Premium Essay

Components of a Diverse Workforce

In:

Submitted By makkulpa
Words 3396
Pages 14
Components of a Diverse Workforce
Mark A Kulpa
Mid-Continent University
M14 DL22 Human Resource Management
Professor Edward Hogg
29 December, 2013

Components of a Diverse Workforce
Having a diversity workforce can be beneficial for any organization. Not only does it bring people from different cultures together but can bring new ideas that could help a company be more productive. Different cultures may go about problem solving in different ways which could result in thinking “outside the box”. Multinational businesses often have a great deal of diversity in their workforce usually due to their size and geographical locations. A diverse workforce can make an organization stronger and give it the ability to better provide the needs of their customers. We will look at laws affecting equal employment opportunity, components that make up a diverse workforce and uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures.
Diversity is not only people from different cultures but can women, single mothers, people of color, older workers and those who are disabled. We learn in the bible that God does not take sides when it comes to race. In Galatians it is stated “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male and female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, KJV). Today in the United States there are many employment laws that protect working Americans. But this was not always the case. According to Walsh (2010) at the turn of the twentieth century, employment law was virtually nonexistent in the United States. A major breakthrough came in the 1930’s with the enactment of the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 (was drafted mainly to help African-American) declared that people born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power are entitled

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Management Analyst

...1. According to the systematic approach to managing diversity, recruitment and retention are a critical component of diversity management. Summarize the issues involved in recruiting and retaining a culturally diverse workforce. Regarding diverse employees and diverse employees and diverse markets, Canas and Sondak argue that better-performing companies may simply attract the best talent among all groups of workers. Explain the meaning, and discuss whether you agree disagree. Recruiting and retaining a culturally diverse workforce are crucial components for an organization that wants to build and sustain a successful operation. Organization must identify and take necessary action to resolve issues involved in the recruiting and retention process. Some issues involved in recruiting a culturally diverse workforce include the lack of access that women and minorities have to informal sources of job information. As a result, they are forced to rely on the information presented in formal job ads to form their expectation of the job and the organization. To resolve this issue, organization must consider more practical issues and move away from word of mouth and the organization’s website as effective tool for recruiting a diverse workforce. On the other hand, retaining a culturally diverse workforce involve providing comprehensive diversity training to help raise awareness throughout the organization and encourage open, honest conversation about diversity issues. Canas and...

Words: 730 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Diversity in Workplace

...DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE What is a diverse work place? Well, a diverse workplace could be a place that has mixture of gender, age, ethnicity, disability and other dimensions of diversity. I didn’t know that diversity included disability or even other dimensions of diversity. Well according to our HR book other dimension is a person’s sexual orientation. (DENISI/GRIFFIN, 2011) Sexual orientation means a person's sexual identity in relation to the gender to which they are attracted; the fact of being heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace. A diverse workforce drives economic growth which is beneficial to all the valuable markets. We have in the United States a big growth in more women, racial and ethnic minorities, and gay and transgender going into the workforce. A diverse workforce can have a better share of consumer market. By bringing in a diverse group of employees it brings together different experiences that can be more marketable to consumers. Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates means a more qualified workforce. A diverse and inclusive workforce helps businesses avoid employee turnover costs. Diversity fosters a more creative and innovative workforce. Businesses need to adapt to our changing nation to be competitive in the economic market. Diversity is a key aspect of entrepreneurialism. Diversity in business ownership, particularly among women of color, is way to moving our economy forward. Diversity...

Words: 648 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Diversity in Wrkplces

...250,000 newcomers entering the country every year (Government of Canada). One of the distinguished features of Canada’s current workforce is its growing diversity. As a concept, diversity refers to a broader set of qualities than race and gender. Its dimensions include, but are not limited to, age, ethnicity, educational background, geographic location, income, marital and parental status, religious and moral beliefs, physical abilities, working experiences, and job classifications. For example, for the first time in history, today’s workplace accommodates four different generations — the Matures, the Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the Generation Y. Each age group brings different perspectives on life and work; all of them relate differently to the same working environment; all of them bring new ideas that benefit the workplace on different levels. It is a great challenge for both employers and employees to learn to value and to embrace differences and not get caught up in stereotyping those who look, think and act differently. It is a great need to start learning about diversity by talking to people, asking questions and listening. The more we know about differences, the more we understand them and the more we can appreciate and value their contributions to the workplace. Employers need to learn how to integrate and manage their diverse workforce; employees need to recognize the challenges diversity brings and to be more flexible and adaptable. It is a process of cooperative...

Words: 1720 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Worldwide Telecommunications

...the cultural changes within Diversity has brought a new importance to the work place. With the world becoming more diverse, and the work place becoming more multicultural, political correctness, affirmative action and disparities in pay pushed their employers to change their recruiting practices. A progressive workplace should consist of employees of wide-ranging cultures, ethnicities, religions, genders, and ages, and other factors. When you add people from the different backrounds there’s always going to be tension. However, each individual from each different culture or reign can bring something different, something new and exciting to the table.  Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. is meeting this rather complicated issue directly in the hopes of turning it into an opportunity to promote a multicultural work environment that its customers can connect with. The various cultures of the workers will have an effect on the way that the community understands and interacts with the organization in an affirmative way. This distinctive idea will not be without its difficulties. A diverse workplace can lead to challenges and struggles as people from different cultures, ethnicities, religions, genders, and ages learn to work together. When they see the additional benefits of bringing such a diverse group of people together, the connection between the individuals of this distinctive group will be stronger, and they will have more comfortable...

Words: 1430 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Benefits & Challenges of a Diverse Workforce

...Introduction As the U.S. workforce becomes increasingly diverse, this shift can imply changes in employee education, training, and management methods. These components make the discussion about diversity in the workplace a relevant topic that needs to be addressed by organizations and their leaders. This essay will evaluate the benefits and challenges a diverse workforce poses to an organization. Benefits of a Diverse Workforce The inclusion of a diverse workforce can offer an organization a broad range for service. “The opportunities arise from the number and variety of perspectives that can be used to solve problems and the external links that individuals provide to the group. The challenges come from the conflicting values and stereotypes that people often bring to the team” (Mayo, 1999). Mayo goes on to say that as the consumer market becomes increasingly diverse, it should be a priority for an organization to meet their customers’ needs. For example, by aggressively recruiting talented Hispanic employees, a company can better understand and improve upon their Hispanic business strategies. Since global markets are bringing new customers into the marketplace, adding diversity to a workforce can help meet the needs of this growing customer base. A second benefit of a diverse workforce is the idea that the group can develop more innovative and creative ways to solve problems. When a team represents a variety of perspectives, they can become highly productive and...

Words: 1193 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Workplace Diversity: a Contribution to Organisational Success

...presumes mainly cultural, racial, and gender differences, because these are the most visible distinctions between people. There are, however, many other characteristics in which employees differ. Rice (2010) defines diversity as “differing cultures, languages, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, religious sects, abilities, classes, ages, and national origins of individuals in an institution, workplace, or community.” (p. 96). As far as the workplace is concerned, diversity is crucial for it. Employees of different cultures, races, ages, classes and backgrounds can make their own unique contributions to the development and performance of an organisation. This is why numerous “business and governmental organisations have implemented workforce diversity initiatives to better serve their employees and external constituents while simultaneously enhancing productivity, effectiveness, and sustained competitiveness” (Rice, 2010, p. 96). When working towards organisational success, companies can capitalise on having diversity among employees. To acknowledge the advantages of workplace diversity, any organisation should take care in...

Words: 2358 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Riordan Prob Solution Diversity

...cross-cultural challenges Riordan has not before faced. Riordan must solve its problem so it can realize its goal of offering more components around the globe. To do this, a nine-step problem-solving model will be applied starting with identifying of issues and opportunities and ending with the optimal solution, implementation of the solution, and an evaluation of the results. Situation Analysis Issue and Opportunity Identification Riordan Manufacturing has an existing facility in China that has been so successful in the past year, the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Michael Riordan, has decided to look at the potential of expanding the facility to supply additional components globally. The key players represent a wealth of experience in the chemical and plastics industry, international operations, and working within the China province of Hangzhou. However, the management team has less knowledge of cross-cultural issues that could affect the production and delivery schedules for the new facility (University of Phoenix, 2011). Riordan has not considered the differences in cultural values in hiring land motivating labor originating from India, Pakistan, and Korea. Therefore, there is an opportunity to become educated on varying cultural beliefs and values. Additionally, it will be crucial for Riordan to further understand their diverse workforce by delving into cultural dimensions of larger cultural groups. Doing so will explain what lies beneath the behaviors and actions of...

Words: 2975 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Diversity

...INTRODUCTION Becoming a diverse organization makes good business sense for both for profit and not for profit companies. Creating a diverse workforce provides tremendous opportunities for organizations and individuals to tap into the ideas, creativity and potential contributions inherent in a diverse work force. The composition of America’s workforce is changing. According to the census Bureau, nonwhite will represent more than one-third of the U. S. population by the year 2010 and close to half of the U. S. population by the ear 2050. By the year 2005, the ethnic minority share of the workforce will reach 28 percent. It is also projected that the Hispanic-American population will be the largest minority group in the U. S. by the year 2010. In order for companies to fully and aggressively compete in the marketplace, they will need to consider these statistics and work towards attracting, recruiting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce. This will be critical if they are to survive. They will also need to recognize that the market they cater to is becoming more diverse. Diverse groups are a growing percentage of the buying power in the United States. In order to maintain competitive advantage in the sector they serve, organizations will need to truly understand its customers, clients, members and employees and will need to create an organizational climate that is welcoming to all. The Birth of the Diversity Movement The “Diversity”...

Words: 2841 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Notes

...Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment 1. Define attitudes and work-related attitudes, and describe the basic components of attitudes. Attitudes are the stable clusters of feelings, beliefs, and behavioral tendencies directed toward some aspect of the external world. Work-related attitudes involve such reactions toward various aspects of work settings or the people in them. All attitudes consist of a cognitive component (what you believe), an evaluative component (how you feel), and a behavioral component the tendency to behave a certain way). Attitudes: Relatively stable clusters of feelings, beliefs, and behavioral intentions toward a specific object, person, or institution. Work-Related Attitudes: Attitudes relating to any aspect of work or work settings. Evaluative Component: Our liking or disliking of any particular person, item, or event. Cognitive Component: The things we believe about an attitude object, whether they are true or false. Behavioral Component: Our predisposition to behave in a way consistent with our beliefs and feelings about an attitude object. 2. Distinguish between prejudice and discrimination, and identify various victims of prejudice in organizations. Prejudice refers to negative attitudes toward members of specific groups, and discrimination refers to treating people differently because of their prejudices. Today’s workforce is characterized by high levels of diversity, with many groups finding themselves victims of prejudicial attitudes...

Words: 1152 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Hershey

...One of the critical components of an organization is its performance management system. A performance management system is important to organizations of any size because it is the process that identify and implement ways to increase output in a strategic manner. Highly effective performance management systems not only help organizations grow, they employ systematic and supportive methods that allow all facets of the organization to perform at optimal levels. As companies grow and change, they often find it necessary to redesign and improve practices, policies, and/or procedures that result in the optimal functioning of the organization. One of the organizations that found it necessary to redesign its performance management system is the Hershey Company. Faced with an aging workforce of baby boomers and many new hires of millennial workers (the generation of workers in their twenties), the Hershey Company redesigned its performance management system in order to appeal to its diverse workforce. The redesigned system resulted in two major components. The first component included the company allowing goals to be set and tracked by employees. The second component of the redesigned performance management system included the component that the company was not just driven by outcomes measures, but also whether or not the outcomes were achieved with values aligned to the company. Given the challenges of dealing with organizational change from seasoned employees along with...

Words: 1925 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Tanglewood Case 1

...value to our customers, shareholders, and employees. We will accomplish this goal by adhering to the core values of responsible financial management, clear and honest communication, and always keeping performance and customer service in the forefront. By the 1980s there were ten stores open. Emerson and Wood realized they had developed a fairly successful blueprint for running stores with a strong base of employee participation, customer satisfaction, and profitability. While all the stores under the Tanglewood name have the same basic look, the management styles and human resource (HR) practices still reflect the historical differences between stores. For staffing, in particular, the organization feels there absolutely must be a workforce of committed, qualified individuals who will help carry the Tanglewood philosophy into the future. This industry engages in the sale of consumer goods including clothing, small appliances, electronics, and other housewares. The retail industry accounts for over $3 trillion in annual sales. Recent estimates indicate that the retail industry employs approximately 23 million people. The financials show that Tanglewood is a moderately sized organization with strong...

Words: 1955 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Wokplace Diversity

...Running head: MANAGED DIVERSITY MANAGED DIVERSITY AND ITS IMPACT IN A MULTI-CULTURAL WORKFORCE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES A MASTER’S CAPSTONE RESEARCH PAPER Presented to Professor Robert B. Donaldson Division of Public Administration Problems in Applied Public Management In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Administration College of Business and Public Administration Governors State University By Shari Denise Holloway Winter 2007 Approved: ____________________________________________ Dr. Robert B. Donaldson Date: TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………….....4 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………...….5 WHAT IS DIVERSITY ……………………………………..........................................6 WHAT IS WORKPLACE DIVERSITY ………………….………………….….…….7 Corporate Culture and Diversity ………………………………….……………9 DIVERSITY POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN THE WORKPLACE………………14 Workplace Discrimination ……………………………………………………14 Glass Ceiling ………………………………………………………………….15 Affirmative Action…………………………………………………………….16 Equal Employment ……………………………………………………………17 FROM VALUING DIVERSITY TO MANAGING DIVERSITY …………………...18 MANGING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE: A Multicultural Approach ………………18 DIVERSITY FACTOR (THE ISSUES)………………………………………………21 Cultural Collision ……………………………………………………………...

Words: 6971 - Pages: 28

Premium Essay

Hrm 531 Week 6 Learning Team Assignment

...as a human resource management consultant, and you have scheduled a presentation to pitch your organization's value to a company that you have worked for in the past. Prepare a 12-15 slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® 15-20 minute presentation that will be used to present your assignment. Include the following components in your presentation: Purpose of Assignment For this task, Traci has asked you to develop some recruitment and selection strategy recommendations for your client. It is important for you to understand the relationship between the business strategy and the recruitment and selection strategies. Having appropriate alignment and clear goals helps to ensure that a business is recruiting and selecting the right candidates. It is also important that you examine the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce in today's global economy. This includes diversity in the recruitment and selection strategies. Resources Required Week Six e-mail from Traci and Week Six client communications Includes organizational goals Includes a workforce plan that ensures proper staffing for the next 5 years in alignment with organizational goals and objectives Includes workforce diversity objectives Includes organizational branding Includes methods for screening candidatesInterview methods Testing procedures Interview process considerations Includes methods for...

Words: 753 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Workforce Diversity

...WORKFORCE DIVERSITY :CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES In the global scenario, jobs tends to shift from developed nations toward the countries which have lower labour cost which gave the firms an additional advantage. Globalization focuses on differences among people from different countries whereas workforce diversity deals with the differences among people within given countries. Workforce diversity acknowledges a workforce of women and men, person with variety of physical or psychological differences and people who have the differences in age and sexual orientation. The two factors which are going to effect the Indian labour’s force and is quite predictable at present are: - More women in the workforce and urbanization and increase in the populations of Indians who are in 30’s or 40’s. When compared to 90’s todays women are much more likely to be full –time employed, have higher education and earn salary/wages comparable or even higher than those of men. We all are not the same .The responsibility of mangers in an organization is to reconcile the differences to get the most of their employees. The effective management of diversity increases an organization access to the widest possible pool of skills, ideas, abilities. It is the responsibility of the managers that the differences among employees doesn’t lead to miscommunication, misunderstanding and conflict. In India, the challenges faced by the middle-aged managers is that the country has the largest youth population...

Words: 696 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Interclean Memo

...Managing Behavior Memo University of Phoenix Annemarie Browning To: Front Line Managers From: Midlevel Sales Manager Date: January 26, 2009 Subject: Management Behavior in the Workplace This is a great opportunity to showcase your ability to manage through some opportunities and provide support to your employees. I believe that retaining and developing our employees during the merger is a key component to the success of our division. Many of our employees could feel uncertain during the merger. It is very important that you keep the communication open and are around if they have questions or concerns. There are also some key components of retention that I would like to share with you. Retention comprises the activities of (1) rewarding employees for performing their job effectively (2) ensuring harmonious working relations between employees and managers; and (3) maintaining a safe, healthy working environment (Cascio, 2006, p6) as you can see one of the most important aspects of your managerial duties is to maintain a positive work environment. The management must be there for our employees and ensure that they feel that all of their needs will be heard and addressed. It is very important as managers that you address concerns in a timely manner and please feel free to contact our Human Resource department if needed for extra support. Oneof the most important jobs of management is to retain fairness in the organization. There are several examples on ways to exemplify that...

Words: 629 - Pages: 3