Managing Diversity

Diversity [is] the art of thinking independently together.

—Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, publisher

(1919-1990)

Chapter 5

Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Learning Objectives

1. Define diversity.2. Discuss how the U.S. workforce is

changing and its impact on the supervisor.

3. Differentiate among prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes in the workplace.

4. Explain how sexism and ageism are barriers to diversity and how supervisors can be more aware of them.

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Learning Objectives

5. Describe some ways to communicate more effectively in the diverse workplace.

6. Discuss how and why employers must accommodate employees’ disabilities

7. Describe the goals of diversity training.8. List the most important recent legislation

affecting diversity and its provisions.

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What is Diversity?

• Diversity– the characteristics of individuals that shape

their identities and the experiences they have in society

• Dealing successfully with cultural, ethnic, age, gender, and racial diversity is a lifelong process

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A Look at Our Diversity

• As recently as 1980 white men accounted for half of U.S. workers.

• Today, the participation of women in the workforce has risen to above 50 percent

• A recent survey found that women held half of all management, professional, and related occupations

• The workforce also is expected to continue to age,

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A Look at Our Diversity

• The proportions of African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics in the U.S. population and workforce are rising gradually and expected to continue to do so

• Mothers of young children in particular have entered the workforce as a permanent contingent at a rate that shows no sign of slowing.

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Challenges to Working in a Diverse Society

• Trends in the composition of the workforce are changing the way business firms operate.–Supervisors today need new skills to

communicate and collaborate effectively with a broader range of people.

• Even within the company, differences can flourish between one location and another.

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Prejudice and Discrimination

• Prejudice– preconceived judgment about an individual or

group of people

• Discrimination– unfair or inequitable treatment based on

prejudice

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Prejudice and Discrimination

• A workplace tainted by prejudice and discrimination discourages and divides employees.

• If a supervisor treats employees unfairly for any reason, the outcome is never positive.

• The unfair treatment becomes widely known among employees, lowers morale and trust, and can hurt productivity.

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Stereotypes

• Stereotypes– Generalized, fixed images of others

• Supervisors must always guard against generalizing what they believe or observe about a culture and using that to classify its members unfairly

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Stereotypes

• Stereotypes are often unintended, but they occur simply because human beings tend to put information into categories and to prefer things that are more familiar.

• This leads people to assume that those in the “other” group are more alike than they really are, while perceiving people in their own group as being distinct individuals

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Sexism

• Sexism – discrimination based on gender stereotypes.

• Examples of sexism:– Passing over a woman for a physically

demanding job– Asking a pregnant job applicant about child

care arrangements– Denying a promotion to a qualified woman

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Sexism

• Sexual harassment – Unwanted sexual attentions, including

language, behavior, or the display of images

• Sexual harassment is illegal, and experts advise supervisors to adopt a policy of “zero tolerance.”

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Women-Owned Businesses: AGrowing Share of the Total

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Ageism

• Some people expect older workers to perform less effectively, but evidence shows such negative expectations are often unfounded.

• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) makes it illegal to fail to hire, or to fire, based on age.

• A study of 4,000 executives showed that:– Patience doesn’t blossom until after the age of

45.– Open-mindedness and teamwork are abilities that

actually increase with age.

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Ageism

• Bona fide occupational qualification(BFOQ)– an objective characteristic required for an

individual to perform a job properly

• For example, the FAA’s limit of 64 years of age for airline pilots or acting roles that call for persons of very young or very advanced age

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10 Reasons to Hire Older Workers

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Accommodation of Disabilities

• Disability– A physical or mental impairment that

substantially limits a major life activity, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment

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Accommodation of Disabilities

• Qualified individual with a disability– person with a disability who, with or without

reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of a particular job

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Percentage of People over Age 65in the United States, 2000 and 2030

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Sources of Diversityin the Workplace

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Advantages of Diversity for Supervisors

• The opportunity to learn from the varied perspectives of those unlike ourselves

• A better motivated and more loyal team of employees

• Enhanced communication skills

• Improved management ability

• Enhanced opportunities for career advancement

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Advantages of Diversity for Organizations

• Greater ability to attract and retain the best employees for the job

• Increased productivity• Higher morale and motivation throughout the

company• More resilient workforce• Greater innovation• Reduced turnover• Enhanced performance leading to greater market

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Communication

• Nonverbal communication is just as powerful in many contexts as the actual words we say.

• Body language differs from one culture to another.

• In diverse work places, supervisors should choose words with extra care, particularly when giving directions.

• Explanation of terms should be a standard part of orientation and training.

• Think before communicating.

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Diversity Training

• Formal diversity training may be needed to raise employee awareness of multiculturalism and to help reduce prejudice and stereotypes.

• Appropriate controls and guidelines should accompany the training, which should be administered by professional trainers.

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Some Important Equal EmploymentOpportunity Legislation

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Legal Issues

• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)– Instituted in 1964– Acts as the government’s major means of

enforcing equal employment opportunity law– Has the power to investigate complaints, use

conciliation to eliminate discrimination when found, and file discrimination charges on behalf of an individual if needed

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