The document discusses the concept of diversity in the workplace, defining its various dimensions such as gender, race, culture, and more. It highlights the challenges and benefits of workplace diversity, emphasizing the importance of recognizing, valuing, and leveraging the unique contributions of individuals. Additionally, it explores cultural differences and how they impact interactions and perceptions within diverse workplace environments.

1. Diversity In The Workplace

2. Diversity Defined
•The fact or quality of being diverse; difference.
•A point or respect in which things differ.
•Variety or multiformity: “Charles Darwin saw in the
diversity of species the principles of evolution that
operated to generate the species: variation,
competition and selection” (Scientific American).

3. DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY

4. Types of Diversity
• Gender
• Age
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Culture
• Religion
• Language/Accent
• Disability
• Height/Weight
• Sexual Orientation
• Education
• Job Title
• Job Function
• Job Skills
• Union/Non-Union
• Part-Time/Full-Time
• Marital Status
• Political affiliation

5. The Village Earth
• "If we could shrink the earth's
population to a village of precisely
100 people, with all the existing
human ratios remaining the same,
it would look something like the
following. There would be:

6. The Village Earth
• 57 Asians
21 Europeans; 14 from the Western
Hemisphere, both north and south
8 Africans
• 52 would be female
48 would be male
• 70 would be non-white
30 would be white
• 70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
• 89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual

7. The Village Earth
• 6 people would possess 59% of the
entire world's wealth and all 6 would be
from the United States
• 80 would live in substandard housing
• 70 would be unable to read
• 50 would suffer from malnutrition
• 1 would be near death; 1 would be near
birth
• 1 (yes, only 1) would have a college
education
• 1 would own a computer

8. Diversity Consciousness Defined
Recognizing, appreciating, valuing,
and utilizing the unique talents
and contributions of all individuals

9. MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

10. The Challenge of Workplace Diversity?
• Continuous improvement of the integration and
social acceptance of people from different
backgrounds.
• Our differing human characteristics influence
the way we think, act, interact, and make
choices.
• Often, these differences interfere with our ability
to support, trust, and respect each other, and thus
to effectively function together.

11. Areas of Workplace Diversity
• Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
– The active recruitment of women, minorities,
and other protected groups.
– The goal is to meet certain legal imperatives.
• EEOC
• Department of Justice
• Civil Rights

12. Areas of Workplace Diversity
• Managing Diversity
– The organization is diverse by default, and now
it must deal with it.
– The goal is to fix, cover-up, and/or defer the
problem with a minimum of hassle.
– The effort is top management-driven, thus
forced throughout the organization.
– The concern is more for a change in behavior
than attitudes.

13. Areas of Workplace Diversity
• Valuing Diversity
– The organization sees direct benefits from
incorporating diverse people and perspectives.
– INCLUSION: The goal is to change and/or
create a organizational culture that recognizes,
respects and encourages individual differences.

14. Diversity Bias
• Assumptions of Superiority
– I’m better than you.
• Assumptions of Correctness
– This is the way it should be
• Assumptions of Universality
– We’re all the same. Everybody is just like me.

15. Thoughts on Culture
• Everyone creates culture—every person, group, family,
organization.
• Culture is what everyone knows that everyone else knows. It is
a way of understanding and living in the world.
• Cultures are defined by their differences from other cultures.
The greater the difference, the more defined the culture.
• People from different cultures experience different realities.
• Most cultures accept differences in power and status, and
consider it normal.
• Most cultures value conformity, reward compliance, and punish
descent.

16. The White American Corporate Mind
As Driven By The Major American Culture
• Thinks in black &
white
• Loves individuality
and self-reliance
• Likes informality
• Can only speak
English
• Very direct. “Get to
the point.”
• Demand honesty at
the bargaining table
• Hates silence
• Persistence. “Don’t take
no for an answer.”
• One thing at a time,
sequentially
• “A deal is a deal, no
matter what.”
• “My mind is fixed.”
• Magic Words: Freedom,
democracy, America,
competition

17. Culture Comparisons
What words describe your culture versus another
• Most prominent personality characteristic.
• Most positive characteristic and/or
contribution.
• Worse characteristic and/or contribution.
• Characteristics as co-workers.
• What would you like to better know about
them.