{Importance of

Diversity}

By;

Student: Deandre Payne

Course: Management 110
Teacher: Mrs. McKay
 INTRODUCTION
Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and
people from one another. It is about empowering people by respecting and
appreciating what makes them different in terms of age, gender, ethnicity,
religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and natural origin.
Diversity allows for the exploration of these differences in a safe positive
and nurturing environment. It means understanding one another by
surpassing simple tolerance to ensure people truly value their differences,
This allows us both to embrace and also to celebrate the rich dimensions
of diversity contained with each individual, and place positive value on
diversity in the community and in the workforce. Workplace diversity
means respecting and valuing the skills and differences that each staff
member brings into the workspace. A diverse workplace is an inclusive
environment that provides equal rights and opportunities for all workers,
regardless of gender, color, age, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual
orientation, and religious beliefs.
Diversity in the workforce
Having a diverse and multicultural workplace brings several advantages.
Since today’s world is increasingly more globalized and interconnected,
workplaces should take advantage of the diverse range of skills individuals
from different backgrounds and languages can bring. The top five benefits
of workplace diversity include:
Increased Productivity- A diverse workplace allows for more ideas and
processes. This diversity of talent means a broader range of skills among
employees, as well as a diversity of experiences and perspectives which
increase the potential for increased productivity.
Increased creativity: As various cultures and backgrounds work together
the opportunity for increased creativity exists. This is because there are
more people with differing perspectives and solutions to problems,
allowing for a greater chance of a workable solution to a workplace
problem.
Improved culture awareness: A diverse range of cultures within the
workplace allows companies to deal with the different nuances within a
global market. If a company does business with China for example having
an employee who can speak mandarin is an asset and can lead to improved
workplace relations.
A positive reputation: Companies that have a diverse workplace are often
perceived as letter employers. Potential employees want an employer who
accepts and is tolerant of all backgrounds and who treats their employees
fairly.

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 Increase in marketing opportunities: If potential employees or
customers see that a company represents a diverse workplace, it makes
them feel like they can relate to the company more.
Using advertising that depicts mature aged, differently-abled, ethnically
diverse people encourages applicants to apply, promotes a positive
reputation, increases marketplace awareness, and generates a more diverse
client base. Achieving workplace diversity means you are bringing out the
very best of your employees, and allowing them to reach their full
potential. By doing so. Your workplace benefits as it encourages a more
varied and innovative talented pool.
The Target Corporation is an American mass-market retail company
operating large-scale food and general-merchandise discount stores in all
50 U.S. states and the district of Columbia. Their motto is to expect more
pay less. It is one of the largest discount retailers in the United States, and
its red bulls-eye logo is familiar throughout the country. On May 1st, 1962,
the first target store was opened. By 1975 Target had become Dayton-
Hudson’s leading revenue producer, and by 1979 Target’s annual sales
had reached 1 billion. The first target great land store which offered a
wider selection of merchandise than a standard target store opened in
1990. Five years later in Nebraska, the company opened its first Super
Target store which included a full-service grocery, a photography studio, a
pharmacy, and restaurants. By the end of the 20th century, Target had
distinguished itself from competitors by offering upscale stylish products
at affordable prices. On January, 13th 2011, Target announced its
expansion into Canada, when it purchased the leaseholds for up to 220
stores of the Canadian scale chain sellers, owned by the Hudson’s Bay
Company. The deal was announced to have been made for 1.8 billion
dollars. The company stated that they aimed to provide Canada with a true
target-brand experience, hinting that its product selection in Canada would
vary little from that found in United States stores. In 2012 Target opened
its first City Target, which catered to urban customers in stores two thirds
smaller than its typical locations. Target opened its first Canadian stores in
March 2013 and at its peak, Target Canada had 133 stores. However, the
expansion into Canada was beset with problems, including supply chain
issues that resulted in stores with aisles of empty shelves and higher than
expected retail prices. Target Canada racked up losses of 2.1 billion in its
short life. The stores’ expansion was characterized by the Canadian and
US media as a spectacular failure, an unmitigated disaster. On January,
22nd 2014, target informed workers that it is terminating 475 positions at
its offices globally. On March 5th, 2014 Target Corporations Chief
Information officer resigned having been in the role since 2008, this was

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 due to the company’s overhaul of its information security systems. On
January 15th, 2015 Target announced that all 133 of its Canadian outlets
would be closed and liquidated by the end of 2015. The last Target Canada
stores closed on April 12th, 2015 far ahead of the initial schedule.

FINDINGS

 Target has opened many stores in different areas of the U.S and Canada

 Target announced that it is on track to increase black representation by 20%

across the company by 2023.

 Racial/Ethnic diversity has remained steady at the company compared with

2019 data, the target 2020 workforce diversity report indicated.

 Now 50% of employees and 25% of the leadership team are people of color.

 On the gender side, 58% of employees and 50% of the leadership team are

women.

 Target also said it is upholding ‘’industry-leading representation’’ on its board

of directors, as a third of members are women and almost half are Latino or

Black

 Target has a longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 Nearly (42%) of Target’s Leadership team is comprised of women and nearly

a quarter (24%) are people of color.

 Target has conducted anti-racist pieces of training for leaders and team

members to educate workers.

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 RECOMMENDATIONS

Although target has proven to be a fair and diverse establishment, there

are some things that they should try that could bring employees and
employers together to improve the diversity in the workplace. Some
recommendations would be:
 Leverage diverse job boards
Post openings on job boards that specialize in diversity around
different locations. Examples of these include diversity working,
one of the largest online diversity job boards. Recruiting disability,
which helps locate potential employees with disabilities.
 Highlight diversity on the career page on your website
Be sure your company’s diversity statement and any current
initiatives are obvious on your career page and reference it in every
job description that is being offered.
 Provide targeted internships and scholarships
Provide high-value internships and scholarships to employees from
underrepresented groups that will help them advance more quickly
in key roles within the organization.
 Offer diverse mentorship
Mentorship programs help ensure everyone has the opportunity to
advance and also create closer employee relationships.
Establishing an inclusive mentorship program can help foster
diversity.
 Conduct diversity training
It is likely the executive team and other leaders will reassure
diversity training. They can take this new awareness to launch
meaningful cultural, and sensitivity training throughout the
organization.
 Create an inclusion council
Recruit a council of about eight to twelve top leaders who are
committed to inclusion.
 Reward diverse referrals
Ask employees to refer job candidates they know from under-
represented groups in your company and offer rewards or bonuses
for recommending diverse candidates who join the company.
 Celebrate employee differences
Invite employees to share their backgrounds and traditions in the
workplace, including religious and cultural practices.

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  Unconscious bias training for recruiters- For even the most
experienced recruiters, being unbiased is one of the biggest
challenges in hiring. Recruiters hiring managers, and others who
participate in the hiring process should be aware of potential
biases. Train HR staff to recognize and avoid bias in the
recruitment and hiring process, which may require outside
consultants.
 Incorporate diversity into company policies and practices- Develop
or amend workplace policies to be more inclusive and diversity-
friendly, from hiring practices to performance reviews, and
benefits.
 Strengthen anti-discriminatory policies- Conduct a thorough
review of existing policies and report the results to top leadership
and or the inclusion council.

CONCLUSION

IN CONCLUSION, THE TARGET CORPORATION HAS

COMPLETED ITS ROLE IN PROVIDING A SAFE AND DIVERSE
WORKPLACE FOR ITS EMPLOYEES. TARGET HAS HELPED TO
EMPLOY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, AND THEY HAVE HELPED
THEM TO GROW AS THEIR TIME IN THE ESTABLISHMENT GOES
ON. TARGET JUST LIKE OTHER COMPANIES ARE STILL
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS AS ANOTHER YEAR INTO THE
BUSINESS COMES AROUND. IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT TARGET
IS AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT CARES FOR ITS EMPLOYEES AS
WELL AS ITS CUSTOMERS. THEY HAVE BEEN IMPROVING AND
EVOLVING WITH EACH DAY THAT GOES BY. THIS PROJECT
WAS RELATIVELY EASY TO COMPLETE BECAUSE OF THE
HELPFUL AND POSITIVE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED.