Diversity Management – Term Paper

Diversity plan and strategies

Greenberg (2010) describes some of the strategies that can be used to ensure a successful change strategy. This includes assessing the current situation at the workplace, developing the workforce plan and its implementation. During the assessment phase of diversity at the particular workforce, top organizations have evaluated the diversity process while making it an integral part of the management process. Some of the assessment strategies include employee satisfaction survey which will ensure a complete assessment both efficiently and conveniently. The assessment assists in determining the challenges and obstacles which are hindering the present diversity strategies. In line with assessment, it is essential to analyze the current strategies and policies pertaining diversity to establish what is and not working for the organization. The next phase is the development of the diversity workforce plan. Before making the key decision, a comprehensive survey will have been conducted previously. The provided report in the assessment forms the foundation of the plan. The plan is required to have a comprehensive and attainable strategy. The organization should, therefore, decide the alterations needed and the timeline for completing the implementation. The final phase is implementation which involves a personal commitment by the management and executive to incorporate diversity in the organization purpose and function. It is essential to consider other aspects such as attitude which determine the success of the implementation. Examples of possible strategies include every employee formulating their diversity initiatives at the workplace, fostering an attitude of transparency in the organization, promoting the diversity at the leadership position, considering the diversity training and conducting an employee satisfaction survey that provides a comprehensive report on diversity (Patrick & Kumar, 2012). The management is therefore tasked with ensuring a successful diversity at the workplace. Although different cultures characterize an effective diversity, it is important to embrace a common language platform since communication forms the core foundation in averting diversity related issues.

Current research on diversity in workplace

Various scholars have researched on the issue of diversity at the workplace while basing their study on the role of the human resource manager as well as different workplace diversity aspects. The human resource manager (HRM) is tasked with ensuring the implementation of the workforce diversity in the respective organization. It is certain that there still exist discrimination and inequality in the organization, and the human resources manager has majorly concentrated on ensuring equal employment opportunities and compliance by the workforce on the given legislation. However, a study by Chen et al. (2012) reveals that there has been less attention on the development and making use of diversity. Similarly, there is limited research on the management of diversity in the workforce. In organizations such as financial institutions, workforce diversity remains a major challenge as ascertained by Ehimere & Ogaga (2011). While confirming the issues of diversity based on three main aspects; performance, gender, and age, the effects of this type of diversity has significant effects on the performance of the employees especially those in the minority sector. Also to note is that ethnicity plays an important role in the productivity of an employee. While still attributing workforce diversity and its effects on the leadership of the organization, it is recommended that the executive is the key figure in instilling diversity among the employees (NIW-G, 2011). The effects of this in an organization include improved work performance and productivity. Proper strategies should, therefore, be employed while embracing the research efforts to realize the importance of diversity at the workforce. The issue of gender should also not be neglected. It is important to note that while institutions consider gender with regards to the type of job, women should also be encouraged to hold executive posts. 

Workforce diversity is also defined based on the physical disabilities and abilities. Individuals who are disabled have been discriminated at the workforce. Not only does the seclusion happen at the organizational level but also in the society. According to Saxena (2014), the society is to blame for the diversity discrimination of individuals based on various aspects including gender, age, and abilities. Diversity has been noted to make the workforce heterogeneous. Saxena confirms concerns by other scholars that there is an urgent need to address the issue of managing diversity at the workplace if productivity is to be achieved. Another important aspect is that workforce diversity is its strength for different organizations. However, employees have always preferred sticking to their traditional views regarding religion, gender, and other diversity-related aspects. On the other hand, if diversity is employed in an organization and managed correctly, it will enhance productivity (FASSET, 2013). Understanding diversity depends on several vignettes and items that are also used to evaluate a company’s approach to diversity. Examples of diversity perspectives include fairness, accessibility, integration and learning. It is important to note that these key aspects determine the workforce productivity and performance. Podsiadlowski et al. (2013) ascertain this argument by identifying four main aspects that play a crucial role in workforce diversity. First diversity is affiliated with costs. This happens especially when an organization aims at reinforcing homogeneity. Secondly, a business characterized by color-blind perspective, will not acknowledge diversity thus no relationship between cost and benefits of the organization. Considering fairness perspective, there is valuing of equality. Additionally, equality can be related to cost but not benefits. The third aspect is that accessibility of diversity makes it appreciated and also beneficial to the organization. Finally is the integration and learning perspective which similarly makes diversity beneficial. 

Why is diversity in the workplace important

It is apparent that studying workforce diversity is conducted at a narrow aspect especially when considering how to manage it within an organization effectively. The situation becomes dire in public organizations. While others consider a further research on a more extensive correlation between performance and workforce diversity, it is important to state that diversity results in a greater goal ambiguity and a reduction in the job satisfaction. On the other hand, management policies that are diversified can be used to avert these effects. Additionally, the type of diversity plays a major role in achieving its benefits (Stazyk, Davis & Liang, (2012). Some of the diversity beneficial factors include improving the values and of the workers as well as their code of conduct. Leaders should, therefore, promote diversity while removing all barriers that would hinder its implementation (Department of Education and Early Child Development, 2011). Enchautegui et al. (2006) examine the relationship between workplace diversity and various aspects including psychosomatic complaints, psychological well-being, and job satisfaction. Based on the definition of diversity as co-workers proportion of similar ethnicity, this study reveals the importance of defining diversity with regards to occupational segregation issues. Considering some of the covariates, they were defined according to hours spent in working and the willingness to stay in a particular job. While this described the job security aspect, skill discretion involved the average of seven items in a particular job, creativity, and skill level. Other measuring aspects were racial and ethnic diversity, and psychological functioning. The research further suggests that serious action should be taken to ensure diversity while promoting the well-being of under-represented people (Enchautegui et al., 2006). Similarly, this study also ascertains the need to ensure that employees in the ethnic groups that are concentrated in occupation should be receiving social and materialistic support essential in fostering their welfare. According to O’Brien et al. (2015) on how to break the low workforce diversity cycle, some of the proposed strategies include transparency in the organization operations such as appointments and departure bias. Notably, it is important to establish a connection between the minority workforce and the management which will provide feedback on issues affiliated to workforce diversity. A study by Popper, Liberman & Keshet (2014) on Workforce ethnic diversity and competent health care concludes that physicians belonging to the minority group prefer promoting competent health care that is culturally based through interaction with various cultures and advocacy integration rather than being considered as their ethnic minority population representatives.