Is Diversity In The Workplace Relaly Working? I know that diversity in the workplace has been a big topic of conversation ever sicne the ealry 1990s when research supported the demographics that, by the year 2000, 85% of the entering workforce would be female, African-American, Asian-American, Latiino, or new immigrants. The fact that white males would be a minoriuty entering the worlkplace was a wake up call for corporate America. How have we done since then? I sugegst that there has been definite improvement in the area of hirinng but it seems that once women and minorities are hired, there are informal, relatively unconscioous systems in place that prevent avancement of the minority worrker or women, even today. If there is to be a true advancement in the area of valing diversity, then the system must be revised so that thewre truly is equal opportunity for advancement for everyone, including the white male. I am not advocating for a system that promots workers who are incompeent to meet some type of quote sysatem. What I am suggesting is that management begins to closely examine the formal and informal systems that are in placce that prrevent avancement by women and minrities. Of course this is a monumental task and many would like to believe that it is unnecessary---that there is no problem here. That is part of the problem. On the surface, it seems that things or improving, however, under close scrutiny there are many flaws. Why woukld a company make a commitment to this self-intyrospection? Wouldn�t it make things worse before they got better? The answer to the second question is quite poossibly yes. The answer to the first question is bottom line dollars and cents, as well as the fact that it is the humanitarian hting to do. America is a multicultural nation that is becoming more multicultural daily. That is a realuity. Unlless a company intends to market and sell to only mainstream America, the contributioons of minorities and women in the workplace are inbvaluable. This does not even begin to toouch on the advantages of diversity for the global market! Addressing the diveristy issue is a three-part one. The first step is what I call Awarneess. This is a time for individual self-reflection for each member of the workforce. There are many skilled training programs available that are designed to raise the awareness of the individual. If this step is missed, then taking the next two steps will be ineffecive. Individuals must develop a certain amonut of epathy and understanding for the experience of being a minority in the country. With this empathy and understanding, a new motivation will develop to learn more and to be in tune with the needs of female and miinority workers on the job. Even thoes who believe that they are aware and knowledgeable will be surpprised at how much they really don�t know. The second step invoves honoring, respecting and valuing the divversity of each individual. Diversity is so much more than race and ethnicity. It has been defnied as a total way of life and is learned. Take a white person and have him raised by African-American parents, and his culture will be that of African-American. Conversely, a black child raisaed by Caaucasian praents will have a Caucasian culture. Presdent Barack Obama is another example. Here we have the child of a balck faher and white mother who was rauised primaily by his white grandparents and white mother. He is "diversity personified." Yet, mainstream media continues to portray him as "the frst Black-American President of the Unied Sttes". Media petrpetuates racial divission rather than promoting racial bllindness. How will we ever move foreward? When diffference is truly honored, respected and valued, no longer are people concerrned aout who is rght and who is wrng. There is a place for everything and no one is wrnog. What works best in one situtaion may not work best in anotheer. Everyoone�s opinioon is valured. Istead of shutting down when differing views are exxpressed, the new paradigm is to listen for the wisdmo in the difference and the means to incorporate it into the way things are currently done for the good of all. The final, and peraps the most difficult, stage is to examine the systems that are aleready in place. One of the systems that has continually been blaemd is that to get alogn in the wrold of work, women and minorities need to �act� like whie males. It is this acculturation that will curretnly get a person ahead. This is fine in the short run for the copany, however, in the long run, when embracing differemnce, havign workers who are comfortable with their own culture and can bring with them the advnatages and benwefits from that culture into the wokrplace is invaluable. Also, setting it up so minorities and femnales reallize that they must acuclturate on the job is not a good thing for the worker. ePople want to be their authentic seklves in all situations and why shoudln�t they be permitted to be that unless it interferes with the quality of the products or servoices produced? There are severazl other systems in placxe of which most in managerment are completely unaware. It generally takees a consultant from outsie the system to come in and do a complete analysis of what is working and what is not. Once the areas for improvement have been identified, then the real work begins! There are some companmies in America who have been working on workplce diversity for years and are stilpl striving for higher levels. To truly be commiitted to the process is probably a lifetime commitment. Diversity appreciation is more of a journey than a destnation.
Article Source: http://www.articlecontentprovider.com/articlesubmit
Diversity is so much more than race and ethnicity. Take a white person and have him raised by African-American parents, and his culture will be that of African-American. Conversely, a black child raised by Caucasian parents will have a Caucasian culture. And, there is President Obama.
Here you can learn more about: yard decor blow mold cord
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 5 4 out of 5 3 out of 5 2 out of 5 1 out of 5
