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Diversity (Social dilemmas of workplace diversity (• Individual…
Diversity
Social dilemmas of workplace diversity
• Individual participation
• The success of organisational diversity initiatives is dependant upon the degree to which employees embrace/resist them
• Formation of subgroups along social categories may result in restricting the movement of information
• Due to exclusion, employees may form further informal subgroups resulting in subgroup competition
• Managerial participation
• A consequence of the dilemma of individual participation
• Managers likely to recruit individuals they perceive to be similar to them (eg, their social category)
• Individuals may also seek out managers that are similar to them
• Those that do not fit in often leave, resulting in a homogenous workforce (all similar- excluding)
• Can result in power battles
• Organisational participation
• Dependant upon how well the social dilemmas relating to individual/managerial participation are addressed
• Incorrect perceptions in relation to the relationship between homogenous workers and employee turnover
• Belief that diversity initiatives benefit society not organisations implementing them, organisations bear the costs and accrue little benefits
• Focus on short term costs and not long term benefits
• Creates barriers for selecting highly talented candidates due to ill informed/short sighted views
Is it necessary to manage diversity?
• Australian population
• 28% born overseas, third highest in the world
• Overseas born contributes to over 50% of population growth (300+ languages)
• Those born in Europe are declining while those born in Asia/Africa are increasing
• Overseas-born from Asia/Africa have proportionally larger young (0-14y) and working ages (15-64y) populations compared to those from Europe
• Indigenous Australians comprise of approx 2.4% of the population
• Over the next 50y, approx 1/4 Australians will be 65 years or older
• Increasing labour force participation of women
• Increasing in dual-earner households with dependant children, single-parent households, and the "sandwich generation"
• Embracing the LGBT community
• One of 4 core labor standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO) – Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
• Anti discrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action legislation in Australia
• Increase diversity due to globalisation
More than managing cultural diversity
Overcoming these social dilemmas
• The management problem; overcoming individual & managerial participation
• Aligning individual interest with organisational diversity initiatives by restructuring incentives
• Assisting individuals in realising that their self interest can be facilitated by embracing organisational diversity initiatives
• Developing measurable objectives for diversity
• Developing superordinate goals which can only be achieved through cooperation amongst diverse members
• Creating a work environment that encourages and facilitates communications between diverse employees
• Keeping work team/group sizes small
• Measuring managerial performance from a long term perspective
• Embedding the value of diversity to mission/vision statements
• The public policy problem; overcoming organisational participation
• Avoiding the creation legislation that results in protected classes of workers
• Instead developing legislation that requires firms to develop/implement diversity initiatives that result in sustainable success
• Not focusing on encouraging just diversity, but effective diversity
Educational curricula at primary/secondary level
What is diversity?
• A term used to describe differences among individuals
• Age, race, ethnicity, gender, physical characteristics ( height, weight ect), mental/physical ability, personality, sexual orientation ect…
• Workplace diversity therefore refers to differences among people at work
• In addition to this, workforce diversity also encompasses differences among workers in…
• Religious beliefs, educational attainment, experience, family status, parental status, pregnancy ect…
Overcoming the glass ceiling
• Changing societal norms around the role of women and eradicating gender bias
• Eliminating the stigmatisation of men who choose to stay home for family reasons
• Introduction of paid parental leave schemes, especially for men, that goes beyond 1 week
• Introducing gender quotas for company boards
Realising that a more representative blend of women & men in senior roles just makes good business sense
Social identity theory & diversity
• Stipulates that individuals validate their social identity by favouring their in group at the expense of out groups. Eg, same age/gender/personality ect.
• Individuals perceive that It is easier to communicate with other members of their in group as they are more predictable, trustworthy, and more likely to reciprocate favours
• A shared social identity increases perceived differences between individuals belonging to different social categories (eg, in and out groups)
• The success of organisational diversity initiates in dependant upon mitigating perceived differences
The glass ceiling
• A phenomenon that limits the advancement of women and other minority groups to senior managerial positions in organisations
• Only 25% of key management positions on company boards are held by woman in Australia
• However, in the pubic service 40% of all senior executive positions filed by women
Eastern European & Scandinavian nations lead the way in abolishing the glass ceiling