Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity

The term diversity includes two sub types, demographic and cultural. Demographic diversity refers to the mix of group characteristics of the organization's workforce. Demographic characteristics include such factors as age, sex and physical status (Deal, 2008). Cultural diversity refers to the mix of cultures and subcultures to which the organization's workforce belongs. The concept of workplace diversity establishes on the philosophy of the formulation and implementation of equal employment opportunity. This doctrine comprise of innate differences which include age, gender, cultural/linguistic background, ethnicity, sexual orientation and/or gender identity, race, intellectual and/or physical ability. Diversity, by definition, is simply the collection of diverse races, genders, and nationalities that work in the same organization. The concept of diversity also pertains to other ways in which people are different such as socio-economic or educational background, personality, life experience, religious beliefs and family responsibilities, and marital status.

The management of of diversity at the organization demands acknowledging the evaluation of differences of the individuals based on various social, personal and other irrelevant factors. The assessment of organizational diversity realizes the capability of the entire workforce in the organization and enables the department accomplish its business objectives and goals. The diversity prevailing at workplace helps in building the relationship of the department with the community, improve the quality of its products and services and its programs, and enhance the share of its employees. Diversity at the workplace builds a more supportive and inclusive work environment, more effective client service delivery and better team work. It enhances the organizational productivity, promotes more creativity and an improved manner of making decisions in the short and long term. For the viewpoint of business, there have been significant benefits of financial and business aspects in context of various private sector organizations in large sectors. The organizations which invest more in the support of the workforce diversity also yield more benefits and increased productivity and profits. Moreover, the effective application oand execution of the strategies of maintaining diversity in the organization and its departments benefit the place with the retention of the employees, reduction in the process of recruitments and in expenditures and it will also enhance the productivity of the company (Eagly, 2007).

Workforce Diversity

Workplace diversity is a very broad and convoluted saying that entails numerous things to numerous persons, possibly because as a bigger humanity, we are constantly disputed by what it entails to have a varied society. For demonstration, alterations in the demographic makeup of the the community of UK and US have escorted an evolution in how humanity conceives and even converses about diversity. The diversity metaphor has progressed from conversing about the United States as a dissolving vessel to considering humanity as being a mosaic (Davina, 2004).

The “melting-pot” metaphor echoed a time in which a large number of immigrants who came to the United Kingdom traveled in alignment to get away persecution and/or to grab the marvelous possibilities and the opportunities of employment. At times, immigrants were eager to lose ...