This document provides an overview of managing diversity in the workplace. It defines diversity and discusses how the US workforce is changing in terms of gender, age, and racial/ethnic diversity. It also covers challenges like prejudice, discrimination, stereotypes, sexism, and ageism. The document outlines laws protecting employees, including those with disabilities, and the benefits of diversity for supervisors and organizations. It emphasizes the importance of communication, training, and creating an inclusive culture.

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Chapter 5
Managing Diversity
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Learning Objectives, 1
• Define diversity
• Discuss how the United States workforce is changing and its
impact on the supervisor
• Differentiate among prejudice, discrimination, and
stereotypes in the workplace
• Explain how sexism and ageism are barriers to diversity and
how supervisors can be more aware of them

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Learning Objectives, 2
• Discuss how and why employers must accommodate
employees’ disabilities
• Describe some ways to communicate more effectively in the
diverse workplace
• Describe the goals of diversity training
• List the most important recent legislation affecting diversity
and its provisions

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Diversity
Characteristics of individuals that shape their identities and the
experiences they have in society
Divided into the following groups:
• Primary diversity: Includes age, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities
or characteristics, race, and sexual orientation
• Secondary diversity: Includes education, employment history, family
background, income, geographic location, marital status, military
experience, and religion

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Figure 5.1: Dimensions of Diversity
Jump to Figure 5.1: Dimensions of Diversity, Appendix

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A Look at Our Diversity, 1
Participation of women in the workforce has now risen to above
50 percent
• A recent survey found that women held half of all management,
professional, and related occupations
• Mothers of young children have entered the workforce as a
permanent contingent
Workforce is expected to continue to age as older workers are
postponing retirement
Proportions of African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics in the
United States workforce are gradually rising

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Figure 5.2: Changing Racial or Ethnic Makeup of the
American Workforce, 1990 to 2020
*Percentages do not total 100% because racial groups and Hispanic origin are measured separately.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment Outlook: 2010–20,” news release, February 21, 2012,
http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/01/art3full.pdf, accessed March 20, 2014.
Jump to Figure 5.2: Changing
Racial or Ethnic Makeup of the
American Workforce, 1990 to
2020, Appendix

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A Look at Our Diversity, 2
• Supervisors deal with older workers, telecommuters, flextime
scheduling, ethnic holidays, and other reflections of diversity
that affect day-to-day operations in the workplace
• Advances in technology are enabling employees to customize
their use of computers and telecommunications
• Diversity is influenced by local and international changes

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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
Awareness of diversity changes the way firms select, train, and
motivate employees
• Can affect a firm’s corporate culture

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Prejudice and Discrimination
Prejudice: Preconceived judgment about an individual or a group
of people
Discrimination: Unfair or inequitable treatment based on
prejudice
Workplaces tainted by prejudice and discrimination discourage
and divide employees
• Unfair treatment of employees results in negative outcomes
• Lowers morale and trust
• Can hurt productivity
• Supervisors have a responsibility to help guard against
discrimination

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Stereotypes
Generalized, fixed images of others
Usually based on false or incomplete information
• Often unintended
• People assume that those in a different group are more alike than
they really are
Supervisors must guard against classifying members of a culture
unfairly based on general assumptions
• Should be aware that stereotypes are outdated and that they can
lead to offensive behavior patterns

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Sexism
Discrimination based on gender stereotypes
• Examples
• 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
• Sexual harassment: Unwanted sexual attentions, including
language, behavior, or the display of images
• Illegal in nature
• Supervisors are advised to adopt a policy of zero tolerance

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Ageism
Discrimination based on age
Some people assume that older workers perform less effectively
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 1967, makes it illegal
to fail to hire, or to fire, on the basis of age
• Experts suggest that supervisors should beware of making decisions
based on assumptions about age unless it represents a bona fide
occupational qualification
• Bona fide occupational qualification, or B F O Q: Objective
characteristic required for an individual to perform a job properly

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Reasons to Hire Older Workers
Older workers are:
• Experienced and require less training
• Confident
• Reliable
• Loyal
• Skilled critical thinkers
• Good mentors

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Percentage of People over Age 65
in the United States, 2000 and 2030
Number of
Americans over
65 in 2000
Number of
Americans over
65 in 2030
Percentage of
total population
in 2000
Percentage of
total population
in 2030
35 million 72.7 million 12 20

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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
The Americans with Disabilities Act, or A D A, mandates the
elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities
• Employers are not allowed to deny employment to a disabled
applicant who is an otherwise qualified individual
Employers must provide reasonable provisions for disabled
individuals
• Supervisors should comply with the A D A and convey to employees
that it is inappropriate to discriminate against persons with
disabilities

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Figure 5.6: Sources of Diversity in the
Workplace
Jump to Figure 5.6: Sources of Diversity in the Workplace, Appendix

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Advantages of Diversity for Supervisors
• Opportunity to learn from the varied perspectives of others
• 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
• More resilient workforce
• Greater innovation
• Reduced turnover
• Enhanced performance leading to greater market share

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Communication in the Workplace
In many contexts, nonverbal communication is just as powerful
as the actual words we say
Body language differs from one culture to another
Supervisors should try not to rely on generalizations about
culture
• Should choose words with extra care, particularly when giving
directions
• Should think before communicating and check for understanding
Explanation of terms should be a standard part of orientation
and training

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Diversity Training
Formal diversity training is needed to raise employee awareness
of multiculturalism and to reduce prejudice and stereotypes
Appropriate controls and guidelines should accompany the
training administered by professional trainers
Diversity contributes to the company’s goals when:
• It is embraced by top management and built into policies and
procedures that are fairly enforced
• The goals of diversity training are continually reinforced within the
corporate culture

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Table 5.1: Some Important Equal
Employment Opportunity Legislation, 1
Legislation Result
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights
Act, as amended
Created the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission; bars discrimination based on race, color,
religion, sex, or national origin
Equal Pay Act of 1963 Requires equal pay for men and women performing
similar work
Age Discrimination in Employment
Act of 1967
Bars discrimination against those 40 years old and
older because of age
Vocational Rehabilitation Act of
1973
For jobs connected with the federal government,
requires affirmative action to employ qualified
handicapped persons and prohibits discrimination
against them

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Table 5.1: Some Important Equal
Employment Opportunity Legislation, 2
Legislation Result
Pregnancy Discrimination Act of
1978
Bars discrimination in employment against women
based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions
Vietnam Era Veterans’
Readjustment Assistance Act of
1974
Mandates affirmative action in employment for
veterans of the Vietnam War era
Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990
Prohibits discrimination against disabled employees in
the private sector and encourages reasonable
accommodations for them
Civil Rights Act of 1991 Places the burden of proof on the employer and
allows for compensatory and punitive damages in
discrimination cases

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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
or the E E O C
Instituted by Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
Acts as the federal government’s major means of enforcing equal
employment opportunity law
Has the power to:
• Investigate complaints
• Use conciliation to eliminate discrimination when found
• File discrimination charges on behalf of an individual if needed