Response 1
The post clearly highlights the positives and negatives associated with diversity in the workplace. It is particularly interesting when the author develops a history of diversity by borrowing from Bible scripture. Additionally, the literature sourced by the author addresses the diversity issue and it indicates some depth and a good grasp of the subject matter. However, it could have been beneficial if the author elaborated more on the benefits associated with diversity at the workplace.
For instance, research has identified that in the globalized world organizations can only maintain their competitive advantage by promoting a diverse workforce. In addition to what the author has mentioned, a properly managed diverse workforce could lead to higher productivity and increased competitive advantage. The management changes that come with nurturing an environment that supports diversity would have the positive effect of improving a company’s approaches to certain business processes, and this may also be felt in better customer service and overall work performance (Green et al., 2015). The diverse workforce increases competitiveness by bringing in a new energy of creativity and flexibility. Additionally, by having a diverse workforce, a company mirrors society, and this provides them with an opportunity to design a product that has input from a larger and different group of people.
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The contemporary society is increasingly a multicultural one. It has become a melting pot and businesses must appreciate this fact and act accordingly by allocating adequate resources for the management and championing of diversity. The author has ably described the various challenges that come from managing a diverse workforce. One significant problem with diversity is that companies can no longer view it as a legal issue since it is now multifaceted. It is socially responsible, it helps turn tax-users into taxpayers, among other things (Bedi, lakra & Gupta, 2014). Companies must build on diversity and view it as part of their new reality if they are to survive in the present-day market. Organizations must create policies that acknowledge the differences in people and see these differences as a valuable addition to the company. It is also prudent to differentiate between affirmative action efforts and diversity if a company is to reap from the benefits of having a diverse workforce.
Response 2
“Just like no two stars are alike no two humans are alike” exemplifies the whole discussion on diversity. It is safe to assert that in all our dealings there is a form of managing diversity, be it dealing with the supermarket attendants, schoolteachers, school parents, government officials, or even police. Therefore, as people grow up, they are exposed to some form of training in dealing with people from different backgrounds. Consequently, it should not be so difficult to apply the lessons learned to the workplace. Although as evidence suggests, it is challenging to deal with a diverse workforce.
As people grow up, the training they receive from interactions with different people helps them to be open-minded and sensitive to cultural variations. As the author describes it, in a melting pot such as Houston, developing an awareness of cultural differences should be easy. However, this is easier said than done. Milano (2012) observes that there are certain cultural nuances that are just too difficult to ignore even in an open-minded organization. For instance, individuals who come from other countries to the United States to work might find it appalling that Americans have the tendency to be in a rush and always view time as money. Some nationalities prefer knowing someone first before they are comfortable working with them. Therefore, it indicates that no matter the level of training acquired through one’s lifetime there are certain cultural differences that may prove too difficult for others. Consequently, managing diversity should be a continuous process as some peculiarities are personal and require increased sensitivity and open-mindedness. The above suggestion is not in an effort to disregard the author’s proposal but rather to supplement it. As Shaban (2016) puts it, the idea is to create a work environment that is positive, and this is usually a process. Today’s business environments require increased teamwork and cross-cultural collaboration, and this could only be achieved by promoting the idea of workers viewing differences as assets instead of liabilities. It takes work, but it would be worth it in the end.
References
Bedi, P., lakra, P., & Gupta, E. (2014). Workforce diversity management: Biggest challenge or opportunity for 21 st century organizations. IOSR Journal of Business and Management , 16 (4), 102-107. doi: 10.9790/487x-1643102107.
Green, K., López, M., Wysocki, A., Kepner, K., Farnsworth, D., & Clark, J. (2015). Diversity in the workplace: Benefits, challenges, and the required managerial tools [eBook] (pp. 1-3). Florida: The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HR/HR02200.pdf.
Milano, C. (2012). Managing the diverse workforce. Retrieved from https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/managing-the-diverse-workforce.
Shaban, A. (2016). Managing and leading a diverse workforce: One of the main challenges in management. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences , 230 , 76-84. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.09.010.
