DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE Diversity means having distinct or unlike elements. In the workplace, the topic of gender diversity is often discussed in the context of corporate boards and certain occupations. By fostering a culture of diversity — or a capacity to appreciate and value individual differences — employers benefit from varied perspectives on how to confront business challenges and achieve success. Workforce diversity means the heterogeneous composition of employees of an organization in terms of age, gender, language, ethnic origin, education, marital status, etc. Organizations often equate workplace diversity with inclusion. The "business case for diversity" stems from the progression of the models of diversity within the workplace since the 1960s.The original model for diversity was situated around affirmative action drawing strength from the law and a need to comply with equal opportunity employment objectives implemented in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. . In a workplace, diversity management requires an environment of inclusion. Whether it's a VISA or specific cultural requirements, hiring employees from different countries can be tricky; especially if you are a relatively young company. It involves positively creating an environment that embraces and values differences, as a business’s core competitive advantage and promoting inclusiveness. ... not just the talent that belongs to a particular world-view or ethnicity or some other restricting definition. "This is the way we've always done it" doesn't mean that it's the right way to do it now; however sometimes it can be difficult to convince these individuals that change can be a good thing which can inhibit the progress of a diversity and inclusion strategy. Three kinds of diversity exist in the workplace (see Table 12.1). Diversity and inclusion are a vital part of workplace culture; not only are they important for the well-being of a company's employees, but will also benefit the business itself. Find out other ways to manage mental health in the workplace. Diversity in the Workplace: Definition, Benefits & Challenges Diversity in the workplace has been an important issue for business leaders over the past decade. Culture is considered to be the underlying values that direct how people behave. Workplace diversity is not simply acknowledging differences such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender or expression of religion and sexual orientation. Most people have heard about diversity in the workplace, but that doesn’t mean they really know what it means. However, in recent years, the term workplace diversity has been expanded to encompass many different characteristics, such as: In the modern, globally connected society and market, workplace diversity is becoming a necessity rather than a banner companies wave to show their commitment to embracing differences. Diversity Management. What is Workplace Diversity? Diversity in the workplace refers to an organization’s workforce comprising people from different genders, sexual orientations, religions, races, ethnicities, ages, etc. Skills 4. Affirmative Action is one law that requires … 5 A collective of individuals who share these characteristics is known as an identity group. It’s important to understand the workplace diversity definition, as well as answering the question of why diversity matters. ​Companies that only hire men, for example, are limiting themselves to the skills of half the population, this is just one of the many benefits of gender diversity in the workplace. This will ensure that all your plans go ahead smoothly and prevent any costly, unwelcome surprises further down the line. But diversity is about increasing people’s actual participation, not just their symbolic participation. 1. Diversity in the Workplace is a reality in most businesses and organizations. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. But diversity and inclusion in the workplace isn't just a hiring fad; and over the years it has become less a case of simply factoring in age, gender and race, and more about hiring a wider range of people to add value to businesses. Diversity of Thought. According to Moorhead and Griffin – “Workforce diversity is concerned with the similarities and differences in such characteristics as age, gender, ethnic heritage, physical abilities and disabilities, race, and sexual orientation, among the employees of organisations.” Workforc… These initiatives most often target women and ethnic or racial minorities, but they can target any group who faces pervasive disadvantage in the broader society. Workplace diversity may be defined as a trait of company culture wherein the workforce composition includes employees of different genders, age, sexual orientation, religions, languages, abilities, professional backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds, and educational backgrounds. It increases the overall diversity of the workplace. In turn, a more engaged team will often yield better team performance; making it a win-win for employers. Managing such diversity is really a challenge to HRM professionals. Have you ever learned about another culture from someone you met at work? Diversity is often misconceived as solely multicultural matters, however it also applies to diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, language, educational, background, and so on. In the following article, we look into the meaning of diversity & inclusion, the importance of diversity in the workplace; as well as the competitive edge it can give your business; in terms of graduate recruitment and beyond. What exactly does diversity entail when it comes to the workplace? ​Companies with a diverse workforce will tend to retain employees for longer, because ultimately employees who feel accepted and valued will be much less likely to leave. How to assess workplace diversity. When the workplace is diverse, it shows that your establishment is a true equal opportunity business that hires people with different backgrounds and races, instead of segregating, or discriminating against a certain individual. Put very simply, diversity in the workplace means that a company hires a wide range of diverse individuals. Equality aims to ensure that all individuals have equal opportunities to succeed, and it prevents individuals from being discriminated against or treated differently due to certain personality or physical characteristics. Looking to recruit graduates? When launching your diversity and inclusion strategy, it is a good idea to get input elsewhere across the business wherever possible. Here are some research-tested strategies for learning to cultivate diversity in your life, your workplace, and your community. Diversity is Key to Problem Solving and Innovation Image via Pareto “Diversity is a critical element of Pareto’s culture because our experiences define how we approach problems. Workplace diversity despite having numerous benefits does have its flaws. As well as posing a logistical challenge, it's important to remember that these accommodations can also sometimes be an added business cost to factor into your hiring plans. Here are the 6 best workplace diversity trends for 2019. Workplace diversity should be one of the top things businesses today should address. Diversity is just about race and gender, right? Diversity is about the full deployment of a variety of resources for better outcomes that benefit everyone. But what makes some work environments more inclusive than others? Diversity in the workplace boosts a company’s employer brand and presents a company as a more desirable place to work. Connection, recognising … Capability, to build a diverse workforce for the future to drive greater productivity, expertise and agility. Sometimes employees can feel left out or isolated when groups of other individuals with similar backgrounds and characteristics, form 'cliques' or social circles. Although gender and ethnicity are still the major focal points, organizations are starting to invest in multiples areas of diversity. First and foremost, there are the ethical considerations: every person deserves to be judged on merit, no matter their age, race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, or appearance. Cognitive disabilities, also known as intellectual functioning, are recognized by the EEOC when an individual meets this criteria: 1. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Develop a clear D&I strategy. The Equal Pay Act aims to prevent gender equality issues by ensuring companies pay equally between women and men for equal work. Increasingly, business leaders are seeing that encouraging diversity in the workplace has several tangible benefits, for the company and for its employees. Diversity benefits the workplace because people from various backgrounds have different perspectives. This can make it difficult, particularly for small businesses and startups to launch a diversity strategy. “Diversity and inclusion are not one in the same, and neither happens through osmosis. This could potentially hinder discussions on certain subjects; millennials account for the majority of UK workers, which is evolving today’s corporate culture. Join the conversation - get in touch today! As we move toward a more actionable definition of diversity and inclusion, equity must take centerstage. In a recent study on disability and employment 12% of employers are concerned that disabled employees will take more time off work and 19% believe that it is expensive to hire individuals with a disability due to costs involved in adapting the workplace. Most people understand the general equality and diversity definition; but what do these mean within the context of the workplace? ​Diversity in the workplace will help to build a great reputation for the company; especially important when you are looking to hire and retain talent. Why is diversity in the workplace important? Significant limitations in adaptive skills — the basic conceptual, social and practical skills needed for everyday life 3. Sitemap So why is workplace diversity important? Workplace diversity does not equal workplace inclusion. There are also certain fields like engineering, sc… Workforce diversity is the bringing together of a variety of people to one workplace. Workplace diversity leads to better hiring results. 2. Companies in the top quartile of racial/ ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their national industry median. In the context of the workplace, valuing diversity means creating a work environment that respects and includes difference, recognizing the unique contributions that individuals with many types of differences can make and maximizes the potential of all employees. In this section, we will discuss each diversity type. Corporate boards are dominated by men. ​Employees are far more likely to perform well in an environment where diversity and inclusion are top priority. The workplace can be tough for employees with a physical or mental disability. This workplace would be comprised of people with a wide range of experiences, backgrounds and characteristics. How can you tell if your company is truly diverse? Diversity is also not about tolerance or sensitivity — which come from lack of leadership or dysfunctional culture. Examples of diversity in the workplace. And execs know a diverse workforce (in age, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, and gender) brings diverse viewpoints and perspectives to the company; these elements can help you develop great new products and great new ways to cater to customers. The most recent HR survey by Harvey Nash asked, “ Which areas are your organization actively pursuing to be more diverse? Although gender and ethnicity are still the major focal points, organizations are starting to invest in multiples areas of diversity. Conflicts can arise in the workplace due to differences in religious, political or cultural beliefs, and unfortunately discrimination and prejudice still occurs in some corporate environments. Now we explore some potential solutions to these diversity challenges in the workplace: Make the challenges of diversity an urgent topic of conversation; whether they are discussed in a weekly senior management meeting or shared amongst the whole team for feedback. DCA's definition of diversity & inclusion. What is equality in the workplace? Diversity refers to differences in various defining personal traits such as age, gender, race, marital status, ethnic origin, religion, education and many other secondary qualities. It can also work out quite costly, if you decide to offer training to help bridge skills gaps for example. Management der Vielfalt; 1. Bridge the digital skills gap between generations by offering computer learning training or offer language training for employees that are non-native English speakers. Find out more about how a mentoring scheme could benefit your business. Diversity management is about taking advantage of people’s uniqueness and individuality. Workplace diversity: Theory that in a global marketplace, a company that employs a diverse workforce is better able to understand the demographics of the marketplace it serves. Surface-level diversity represents an individual’s visible characteristics, including, but not limited to, age, body size, visible disabilities, race, or sex. Some laws require workplaces be diverse. Employees should feel like they make a significant contribution to the organization using their unique qualities. Employees may need to be regularly reminded to keep personal beliefs and opinions separate to work, to help reduce the risk of disputes in the office. Who knows? Opinions 5. Companies across the board are taking steps to create an equality and diversity strategy. Please enter your email address below to receive a link to reset your password via email. The workplace diversity can be categorized into single-gender and mix genders. Diversity in the workplace will often result in a much broader spectrum of creativity, from people with different backgrounds, skills and experiences. 1. Definition of Workforce Diversity. Not sure I need to explain age diversity in the workplace, but it should be easy to understand that not everyone working in a workplace are of the same age.Typically we enter the workforce between the age of 18 (younger in some countries) to 30 years of age (if you are a P.h.d. What exactly does diversity entail when it comes to the workplace? Because this concept is so important to understand for businesses, here is an in-depth explanation of it. Workplace diversity is the term used for the workplace composed of employees with varying characteristics, such as different sex, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Why is this important to your business? A recent Medium article (The Top 5 Diversity Workplace Statistics) shows the benefits of diversity … Diversity definition is - the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety; especially : the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization. Our goal could be, ultimately, to reflect accurately the population of clients we are trying to serve in all their dimensions. Let us have a look at what these are. Companies with diversified workforce experience many advantages over those who don't have diversified employees. Privacy | Workplace diversity is not just something that improves your company’s reputation. Businesses have a duty to demonstrate equality in the workplace and prevent gender discrimination, particularly with regards to hiring both men and women, paying equal salary and offering the same opportunities and promotions to both men and women. While generational diversity in the workplace can be challenging for both employers and employees to navigate, it can also be a strong competitive advantage for companies that embrace it. How to assess workplace diversity. This factsheet explores what workplace diversity and inclusion means, and how an effective strategy can support an organisation’s business objectives. To come up with a workplace diversity definition, we have to think about all the different characteristics that employees (could) have. In this article, Aida Fazylova, Founder & CEO of XOR outlines and develops ideas to support how the definition of diversity in the workplace has changed and the impact it has on businesses. Age Diversity. Individuals that are treated unequally can become demotivated and often choose to leave, causing increases in staff turnover. In some cases we are so unaware of our unconscious bias that we can’t accurately assess how diverse our team is or else we recognise the value of inclusion in theory but fail to apply it to our own situations. Especially in terms of graduate recruitment, D&I can play a huge role in attracting candidates to your business; if done well, it can also help you stand out from the bigger firms. Workplace diversity is not simply acknowledging differences such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender or expression of religion and sexual orientation. Diversity can be of many types. To explore its importance, we spoke to Amelia Ransom, senior director of engagement and diversity at Avalara, a company that provides automated tax software. ​When employees' recognise that differences are embraced and celebrated in an organisation, they are likely to also be more confident in their own unique qualities. And it’s not about special treatment for certain groups of people. We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity in the workplace. Ensure that you factor in all potential costs and time restraints during the initial planning stages of your diversity and inclusion strategy. Workplace diversity is about thriving, not presence. In a workplace, diversity means employing people who may be different from each other and who do not all come from the same background. In the beginning, the term diversity was used primarily to address racial and ethnic diversity. Workplace diversity benefit #10: Improved hiring results. Workplace diversity also has many direct, tangible benefits. Within a diverse workplace, employees can better understand each other's differences. Workplace diversity is the term used for the workplace composed of employees with varying characteristics, such as different sex, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Practice mindfulness. Diversity Management. 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