Week 2: Diversity in Organization Ethnic and Cultural Differences - stems from

unfair prejudices against people of different

I. Definition of Diversity
colors, cultures, ethnicity or religion than their
• the ways in which people are similar or own
different from each other
Gender - one of the oldest and most common
• carries with it a tangible number of
diversity issues in the workplace
benefits, but it also entails new challenges
and obstacles Harassment - even the slightest comment made
in jest can be considered harassment
Two major forms of diversity
Communication - hiring immigrants who speak
surface-level diversity - deals with the easily
little, or no English can reduce productivity by
perceived similarities and differences in age, sex
creating a communication barrier among team
(gender), race, physical disabilities, tenure,
members
religion and sexual orientation
Generation Gaps - age differences can trigger
deep-level diversity - covers beliefs, attitudes,
"cliques" and separation of the company as a unit
values, personalities, abilities and skills of people
within an organization Disabilities - sometimes, employers innocently
overlook handicapped workers' needs, such as
Diversity Variables Relevant to OB
ramps or special needs equipment
BIOGRAPHICS - surface-level characteristics
that may be the basis for discrimination against Consistency - consistency and a daily practice of
classes of employees company behavior policies are essential in
molding a positive and productive workplace
Age, Gender, Race, Disability, Length of service
Managing Workforce Diversity Effectively
ABILITIES - an individual's current capacity to
perform the various tasks in a job Selection Process - A well-defined protocol for
assessing and managing talent that clearly
• intellectual
emphasizes nondiscrimination policies allow a
• Physical more objective selection process were
• both qualifications become far more important in
Top Diversity Issues at Work getting new hires than demographic
characteristics
Respect in the workplace - the key component
in achieving a favorably diversified workplace in Training and Development - It is essential to
establishing teamwork and mutual respect make employees take a course of instruction
among group members aimed at increasing the participants' cultural
awareness, knowledge, and skills to benefit an
Stereotypes - may be in the form of assumptions organization by protecting against civil rights
and even outright prejudice, and may accordingly violations, by increasing the inclusion of different
create new tensions in the workplace identity groups, and by promoting better
Conflict - may arise from prejudice, racism, teamwork
discrimination and a lack of respect
Planning and Implementation - Business Surface-level diversity – It deals with the easily
managers must be able to plan and execute a perceived similarities and differences, like their
diversity plan - mapping out a way to create an age, their sex, or their gender. Um, their race, not
appreciation for diversity in all employees in your the physical, um. Disabilities, religion, sexual
office orientation, and so.

Conflict Resolution Skills - Disagreements that Surface-level diversity

arise because of cultural differences must be
BIOGRAPHICS - surface-level characteristics
handled promptly and swiftly as to not decrease
that may be the basis for discrimination against
productivity in the workplace
classes of employees.
Communication - Companies can improve
Demographic Characteristics:
communication in a diverse workplace by
fostering an atmosphere of clarity, and by tasking • Age
managers with understanding individual cultures • Gender
as much as possible to help smooth over any • Race
misunderstanding • Ethnicity
Diversity. In an organization or in a workplace is a • Sexual orientation
very controversial nowadays, but it also means • Disability status
having a Workforce. Uh, inclusive of different • Socioeconomic status
backgrounds and national Origins, so it means. Deep-level diversity - it covers, of course, your
Um, there's a difference in gender in the social, beliefs, your attitude, your values, your
economic status, cultural diversity, and much, personality, your skills. Um, and these are the
more so. It also means that the organization and things that must be considered by an organization
Fosters a sense of belongings that makes when hiring people.
everyone feel like they are a part of a team.
Deep-level Diversity
What is Diversity?
ABILITIES - an individual's current capacity to
Refers to the presence of differences among perform the various tasks in a job
individuals in a social group or organization.
Cognitive and Experiential Differences:
Okay, so we came from different walks of life, and
it goes beyond the visible characteristics to • Educational background
include a wide range of experiences. Uh, wide • Work experience
range of thoughts, and of course perspective as • Thinking styles
well. So, embracing diversity involves. Of course. • Problem-solving approaches
Recognizing, respecting and valuing these • Communication styles
differences to create, um, inclusive environment,
Cultural and National Backgrounds:
where in the individuals from different or various
backgrounds may feel welcomed. They will • Nationality
appreciated and able to contribute to their unique • Cultural background
strengths to the group or to an organization. • Language
• Religion
Diversity can be divided into two (2) parts:
 • Customs and traditions issues due to stereotype would be preconceived
notions based on the characteristics, such as.
Differences in Perspectives and Beliefs:
Race. Now, you'll be judged because of your race,
• Values your color, your ethnicity, your gender. Here,
• Beliefs they'll be gender bias, no, your age. No, if you're
• Worldviews younger, or if you're, if you're older than everybody
• Political affiliations else. Or if you're the youngest there, it could be.
You can be stereotyped and it could lead to bias
Functional Differences: judgement and unfair treatment by everyone.
• Skills and expertise Impact of this it reduces opportunities for
• Job functions individuals who don’t conform to stereotypes and
• Hierarchical levels within an organization hinders diversity and inclusion effort of the
organization.
Top Diversity Issues at Work
Conflict – may arise from shared prejudice from
Respect in the workplace - the key components racism, from discrimination, and lack of respect.
in achieving a favorable Diversified workplace in coming from this conflict, they may arise from
establishing teamwork and mutual respect conflict would be the differences in perspective
among group members. This means respecting in different values of people or communication
in workplace is essential because we are we have. styles that can result in workplace conflicts.
We are different individuals. Respecting one's Impact of this It disrupts the teamwork, the team
opinion, respecting the rules and guidelines, effort. It decreases productivity because people
respecting your co-workers, your colleagues, are already demotivated their angry. They can be
your superior, respecting the management they, they, when they go to work because of this
decision, these are all important aspects of conflict. They are disheartened already, and of
respect in the workplace. Possible issues for this course, the potential for a very negative impact in
number one is the lack of mutual respect, the organizational culture.
because this can lead to a very toxic environment.
Ethnic and Cultural Differences - it stems from
Okay, it can affect collaboration. And, of course, unfair Prejudice, uh, prejudices against people of
the overall morale of the people. And what is the different color. Culture. Ethnicity, even religion.
impact of this? Um, it diminishes teamwork. If Religion can also be a factor here, and what are
you don't respect your co-worker, you don't value the possible issues, could be misunderstanding
the value their presence. You don't respect their and miscommunication arising from diverse
opinions, or um. Their ideas, um? If it diminishes ethnic and cultural backgrounds and this
teamwork, it increases the rate of turnover, impedes collaboration people who are prejudice
meaning there will definitely be people who feel of the other may it has 2 ways its either this
disrespected and may resign from there will be a person may not like to be working with them or the
decrease in employee satisfaction. They will be other way around, this person will feel unfaor
demotivated. treatment, would feel demotivated would feel
Stereotypes - may be in a form of assumptions anxious and it may arise, if conflicts are not
and even outright Prejudice and may accordingly resolved of course leaving the company would be
create new tension in the workplace. Possible a great impact of the organization.
Gender – its also an issue common and oldest environment. So, what is the impact of
diversity issue. The gender is also. It's also an harassment? Of course. There's an emotional
issue. Well, it could be the actually. The gender is distress to people who are being harassed okay
one of the oldest issues in workplaces or in and with that, there will be decrease in
anywhere in anything and everywhere, not. Um, productivity and less consequences, um, for both
it's. It's a common and oldest. Diversity issues. individuals in the organization.
Now, what can be an issue that may arise with
Communication - let's say, for instance, um. If
gender problem? Gender bias discrimination.
it's an
Que bias actually can may affect
international business, you're hiring immigrants
even at the starting point at the hiring process it
who speaks little or less or low English at all. Or,
may affect. Already know that if if the the hiring
or, um, does not understand the dialect of in the
Personnel or the top management um? Is bias
provinces does not understand, um, the language
with gender. It may hinder promotion and of
in other countries. It can be reduced productivity
course the overall career advancement
by creating a communication barrier among team
opportunities that a person deserves. Impacts
members. So, what are the possible issues
the gender pay gaps. Limited diversity in
ineffective communication? This can lead, of
leadership. The the different oles that somehow,
course, to misunderstanding and
uh, having, um, diverse gender? Um. I, I believe
misinterpretation and lack of clarity in a diverse
here could be a good impact for the because it,
workplace and the impact of this is it reduces
you'll have different perspective. You'll have a lot
collaboration. You have fear of collaborating with
of options, and you have. You can plan create plan
people. It increases errors and challenges in
of actions based on of all those options or.
building a good team. No, a coercive theme.
Several. Uh, possible action so The challenge
here is, are the challenges in achieving a balance Generation Gaps - The age differences can also
and inclusive workplace? Maybe it really trigger a clasy and separate separation of
challenging for management, but, uh, this is company as a unit. So, what are the possible
something that should be taken for. Granted, it issues, differences in values, and work styles.
should be something that, um. Should have been Okay, the expectations between different age
resolved at this point in our lives. Now, as I have groups can lead to tension and misalignment,
said, this is the oldest issue has been the oldest and the impact would be. It reduces the theme
issue for quite some time, so it should be coercion. Potential conflicts may arise and
something that people, uh. Should accept challenges in knowledge transfer and
already, should earn from already, and should collaboration.
Embrace already.
Disabilities - employers innocently Overlook
Harassment - even in the slightest comment. handicap workers needs, such as ramps or
Made in Jest can be considered harassment special link equipments, possible issues for.
nowadays, so issues could be unwanted Disability, lack of accommodation. And
behavior. Including, let's say, verbal, physical, understanding for individual and disabilities can
online harassment, even jokes that are really limit their full participation in the workplace.
below the line below. The belt can be a form of Okay, and what what? What impact does it do?
harassment, and it can create a hostile work Know it lowers morale of the person, of course.
Again, everything falls under low productivity or aware. To be able to promote fair and inclusive
the decrease of productivity, right, and potential decision making.
legal implications for the organization. So
Training and Development - This is very
organizations should be very careful about this
essential, um, you should, um. The instruction is
because they’re protected by law and everyone
aims to increase participants cultural awareness,
has an equal rights.
their knowledge, their skills in order to benefit an
Consistency - a daily practice of company organization, and you protect you have to protect
the organization against civil rights violations.
Behavior policies are essential in building a
Okay, so diversity training provides training
positive and productive workplace. So, what are
programs that, um. That raises awareness about
the issues under consistencies? Well, of course,
diversity and issues. Avoiding stereotypes and
if there's inconsistency in applying policies and
unconscious bias. You have to offer Leadership
procedures, it can create perception of unfair
development programs that emphasize on
treatment. Um, it may not be intentional, but
inclusive leadership skills and the ability to
because you're being inconsistent and it may look
manage diverse teams and skill building for
like you're you're being are your favorite, favoring
culture competence. Because it equips
someone else more than the other because
employees with the skills needed. To work
you're being inconsistent with the policies and
effectively in any diverse environment, including
the impact of this would be, of course, the erosion
cross-cultural communication and collaboration
of trusts decrease in employee satisfaction.
They'll be sadly satisfied with organization and Planning and Implementation - so business
challenges in maintaining a positive managers must be able to plan and execute a
organizational culture. diverse plan, mapping out a way to create and
appreciate diversity in all employees in the office,
Managing Workforce Diversity Effectively
so you have to develop and communicate clear
Selection Process - so a well-defined protocol diversity and inclusion policies to set
for assessing and managing talents that clearly expectations from all the employees. Okay, you
emphasizes non-discrimination policies allows a integrate diversity and inclusion into the
more objective selection process. Work organizations strategic plan. Processes, aligning
qualifications have become far more important in goals and diversity objectives and you need to
getting new hires and demographic establish metrics to measure diversity initiatives,
characteristics now. The objective criteria is to effectiveness, and a regular evaluation process
ensure that the selection criteria are fair and against diversity goals.
unbiased and focus on job-related skills and
Conflict Resolution Skills - Of course, there will
qualifications, because that's what matters.
be a disagreement, and this may arise because of
What matters in their organization. Is that your
the cultural differences, and it must be handled
your people? Your Workforce are skilled and
appropriately and swiftly so that it will not add up
qualified. All right, you have to include a diverse
to the decrease of productivity in the workplace.
group of interviewers as well to minimize
unconscious bias in hiring process and train. Communication - communication so companies
Hiring managers on diverse awareness. They should improve in their communication. How you
need to understand what diversity means to be effectively communicate in a diverse workplace
and important is to Foster an atmosphere of
clarity, and by tasking managers with
understanding individual cultures as much as
possible to help smooth overall. Um,
misunderstanding. Okay, so? An effective
communication. Uh. You should train or you
should train employees to have an effective
communication to practice effective
communication, emphasizing on active listening
and Clarity. There should also be a transparent
communication because this Fosters. Culture of
transparency in communication. It ensures
employees are informed about the organization,
the decision making. The changes can then there,
should that diverse communication Channel,
which means, um, use of varieties of
communications channels to reach a diverse
workforce, considering cultural and linguistic
differences.

Diversity is very controversial, but it should be

addressed accordingly. You know, so the the
HR should understand how to deal with this,
how to manage it properly, because, um, it, we
should always bear in mind that, um, diversity
may be challenging, but it, it's an opportunity
to find a lot of, um. Ideas that may help the
organization resolve issues and strategize the
business.

"Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity

is about another's uniqueness."

- Ola Joseph

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