Managing Diversity in the Workplace

1. EDUC9604
Managing Diversity
Rusli
Student ID: 2140305

2. Outline
Introduction
Definition of diversity
The importance of managing diversity in the workplace
Benefits and challenges of diversity
Strategies for managing diversity
Conclusion
References

3. Introduction
An increasingly globalised world, along with
technological advancement and easiness to access
information lead to more interaction among people
from various background (Green et al., 2015).

4. Definition of diversity
Diversity can be defined as a number of important
characteristics of human influencing on the values,
opportunities, and perceptions of individuals on themselves and
others (Hartini, 2012)
Esty, Griffin, and Hirsch (1995) defines that diversity is to
understand, admit, and value differences between individuals
with regard to primary and secondary characteristics such as
age, ethnicity, gender, working experience, education, etc.
In my organisational context, diversity could be defined as
diverse working environment including gender, generational,
and cultural backgrounds of all employees. Diversity in work
environment impacts on how people interact within the
organisation

5. The importance of managing
diversity in the workplace
There are some reasons why managing diversity in the
workplace is really essential.
 Directly effect on organisational performance (Aoun and
Gibeily, 2012).
 Improving people management and organisational
performance (Robbin and Coulter, 2012)
 Generating more creative ideas and solutions (Thomas &
Ely, 1996)
 Costs savings and improving organisational functions
(Robbin & Coulter, 2012)

6. Benefits and challenges of diversity
in the work environment
Benefits
 Increasing work productivity and a key components
of achieving organisational successful (Green et al.,
2015)
 Reducing lawsuits, increasing marketing chances,
creativity, and organisations’ image (Esty et al. ,1995)
 Increase customer and employee relation as well as
market share (Cox & Blake, 1991; Fernandez, 1991).

7. Benefits and challenges of diversity
in the work environment
Challenges:
 Green et al. (2015) report that managing diversity is more
than recognising differences among individuals. It
includes acknowledging value of differences, preventing
discrimination, and fostering inclusiveness.
 Leaders of HR may also be confronted with losses in terms
of personnel and productivity of work because of
prejudgment and discrimination also protests and legal
movements against the organisation (Devoe, 1999).

8. Strategies for the leaders in
managing diversity in the workplace
Managing diversity in the workplace effectively requires
more than just an understanding of and compliance with
the laws relating to issues of diversity. Leaders of HR in
diverse workplace are required to have certain skills
that are very essential for creating organisational
successful.

9. Strategies for the leaders in
managing diversity in the workplace
Adler (1980) emphasises that cultural synergy can be
used as an approach to managing diversity involving a
process in which managers build organisational policies,
strategies, structures and practices that give flexibility
to the unique characteristics of each individual in the
organisation.

10. Strategies for the leaders in
managing diversity in the workplace
Aoun and Gibeily (2012) suggest that leaders and managers
can take some actions to improve and manage diversity in the
workplace by emphasising on as follows.
 Gaining people commitment
“The more committed people are, the more their
performance” (Aoun and Gibleily, 2012, p. 7).
 Promoting inclusion
Promoting inclusion in terms of belonging is essential to
create and build mutual understanding and respect between
staffs within the organisation

11. Strategies for the leaders in
managing diversity in the workplace
Another vital program when dealing with managing
diversity in the workplace is mentoring ( Robbin and
Coulter, 2012)

12. Strategies for the leaders in
managing diversity in the workplace
In relation to my organisational context, principal who
acts as ‘school manager’ in managing diversity in the
school is by imposing polices and ethical codes to
prevent discrimination actions within the school.

13. Conclusion
Diversity is basically not about dissimilarities between people
or groups, but it is about dissimilarities between individuals.
Each individual has its own uniqueness and it does not belong
to the particular group (Green et al., 2015).
Acknowledging, valuing, respecting, and understanding
individual differences, the organisation will gain benefit from
them. And of course, those things will build and create safe
work environment. Leaders and managers should use
management tools including imposing policies and laws in
the diverse work environment to accommodate, facilitate,
and educate every individual in the organisation about the
importance of understanding diverse work environment and
its challenges.

14. References
Adler, N. J. (1980). Cultural Synergy: The Management of Cross Cultural
Organizations, in W.W. Burke and L.D. Goodstein, eds., Trends and Issues in
OD: Current Theory and Practice (pp. 163-184). San Diego, CA: University
Associates.
Aoun, G., & Gibeily, T. (2012). Managing Diversity in the Workplace.
Cox, T. H., & Blake, S. (1991). Managing cultural diversity: Implications for
organizational competitiveness. The Executive, 45-56.
Devoe, D. (1999). Managing a diverse workforce. San Mateo, CA: Info World
Media Group
Esty, K. C., Griffin, R., & Hirsch, M. S. (1995). Workplace diversity: Adams
Media.
Fernandez, J. P. (1991). Managing a Diverse Workforce: Regaining the
Competitive Edge: Wiley.

15. References
Flagg, A. (2002). Managing diverse workgroups successfully. United
Behavioral Health.
Green, K., López, M., Wysocki, A., Kepner, K., Farnsworth, D., & Clark, J. L.
(2015). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required
Managerial Tools. Florida: University of Florida.
Hartini, T. (2012). Mengelola Keragaman Sumberdaya Manusia: Suatu Upaya
Mengoptimalkan Kinerja Organisasi [Managing Diversity of Human
Resources: An Effort of Optimising Organisation's Performance]. Scientific
Journal of STIE MDP, 1(2), 84-92.
Koonce, R. (2001). Redefining diversity: It’s not just the right thing to do; it
also makes good business sense. Training and Development (December).

16. References
Loysk, B. (1996). Managing a changing workforce: Achieving outstanding
service with today’s employees. Davie, FL: Workplace Trends Publishing.
Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. (2011). Human resource management: Essential
perspectives: Cengage Learning.
Paludi, M. A. (2012). Managing Diversity in Today's Workplace: Strategies for
Employees and Employers [4 volumes]: Strategies for Employees and
Employers: ABC-CLIO.
Robbin, & Coulter. (2012). Management (11 ed.). Upper saddle River, New
Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Roosevelt, T. R. J. (2001). Elements of a successful diversity process. The
American Institute for Managing Diversity.
Thomas, D. A., & Ely, R. J. (1996). Making differences matter: A new
paradigm for managing diversity. Harvard business review, 74(5), 79.