Diversity in Organisation

• Diversity focuses on organisation demography, whereas inclusion focuses on the removal of obstacles to full participation and contribution of employees in organisation

Inclusion:

• Fairness and respect: o Equity o Non-discrimination • Value and belonging: o Uniqueness o Decision making o Connectedness

Diversity:

• Gender equality. • Cultural diversity: o Race. o Religion. o Cultural backgrounds. • Disability: o Mental health awareness. • Indigenous. • LGBTI. • Multi-faith. • And more recently: o Work-life and flexibility. o Generational/mature age. • Diversity is not “diversifying”.

Perspectives guiding diversity initiatives:

• The discrimination-and-fairness paradigm. • The access-and-legitimacy paradigm. • The learning-and-effectiveness paradigm: o Companies incorporate employee’s perspective into work. o Work is enhanced by re-thinking primary tasks. o Recognises value in differences. o Links between organisational learning and diversity to strategy processes and culture.

Strategies and tactics for community diversity:

• Diversity training. • Mentoring programs. • Employee resource groups. • Diversity task forces, committee and advisory boards. • Diversity annual reports. • Employee network support groups.

An organisation that values diversity:

• Has a greater level of employee satisfaction, which leads to, improved productivity and profitability. • Reduced employee turnover cuts cost of having replaced skills and experienced people. • Harnesses employee skills to improve creativity and innovation. • Enhances an organisation’s reputation.

Five intercultural dimensions:

• Power Distance: o Extent to