Diversity in the workplace means that the organization hires employees without any discrimination on the basis of age, race, creed, national origin, religion or sexual orientation. This can be done formally, via surveys, or informally. Culture diversity can come in the form of culture, ethnicity and the. Culture clash in mergers and acquisitions 3 one classic example of a cultural clash was the merger of price club and costco wholesale. In part 2 below, well explore strategies, skills and techniques for managing cultural diversity in the.
A brief history of diversity in the workplace brazen. Cultural diversity is a central feature of community psychology. Mar 19, 2016 how to effectively manage cultural diversity though challenges exist, there are some approaches that can effectively help hospitality companies to manage cultural diversity. The ability to manage both the group of people and merge them in a single working environment is known as age diversity. Managing cultural diversity in the workplace video. The issue of managing cultural diversity is a primary concern for many international organisations. While costco has gone on to be ultimately quite successful, the merger almost derailed the company and took far longer than it should have to come together. Go through the scenarios and mention how the following scenarios make you view workplace diversity as. Defining cultural values by defining key cultural values, employers can better understand their workforce and what their expectations might be. In this article, i offer some thoughts and insights on the strategic value and benefits of diversity in the workplace, cultural attributes that provide the prime conditions to harness the benefits of diversity and some pitfalls to avoid when building a culturally diverse workplace. Senior leader in education, 2004 key terms and definitions. Perceptions, page 2 introduction discrimination in the workplace can be detrimental to any organization. Looking at how leaders, managers and nonmanagerial employees view diversity, it.
Highereducated candidates who experienced diversity while at university may feel that a diverse company is more progressive and therefore will want to work there. It derives from a general psychological focus on the naturally occurring diversity among people within a context and between groups of people who are a part of different contexts. Cultural diversity includes but is not restricted to. Cultural diversity in the workplace by the cultural. Cultural diversity activitiescultural diversity activities multicultural calendars cultural informationmulticultural calendars cultural information divided by the month, holiday and countrydivided by the month, holiday and country readingsreadings quizzesquizzes fact sheetsfact sheets other tools that foster dialogue and questionsother.
Managing diversity at workplace 161 ignore nor minimize cultural diversity, but rather view it as a resource in designing and developing organizational systems adler, 1980. The importance of cultural diversity in the workplace. The differences can be based on gender, age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and social status. The program was also developed to ensure that the message of the scanlon foundations taste of harmony campaign is translated into ongoing action at the enterprise level. The effect of cultural similarity on mergers and acquisitions. Cultural diversity in sunways workplace sunway embrace diversity at the workplace by employing people from different backgrounds to have a. An introduction to culture and diversity in the workplace 2. To successfully manage your multicultural workforce, you should first be aware that majority and minority cultures dont always share experiences. Another one of the most common examples of cultural differences in the workplace is how well and how much someone promotes their contributions. The purpose of this study is therefore to contribute to the current field of cross cultural management and how cultural diversity is managed. The goal of any modern business should be to eliminate all forms of discrimination within their workplace and create an environment that embraces diversity. Thank you all for not only your time, but also for your courage to share, at times very painful, experiences, with me.
In this article, i offer some thoughts and insights on the strategic value and benefits of diversity in the workplace, cultural attributes that provide the prime conditions to harness the benefits of diversity and some pitfalls to avoid when building a culturally diverse. When you have equality in the workforce, it creates a domino effect of change across the socioeconomic system. It is the job of the management of the organisation to fit together different pieces of mosaic in a harmonious, coordinated way and utilizing the abilities and talents of each employee to its maximum. Diversity, leadership and education im tending to be a bit dismissive about this issue to be frank, saying well really all these diversity issues i personally dont feel very switched on to the idea of diversity i just feel a little bit amused about it. Cultural diversity, or the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society, is awash in the united states, and by default in most workplaces throughout the country. Managers and team members can manage cultural differences. Explore the required tools for managing workplace diversity. More importantly, it estimates that from 1998 to 2008 some 41 percent of the people entering the u.
Pdf the effects and management of cultural differences during. As hp is a global innovative and learning organization, its key resource to manage diversity is cultural synergy. Nurture the organizations and continue to communicate and monitor progress. There are different methods and trends adopted to manage the age diversity in the organization. The results demonstrate that cultural diversity does in fact add value and, within the proper context, contributes to firm competitive advantage.
I feel very honoured that you showed me such confidence. Given this fact, businesses, educational systems and other entities are investigating ways to better serve their constituents. And cultural diversity in the workplace, while valuable, can sometimes lead to challenges if employers arent aware of the key aspects of the culture and how to address them. How to merge two different cultures in the workplace. A company that embraces cultural diversity in the workplace would immediately entices a wider pool of candidates for its job vacancies. How to effectively manage cultural diversity at workplace in. Lets look at the top 10 economic benefits of workplace diversity. Study the views of various companies regarding the choice and implementation of workplace diversity. Understanding cultural differences in the workplace essay. Workplace diversity and intercultural communication.
Cultural diversity is tricky to quantify, but a good indication is thought to be a count of the number of languages spoken in a region or in the world as a whole. Workplace diversity cultural diversity worksheet we have presented a few scenarios below related to workplace diversity. Jan 25, 2020 how well the workplace embraces cultural diversity may spell a companys competitive edge and profitability. Just what is meant by cultural diversity presents its own set of theoretical complexities and prob lematic. The importance of diversity in the workplace there are clear signs in the latest leadership, employment and direction l. In part 1 of this article, we explored cultural differences, from communication to teamwork, from perceptions of time to differing cultural calendars. Introduction workplace diversity is the issue of people, focus on the differences and similarities that people bring to an organization.
Diversity management is a process intended to create and maintain a positive work environment where the similarities and differences of individuals are valued. By this measure, there are signs that we may be going through a period of precipitous decline in the worlds cultural diversity. Sophisticated acquirers take stock of possible cultural clashes as part of their due diligence well in advance of a merger or acquisition, and they prioritize those cultural issues that might put synergy values at risk. While diversity is often viewed in relation only to race, ethnic and gender differences, in the case of the workplace, diversity can cover all aspects in which people are different, including age, gender, ethnicity, language, cultural background, religious belief, sexual orientation and family responsibilities, as well as educational level, work and life experience, personality and marital. Organizations are continuously seeking improved ways of selecting the. Workplace diversity should be one of the top things businesses today should address. Cultural diversity has great influence in the business organization when it is being seen globally. The study will be useful for the companies under discussion nevertheless it shall also be helpful for people who want to know more about workplace diversity, and how to manage it. Cultural diversity cultural psychology iresearchnet. Diversity management, challenges and opportunities in multicultural organizations patrick a. To develop a positive workplace atmosphere that embraces cultural diversity you could collect information about your workforce to learn what your organisations cultural diversity actually looks like. Entrepreneurs are not necessarily motivated by profit but regard it as a standard for measuring achievement or success. When business is no more limited to its normal geographical boundary it becomes necessary to involve local people in the workforce along with parent countries, so it becomes very necessary to develop a common culture within the organization to meet the requirements of business.
Cultural diversity in the workplace mba knowledge base. The study used a multimethod approach combining survey data from 450. Research by mckinsey and company report that companies with workforces comprising a large percentage of diversity in gender, race, and ethnicity often outperform the national industry median by as much as 35%. The role of individual differences in attitudes and beliefs. Nov 27, 2012 cultural diversity in the workplace todays workforce is truly mixture of different races, ages, genders, ethnic groups, religions and lifestyles. Workplace diversity tutorial in pdf tutorialspoint. Now let us look at few advantages and disadvantages of. Survey results that organisations are slowly awakening to the positive benefits available through a diverse workforce. Cultural diversity affects the performance of an organization and various conflicts can arise due to misunderstandings among the culturally diverse workforce. Diversity, workplace, cultural mentoring, organisation.
Combining different cultures at a workplace can result in employees finding it difficult to arrive at agreements, which in turn can lead to cultural. All else being equal, the merged firm may face greater challenges in integrating its employees than would two firms with similar levels of commitment to workplace diversity. Stephen butler, cochair of the businesshigher education forum, believes diversity is an invaluable competitive asset robinson 2002. The impact of workplace diversity on organisations core. Executive summary best practices in achieving workforce diversity diversity affects the world advances in technology and the advent of a global economy bring the people of the world closer together than ever before. Aluko, olabisi onabanjo university, nigeria abstract. Pdf the diverse workforce has become a reality today. While you may have a staff that is made of people from the same national background, these people can be from many different places around the country, thus making.
Integrating cultures after a merger bain brief bain. In this way, diversity is a key ingredient to growing a strong and inclusive economy thats built to last. Organizational cultures often collide postmerger, and the fallout, particularly for. They cannot be named, but without their input this book would not exist. Managing cultural diversity in the workplace, part 2. When business is no more limited to its normal geographical boundary it becomes necessary to involve local people in the workforce along with parent countries, so it becomes very necessary to develop a common culture within the organization to meet the requirements of business objectives.
Cultural issues in mergers and acquisitions deloitte. Cultural diversity in the workplace todays workforce is truly mixture of different races, ages, genders, ethnic groups, religions and lifestyles. Culture as problematic a number of authors bemoan the con fusion often made between managing diversity and managing culture. Managing diversity in enterprises after mergers and acquisitions. The purpose of this study is therefore to contribute to the current field of crosscultural management and how cultural diversity is managed. Workforceadaptation of minorities waheeda lillevik the increasing mobility of people around the world has resulted in an increasingly culturally diverse workforce, particularly in canada, where multiculturalism is embraced and government policies are en. Resistance is inevitable even when people see the merger as positive. Workplace diversity despite having numerous benefits does have its flaws. You will not get a cultural change with minor changes in sponsor behavior. The manual includes all the materials needed to design and conduct training for.
Businesses should prioritize hiring diverse employees because of the many great things associated with it. The right tools make this process both feasible and. Pros and cons of age diversity in the workplace wisestep. Cultural diversity in the workplace is when companies are open to hiring employees from all sorts of different backgrounds. Humility is a basic value for many cultures hispanic culture included, which means that selfpromotion is not particularly appreciated, encouraged or even taught at home. The cultural diversity phenomenon in organisations and different approaches for effective cultural diversity management. Pdf this qualitative research study investigates how cultural differences. Amf managing cultural diversity training program it is my great pleasure to introduce you to the australian multicultural foundations managing cultural diversity training program. This is only possible if they adopt and chose the right strategies within their organizations. The entrepreneur perceives an opportunity and often exhibits biases in taking the decision to exploit the opportunity. The impact of cultural diversity varies with the type of environment and firms overall.
Cultural diversity is a form of appreciating the differences in individuals. How well the workplace embraces cultural diversity may spell a companys competitive edge and profitability. Managing cultural diversity at workplace diva portal. Benefits, challenges, and the required managerial tools 2 advantages. Effects of gender diversity management on perceptions of organizational attractiveness. Mar 16, 2014 cultural diversity activitiescultural diversity activities multicultural calendars cultural informationmulticultural calendars cultural information divided by the month, holiday and countrydivided by the month, holiday and country readingsreadings quizzesquizzes fact sheetsfact sheets other tools that foster dialogue and questionsother. Business advantages of diversity in the workplace the united states office of employment predicts that 29 percent of the u. The importance of cultural diversity in the workplace wednesday, september 21, 2016 11. The top 10 economic facts of diversity in the workplace. After interviewing a few aspirants to fill a direct support position, one hr remarked in. Cultural diversity in the workplace by the cultural diversity.
Managing the relationships of a diverse workforce and ensuring that its members communicate and get along with one another is also essential. We are live in an increasingly multicultural society. Managing diversity is a key component of effective people management in the workplace black enterprise 2001. Diversity management, challenges and opportunities in. The history of diversity in the workplace is by definition the story of how the concept of inclusion finally worked its way into our national narrative.
Oct 22, 2014 another one of the most common examples of cultural differences in the workplace is how well and how much someone promotes their contributions. List of books and articles about workplace diversity. When companies recruit and retain a diverse pool of people, it brings about different benefits to the company as well as its employees. Cultural integration isnt something that can wait until a deal is done. Cultural difference poses various challenges which include hindering success within the organization. Since organizations will be merged, change is therefore expected, but it. This training program has been developed by the australian multicultural foundation amf, in association with robert bean consulting, as a resource.
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