2. Understanding Diversity In The
Workplace
• Our purpose here is to give each of you new insights
into what happens when an “outsider” or different
kind of person joins a work group and how we can
include their diversity in our common goals.
• Everyone here is a resource and can contribute ideas
about being more effective even when you are
different from your workmates.
• You should walk away from this training with a new
understanding of what can happen every day, with new
ideas for being effective, and with a new support
system of people who face similar issues
3. Workforce Kaleidoscope
“Diversity is the key to
constant change and
advancement in our
society” and
understanding
diversity begins with
the recognition that
“out of many, we are
one”.
4. Workforce Kaleidoscope…
• Remember the Kaleidoscope that you might have
played with as a child? From the outside it was
just a tube but when you peered inside you
noticed that a new and beautiful world could be
created with a mere twist or or turn.
• This is somewhat similar to the world we live in
and the places that we work. When you look at
your coworkers and and customers, you will see
such diverse characteristics as race, gender, age,
or even disability.
5. THE WHOLE WORLD AS 100 PEOPLE
Shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing
human Ratios remaining the same, it would look like this: There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere (north and south)
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non white,30 white
70 would be non Christian 30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual, 11 homosexual
59% of the entire world's wealth would be in the hands of only 6 people and all 6 would be
citizens of the United State
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
Only 1 would have a college education
1 would own a computer
6. What Is Diversity?
di·ver·si·ty - the state or fact of being diverse;
difference;unlikeness: diversity of opinion.
The term "diversity" is used broadly to refer to
manydemographic variables, including, but not limited to,
race,religion, color, gender, national origin, disability,
sexualorientation, age, education, geographic origin, and
skillcharacteristics. America's diversity has given this
countryits unique strength, resilience and richness.Question:
Name other differences that apply to our Workplace:(Possible
answers - exempt v. non-exempt, etc...)
7. What Is Workplace Diversity?
• Workplace diversity refers to the variety of
differences between people in an
organization. That sounds simple, but it
encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age,
personality, cognitive style, tenure, function,
education, background and more.
8. What Is Diversity?
• Diversity is the many types of differences we recognize in ourselves and in others.
• Society Differences:
• Age
• Gender Type
• Culture
• Education
• Sexual Orientation
• Physical /Mental Abilities
• Values
• Marital Status
• Religion
• Workplace Differences
• :Management vs. Non-Management
• “Techies” vs. “Non-Techies
• ”Doctors vs. Nurses vs. Staff
• Other Workplace Differences???Question: Name other differences that apply to
our Workplace:(Possible answers - exempt v. non-exempt, etc...)
9. Benefits Of Diversity
• Different perspectives, along with higher creativity will enhance company performance
• Provides opportunities to learn from and about others
• Strengthens our ability to compete in the increasingly “global market”
• Increases “innovation” and adds new and creative ideas to the process
• Provides different approaches of accomplishing tasks
• The Average Worker in 1970 was:
• Married
• 12 years of education (high school grad)
• Children
• Homemaker wife
• Worked only in the region where they lived
• The New Demographics of today’s Marketplace:
• Women account for approximately 1/2 the workforce
• Ethnic and racial groups have grown consistently and are expected to double in the next 55
years
• The average age of the workforce is increasing substantially
• The ADA has enabled people with disabilities with opportunities to join the mainstream
workforce
10. Top 10 Economic Facts Diversity in the
Workplace
• 1. A diverse workforce drives economic growth.
• 2. A diverse workforce can capture a greater
share of the consumer market.
• 3. Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates
means a more qualified workforce
• .4. A diverse and inclusive workforce helps
businesses avoid employee turnover costs.
• 5. Diversity fosters a more creative and innovative
workforce.
11. Top 10 Economic Facts Diversity in the
Workplace
• 6. Businesses need to adapt to our changing
nation to be competitive in the economic market.
• 7. Diversity is a key aspect of entrepreneurialism.
• 8. Diversity in business ownership, particularly
among women of color, is key to moving our
economy forward.
• 9. Diversity in the workplace is necessary to
create a competitive economy in a globalized
world.
• 10. Diversity in the boardroom is needed to
leverage a company’s full potential.
12. Valuing Diversity Requires….
•Increasing one’s “personal
awareness”
•Learning to avoid stereotypes
•Recognizing the worth and dignity
of others
•Treating people with RESPECT
13. How Culture Affects the Way We
Treat Others
• “Culture” is defined as “a way of life of a given society, passed
down from one generation to the next through learning
experiences.
• “It is the way WE do things here!”
• Involves beliefs and values as well as assumptions and
perceptions.
• Belief Systems are powerful forces which act as sort of a
“lens” that we see the world through. People’s belief systems,
without their realizing it, are shaped by their upbringing, past
experiences and surrounding culture.
• The more people know about their own culture, the better
they can address the issues that they may have with the
cultures of others.
14. Stereotypes Imply that everyone in
the category is the same
• Often imply undesirable or insulting characteristics
• Ignore individual experience and expectations
• Make assumptions about individuals and their experiences
without any direct knowledge of that person - just their
type
• Rarely come from the perspective of inside the group - thus
outsiders often miss much of the important information
• DON’T ASSUME...People are members of a culture only to
the extent that their personal experience has come from
the community. There is no way to know what a person’s
culture is until you know them and ask them about their
individual history.
15. Confronting Your Biases
• First, take an honest evaluation of your attitudes
and biases
• Be open to changeLearn to treat each person
with respect and equality
• Learn to integrate people and put aside
differences
• Recognize and acknowledge the needs as well as
the contributions of all people
• Work together towards common goals
