INTRODUCTION
Workplace diversity can be defined as the set of individual, group, and cultural differences people bring to the organization (Prasad, Pringle, & Konrad, 2006).
Managing diversity entails maximizing the potentials and contribution of people to the organisation irrespective of their differences. Diversity is all about valuing the differences that people brought to the workplace in terms of age, background, personality, disability and work-style.
LEVELS OF DIVERSITY
There are three levels of diversity at work. These are:
a. surface- level,
b. second- level, and
c. deepest-level.
Surface- level differences
The surface level differences are the way people differ at work that is easily recognized or visible. These levels of differences are quite easy to manage. Examples of surface-level differences are: demographics, gender, race, age, disability and appearance.
Second- level differences
The second level differences are identified at close examination. The second level differences include: abilities, skills, qualifications and achievement.
Deepest- level differences
The deepest level differences are recognized over a fairly long period of close relationship at work. They are usually discovered through regular interaction. They include differences in terms of values, beliefs, cultures, cognitive and behavioural styles of people.
REASONS FOR DIVERSITY
a. The growth of women population at work due to the fact that women generally no longer drop out of labour force when they get married or upon the arrival of children. This growing population of women at work must be leveraged for optimal organisational benefit.
b. The emergence of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) at work. The human right groups all over the world have been advocating for the right of LGBT at work and the society at large. This means that the right of these people must be recognised and managed optimally at work. LGBT is yet to be recognised at work in Africa, China and some other countries of the world where these groups, especially Lesbian and Gay are seen as an aberration in society. The potentials of these groups must be maximized at work.
c. The aging workforce. Today’s workforce is composed of people of different generational gaps. This means that all these different generational groups must be understood and managed optimally for the benefit of the organisation.
d. Religion differences. The right to practice one’s religion must be respected at work, as it is, in the larger society.
e. The growth of racial and ethnic minority populations in many industrialized countries (Immigration). Due to friendly immigration policy of some countries of the world such as US and Canada, these countries have a growing population of immigrants from all countries of the world who now constitute a substantial percentage of their workforce whose needs and rights could no longer be overlooked.
f. High quality talents and knowledge workers are often attracted to multicultural organisations with more diverse labour pool.
g. Globalization: Business trends toward globalization mean that business activities span countries and continents, so that workers find themselves engaging with their counterparts from other cultures in other parts of the world.
CASES AGAINST DIVERSITY
Despite the fact that diversity has so many benefits in the globalised workplace of today, it also has its shortcomings.
a. Similarity attraction: Research has shown that culturally and demographically homogeneous groups develop good working relationships more quickly than heterogeneous groups, with the result that homogeneous groups reach performance targets earlier than heterogeneous groups do (Watson, Kumar, & Michaelsen, 1993).
b. Social identity: People tend to relate and work better in an environment where they have social identity and affiliation. Most people work better in an environment where they are surrounded by people of similar background, identity and orientation.
c. Traditional Human Resource Management (HRM) Systems. Traditional HRM systems constitute a barrier to diversity because in many cases, the organization’s historical methods of recruiting, motivating, and retaining workers are more conducive to homogeneity.
d. Discrimination, stereotype and competition among different parties. Unhealthy competition and discriminatory tendency are rife in an environment with people of diverse background, culture and orientation.
MAKING DIVERSITY WORK
The fact that people at work differs in so many ways cannot be denied. The major concern of all business organisations should be on how to profit from this diversity. To achieve this, organisations should make the best use of the following strategies.
- Equal rights and benefits: People at work should be treated fairly and equitably in terms of promotion and reward with emphasis on merit as against people’s background, race, culture or gender.
- Welcoming people with disability: The people with disability must be catered for and be provided with specialized equipment to ease them of challenges and make them more productive.
- Valuing immigrants: Immigrants can provide value-added to the workplace because they are often highly motivated, eager to learn, and able to provide a host of new ideas and new ways of doing things (Ramsey, 2004). Despite these positive qualities, immigrants often face negative attitudes and employment discrimination (Dietz & Esses, 2006, July 10; Gurchiek, 2005; Keung, 2005, June 21). Immigrants at work should be valued and their potentials maximized for organisational good.
- Right to practice one’s religion: The religion belief of everybody at work must be respected. Specific instances of failure to provide religious accommodation include denying employees the right to pray, the right to wear a beard, the right to wear a headscarf, and the right to refuse work on the Sabbath (Arab American News, 2001, August 31; Levy & Mascoll, 2004, October 20).
- Eliminating age criteria in selection decision: Recruitment and selection of workers should be based on merit and people should not be screened out on the basis of age.
- Relevant Workplace Diversity Policy: There should be a workplace diversity policy in place in all organisations to address issues relating to diversity. There should be policies at work to address smoking, substance abuse, bullying, employment of people with disability and AIDS.
CONCLUSION
Workplace diversity is now a global issue; therefore organisations with no clear cut diversity policy in place should work towards having one in place. The differences among the workforce must be recognised, leveraged and managed for optimal benefit on the organisation.
REFERENCES
Alison M. Konrad (2006). Leveraging Workplace Diversity in Organizations, Organization Management Journal. Linking Theory & Practice: EAM White Papers Series Vol. 3, No. 3, 164-189
Armstrong, M (2003). A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, 9th edn, Kogan Page, London.
Dietz, J., & Esses, V. (2006, July 10). Bias hurting ethnic immigrants; Black immigrants with
exactly the same qualifications as white immigrants from the same country are less likely to
find employment. Toronto Star, A15.
Levy, H., & Mascoll, P. (2004, 20 October). Complaint centers on Sabbath issue; Woman
sought job at the Bay No Saturday work based on religion. Toronto Star, p. B07.
Prasad, P., Pringle, J. K., & Konrad, A. M. (2006). Examining the contours of workplace
diversity: Concepts, contexts and challenges. In A. M. Konrad, P. Prasad & J. K. Pringle
(Eds.), Handbook of Workplace Diversity (pp. 1-22). London: Sage.
Watson, W. E., Kumar, K., & Michaelsen, L. (1993). Cultural diversity’s impact on interaction
process and performance: Comparing homogeneous and diverse task groups. Academy of
Management Journal, 36, 590-602.
About the author
Ajiboro Ayodeji is a Chartered HR Practitioner based in Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: 2348027807452. Email: hutrenconsulting@gmail.com.
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