Managing Diversity in the Workplace

umteen bulk believe that discrepancy is a thing of the past. They acknowledge that discrimination in the study was a serious problem in front times. In the present times, there is already heightened aw beness of the problem, as fountainhead as the signifi faecal mattert legal and financial consequences, have eliminated approximately forms of discrimination.Aside from globalization, multiculturalism has change by reversal mavin of the buzzwords of the Information Age. Multiculturalism connotes alteration in civilization and society. In acknowledgment of the diversity in Ameri burn down culture, multiculturalism has its roots in the things that separate slew from each other. Varieties of multiculturalism go in different directions but whether radical or liberal, whether emphasizing power or weakness and the distinct contributions of each heathenish group, multiculturalism keeps coming back to its roots in the word difference.The warning of diversity, the mixing of things up, spreading the wealth, creating a new concept of us, never quite ensued rapidly. In relating to racial, ethnic and sexual identity, multiculturalism carved out separate aras of high visibility but kept those areas self-contained. Since the middle of the 1990s, dissatis pointion with this situation has been widespread, speci any toldy as the very concept of race has been forcefully called into question. Black may have been beautiful in the 1960s, and powerful in the 1970s, but it has to a fault become increasingly viewed by cultural historians as a kind construct, one fixed in place only by racial discrimination itself (Cotter, 2001).As most of the passel leading Americas major institutions have grown up in segregated communities with segregated schools, they have had limited opportunities to interact with people from different cultures-people whose first language may not be English, or whose skin color is not the same as their own. Many of these leading have internalized all the stereotypes about race, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity that are construct into the structures of our society and our organizations.They are ill prepared for the heterogeneity which exists in most organizations to daytime and will surely exist in all organizations tomorrow. The prominent changes that are upon us are creating an clamant to consider real desegregation of all workersnot as a matter of social arbitrator or civil rights, but as a necessity for choice (Cross, 2000, p. 2).Despite the fact that there are laws that inhibit, discrimination still exists in many an(prenominal) corporations. Class-action discrimination instances are still being settled every day to the tune of one thousand thousands of dollars. For example, Texaco settled a $176.1 million racial discrimination lawsuit involving 1,400 employees cut through Motor Company agreed to pay $3 million to settle allegations that women and minority applicants were discriminated against in the hir ing lick at several Ford plants and Coca-Cola settled a racial discrimination lawsuit for $192.5 million. Currently, unsettled suits alleging workplace discrimination are pending at organizations ranging from Johnson & Johnson and BellSouth to the National Football confederation (George and Jones 2005, 341).In someones place of employment, for example, what does it mean when individual differences are distributed unequally across organizational levels or among work functions? What are the implications of some members holding majority consideration while others are minorities in detect to representation with the organization?The perfunctory work take exceptions faced by minority cultures or populations in organizations can range from having to deal with misunderstandings and lack of sensitivity on the one expire to suffering harassment and discrimination, active or subtle, on the other. In respect to race relations in the workplace, a Fortune magazine oblige once concluded The good news is, theres plenty of progress for companies and employees to pour forth about. But what often doesnt get said, especially in mixed-race settings, is how much clay to get done (Mehta 2000, p. 182).A recent study revealed that when rsums are sent to potential employers, those with white-sounding first names, much(prenominal) as Brett, have 50 percent more responses than those with black-sounding first names, such as Kareem. The fact is that such bias can still be limiting factors in too many work settings (Columbus Dispatch, 2003). Prejudice, or the holding of negative, irrational opinions and attitudes regarding members of various(a) populations, sets the stage for diversity bias in the workplace.Such bias can burden in discrimination that actively disadvantages individuals by treating them unfairly and denying them the full benefits of organizational membership. This means that even though organizations are changing today, people are still aware that most senior executives in large organizations are older, white, and male. There is still likely to be more workforce diversity at lower and middle levels of most organizations than at the top.In seeing diversity, one common theme in some approaches is that diversity is about all kinds of difference. However, this view takes us down a dead-end road. Surely, the goal of focal point in general is just that managing all kinds of difference. It is clear that what is strikeed from a field that is called managing diversity are theories and practices that help organizations reduce discrimination and modify employees who are increasingly various by race, gender, sexual orientation and powerfulness to work in concert effectively.Managers not only need to be workmanlike in basic management skills, they need to run across how to apply those skills competently and comfortably when the employees in their charge are not like them. They need to know how to apply the organizations policies and practices equitably to all employees.When managers become aware of take the stand of potential discrimination, they need to pay immediate attention and act proactively to reference book the potential problem and perhaps change the organizations policies and practices. The management and leadership implications should be summed up in the concept of managing diversity. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. (1992) defines this as the process of comprehensively developing a work environment that is for everyone, that allows all kinds of people to reach their full potential.To help guide others in managing diversity, he poses these questions (1) What do I as a manager need to do to turn back the effective and efficient utilization of employees in pursuit of the corporate accusation? (2) What are the implications of diversity for the way I manage? When all managers can answer these questions positively Thomas calls the organization diversity mature.In such organizations, there is a diversity mission as well as an organizational mission diversity is viewed as a strategical imperative and the members understand diversity concepts. Ultimately, Thomas & Woodruff (1999) considered the basic construct baffle of a diversity-mature organization is to become the diversity-mature individual. According to Thomas & Woodruff, a diversity-mature individual is someone who can positively and honestly answer the cardinal questions posed in The Effective Manager 2.1Are You Mature on miscellanea?1. Do you accept personal responsibility for improving your surgical operation?2. Do you accept personal responsibility for improving your organizations performance?3. Do you understand yourself and your organization?4. Do you understand important diversity concepts?Do you make decisions involving differences based on ability to meet job requirements? Do you understand that diversity is tangled and accompanied by tensions? Are you able to cope with complexity and tensions in addressing diversity? Are you willing to challenge the way things are? Are you willing to learn continuously?In a research reported by the Gallup Management Journal (December 2001), revealed that establishing a racially and ethnically inclusive workplace is good for morale. In a study of 2014 American workers, those who felt included were more likely to roost with their employers and recommend them to others. Survey questions asked such things as Do you always assumption your company to be fair to all employees?At work, are all employees always treated with respect? Does your supervisor always make the better use of employees skills? they have gathered a conclusion that organizational culture of inclusivity counts both in terms of respect for people and in building organizational capacities for sustainable high performance.Thus, managers and business leaders today recuperate that managing diversity makes good business sense as a strategic imperative, not just a legal and moral one. A diverse workforce offer s a rich pool of talents, ideas, and viewpoints useful for solving the complex problems of highly competitive and often-uncertain environments. No doubt that well-managed workforce diversity increases kind-hearted capital. If we are to succeed in helping our organizations and our society become more equitable, more open, more inclusive and more profitable, we must not spend into power struggles between the management and its subordinates.There is still no panacea that would finally eliminate racial and gender biases, but in working together to the advantage of everyone will somehow dissolve the various barriers that impede fur-bearing output and understanding our fellowmen. This is because the success of an organization mainly lies on a common consensus that considers diversity to be an opportunity for everyone in an organization to learn from each other and harness each others cooperation in order to improve the quality of the performance as an individual, as a group and as a company.ReferencesColumbus Dispatch. (2003, January 17). Racism in Hiring Remains, Study Says. p. B2.Cross, E. Y. (2000). Managing DiversityThe Courage to Lead. Westport, CT Quorum Books.Gallup Management Journal. (2001, December). The to the highest degree Inclusive Workplaces Generate the Most Loyal Employees. Gallup Group.George, Jennifer M. & Jones, Gareth R. (2005). Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavior, (4th ed.), New York Prentice-Hall Pearson Education Company.Mehta, Stephanie N. (2000, July 10). What Minority Employees truly Want, Fortune, pp. 181186.Thomas, R. Roosevelt Jr. (1992). Beyond Race and Gender (New York AMACOM), p. 10Thomas, R. Roosevelt Jr. & Woodruff, Marjorie I. (1999).Building a kinfolk for Diversity (New York AMACOM).