(www.tourism.org.
ph) statistics as of
Erickson V. Manalac
Crispina Raquel L. Marcelo - Instructor
INTRODUCTION
Multicultural Diversity in the Workplace
for the Tourism Industry
 The breadth and width of the tourism
industry and impact can be felt
significantly not only within tourism
but in many industries that support
tourism as well. It impacts providers
of products and services that are
needed by tourist, employees within
the workplace, and customers, all of
whom may come from various
locations, locally and internationally,
and with different backgrounds.
 The tourism industry contributes 7%
of the world’s total gross domestic
product or GDP. This translates to
approximately 1.7 trillion dollars that
fuels the world’s economy.
According to the World Tourism
Organization (WTO), by the year
2030, there will be at least 1.8 billion
tourists from the estimated
population of 8.5 billion, that is
approximately 21% of the population
traveling.
 In the Philippines, the industry
contributes 12% of the country’s
GDP, which translates to Php2.2
trillion that fuels the Philippine
economy based on 2018 statistics.
Total employment during this period
grew to 5.4 million jobs, and this is
only for those directly working in
tourism enterprises. The Philippine
Department of Tourism’ estimates a
steady growth in tourist arrivals as
well as tourism jobs from 5% to
7.5% annually for the next 10 years
or until 2028. (World Tourism
Organization (www.unwto.org)
statistics as of 2019) (Philippine
Tourism Satellite Accounts for 2018
compiled by the Philippine Statistics
Authority0 (Department of Tourism
2018
The Philippines is an archipelagic nation.
The Department of Environment and
Natural Resources in 2016 released new
information through the National Mapping
and Resource Information Authority that
there are now 7,641 identified islands in
the country, more than the 7,107 islands
that were previously known. Each of the
islands can have unique cultural practices
that are transmitted through the people and
work in various tourism enterprises in any of
the islands of the Philippines.
Many tourism-related establishments in the
Philippines employ a multiculturally diverse
local and international workforce due to its
intrinsic characteristics that requires
unique expertise at various levels and
functions.
Internationalization in the workplace is
created when specialty chefs are employed
by food service facilities such as hotels,
restaurants, and airline catering companies
to cook country-specific cuisine like Chinese
dishes. Some cuisines have also been
gaining popularity like Thai, Vietnamese,
Korean, Arabic, Greece, and Portuguese.
These expatriate chefs usually stay in the
country for at least two years and their
interaction with local chefs creates learning
opportunities for our local chefs to learn how
to make authentic or fusion cuisine. Many of
these chefs completely immerse themselves
in Filipino culture and end up staying longer
or even settling down here and marrying our
countrymen.
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT - an important
concept that is universally applied to the
workplace.
It also includes firstly people of all races
combining their effort to reach the corporate
goals of the firm. People can be then of
different gender, male and female, where
they contribute more than ever before to
their organization with and without role
differences. Next come the age factor. A
company is also like a family with people of
different ages. They work together and
collaborate to the wellbeing of their firm.
THE CONCEPT OF WORKPLACE
DIVERSITY
DIVERSITY - is generally defined as
acknowledging, understanding, accepting,
valuing, and celebrating differences among
people with respect to age, class, ethnicity,
gender, physical and mental ability, race,
sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and
public assistance status (Esty, et al, 1995)
The need for businesses to embrace
diversity
Diversity means empowering people. It
makes an organization by capitalizing on all
the strengths of each employee. Diversity is
also understanding, valuing, and using the
differences in every person.
Embracing diversity - is the first item for
building teams. Every team building theory
states that to build a great team, there must
be a diverse group of people on the team.
Internally - organization promote diversity
and manage increasingly heterogenous
workforce, accommodate and integrate
employees with different value and belief
systems and combat a range of different
forms of discrimination with both
organizational and societal consequences
(Groschl, 2011).
Externally- organizations have to manage
demands from government, consumer and
lobbying sources for the implementation of
anti-discrimination policies and laws, and for
attracting and integrating employees from
minority or historically advantaged groups
(Groschl, 2011). These demands and
activities affect the review and revision of
organizational culture, HR policies and
practices, and ethical standards.
Benefits of Workplace Diversity
 According to Greenberg (2008), an
organization’s success and
competitiveness depends upon its
ability to embrace diversity and
realism the benefits. When
organizations actively assess their
handling of workplace diversity
issues, develop and implement
diversity plans, multiple benefits are
reported such as:
 Increased adaptability
 Broader service range
 Variety of viewpoints
 More effective execution
 Attract and retain talent
Benefits of Workplace Diversity
Increased ability - employees from diverse
backgrounds bring individual talents and
experiences in suggesting ideas that are
flexible in adapting to fluctuations markets
and customer demands.
Broader service range - a diverse
collection of skills and experiences (e.g.
languages, cultural understanding) allows a
company to provide service to customers on
a global basis.
Variety of viewpoints - a diverse workforce
that feels comfortable communicating
varying points of view provides a larger pool
of ideas and experiences. The organization
can draw from that pool to meet business
strategy needs and the needs of customers
more effectively.
More effective execution - companies that
encourage diversity in the workplace inspire
all of their employees to perform to their
highest ability.
Attract and retain talent - Andrade (2010)
states that talent can add a competitive
edge to any organization. Feeling included
and appreciated increases loyalty and
feeling of belonging. Language skills pool is
increased and propels organization forward
either to compete in the international global
world or to increase in the International
global world or to increase its diverse
customer base.
The managerial and psychological
challenge
 Managers have to deal with different
types of people and different visions.
 Psychologically, managing diversity
is challenging because of issues
such as personality, perceptions,
attitudes, and values. These are
issues where all people differ
individually like responses to
different individuals.
 Individual differences are largely
responsible for stereotyping,
discrimination, and prejudice.
Companies might greatly
underestimate the power of memory
and past experiences. This issue
might influences the manager’s
response to individual differences.
Challenges to managing diversity
 Managing diversity is more than
simply acknowledging differences in
people. It involves recognizing the
value of differences, combating
discrimination, and promoting
inclusiveness. Managers may also
be challenged with losses in
personnel and work productivity due
to prejudice and discrimination and
complaints and legal actions against
the organisation. (Devoe, 1999)
Holt (2015) states that CONFLICT is a
natural part of this process, and, as long as
it is handled in a healthy way, can bring a
group of employees closer together.
A MODEL FOR DIVERSITY
Four Layers of Diversity
According to Amelio (2015), the Four
Layers Model can help the manager
understand that diversity comprises many
characteristics of people at work, not only a
few.
The diversity-mature manager will seek to
understand these factors and dimensions of
diversity to ensure he/she is bringing out all
aspects of an individual’s talents and
abilities in support of the organization’s
mission and goals.
1. Personality
2. Internal dimensions
3. External dimensions
4. Organizational dimensions
Four Layers of Diversity
1. Personality - this includes an individual’s
likes and dislikes, values, and beliefs.
Personality is shaped early in life and is
both influenced by, and influences, the other
three layers throughout one’s lifetime and
career choices.
2. Internal dimensions - these include
aspects of diversity over which we have no
control (though “physical ability” can change
over time due to choices we make to be
active or not, or in cases of illness or
accidents)
3. External dimensions - these include
aspects of our lives which we some control
over, which might change overtime, and
which usually form the basis for decisions
on careers and work styles. This layer often
determines, in part, with whom we develop
friendships and what we do for work. This
layer also tells us much about whom we like
to be with.
4. Organizational dimensions - this layer
concerns the aspects of culture found in a
work setting. While attention of diversity is
focused on the internal dimensions, issues
of preferential treatment and opportunities
for development or promotion are impacted
by the aspects of this layer.
Chapter 1 - UNDERSTANDING CULTURE
Culture may include the following:
1. beliefs
2. values
3. knowledge
4. assumptions
5. experiences and ideas
6. customs
7. rituals
8. myths
9. symbols
10. myths and legends of the people in the
community
11. social activities
12. economics
13. politics
14. agriculture
15. industries
16. laws and ways of justice
17. security
18. health
19. environment
20. education
21. religion
EIGHT (8) ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
As tourism professional, there may
be a need to become familiar with the
different art pieces in the community as
these can be a part of the tourism
knowledge that customers expect from
tourism enterprise
EIGHT (8) ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
1. art
2. beliefs and values
3. geography
4. language
5. law and politics
6. religion
7. technology
8. social organization
1. ART – (Under The Mango Tree” by
Fernando Amorsolo. Painted 1931)
ART - is an expression of the creative ideas
and imagination, and artists can choose a
medium to express their craft.
2. BELIEFS AND VALUES
BELIEFS - are reflected in the attitudes and
behavior that are exhibited by the person.
VALUES are based on ethics, principles,
standards, and qualities that a person or a
group of people may hold in high regard.
3. GEOGRAPHY - VALUES are based on
ethics, principles, beliefs, standards, and
qualities that a person or a group of people
may hold in high regard.
4. LANGUAGE - is very important as this is
how culture is communicated to colleagues
and customers
5. LAWS AND POLITICS - is a product of
the culture of a nation and as part of the
daily practice of its people.
6. RELIGION - offers a kind of philosophy
that establishes a moral compass for
anyone who seeks the truth. It has also
created cultural expressions in many ares of
life among people. It is a very strong source
of cultural influence in many countries like in
the Philippines. It has permeated every
facet of daily living, including the way
people venerate , eat, dress, sleep, and
work.

7. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION – Type of
collectivity established for the pursuit of
specific aims or goals.
Characterized by a formal structure of rules
authority relations, a division of labor and
limited membership or admission.
8. TECHNOLOGY - It can aid in a variety of
ways to co-create tourist experiences.
*It can serve as an enabler, producer,
attractor, enhancer, and educator.
*It may also become a “destroyer” of tourist
experience due to shifts in service
experiences that lack interpersonal charm
and thus generate negative effects in
retaining the authentic culture of the area
(Oktadiana and Pearce, 2020)experiences
that lack interpersonal charm and thus
generate negative effects in retaining the
authentic culture of the area (Oktadiana and
Pearce, 2020)
As tourism professionals, even with
technology present in the workplace, the
hospitality and service attitude has to be the
priority mindset for colleagues and
customers. Building and sustaining
relationships with colleagues and customers
should take precedence over anything else
in the workplace.