Importance Of Diversity Management In Workplace – A Report On CERA

Discussion

Chrobot-Mason and Aramovich (2013) depicts that diversity management is required for effective business reputation. This reputation can be ensured through manifestation of business profitability and opportunities for workers. However, Cheruvelil et al. (2014) argues that diversity management enhances the knowledge and competencies of the working personnel and this on the other hand ensures the productivity of the employees. Businesspeople implements diversity management to employ a diverse workforce that will drive innovates through their different level of competencies and knowledge. Okoro and Washington (2012) moreover mentioned that in an era of globalization, it is imperative to embrace the multicultural world both in terms of marketplace and workplace.

The organization that is taken into consideration is Civil Engineering Research Associates (CERA) that is liable for providing civil engineering solutions to other businesspeople or customers. The prime objective of this business report is to present an argument for diversity management to Mark French so that the business environment can be enhanced.  

Vertovec (2012) depicts that the process of managing people’s similarities and differences. This process also built set of values that recognizes the potential strength for the organization. Bond and Haynes (2014) also depicts that effective diversity management creates an environment that allows all to contribute in organizational goals and experience personal growth. Moreover, it is also evident from the government’s initiative in implementing diversity that is to provide equal opportunity for employment irrespective of their race, gender, sexual preferences and geographic location.

Mark French is suggested to adhere the following steps of implementing diversity programs:

It is crucial for the top management to get aware of their benefits of the diversity management as these are the people who are liable to initiate any diversity programs (Al-Jenaibi, 2012). Thus, Mark French is liable for communicate with their higher managing authorities to take necessary steps for enhancing diversity in the workplace. Wrench (2014) furthermore depicts that the higher authorities are also able to formulate different diversity programs plans. In addition to that, the managers should visible at workshops, diversity training programs so that they can evaluate the effectiveness of the program and to what extent these programs drive the people to work in the organization.

It is evident that the organizational structure supports the diversity effort and for the same reason an organization should formulate a position for Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) (Kunze & Boehm, 2013). Hendricks and Cope (2013) explains that these officers researches about all the recent diversity programs that ensures the retention of diverse employees. Thus, Mark French should supports the diversity offers an then formulate all other business functionalities.

In this context, the promotion of the taken diversity program initiatives considers the most. Sourouklis and Tsagdis (2013) describes that in this case, the managing authorities and the CDO are responsible for making other aware of the importance of diversity management and formulate job opportunities for diverse people (White & Rice, 2015). In recent times, organization utilizes the concept of internet to give message and plans for diversity implementation. Thus, Mark French also use social media, newsletters, intranet, seminars, meetings and posters to broadcast their effective diversity inclusion strategy in the workplace. In this way, more people desire to associate with this organization and the existing people will also feel motivates in ethically correct workplace.

Importance of diversity management

Martin (2012) depict that the prime reason for the formulation of the diversity project plan is to support the diversity strategy that can be measured with the help of some metrics. Trax et al. (2015) furthermore portrays that these measurable objectives must also integrate with the other company’s strategic objectives and operations. In this way, the effectiveness of the diversity management can be accurately measured. Mark French in this case, should assess the required areas in which implementation of the diversity is required.  The plan also considered with the total time taken for implementation and to perform.

The prime intention of this step is to assess a process through which a wider talent pool can be reached (Kirton & Greene, 2015). Thus, Mark French must examine the HR initiatives and bring appropriate solution to enhance the existing policies especially for diversity management. These initiatives are measured on the basis of communication with employees, encouraging them to work, recruiting diverse working personnel, establishment of long term relationship with the minority organizations, advertising in minority magazines and media, enhancing the interview process, paying special attention to minority group in the workplace along with the development of the retention programs and provision of training to every group of the organization. Mark should also monitor the process of hiring adopted by these HR personnel and assess whether all the candidates are selected on the basis of their skills.

Bettencourt et al. (2012) mentioned that since employees are the basic blocks who are liable to perform all the organizational functionalities and are also responsible to follow all the ethical steps for treating their colleagues properly. This aspect can be ensured by providing them effective training on the ethical behavior and also regarding the benefits of a diversified business environment.

Image 1: Visible and invisible diversity traits

(Source: Bettencourt et al., 2012)

Patrick and Kumar (2012) argues by depicting that usually businesspeople often consider visible diversity traits like age, gender, nationality, culture, race and physical status. The prime reason for this is that discriminating people based on these factors is much easier. In addition to that, Suedekum et al. (2014) highlight that factors like veteran status, sexual orientation, religion and languages are often overcome in recent times. All these four factors can be avoided as these do not have much impact on their skills and competencies. Lastly, in context of the invisible diversity traits, an organization should also overcome the barrier of discrimination of working style preferences, values and beliefs, perspectives, life experiences, education and family status. Thus, Mark French must know that not all people are conformable in similar business process and language in which training is provided to the employees. Thus, it is important for Mark French to understand the personal beliefs and preferences of each employee so that an effective and mutual diversity program plan can be formulated.  

Moreover, it is also evident that most HR managers focus heavily on the need to attract and retain millennial but at the same time it is important to consider the retention and management of the boomers (Podsiadlowski et al., 2013). Marino et al. (2012) also depicts that for targeting greater adaptability and flexibility in a rapidly changing marketplace and attracting the best talent, HR should provide opportunities to people based on their talent and competencies. Tynjälä (2013) highlight that this reduces the cost associated with turnover, absenteeism and low productivity. In addition to that, the return on investment (ROI) from the diversity initiatives, policies and practices can also be enhanced if the diversity management plan can be formulated effectively.

Implementation of diversity management in workplace

The challenges in implementing the diversity programs or policies can be categorized in two types- internal obstacle and external obstacles (Bond & Haynes, 2014). Vertovec (2012) highlight that internal obstacle resembles the difficulty in changing of the existing culture of the organization. Mark French also has to consider that not all people have the ability to understand the business benefits of a diverse workforce. In terms of external obstacle, there are legal restrictions on holding sensitive issues like discrimination based on differences of cultural and traditional beliefs. Chrobot-Mason and Aramovich (2013) also highlight that historic gap in anti-discrimination legislations are the major obstacle in this context. Lastly, Mark French also has to judge the differences in national social attitudes and cultural values.  

Thus, Mark French has to recognize the values of differences and promoting inclusiveness. The concerned person from CERA also has to consider the reason for combating the discrimination and losses in personnel and work productivity. It can also be said that in workplace, communication and resistance to change are some major challenges that an organization may face during the implementation of the diversity programs. Wrench (2014) highlight that perceptual, cultural and language barriers comes with the incorporation of the diversity in the workplace and this results in lack of teamwork and coordination. This on the other hand reduces the efficiency and productivity of the organization. In addition to that, Sourouklis and Tsagdis (2013) mentioned that developing effective strategy for adhering the diversity policy is also a great challenge in the implementation of the diversity (Martin, 2012). Lastly, the CERA manager also emphasizes on avoiding the negative attitude and behavior.

Kirton and Greene (2015) highlight that every manager of an organization must consider their subordinates in decision-making procedure so that they can suggest effective solution for overcoming the adversity of discrimination and de-centralized hierarchy. Moreover, Mark French should also provide opportunities to all the team members to get together outside of work that is to provide challenging job roles and responsibilities to the efficient performers. Bettencourt et al. (2012) highlight that in this way, an organization can get efficient working personnel to perform its operations and function that on the other hand drives the profitability of the organization. In addition to that, Mark French can provide time off for culturally significant events in order to provide them an equal work- life- balance. Patrick and Kumar (2012) portrays that in this way, managing authority can easily treat their employee equally and offer benefits to only those people who will outperform irrespective of their cultural and traditional differences. Mark French can also implement some strategies in CERA that promotes less biasness in the workplace. Marino et al. (2012) suggests some of the ways like- not laughing at a racially offensive joke, not to feel uncomfortable when a differently sexually oriented workers showed signs of affection and not discriminate anyone based on salary differences. Apart from all these aspects, Mark French should also monitors that making jokes on cultural beliefs is completely prohibited in the workplace of CERA.

Involvement of higher management

Table 1: Major activity for the implementation of the diversity management

(Source: Created by Author)

Conclusion

Thus, it can be said that a diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world. The team-work that is attained from diversification results in bringing high value to the organization in terms of productivity and profitability. Moreover, it is also concluded that giving respect to each other will benefit the organization by attaining a competitive advantage. It can also be concluded from the entire discussion that diversity enhance the adaptability of the organization that can also supply a greater variety of solutions to various organizational problems like- sourcing, services and allocation of resources. In addition to that, diversity also ensures broader service ranges in skills and experiences that also provide an organization to accomplish the organizational goals effectively. Moreover, it is also concluded that variety of viewpoint and perception also allows an organization to take the most effective and optimized steps that can further increase the productivity and profitability.  The business report also evaluates that there are some challenges in implementing the diversity in the workplace that are communication and resistance to change in the new changed diversification strategy. In addition to that, implementation of diversity in the workplace policies is also a major challenge as not all people agrees with the developed new strategies. Lastly, the association of all the working personnel for treating all the people equally is another big challenge. This adversity can be solved by providing effective training to the employees and allowing all the managing people to develop a diversified strategy.

It is important for the manager of an organization to assess the results of the developed diversified strategies. In this way, the effectiveness of the developed strategies can be evaluated and any required changes can be implemented if required.

All the employees must take part in development of a diversity plan so that they can all agree on the plan. In this way, the developed plan can be easy to adopt for all the employees and diversity can be attained effectively.

The regular development of the diversity plan is important for maintaining the effectiveness of the plan. In this aspect, Mark French can take suggestions from different business experts so that they can suggest them an effective way for ensuring the effective diversity.

It is evident that not all employees are aware of the business benefits for implementing the business diversity. Thus, it is required to provide them regular training so that they ca support the system of diversity  

Reference

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