Managment diversity
- 2. Definition: • “The management and leadership of a workforce with the goal of encouraging productive and mutually beneficial interactions among the employees of an organization. Managing diversity aims at providing employees with backgrounds, needs, and skill sets that may vary widely with the opportunity to engage with the company and their co-workers in a manner that produces an optimal work environment and the best possible business results for the company.” (Buinessdictionary.com)
- 3. Diversity • We think of Ethnicity, Race and Gender • Differences in qualities from our own and the groups we belong to, but presents in other individuals and groups. • other differences, including work experience, parental status, educational background, geographic location, and much more. • affect performance, motivation, success, and interactions with others • managing diversity means more than observing legal and policy requirements. It also means actively promoting community and comfort with difference
- 5. Key points • It is important that managers manage diversity in the workplace. A manager can help guide differences to the benefit of innovation and inclusion in the organization • Human resource managers are often tasked with managing many aspects of diversity in organizations, but project managers and other managers who employees directly work with or they directly report to can also guide inclusion practices. • Diversity training is another way that managers and other employees can manage diversity in the workplace. Diversity training has the purpose of increasing participants, cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills.
- 6. Managing diversity • To address diversity issues, consider these questions: what policies, practices, and ways of thinking and within our organizational culture have differential impact on different groups? • We may share similar values, such as respect or need for recognition, but how we show those values through behavior may be different for different groups or individuals. • Managing diversity means acknowledging people's differences and recognizing these differences as valuable; it enhances good management practices by preventing discrimination and promoting inclusiveness.
- 7. Role • You have a key role in transforming the organizational culture so that it more closely reflects the values of our diverse workforce. Some of the skills needed are: • an understanding and acceptance of managing diversity concepts • recognition that diversity is threaded through every aspect of management • self-awareness, in terms of understanding your own culture, identity, prejudices, and stereotypes • willingness to challenge and change institutional practices that present barriers to different groups
- 8. Strategies • Develop a recruitment strategy that stresses the need for diversification. Develop policies and guidelines for staff conduct and ensure that each staff member has a copy. • Model good behavior and enforce cultural sensitivity management training and appropriate conflict management training for management staff. • Invest in cultural sensitivity training for all staff to facilitate better communication and promote tolerance. • Seek periodic feedback from staff and management in the form of a questionnaire or staff survey.
- 9. How well do you manage diversity? • Do you test your assumptions before acting on them? • Do you believe there is only one right way of doing things, or that there are a number of valid ways that accomplish the same goal? Do you convey that to staff? • Are you able to give negative feedback to someone who is culturally different from you? • Do you ensure that assignments and opportunities for advancement are accessible to everyone?
- 10. Critique • Headlines from Forbes; • Diversity Management is Outdated and Demands a New Approach • Diversity Management Is the Key to Growth: Make It Authentic • “Diversity management is the key to growth in today’s fiercely competitive global marketplace. No longer can America’s corporations hide behind their lack of cultural intelligence.” • “Diversity management can no longer be a departmental and/or functional responsibility led by a few people in the human resources department with limited budget.”
- 11. Benefits & Consequences • workplace diversity can provide tremendous benefits in terms of improved morale, outside-the-box thinking, greater teamwork, and an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect. • Ignoring diversity issues costs time, money, and efficiency. Some of the consequences can include unhealthy tensions; loss of productivity because of increased conflict; inability to attract and retain talented people of all kinds; complaints and legal actions; and inability to retain valuable employees, resulting in lost investments in recruitment and training.