Workforce Diversity

Workforce Diversity means the differences in gender, race, religion, culture, ethnicity, age, family or career status, religion and disability that exist among employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. Managing and Valuing Diversity is a key component of effective people management. Managers are responsible for creating an environment which values diversity and for reinforcing equality principles through the day -to-day management of staff. Diversity has various aspects such as being impartial in the workplace, choosing people for the right reasons, fair and reasonable treatment for all and equal opportunities.

The main objectives of workforce diversity are:

1.To create an environment where employees understand the standards of ethical conduct and abide by those standards.

2.Develop and sustain a culture where diversity is valued and leveraged, all employees are treated with dignity and respect and everyone has equal access to opportunities.

3.Provide a mechanism for employees to confidentially communicate breaches in ethical behaviour without fear of retaliation or any action against them.

Now the question arises why at all should care about workforce diversity. Why is it important for them to focus on diversity. When people are treated with respect and dignity they perform better and stay longer. It enables the management to attract and retain the best talent whoever and wherever they may be. Diversity also provides different perspectives on the same problem and thereby improves the decision making process. Ignoring Diversity issues can cost the organisation in terms of time, money and efficiency.

1.Unhealthy relations between people may lead to conflicts and ultimately loss of productivity.

2.Inability to retain talented people of all kinds may lead to loss of investment in recruitment and training.

3.Some employees may take legal action in case of discrimination which could spoil the company’s public image.

Enterprises that don’t embrace diversity whole heartedly would perhaps be indulging in “organised abandonment”. Diversity is an economic imperative, not just a social cause and we must celebrate it, not just affirm it. It needs deep commitment and not just mere tokenism.

HOW TO MANAGE DIVERSITY

The key to managing diversity is to train and support managers within the organisation. Managers need to understand all the individuals within the team, balancing conflicting needs and opinions. They must also understand and deal constructively with their own bias and prejudice. By offering equal opportunity to each employee on the basis of their performance a company can increase their performance. Each employee must have the opportunity to be heard and feel that their opinions are respected. It is also important to ensure that Diversity and inclusion co-exist because when you integrate well you create magic. While diversity is the ‘mix’, inclusion is ensuring that the mix collaborates well to achieve organisational objectives. Inclusion is fostering an environment and culture which comprehends, respects, embraces and leverages the differences that each individual brings to the organisation. Thus Diversity is our need and Inclusion is our responsibility.

Click here for government certification in Human Resources