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Equality and Workplace Diversity - Coggle Diagram
Equality and Workplace Diversity
Workplace diversity both influences and is influenced by the management functions of POLC.Organisations that embrace and effectively manage workforce diversity ensure that when evaluating the performance of employees
Terms used to describe differences among individuals
Age, race, ethnicity, gender, physical characteristics (height, weight, etc.), mental and physical ability,
personality, sexual orientation etc.
in addition to the above differences, workforce diversity also encompasses differences among workers in: Religious beliefs, educational attainment, experience, family status, parental status, pregnancy etc
Workplace Diversity is a reality of modern organisations, especially in Australia.
Managing diversity within organisations is important due to the following reasons:
It falls within one of 4 core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) – Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Globalisation has and will continue to increase the need for businesses to understand consumers across the world
It is more than managing cultural diversity, it is a necessary precondition for continuous innovation
Changing composition of the labour market – it is about attracting the right kind of talent, irrespective of their personal characteristics, and retaining such talent
It is not merely about meeting ‘legal’ or ‘moral’ obligations, it is about embedding the process in business strategy development
Social Identity Theory and Diversity
Social Identity Theory stipulates that individuals validate their social identity by favouring their ‘in-group’ at the expense of ‘out-groups.’
A shared social identity increases perceived differences between individuals belonging to different social categories
Diversity initiatives in organisations present social dilemmas at three levels.
organisational,
First is the dilemma of organisational participation: Though it is in the interest of society - for both moral and practical reasons - that all organizations support diversity, it may be in the interest of any particular organization that other organizations assume this responsibility
individual
Second is the dilemma of individual participation: Though it is in the interests of all members of an organization that everyone further the organization's pursuit of diversity, it may be in the interests of particular individuals to further only their own goals
managerial
Finally, there is the dilemma of managerial participation: Though it is in the interest of the organization that all managers have diverse work groups, it may be in the interest of any particular manager that other managers assume this responsibility
social
Solutions for Social Dilemmas
The management problem – overcoming individual and 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 wok environment that encourages and facilitates communication 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 Glass Ceiling and Diversity
Glass Ceiling is 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 women in Australia.
In the public service, 40% of all senior executive positions are filled by women.
Eastern European and Scandinavian nations lead the way in abolishing the glass ceiling.
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 mean that goes beyond ‘one week.’
Introducing gender quotas for company boards.
Realising that a more representative blend of women and men in senior roles makes good business sense.