The diversity of global populations has been gradually transformed by social, economic, geographic, political, environmental, and technological factors. These dynamics have altered the societal composition and influenced human interaction. Consequently, many organizations are exploring various strategies to leverage the growing diversity and gain a competitive advantage. By 2055, researchers predict that a single ethnic or racial minority in the US will cease to exist. Consequently, many organizations are integrating diversity and inclusion in the recruitment process. This paper describes the dimensions and benefits of diversity, outlines the differences between diversity and multiculturalism, and the challenges and solutions to diversity and inclusion measures.
Differences between Diversity and Multiculturalism
Though the terms diversity and multiculturalism are often used interchangeably, the two have significant differences. When applied to people, diversity is defined as the differences between multiple races, ethnicities, and cultures. Diversity refers to how people differ and integrates various characteristics that set apart individuals or groups. Apart from race, ethnicity, and gender, other aspects considered in diversity are religion, disability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, language, marital status, education, and physical appearance (Alozie, 2020). Diversity can also be defined in human resource management, where it focuses on a set of policies created to meet compliance standards.
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On the other hand, multiculturalism goes deeper than diversity since it focuses on inclusiveness, respect, understanding, and acknowledging unequal power in society. In the workforce, multiculturalism equally considers numerous diverse backgrounds in an organizational setting. Moreover, in multiculturalism, equal consideration and representation are given to all employees' cultural desires and contributions, emphasizing traditionally unrepresented marginal groups. Consequently, people recognize the pros and cons of belonging to a particular racial, religious, or socioeconomic group (Alozie, 2021). Therefore, diversity acknowledges the existence of differences among individuals, while multiculturalism accepts, promotes, and embraces other’s differences.
Apart from the complexity of the two terms, other differences exist between diversity and multiculturalism. For instance, in diversity, people are ignorant of the differential power among different groups, while in multiculturalism, individuals have knowledge about these differences. Another difference is that diversity concentrates on ethnicity and gender, unlike multiculturalism. In the context of a diverse workforce, inequality and discrimination are illegal. Moreover, policies against discrimination are provided. On the other, inequality in multiculturalism is presented with a proper understanding of the variations between people. Therefore, diversity informs policies that target organizational discrimination prevention while multiculturalism avails information necessary for profound considerations of the variations between people. The objective of diversity in organizations is to implement policies that ensure equal treatment. In contrast, multiculturalism addresses the system advantages linked dimensions of diversity. In diversity, the law secures individuals' rights from different backgrounds, unlike in multiculturalism (Alozie, 2020). These differences discourage the interchangeable use of the terms diversity and multiculturalism.
The Dimensions of Diversity
Age
Discrimination and stereotyping against various ages is ageism. Older adults above sixty-five years are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and have been neglected. Moreover, seniors are often ignored. Illnesses or fragility make seniors vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Older populations also face more difficulties in acquiring and keeping jobs. An increase in the senior population increases the dependency rate, further jeopardizing this population. Additionally, power dynamics, life satisfaction, physical and psychological health concerns, and community participation vary across different age groups (Ferdinand et al., 2017). Instead of being discriminated against, seniors should be value for their experience and knowledge.
Gender
Gender refers to the socially constructed perceptions of what being male or female means to society and how they are interpreted. Gender magnifies the perceived differences between men and women. These perceived differences cause limitations in the organization of social institutions. For example, gender norms influence the types of jobs typically assigned to men and women. Gender also influences the distribution of power and resources and access to employment opportunities. Socially constructed gender roles disadvantage women by placing men’s needs and desires above women. Consequently, is biased towards men in terms of access to and control over societal resources. For example, men receive higher wages than women despite performing similar jobs (Ferdinand et al., 2017). The societal bias against women has led numerous administrations to create laws that protect women from discrimination based on gender.
Religion
Religion refers to a shared system of beliefs, values, and symbols. Beliefs and practices that define the relationship with the divine differentiate religion from the common definitions of culture. Religion is a critical predictor of life satisfaction and well-being. Diversity in religion has been a perpetual issue and has led to wars and persecution of people. Cultures are founded on religious doctrine. The predominance of Christianity within the US national framework favors this religion in public celebrations and national lifestyle (Ferdinand et al., 2017). The existence of a variety of religious practices necessitates protection against religious discrimination in the workplace.
Race
Race groups identify people based on their geographic origins and physical attributes, such as skin color. This dimension of diversity is a purely social construct with no biological significance. Racial grouping influences access to societal advantages due to a racial hierarchy (Ferdinand et al., 2017). Discrimination laws prohibit discrimination based on race.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity is a group identity informed by religious beliefs, ancestry and heritage, and cultural traditions. Various physical and cultural characteristics, such as dialect, dressing, and religious practices, distinguish people from different ethnic backgrounds. Ethnic distinctions can cross national borders (Ferdinand et al., 2017). The US anti-discrimination law prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity.
Social Class
Social class is a hierarchical system informed by economic status. The main classes used in society are lower, middle, and upper class. Social class determines the likelihood of lack of education, unemployment, and sexual exploitation (Ferdinand et al., 2017). No anti-discrimination laws protect people from discrimination based on social class.
Disability
Disability is an impairment that limits fundamental life activities. Disabilities may be inborn or acquired during one’s lifetime. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against disabled people and ensures equal access to opportunities and civic participation in society (Ferdinand et al., 2017). Disability is a complex phenomenon that features the society in which a person lives.
Nationality
An individual’s country of origin informs their nationality regardless of their country of residence. Nationality extends beyond race, culture, religion, and race. The dimension embodies pride in nationality and patriotism (Ferdinand et al., 2017). Discrimination based on nationality occurs in the form of unfair treatment and physical abuse, among others.
Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation refers to an individual’s attraction towards another concerning their gender. This factor crosses all dimensions of diversity and differs from gender identity or expression (Ferdinand et al., 2017). Sexual minority groups are protected from discrimination regarding access to employment, education, and other systems.
Embracing Diversity versus Diversity and Inclusion
A diverse workforce of women and people of color gives organizations a competitive edge when selling products and services to diverse consumers. Despite recognizing that diversity in organizations unlocks the capability to create competitive advantage, a gap exists between recognition and practicing these behaviors. Many organizations lump together diversity and inclusion, yet they are different. Workplace diversity equals representation. However, without inclusion, it is impossible to attract diverse talent, foster innovation, and enhance business growth. The lack of inclusion leads to a diversity backlash. Consequently, diversity alone does not drive inclusion. While it is easy to measure diversity using a headcount, quantifying feelings of inclusion is difficult (Sherbin & Rashid, 2017). Embracing diversity without inclusion leads to missed opportunities for employees. On the other hand, embracing inclusion and diversity encourages talent retention and engagement.
Benefits of Diversity
As organizations face outsourcing and globalization challenges, a diverse workforce has become an irrevocable phenomenon necessary for meeting brand demand and enhancing competitive advantage and profitability. Therefore, diverse work teams are highly valuable for organizations. Diverse organizations exhibit higher chances of increasing profitability. Alozie (2020) found that the top-percentile companies with diverse executive teams exhibited a higher chance to have above-average profitability than those with homogenous executive teams. Moreover, racially diverse organizations report higher sales revenues, have larger market shares, and more customers than those with homogenous work teams (Alozie, 2020). Diverse teams are also more harmonious than homogenous ones.
Workplace diversity also enhances employee career growth and interpersonal skills. Diverse organizations attract and retain more employees. The employees from diverse backgrounds are motivated and report increased job satisfaction. Workplace diversity also enhances communication, ensures fairness and equity, and reduces discrimination. Additionally, diversity enhances an organization’s global image and increases the likelihood of overcoming culture shock if the company expands its business into the international horizon. Diverse organizations also avoid the costs of expensive litigations associated with non-compliance (Alozie, 2020). Organizations should take advantage of the benefits associated with workplace diversity.
A diverse workforce allows organizations to take leverage the diverse skills brought by individuals from varied backgrounds and languages. For instance, a diverse workplace supports more ideas and processes. Moreover, the associated diversity of talent translates to a wider range of experiences and perspectives, increasing the potential for augmented productivity. Workplace diversity also enhances creativity since people from various cultures and backgrounds work together (Cletus et al., 2018). These advantages allow organizations to compete internationally.
Challenges with Diversity and Inclusion Measures
The recruitment of diverse employees presents various challenges. One chief challenge with diverse and inclusion measures is gender and lifestyle choices. Though lifestyle choices do not influence workplace performance, many favor people with alternative lifestyles. Therefore, cognitive biases and behavioral attitudes create several challenges in the workplace. Moreover, gender-related issues, such as remuneration disparities and decision-making power, remain problematic. Ethnic and cultural differences can result in hostility, discrimination, and disrespect in organizations. Consequently, some people can harbor unfair prejudices and project their inherent biases to minorities in the organization. Workers with disabilities face harassment, discrimination, or ridicule. Moreover, employees can sidestep workers with disabilities in decision-making. A difference in generation gaps is another challenge of workplace diversity and inclusion. The lack of communication between old and new generations causes a lack of cohesion in the workplace (Cletus et al., 2018). These natural obstacles to embracing diversity and inclusion require organizations to actively build diverse teams or risk becoming obsolete in the competitive business world.
Steps to Building a Diverse and Inclusive Organization
The workforce population will gradually become older and more racially and ethnically diverse in future. Consequently, organizations must determine the way forward in terms of how they will treat individual differences and marginalized groups. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on several dimensions of diversity, such as race, color, sex, religion, and national origin. Despite the progress resulting from this Act, women and minorities are currently under-represented across various top decision-making levels in the workplace. Consequently, diversity and inclusion are critical topics in the workplace globally (Grissom, 2018). Therefore, companies are pursuing initiatives that eliminate barriers that exclude marginalized groups from social and political systems.
Organizations are gradually embracing workplace diversity and inclusion as means to leverage the large global talent pool. One step that organizations can take to build a diverse and inclusive organization is to integrate diversity into the recruitment process actively. These organizations should also adopt, invest, and implement diversity and inclusion as a corporate strategy for talent management. Diversity and inclusion should also be incorporated into the corporate mission or vision (Cletus et al., 2018). Firms should adopt policies and strategies that appeal to future diverse talent.
Conclusion
Many organizations integrate diversity and inclusion strategies in the recruitment process to leverage the large global talent pool. The rapid diversification will challenge people’s perception of the dimensions of diversity, such as race, gender, nationality, class, and religion. The challenges that these factors pose will force organizations to adopt and prioritize workplace diversity and inclusion.
References
Alozie, O. E. (2020). Diversity versus multiculturalism advantages and disadvantages of workplace diversity. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications 10 (1), 135-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.10.01.2020.p9720
Cletus, H. E., Mahmood, N. A., Umar, A., & Ibrahim, A. D. (2018). Prospects and challenges of workplace diversity in modern day organizations: A critical review. HOLISTICA–Journal of Business and Public Administration , 9 (2), 35-52. 10. 2478/hjbpa-2018-0011
Ferdinand, D., Daene, U., & Yolin, Y. (2017). Dimensions of diversity models: A critical perspective. American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research , 5 (2). http://onlinejournal.org.uk/index.php/ajmur/article/view/107/128
Grissom, A. R. (2018). The alert collector: Workplace diversity and inclusion. Reference & User Services Quarterly , 57 (4), 243-247. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.57.4.6700
Sherbin, L., & Rashid, R. (2017). Diversity doesn’t stick without inclusion. Harvard Business Review , 1 .
