examines the potential barriers to workplace diversity and suggests strategies to enhance workplace diversity and inclusiveness. Regional culture differences in the workplace can present interesting challenges for u. The differences can be based on gender, age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and social status. We are live in an increasingly multicultural society. Explore the required tools for managing workplace diversity.
Executive summary best practices in achieving workforce diversity diversity affects the world advances in technology and the advent of a global economy bring the people of the world closer together than ever before. Allison department of recreation management and tourism, arizona state university the purpose of this study was to identify, from the perspectives and experiences of 18 professional women and people of color, how park and recreation agencies dealt with diversity issues and. In the process of managing workplace culture, issues and opportunities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion can. The promotion of workplace diversity continued to go further, setting a policy. Barriers and benefits of diversity in the workplace. Diversity in the workplace refers to an organization that intentionally employs a workforce comprised of individuals of varying gender, religion, race, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, and other attributes. Embracing cultural diversity in the workplace is an important first step for businesses that want to be competitive on an international scale. Cultural diversity in the workplace can shape how employers operate. Diversity in the workplace leads to a plethora of benefits both from an internal. Amazons mission is to be the earths most customercentric company, and this mission is central to our work in diversity and inclusion.
The effects of cultural diversity in the workplace clute journals. The equal employment opportunity commission promotes equal opportunity and handles complaints about workplace discrimination. Culture is created by means of terminal and instrumental values, heroes, rites and rituals, and communication networks. Diverse and inclusive teams have a positive impact on our products and services, and help us better serve customers, selling partners, content creators, employees, and community stakeholders from every background. Successful management of diversity in the workplace diversity training alone is not sufficient for your organizations diversity management plan. Organizational barriers to diversity in the workplace. Culture matters the peace corps crosscultural workbook c peace corps information collection and exchange publication no. Promoting the culture of equality and diversity in the. From the virgin group to disney and pricewaterhousecoopers, organizations across industries are embracing the benefits of a diverse workforce. And cultural diversity in the workplace, while valuable, can sometimes lead to challenges if employers arent aware of the key aspects of the culture and how to. Create more accessible resources pdf 107 kb learn how to make each of the following resources emails, excel workbooks, powerpoint presentations and word documents accessible to all. The results demonstrate that cultural diversity does in fact add value and, within the proper context, contributes to firm competitive advantage.
Many initiatives stop before they can be successful because there is a lack of patience with this process. Managing diversity and promoting a diversity culture has, undoubtedly, stemmed from the united states and diversity culture in the u. Implementing diversity in the workplace is a huge commitment, and theres no handbook you can just borrow from another organization. Workplace culture is fundamental to an organization, yet it is complex and must be understood and effectively managed for a business and its employees to thrive. Inherent diversity is biological traits such as race, gender, and sexual orientation, while acquired diversity is things you gain from experience like religion, cultural experiences, and situations that make an impact on your thoughtprocess. Managing diversity is a key component of effective people management in the workplace black enterprise 2001. The acceptance and management of cultural diversity have been promoted and touted as a positive tool in social and organizational engineering aimed at solving and preventing group dynamics problems in both business organizations and society as well. Managed well, diversity provides benefits that increase success. Diversity can provide unique perspectives, but it may take time for revenue and productivity increases to arrive. Examine the causes of crosscultural miscommunication and discover effective strategies for more effec tive methods of communicating. A strategy must be created and implemented to create a culture of diversity that permeates every department and function of the organization. Importance of cultural diversity in the workplace bizfluent. Managing a culturally diverse workforce diversity, equity and. This is hard to achieve when employees belonging to the same culture are asked to analyze the same matter.
Aligning diversity practices with unique organizational goals. It even affects perceptions of time, which can impact daytoday scheduling and deadlines. The impact of workplace diversity on organisations core. Reinforcing homogeneity means to avoid or even reject a diverse workforce. T0087 culture matters, the peace corps crosscultural. Pdf the acceptance and management of cultural diversity have been promoted and touted as a positive tool in social and organizational engineering. Given this fact, businesses, educational systems and other entities are investigating ways to better serve their constituents. Cultural diversity in the workplace is a result of practices, values, traditions, or beliefs of employees based on race, age, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Thomas harvard university o 2001 by cornell university. The digital organization of today, which operates as a network of teams, thrives on empowerment, open dialogue, and inclusive working styles. In recent years diversity management and workforce diversity have been substantial and as such have forced companies to embrace these concepts in their companies with the aim of increasing productivity and profit. Business advantages of diversity in the workplace the united states office of employment predicts that 29 percent of the u. Achieving cultural diversity in the workplace can be difficult, especially in certain fields and occupations. Kate mccormick1 in the past, most companies believed that assimilating new hires into the organization required that employees be socialized to conform to the companys existing culture.
Workforce development toolkit workplace culture and. An introduction to culture and diversity in the workplace 2. Importance of cultural diversity in the workplace deputy. But even today, although it has become part of the. The modern workplace is a mosaic of different ideas, beliefs and opinions, which taken together create an atmosphere of cultural diversity. Examine ourselves as we relate to all forms of diversity. Introduction workplace diversity is the issue of people, focus on the differences and similarities that people bring to an organization. Wsdot workforce development toolkit workplace culture. Diversity in the workplace can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities, recruitment, creativity, and busi. Businesses should prioritize hiring diverse employees because of the many great things associated with it. Managing diversity is a significant organizational challenge, so mana gerial skills must adapt to accommodate a multicultural work environment.
Among those disadvantages were increased ambiguity, complexity, and confusion. Workplace diversity should be one of the top things businesses today should address. Objectives of the study to map the attitudes to workplace diversity in the it context to find the most important strategies adopted to enhance workplace diversity. Cultural diversity in the workplace has grown as a trend over the passage of time with the increase of globalization in the world. She noted the impacts of cultural diversity on problemsolving, decisionmaking. Diversity and inclusion has become a ceolevel issue around the world. Diversity in the workplace by ba in human resource.
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