Outline of Topics

THC 8
MULTICULTURAL
DIVERSITY IN
WORKPLACE FOR
TOURISM
PROFESSIONAL
NERWIN R. IBARRIENTOS, Phd
Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

PREFACE
This course describes the skills, knowledge and performance outcomes
required to manage multicultural diversity in workplace that covers
organization’s diversity policy, encouraging diversity within the work teams
and upholding the benefits of a diverse workplace. It should also develop the
ability to communicate with people from a range of social and cultural groups
with respect and sensitivity, and to address cross-cultural misunderstanding
if it arises. The end goal is for the student to be equipped with social
awareness and diverse understanding when serving customers and working
with colleagues. ( CMO 62 s 2017)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lesson 1 Cultural Diversity – Defined 4
Lesson 2 Diversity in the Workplace
Lesson 3 How to Value Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
13
Lesson 4 Benefits of Diversity 21
Lesson 5 Challenges of Diversity in The Workplace 40
Lesson 6 Managing Diversity in The Workplace
46
Lesson 7 Diversity and Inclusion in The Workplace 51
Lesson 8 Cross Cultural Communication
60
Lesson 9 Communication & Diversity in The Workplace
69
Lesson 10 Principles of Organizational Communication
77
Lesson 11 Cultural Diversity Management in Tourism
82
Lesson 12 Workplace Diversity in Hospitality & Tourism
88
References 94

LESSON 1
CULTURAL DIVERSITY – DEFINED
I. LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students shouldbe able to:
1. Define and explain cultural diversity.
2. Identify and explain the importance and benefits of cultural diversity.
3. Suggest ways and means on how to support and promote cultural
diversity in the local setting.
4. Write a 300-word descriptive essay depicting cultural diversity.
II. DISCUSSION
Cultural diversity is synonymous with multiculturalism. Multiculturalism

is defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as, “the view that cultures, races,
and ethnicities, particularly those of minority groups, deserve special
acknowledgment of their differences within a dominant political culture.”
The importance of cultural diversity can be interpreted on the basis of
these related actions:
o Recognizing that there is a large amount of cultures that exist
o Respecting each other’s differences
o Acknowledging that all cultural expressions are valid
o Valuing what cultures have to bring to the table

o Empowering diverse groups to contribute
o Celebrating differences, not just tolerating them
Cultural diversity looks like this:
 In A Workplace: Having a multilingual team, having a diverse range
of ages working together, having policies that are vocally against
discrimination, etc.
 In A School Setting: Having students from all over the world (like at
the University of the People), being accepting of all religious practices
and traditions that students part take in, supporting students to share
their cultures with one another, etc.
The Importance of Cultural Diversity in Education
Cultural diversity is important in every setting in life, but it can be even
more pivotal when it happens within education. Students around the world
have the right to equal access of quality education, and as such, there are
many upsides that come along with it when institutions believe in the power
of diversity.
Cultural diversity in education helps to support:

1. Deep Learning. Learning happens within the curriculum and
outside of it. With a diverse student population, students have the
privilege of gaining more understanding about people and
backgrounds from all over. This also contributes to diversity of
thought and perspectives that make learning more interesting and
dynamic.
2. Confidence And Growth. When students participate with people

from varied cultures, it provides them with more confidence in
dealing with things outside of their comfort zones. It can build
strength of character, pride, and confidence.
3. Preparation For The Future. If a workplace has done the

necessary work, it’s bound to be culturally diverse. Attending a
culturally diverse institute of education will prepare students for
their future in a workplace.
4. More Empathy.Interacting with people who have diverse

practices, beliefs, life experiences, and culture promotes empathy.
While you can never fully understand someone’s life without being
them, you can learn, listen, and understand.
Benefits of Cultural Diversity

The world is naturally multicultural. Approaching cultural diversity with a
mindset and actions that embrace this fact leads to many benefits, like:
 Compassion: Communication and understanding of differences leads
to increased compassion instead of judgment.
 Innovation: Varied perspectives and lens of looking at the world lend
to innovative thinking.
 Productivity: People who come together and bring their own style of
working together tend to support a more productive team.

 New Opportunities: The diversity opens the door to new
opportunities and the blending of ideas which would otherwise have
been homogeneous.
 Problem-Solving: Challenges are layered, so having people with
different backgrounds can lead to better problem-solving with richness
of opinions.
How To Support Cultural Diversity
Individuals and institutions alike have the agency to support cultural
diversity. If you’re unsure how you can take action to do so, consider these
ideas:
 Interact with people outside of your culture
 Be open-minded to listen and let go of judgment
 If you see anyone who is being culturally insensitive, speak out against
it
 Accept that differences are beneficial and not harmful
 Don’t force your beliefs on people with opposing views
 Advocate to hire people or work with people who are not within your
same culture
 Travel the world as much as you can to take part in cultures and
understand them from the source
 Read literature and learn from different cultures
 Absorb media and art from around the world
 Learn a new language and communicate in a friend’s native language
rather than your own.
III. KEY TAKEWAYS

1. Cultural diversity is synonymous with multiculturalism.
2. Cultural diversity is important in every setting in life, but it can be
even more pivotal when it happens within education.
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3. The world is naturally multicultural. Approaching cultural diversity
with a mindset and actions that embrace this fact leads to many
benefits
IV. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
Instructions:
 Your answers should be HANDWRITTEN, it should be compiled in
a short size clear book of any color.
 Use short size bond paper.
 Encoded/printed output will not be accepted.
 The schedule of submission of output will be announced.
 Provide a clear and proper front page,with your name:
Example: Lesson 1 Outputs by Nerwin R. Ibarrientos
1. In 5 sentences, elaborate the nature and concepts of
cultural diversity.
2. Give at least five importance and benefits of cultural
diversity. Explain each and provide concrete example in the
present context.
3. As a Tourism student, what are the ways can you suggest
in order to support and promote cultural diversity in your
community?
4. Write a 300-word descriptive essay about cultural
diversity, its importance and significance to the present
scenario, the covid-19 pandemic. Provide your own title.
LESSON 2
DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE
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1. Define and explain diversity in the workplace.
2. Distinguish the difference between diversity and equality.
3. Define, explain, and identify power and privilege.
4. Provide reasoning as to why diversity is important to maintain good
human relations skills.
II. DISCUSSION
What is the definition of diversity in the workplace? Most people
understand the general equality and diversity definition; but what do these
mean within the context of the workplace?
Put very simply, diversity in the workplace means that a company hires
a wide range of diverse individuals. Diversity is often misconceived as solely
multicultural matters, however it also applies to diversity of gender, race,
ethnicity, age, sexuality, language, educational, background, and so on.
But in 2019, workplace diversity doesn't just extend to hiring diverse
individuals, but also making sure that the participation of these employees is
equal. Given that a study by The University of Michigan found that
people hired for 'diversity purposes' were sometimes seen as less qualified,
employers have increasingly recognised that symbolically hiring a diverse
range of people just isn't enough.
In recent years, the topic of diversity and inclusion in the workplace
has extended to ensuring that companies increasing the participation,
performance and compensation of minorities, not just symbolic hiring in
order to 'tick a box'. More importantly, companies have recognized the huge
value that hiring a diverse range of individuals and personalities can add for
their business.
What is the difference between equality and diversity?

What is equality in the workplace? Equality aims to ensure that all
individuals have equal opportunities to succeed, and it prevents individuals
from being discriminated against or treated differently due to certain
personality or physical characteristics.
Diversity, on the other hand, is about appreciating differences between
individuals, and in context with the workplace ensuring that each of these
varying attributes and characteristics are valued.
Diversity and Multiculturalism
The research is clear: diverse teams are more effective than
homogenous teams. Having various perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds
all looking at the same problem and coming up with different solutions is the
backbone of innovation. Before you start reinventing your hiring and
onboarding processes, there are a multitude of things to consider.
Many people use the terms diversity and multiculturalism
interchangeably, when in fact, there are major differences between the two.
Diversity is defined as the differences between people. These differences can
include race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, background, socioeconomic
status, and much more. Diversity, when talking about it from the workplace
perspective, tends to focus more on a set of policies to meet government-
mandated diversity compliance standards.
Multiculturalism goes deeper than diversity by focusing on
inclusiveness, understanding, and respect, and also by looking at unequal
power in society. In a report called the “2007 State of Workplace Diversity
Management Report,”Society for Human Resource Management, The 2007
State of Workplace Diversity Management Report, March 2008, accessed
August 3, 2011,
http://www.shrm.org/Publications/HRNews/Pages/DiversityBusinessImperative
.aspx. most human resources (HR) managers said that diversity in the
workplace is
1. not well defined or understood at work,

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2. focuses too much on compliance, and
3. places too much emphasis on gender and ethnicity.
Power and Privilege
As defined in this chapter, diversity focuses on the “otherness” or
differences between individuals and has a goal of making sure, through
policies, that everyone is treated the same. While this is the legal and the
right thing to do, multiculturalism looks at a system of advantages based on
race, gender, and sexual orientation called power and privilege. In this
system, the advantages are based on a system in which one race, gender,
and sexual orientation is predominant in setting societal rules and norms.
The interesting thing about power and privilege is that if you have it, you
may not initially recognize it, which is why we can call it invisible privilege.
Recognizing power and privilege can help you begin to understand how you
relate to others. This is an important emotional intelligence skill of
relationship management. Here are some examples of invisible privilege:
1. Race privilege. Let’s say you (a Caucasian) and your friend (an
African American) are having dinner together, and when the bill comes,
the server gives the check to you. While this may not seem like a big
issue, it assumes you (being Caucasian) are the person paying for the
meal. This type of invisible privilege may not seem to matter if you
have that privilege, but if you don’t, it can be infuriating.
2. Social class privilege. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in
2005, many people from outside the storm area wondered why so
many people stayed in the city, not even thinking about the fact that
some people couldn’t afford the gas to put in their car to leave the city.
3. Gender privilege. This refers to privileges one gender has over
another—for example, the assumption that a female will change her
name to her husband’s when they get married.
4. Sexual orientation privilege. If I am heterosexual, I can put a
picture of my partner on my desk without worrying about what others
think. I can talk about our vacations together or experiences we’ve had
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without worrying what someone might think about my relationship.
This is not the case for many gay, lesbian, and transgendered people
and their partners.
Oftentimes the privilege we have is considered invisible, because it can
be hard to recognize one’s own privilege based on race, gender, or social
class. Many people utilize the color-blind approach, which says, “I treat
everyone the same,” or “I don’t see people’s skin color.” In this case, the
person is showing invisible privilege and thus ignoring the privileges he or
she receives because of race, gender, or social class. While it appears this
approach would value all people equally, it doesn’t, because people’s
different needs, assets, and perspectives are disregarded by not
acknowledging differences.Victoria C. Plaut, Kecia M. Thomas, and Matt J.
Goren, “Is Multiculturalism or Color Blindness Better for Minorities?”
Psychological Science 20, no. 4 (2009): 444–46.
Another important aspect of power and privilege is the fact that we
may have privilege in one area and not another. For example, I am a
Caucasian female, which certainly gives me race privilege but not gender
privilege. Important to note here is that the idea of power and privilege is not
about “white male bashing” but understanding our own stereotypes and
systems of advantage so we can be more inclusive with our coworkers,
employees, and managers.
So what does this all mean in relation to the workplace? It means we
can combine the understanding of certain systems that allow for power and
privilege, and by understanding we may be able to eliminate or at least
minimize these issues. Besides this, one of the best things we can do for our
organizations is to have a diverse workforce, with people from a variety of
perspectives. This diversity leads to profitability and the ability to better
serve customers for the company and better human relations skills for us.
We discuss the advantages of diversity in Section 1.
Why Diversity and Multiculturalism?
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When many people look at diversity and multiculturalism, they think that
someone’s gender, skin color, or social class shouldn’t matter. So diversity
can help us with policies to prevent discrimination, while multiculturalism
can help us gain a deeper understanding of the differences between people.
Hopefully, over time, rather than look at diversity as attaining numerical
goals or complying with the law, we can combine the concepts to create
better workplaces. Although many books discuss laws relating to diversity,
not many actually describe why diversity is necessary in the workplace. Here
are a few main reasons:
1. It is the law.
2. We can better serve customers by offering a broader range of services,
such as being able to speak a variety of languages and understanding
other cultures.
3. We can better communicate with one another (saving time and money)
and customers.
4. With a multicultural perspective, we can create better ideas and
solutions.
Promoting a multicultural work environment isn’t just the law. Through a
diverse work environment and multicultural understanding, organizations
can attain greater profitability. A study by Cedric Herring called Does
Diversity Pay?Cedric Herring, “Does Diversity Pay? Racial Composition of
Firms and the Business Case for Diversity” (paper presented at the annual
meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal, Canada, August
11, 2006), accessed May 5, 2009,
http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p101792_index.html. reveals that diversity
does, in fact, pay. The study found those businesses with greater racial
diversity reporter higher sales revenues, more customers, larger market
shares, and greater relative profits than those with more homogeneous
workforces. Other research on the topic by Scott Page, the author of The
Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms,
Schools, and Societies Scott E. Page, The Difference: How the Power of
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Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies (Princeton, NJ:
Princeton University Press, 2007). ended up with similar results. Page found
that people from varied backgrounds are more effective at working together
than those who are from similar backgrounds, because they offer different
approaches and perspectives in the development of solutions. Often people
believe that diversity is about checking a box or only providing window
dressing to gain more customers, but this isn’t the case. As put by Eric Foss,
chairperson and CEO of Pepsi Beverages Company, “It’s not a fad. It’s not an
idea of the month. It’s central and it’s linked very directly to business
strategy.”William J. Holstein, “Diversity Is Even More Important in Hard
Times,” New York Times, February 13, 2009, accessed August 25, 2011,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/14/business/14interview.html. A study by
the late Roy Adler of Pepperdine University shows similar results. His
nineteen-year study of 215 Fortune 500 companies shows a strong
correlation between female executives and high profitability.Roy Adler,
“Women in the Executive Suite Correlate to High Profits,” Glass Ceiling
Research Center. Another study, conducted by Project Equality, found that
companies that rated low on equal opportunity issues earned 7.9 percent
profit, while those who rated highest with more equal opportunities resulted
in 18.3 percent profit.Melissa Lauber, “Studies Show That Diversity in
Workplace Is Profitable,” Project Equality, n.d., accessed July 11, 2011,
http://www.villagelife.org/news/archives/diversity.html. These numbers show
that diversity and multiculturalism certainly is not a fad but a way of doing
business that better serves customers and results in higher profits for
companies, while allowing us to get better at human relations skills. As
employees, we need to recognize this so we may begin to understand our
own power and privilege, which allows for better communication at work.
Perhaps one of the best diversity statements by a Fortune 500 company
was made by Jose Manuel Souto, the CFO for Visa in Latin America. He says,
“A diverse workforce is critical to providing the best service to our global
clients, supporting our business initiatives, and creating a workplace
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environment that promotes respect and fairness.”National Latina Business
Women Association, “Women and Minorities on Corporate Boards Still Lags
Far Behind National Population,” accessed August 24, 2011,
http://www.voxxi.com/minority-women-lagging/.
The first step to being effective at working in a diverse environment is
understanding that everyone comes from a different place of power and
privilege, and as a result, everyone has a different perspective. Once we
understand this, our understanding can translate into better verbal and
nonverbal communication. These different perspectives are what makes
companies successful, as we have discussed in this section.
Now that you have an understanding of the meaning of diversity, power, and
privilege, as well as the importance of diversity, we will discuss
multiculturalism and the law.
Why Human Relations?
Most of us will work in diverse environments, meaning diversity not
only in terms of gender or race but also in terms of people of diverse
backgrounds, perspectives, and socio-economic status. Appreciating and
understand this diversity is what helps us be successful in our career path.
The ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people shows our
relationship management and social awareness skills.
The success in working in diverse environments can come through use
of emotional intelligence skills such as relationship management and social
awareness. These skills allow us to understand how another person feels or
why they do something, even if we do not agree. These skills also allow us to
be accepting of others and appreciate differences even though we may not
like it.
Developing the skills to work in a multicultural environment can help
us work with people from any variety of backgrounds and also helps us to
communicate better with everyone we may come across, both professionally
and personally. These abilities, acceptance and understanding, are
15

cornerstones to developing positive relationships that lead to positive human
relations and work success.
III. KEY TAKEWAYS

1. Diversity is the real or perceived differences between
individuals. This can include race, gender, sexual
orientation, size, cultural background, and much more.
2. Multiculturalism is a term that is similar to diversity, but it
focuses on development of a greater understanding of how
power in society can be unequal due to race, gender, sexual
orientation, power, and privilege.
3. Power and privilege is a system of advantages based on
one’s race, gender, and sexual orientation. This system can
often be invisible (to those who have it), which results in
one race or gender having unequal power in the workplace.
Of course, this unequal power results in unfairness, which
may be of legal concern.
4. Diversity is important to the success of organizations. Many
studies have shown a direct link between the amount of
diversity in a workplace and the company’s success.

Instructions:
1. In 5 sentences, expound further the deeper meaning of
diversity.
2. Through a Venn diagram, distinguish the difference between
diversity and equality. Cite also the similarities, if there is any.
3. Identify the different power and privileges that any human
person enjoys today. Explain how these powers and privileges
help any person in relating with other people.
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4. Write a 300-word argumentative essay providing reasoning as
to why diversity is important to maintain good human relations
skills.
5. Perform an Internet search to find a specific diversity policy for
an organization. What is the policy? From what you know of the
organization, do you believe they follow this policy in reality?
6. Visit the website http://www.diversityinc.com and find their
latest “top fifty list.” What criteria are used to appear on this
list? What are the top five companies for the current year?
LESSON 3
How to Value Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion
1. Define diversity, equity and inclusion.
2. Understand how to value diversity, equity and inclusion.
3. Identify and explain the guidelines to Improve Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion.
4. Identify key cultural aspect that affects leadership.
II. DISCUSSION
In today’s highly diverse organizations, the ability to work with people

having diverse values and cultures is extremely important. An organization’s
culture is driven by the values throughout that organization. Employees need
to feel included -- that their values are being recognized, understood and
respected. They need to feel that their ideas and concerns are being heard.
17

Those conditions create strong motivation and momentum for strong
satisfaction and performance in their jobs.
It can be a major challenge to work with people and cultures where
others have values, beliefs and certain conventions that are distinctly
different from yours. Differences can lead to increased resistance to
leadership and change because others might not understand and trust you.
For example, Western cultures tend to be highly rational and value
things that are very useful in meeting a current need. They value rugged
individualism and competition. Some cultures might value patience, a sense
of community and getting along with others, and still others might value
direct authority and privacy. Some cultures may be overly deferential to the
leader. Some cultures are deeply guarded about private matters.
You and your employees might not even realize that you all have very
different values. There are no universal laws to ensure conformity in each
culture. Because of complexities in continually learning the cultures of your
organization, it is critical for you to continually be open to differences and
ask for help from your employees.
Although working in highly diverse and multicultural organizations
comes with its own unique challenges, it comes with many benefits, as well.
There are few other such powerful experiences in which you can learn so
much about people and organizations and also about yourself. The following
guidelines are intended to focus on the most practical suggestions for
appreciating diversity in life and work and also for supporting others and
yourself to feel included.
But What Are Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
Both have become prominent topics in today's organizations. But what
do both terms mean? Ferris State University suggests these definitions:
"Diversity is the range of human differences, including but not limited
to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social
class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system,
national origin, and political beliefs.
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Inclusion is involvement and empowerment, where the inherent worth
and dignity of all people are recognized. An inclusive university promotes
and sustains a sense of belonging; it values and practices respect for the
talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of living of its members."
How Well Is Your Organization Appreciating Diversity and
Cultivating Inclusion?
Most people probably feel that they are very appreciative of diversity
and always help others to feel included. Here are a variety of assessments
that you might take about yourself and your organization to get a more
accurate perspective.
Basic Guidelines to Improve Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The following guidelines might be useful, especially if you are new to
the organization.
1. Be aware of your personal biases, style, preferences, lens
and focus. This is critically important for successful leadership in
any type of culture. You make a major difference in your
organization, whether you know it or not, just by exposing it to your
own nature and style of working. Thus, you need to understand your
nature.
2. Realize that each part of an organization probably has a
unique culture. For example, the secretarial staff might interact
with each other in a manner quite different from that of the
marketing staff. In larger organizations, there are often several
differences, for example, between senior management and support
staff.
3. Promptly convey to employees that you want to be sensitive
to their culture. You should start in your first interaction with
them. State that you recognize that different people might work
differently depending on their own personalities and the culture of
the overall organization. Ask them how you can understand the
nature of their organization.
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4. Consider getting a mentor, or representative, from the
organization. Attempt to get someone from the organization to
help you understand their culture and how to work in a manner
compatible with the culture of the organization. This request is not a
sign of weakness or lack of expertise; rather it is an authentic
request that better serves you and your employees.
How to Learn Basics About Another Person's Values and Culture
Consider asking others to help you understand how each of the following
aspects might be unique in the culture of the organization. Key cultural
aspects that might affect your leadership include:
 Assertiveness Are members of your organization comfortable being
honest and direct with each other? If not, how can you still be as
authentic as possible and help them to be as authentic as possible, as
well?
 Body language Are there any specific cues that you can notice to
help you to sense how others are experiencing you?
 Communication styles and direction Is communication fairly direct
and specific or more indirect and general? Does information flow
mostly “upward” to executives or is it widely disseminated?
 Conflict Is conflict considered bad and avoided? Or is conflict accepted
as normal and directly addressed when it appears? Eye contact Are
members of the organization comfortable with sustained eye contact
during communication or not?
 Gestures Are there any specific gestures that can cause members of
the organization discomfort or confusion?
 Humor Is use of humor in the organization rather widespread? Is there
anything about the use of humor about which you should be aware?
 Information collection Should you be aware of any potential
problems or use any certain precautions when conducting interviews or
using assessments?
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 Physical space For example, are members of your organization quite
conscious of having a minimum amount of space around them when
they work or speak with others?
 Power Are members attuned to certain people of power when solving
problems and making decisions? Is power based on authority and/or
respect?
 Silence Are members uncomfortable with silence during
communication? Or is it a common aspect of communicating in their
workplace?
 Time Is time a precious commodity that seems to underlie many
activities, or can activities take as long as they need to take to be done
effectively?
 Wording Are there certain words or phrasings that cause discomfort
when people from different cultures interact?
How to Talk About Management and Leadership in Diverse
Environments
It is not uncommon for people of any culture to experience confusion
or engage in protracted arguments about activities only to realize later on
that they have been in agreement all along – they had been using different
definitions for the same terms. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all of
you are “speaking the same language” about activities. The following
guidelines are most important when ensuring people continue to understand
each other when talking about management activities.
III. KEY TAKEWAYS

1. In today’s highly diverse organizations, the ability to
work with people having diverse values and cultures is
extremely important. An organization’s culture is driven
by the values throughout that organization. Employees
need to feel included -- that their values are being
recognized, understood and respected.
2. Most people probably feel that they are very appreciative
of diversity and always help others to feel included.
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3. It is not uncommon for people of any culture to
experience confusion or engage in protracted arguments
about activities only to realize later on that they have
been in agreement all along – they had been using
different definitions for the same terms. Therefore, it is
important to ensure that all of you are “speaking the
same language” about activities.

Instructions:
1. Draw a poster incorporating the meaning of diversity, equity
and inclusion. At the back of your poster, write at least 3
sentences explanation and description.
2. Write a 100-word persuasive essay on how to value diversity,
equity and inclusion. Provide your own title.
3. Write your own guidelines on how to improve diversity, equity
and inclusion in your future workplace.
LESSON 4
BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY
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1. Identify and explain the benefits of diversity.
2. Cites examples of diversity in companies.
3. Compare and contrast the different types of diversity.
II. DISCUSSION
BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE FOR EMPLOYEES

1. Conflict Reduction. Within a diverse workplace, employees can
better understand each other's differences. This will often help to
reduce conflicts between even the most different team members; and
will often unite people with a common purpose rather than divide
them.
2. Increased Confidence. When employees' recognize that differences
are embraced and celebrated in an organization, they are likely to also
be more confident in their own unique qualities. Encouraging diversity
can help to boost confidence and performance from individual team
members, who may be more easily able to express their ideas,
become closer to their colleagues and enjoy and take pride in their
work.
3. Boosting Employee Engagement. Employees are far more likely to
perform well in an environment where diversity and inclusion are top
priority. The whole point of diversity & inclusion that it is about
everyone, not just underrepresented groups - so encouraging
everyone to be confident in their ability will only help to boost morale
and employee engagement across the entire team.
BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE FOR EMPLOYERS
1. Increased range of ideas. One of the key benefits of diversity
in society is the vast range of ideas that can be explored.
Diversity in the workplace will often result in a much broader
spectrum of creativity, from people with different backgrounds,
skills and experiences. A wider range of different perspectives
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will be highly beneficial across all teams; from marketing to
finance.
2. Increased employee engagement. Generally speaking,
employees who feel included and wanted will be more engaged
and motivated to do well. In turn, a more engaged team will often
yield better team performance; making it a win-win for
employers.
3. Boosts company reputation & simplifies recruitment
processes. Diversity in the workplace will help to build a great
reputation for the company; especially important when you are
looking to hire and retain talent. Especially in terms of graduate
recruitment, D&I can play a huge role in attracting candidates to
your business; if done well, it can also help you stand out from
the bigger firms.
4. Wider talent pool to choose from. Companies that only hire
men, for example, are limiting themselves to the skills of half the
population, this is just one of the many benefits of gender
diversity in the workplace.
5. Helps you to understand your customers better. Having a
more diverse team will help your company gain a broader
understanding of your customers, what they want and what they
look for. Who knows? Your company could be missing out on a
huge group of potential customers that could be explored by
hiring more diversely.
6. Reduce employee turnover. Companies with a diverse
workforce will tend to retain employees for longer, because
ultimately employees who feel accepted and valued will be much
less likely to leave. Likewise, companies who clearly value career
development, and really care about their employees, will tend to
have a much higher retention rate than those who don't.
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DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE EXAMPLES
Companies across the board are taking steps to create an equality and
diversity strategy. Some of the best diversity and inclusion in the workplace
examples are:
1. AT&T
Industry: Technology
AT&T took the prestigious top spot on DiversityInc's Top 50
Companies for Diversity In 2019. The award commended the
behaviour of CEO and Chairman Randall Stephenson, who is a big
advocate for inclusion and diversity management in corporate
companies. AT&T has been applauded for its unbiased approach to
both graduate recruitment and more senior hiring - allowing managers
to recommend individuals through their own app. They also encourage
their employees to speak openly about race, sexuality, religion etc, to
increase mutual understanding of their colleagues.
2. Marriott International
Industry: Hospitality
In a close second place on DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies,
Marriott recently launched their Serve 360 plan, whereby they invested
$5m in order for women, people with disabilities, veterans, refugees
and more to learn hospitality skills. Not every company will be able to
afford $5m; but it does point to the value of investing in professional
development.
3. Accenture PLC
Industry: Professional Services
Accenture is often ranked within the top companies for diversity
(Thompson Reuters' 2018 Diversity and Inclusion Index ranked
Accenture as it's no.1 most diverse company), and though this is
largely due to gender representation within their workforce, they have
also been applauded for encouraging the inclusion of many different
groups. Diversity training within the company is broken into
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three different categories; 1) Diversity Awareness, to help people
understand the benefits of working with a diverse organisation, 2)
Diversity Management, to help team leaders to successful manage
diverse teams and 3) Professional Development, to enable minority
groups to develop valuable new skills.
TYPES OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

The number of factors that define diversity is truly unlimited.
Throughout an individual’s life, the unique biological and genetic
predispositions, experiences and education alter who they are as a
person. These nature versus nurture interactions are what diversify
and evolve the human race, allowing individuals to connect and learn
from each other.
While such idiosyncrasies are infinite, there are a number of
factors commonly discussed, considered and tracked. If you're looking
to better understand the topic of diversity, you should know the
following individual differences that are commonly considered when
discussing diversity in the workplace.
1. Cognitive Disabilities.
Cognitive disabilities, also known as intellectual functioning, are
recognized by the EEOC when an individual meets this criteria:
o Intellectual functioning level (IQ) below 70-75
o Significant limitations in adaptive skills — the basic
conceptual, social and practical skills needed for everyday
life
o Disability began before age 18
Different functioning may affect an individual’s memory,
problem-solving abilities, attention, communication, linguistics, as well
as verbal, reading, math and visual comprehension. However, having
an intellectual disability does not mean the person is not capable of
great success as an employee.
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Some of the most famous and successful people in the world
have cognitive disabilities ranging from Dyslexia, ADHD and Dyspraxia.
To name a few: Satoshi Tajiri, the creator and designer of Pokemon, has
Asperger's Syndrome; Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, has
Dyslexia; Emma Watson, famous actress and activist, has ADHD.
Intellectual functioning can be difficult to notice, understand and
communicate for both employees and employers, so it’s important to
provide employees with a variety of tools and resources to can help
them function optimally at their job. The Job Accommodation Network
provides a list of possible accommodations employers can provide to
support employees of all abilities.
2. Physical Abilities & Disabilities
Hiring individuals with varying disabilities and experiences will

not only help your team build a more diverse and inclusive
environment, but bring unique perspectives and ideas to help your
company reach a wider market of customers and clients.
Also, consider some of these simple ways to boost disability
inclusivity at your office and throughout your hiring process:
o Establish an Employee Resource Group (ERG)
o Offer comprehensive health benefit packages
o Partner with disability advocacy groups
o Design your website and application process with accessibility
in mind
o Create an internship program for people with disabilities
Additionally, ensure your office is ADA compliant and make
available ramps, automated doors, visual aids, telephone headsets,
screen readers as well as accommodations for service animals, so if a
job seeker or employee requires an aid of some sort, you are prepared
to support their needs.
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3. Mental health
Employee wellness is becoming a major trend in the HR space,

but too often mental health is left out of the conversation. Without the
support and resources to seek and receive the help employees need,
companies may see an increase in absenteeism, work-family conflict,
increased mental health and behavioral problems and even higher
turnover rates.
To combat the stigma around mental health in the workplace,
employers are improving resources, like insurance benefits, to cover
mental health services and build a more inclusive company culture
that supports mental health.
4. Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity, as defined by the National Symposium on

Neurodiversity “is a concept where neurological differences are to be
recognized and respected as any other human variation. These
differences can include those labeled with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia,
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum,
Tourette Syndrome, and others.”
While there may be certain stereotypes and stigmas around
neurodiverse individuals, research has found that some conditions, like
autism and dyslexia, enhance an individual’s ability to recognize
patterns, retain information and excel in math — all critical skills for
any job.
5. Behavior & ethodiversity
Everyone has their own unique mannerisms and behavior

patterns they develop throughout their lives. Such behaviors are a
result of an individual's upbringing, family, friends, culture, etc., and
they can be interpreted in different ways. This is an important element
of diversity to recognize because while a behavior may seem
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ordinary or unremarkable to you, to someone else it may seem rude,
odd or inappropriate.
For example, let's say you are on the elevator and your
colleague doesn’t start a conversation with you. That doesn’t
necessarily mean they are being rude, it may simply be uncomfortable
or uncommon for them to converse in such close and brief quarters.
Behavioral diversity or ethodiversity can be highly specific and
subtle between individuals. It’s important to remember that behavior is
a result of a person's unique experiences, and if something feels odd,
rude or inappropriate, consider politely asking them about why they do
what they do rather than reacting negatively or being judgmental.
6. Personality & thought-style
Bringing a variety of different personalities and thought-styles

into a workplace can bring both stressful situations and genius
creativity. To avoid the former, companies opt for hiring for culture fit,
which consequently halt's the latter. Instead, companies should hire for
culture add in pursuit of diverse personalities that work well together
and challenge one another’s ideas and thoughts.
It's difficult to know a person’s personality and thought-style by
their resume or even interview, which is why 22% of companies ask job
candidates, as well as employees, to complete personality tests. Doing
so helps companies understand their strengths, weaknesses and gaps
and build a company culture that supports extroverts, introverts and
everyone in-between.
While a number of companies boast about their team’s vast
‘diversity of thought,’ it shouldn’t be the only metric by which your
team is measuring its diversity. Know that by hiring individuals with a
wide range of diverse traits listed in this article, you will naturally
acquire people with diverse personalities and thought-styles.
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7. Cultural background
There are a number of factors that make up different cultures,

including traditional food, language, religion and customs. The United
States alone has several different cultures within each region, state
and even town.
While a lot of people enjoy learning about other cultures for short
time periods, it’s an entirely different experience to work with
individuals on a daily-basis who come from different cultures.
Cultural differences can bring a wealth of learning opportunities
as well as some complicated challenges and barriers among
employees who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with one another’s
unique cultures. For example, cheek kisses are fairly common in French
culture, and if you have a colleague or candidate who practices such
behavior, they may view a cheek kiss as a friendly hello, whereas you
may find that quite inappropriate at work.
Above everything, it's important to educate your team about
different cultures and celebrate the differences. Additionally, creating a
culture that encourages open communication will help employees
explore each other's cultural differences without creating a hostile
work environment.
8. Geographical location
Geographical location plays a major role in the culture, language,

education, social roles, socioeconomic status, beliefs and ideologies
with which a person is accustomed. Keep in mind that just because an
individual lives in a particular location now, doesn’t mean they’ve
always lived there. It’s important to get to know your candidates’ and
colleagues’ rich history to better understand their unique experiences
in life prior to working with you.
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9. Language, linguistics & accents
Reports from the United States Census Bureau found that at least
350 languages are spoken in the homes of Americans. Unlike most
countries, and contrary to popular belief, the United States does not
have an official language. However, language, linguistics and accents
can play a significant role in an individual’s ability to get and keep a
job.
For job seekers, if a job description or recruitment materials are
only in one language, like English, it may be difficult for them to apply
for a role or make it through an interview process. While it is not
feasible for any company to translate all of their recruitment materials
into 350+ different languages, it can be helpful to provide a few
additional translations for common languages in your community and
workplace. You may also consider utilizing an online translation service
or in-person interpreter for roles that don’t require individuals to be
fluent in a language to work.
Additionally, accents reflect the different ways individuals
pronounce certain words within a language and such differences can
lead to accent bias or perception, where people judge or discriminate
against an individual’s intelligence and abilities simply by the way they
pronounce certain words. Individual’s may also have an affinity for
people who have a similar accent to their own. Understanding different
accent biases will help you and your team to identify your own biases
and challenge them when you meet people from different language
backgrounds.
10. Ethnicity
For starters, ethnicity is different from race, which we will cover in

an upcoming section. Rather than biological factors, ethnicity is based
on learned behaviors. Ethnicity is associated with culture, history,
nationality, heritage, dress, customs, language, ancestry and
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geographical background. Common examples of ethnicity include:
Hispanic or Latinx, Irish, Jewish, or Cambodian.
11. Race
Unlike ethnicity, which we discussed earlier in this article, race is
biologically determined. Examples of race include: White, Black or
African American American, Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
Nadra Kareem Nittle provides a clear example of race versus
ethnicity for Thought Co. stating that, “Race and ethnicity can overlap.
For example, a Japanese-American would probably consider herself a
member of the Japanese or Asian race, but, if she doesn't engage in
any practices or customs of her ancestors, she might not identify with
the ethnicity, instead considering herself an American.”
12. Citizenship status
In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was

passed, making it illegal for employers to discriminate against
candidates and employees when recruiting, referring, hiring or firing
individuals based on their citizenship or immigration status. Even with
such laws in place, citizenship status alone can play a significant role in
foreign-born workers' ability to get a job or break past stereotypes
related to immigrants and citizenship status.
In 2017, immigrants made up 13.6% of the U.S. population. Of
those immigrants, 77% were lawful immigrants, 27% lawful permanent
residents, 23% unauthorized immigrants and 5% were temporary
lawful residents.
Gaining citizenship is certainly a challenging feat, and for those
that do, the vast majority participate in the American workforce. In
fact, foreign-born persons had a significantly lower unemployment rate
at 3.5% in 2018, compared to native-born citizens at 4%.
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13. Age
At any given time, there are several generations employed in the

workforce. Each generation has its own distinct differences defined by
the time period people were born and the unique social, political and
economic changes that occurred during their upbringing.
In the workforce, such differences can pose challenges for
individuals among generations. These challenges can turn into
an unconscious bias known as ageism. Ageism in the workplace is
defined as the tendency to have negative feelings about another
person based on their age.
Stereotypes of different generations contribute to this bias. For
example, baby boomers are seen as workaholics, Generation Xers are
risk takers, millennials care about meaningful work and now
Generation Zers ghost employers and seek job security. Such
stereotypes can lead employers and colleagues to believe there are
skills gaps and life milestones (like having children or retiring) that may
affect certain age groups from excelling at their company.
While ageism can affect any member of the workforce, 58% of
workers notice age bias when people enter their 50s. On the other
hand, people under 25 years old are 2x less likely to experience age
discrimination.
14. Family & upbringing
Family has a significant impact on every individual’s life. It plays

a role in a person's upbringing and provides support throughout an
individual’s life. While some families are biologically related, others are
chosen.
No matter what an individual’s family situation is, as an
employer, it’s important to understand that everyone has obligations
outside of work to the ones they love. Not only that but by providing
perks and benefits such as family medical leave, flexible work hours,
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child and elder care benefits, you will help employees foster close
relationships with their family, thus enhancing their work-life balance
and satisfaction.
15. Ideologies
Ideologies are the conceptions an individual, group or culture

have about different aspects of life. Most people have distinct
economic, political and religious ideologies that are influenced by the
people in their family, their upbringing, geographical location and
education. Ideologies play a part in how often and comfortable
employees share their opinions with colleagues. Vastly differing
ideologies may make individuals more cautious to start a conversation
with a coworker if they know it could lead to a heated debate.
16. Morals
Morals reflect an individual’s beliefs for acceptable thoughts and

behaviors. Morals tend to reflect an individual’s upbringing, family, life
experiences, income, ideologies, cultural background, citizenship
status, privilege, personalities, socioeconomic status, social roles, as
well as social, religious, political and worldly beliefs.
Most companies, seek individuals who share the same personal
morals, values and ethics to align with the company’s core values. For
employers, shared morals can alter how a company prioritizes its work
and the impact it makes on the industry, local community and the
world at large.
17. Social roles
Social roles are constructs that are influenced by certain

demographics of an individual, such as age, behavior, gender and
culture. A common example is that of gender roles, which are assigned
to individuals the moment their sex is identified and have unique
precepts that vary by culture. Stereotypes are often correlated with
social roles held about a particular demographic and can affect an
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individual’s ability to move into certain professional roles, industries
and face barriers, which is evident between men and women with the
Glass Ceiling.
To become a true equal opportunity employer and support
diversity and inclusion in the workplace, it’s important to become
acutely aware of social roles and stereotypes unique to your culture,
community, industry and workplace. Your team can help to break down
barriers and open opportunities for people regardless of perceived
social roles by attracting a diverse employee base in your recruitment
materials. This trucking company did just that when they launched a
recruitment campaign about women truckers to attract more female
candidates.
18. Gender identity
Gender roles are social constructs that vary by different cultures

and are assigned to individuals at birth based on their biological sex.
Once a child is assigned their gender, they are more or less segregated
into either the male or female gender binaries.
Rather than these distinct binaries, popular belief finds that there
is a spectrum of gender identities that may or may not correspond to
the individual’s sex assigned at birth. A few common non-binary
gender identities include: non-binary, transgender, gender-transition,
gender queer, gender fluid and demigender, however there is a long
list of other non-binary identities you should learn about. There are
also ungender identities, such as agender, non-gendered, genderless
and gender-free.
Such identities are defined by the individual and how they view
and expect others to view themself. It’s important to keep in mind that
individuals may identify differently from how you perceive their
identity, so it's courteous to ask for people’s preferred pronouns as well
as share your own.
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19. Gender expression
Gender expression, which may be different from an individual’s

sex or gender identity, refers to the external appearance of an
individual’s gender identity. Gender expression may be interpreted
through clothing, hair, makeup, voice, behavior, mannerisms, interests
and preferred pronouns. Again, because you can not assume an
individual's gender even based on their gender expression, it's
important to ask for their preferred pronouns. For more information on
how to become an inclusive workplace for all gender identities and
expressions, check out the Human Rights Campaign's guide to gender
identity & gender expression in the workplace.
20. SEX
Unlike gender identity and gender expression, sex refers to the

biological and genetic differences between male and female bodies.
More specifically, women are born with two X chromosomes and men
are born with one X and one Y chromosome. Typically, once a child is
assigned their gender based on biological sex, they are more-or-less
segregated into either the male or female gender binaries.
However, contrary to popular belief, biology of sex, similar to
gender, has a spectrum of differences that cannot be classified simply
as man and woman. Some people who are born with a combination of
sex characteristics and reproductive organs are classified on the
genetic sex spectrum called intersex.
21. SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Sexual orientation is also different from gender identity, gender

expression and biological sex. Sexual orientation is defined by the
Human Rights Campaign as “an inherent or immutable enduring
emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people.” Common
sexual orientations include heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual,
asexual, pansexual and questioning.
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22. EDUCATION
Education varies greatly by location, school and teacher, and can

be heavily influenced by national, state and district laws and
requirements. This means that no single individual will have the exact
same education. Not only that, but high-level education can be
extremely expensive and unattainable for a significant part of the
American population, and for upper-level jobs (or even entry-level jobs)
post-high school degrees are often required.
23. INCOME
Income plays a major role in every individual’s life starting from
the day they are born and throughout their upbringing, professional
career and into retirement. Income can be affected by geographical
location, taxes, family, education, skills and socioeconomic
background. Unconscious biases related to an individual's age, gender,
gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and
privilege can also affect their income
24. SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
Socioeconomic status (SES) is the measurement and
categorization of people based on their education, income and
occupation. It is also a strong indicator of privilege, as well as the
opportunities and resources an individual has access to in order to
excel at school and work.
Additionally, SES is found to contribute significantly to one’s
mental health, physical health, stress, performance and functioning
both in the workplace and in life.
To support candidates and employees of all SES, it’s important to
consciously create and distribute recruitment content that will reach
and resonate with individuals of varying SES. As an employer, make
sure to provide adequate salaries, benefits and resources to help
individuals who are impacted by their own SES.
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25. LIFE EXPERIENCES
Life experiences encompass all of the unique work, education,

military, private and public occurrences an individual undergoes
throughout their life that contributes to who they are, how they view
the world and how they interact with others.
26. MARITAL STATUS
Marriage is a major event for many people. Not only that, but
getting married, divorced, separated or becoming widowed can alter
an individual’s beliefs, geographical location, income, parental status,
family, citizenship status, socioeconomic status, privilege, family and
even behaviors.
Similar to gender bias, marital status bias can prevent highly
qualified individuals from getting a job or excelling in their career. And
while there are national laws that prohibit employers from
discriminating against an individual’s gender, sex and sexual
orientation, only some states have specific laws prohibiting marital
status discrimination in the workplace.
Marital status can especially affect an individual in the
workplace if their partner also works in the same place. Some
companies have an anti-nepotism policy in place to prevent a family
member from working on the same team or in hierarchy to one
another.
27. PARENTAL STATUS
While parental status can affect both mothers and fathers, in
particular, pregnant women, working mothers and women of
childbearing age face a motherhood penalty or maternal wall.
Stereotypes related to a woman’s role and needing time off after
childbirth and for childcare often place women at a disadvantage in
their careers compared to men and fathers.
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Not only that, but female candidates are more likely to be asked
questions about their parental plans and responsibilities during an
interview. Even though discriminating against parents and pregnant
people is illegal, inquiring about a job seeker’s parental status
technically isn’t illegal.
In addition to working mothers, 54% of women with a young
child leave their job because they need to care for their child. For
individuals who take a large chunk of time off to fulfill caregiving
needs, it can be extremely difficult for them to explain the gaps in their
resume and find employers willing to support them as they reenter
their career.
Employers can support working parents by reducing unconscious
bias against them and by providing benefits like flexible work hours,
childcare benefits, parental leave and adoption assistance to ease the
challenges that working parents face and keep top employees in its
workforce.
28. MILITARY EXPERIENCE
Military veterans offer a wealth of skills, knowledge and

experience, making them exceptional contributions to any role or
company. However, many employers are unfamiliar with military
culture, experiences or common military language, which may make it
difficult for them to understand the value such individuals can bring to
a company. There are a number of resources available to help
employers better understand how military skills are relevant to a
specific role role, such as this military skills translator and this skills
matcher.
29. PRIVILEGE
Privilege refers to social power that can be inhibited or
compounded based on an individual’s sex, gender identity, race,
ethnicity, religion, age, citizenship status, socioeconomic status, social
39

role, cultural background and disability status. Privilege can affect a
person’s ability to obtain certain levels and quality of education, jobs,
higher income and opportunities throughout life.
30. CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
The unemployment rate for people ages 25-44 who have
formerly been incarcerated is more than five times higher than the
national average. These individuals are in their prime working age but
are struggling to find a company that will hire them with a criminal
background.
31. POLITICAL BELIEFS

There are a lot of different opinions on how, when and if politics
should be allowed in the workplace. For some, such discussions are a
great way to connect with and engage in stimulating conversations
unrelated to work. However, when colleagues have radically different
political affiliations and views, controversy can erupt, making the
workplace uncomfortable at best and unbearable at worstNot only that,
but bringing politics into the workplace can lead to issues around
political affiliation discrimination. And while there is no national law
that prohibits employers from discriminating against a candidate or
employee based on their political affiliation, a few states do
All that being said, it can be extremely difficult to eliminate all
traces of politics from the workplace. A lot can and is assumed about
an individual’s political affiliation based on their resume and personal
interests. But is eliminating all politics really the answer? Just like every
other element of diversity on this list, political diversity is also
important for providing unique ideas, morals and beliefs to the
workplace and fostering a truly diverse and inclusive workplace.
32. RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL BELIEFS
Whether or not people discuss their religious affiliations at work,
it’s important to create a workplace that is understanding and
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accepting of everyone’s beliefs, even if they are different from one
another.
Employers can do this by offering floating holidays so that
employees can take time off for religious holidays and celebrations
when they need. It’s also important to respect individuals who wear
religious clothing at work and ensure they are treated fairly and
equally by their cohorts. Depending on your office and building layout,
consider creating a space for private religious and spiritual practice so
employees have a space to go during the day, and don’t have to leave
work or disrupt colleagues.
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33. WORK EXPERIENCES
There’s no doubt that every single workplace is different. Every

company has their own unique mission, core values, policies, culture
and benefits, which vary by region, industry, size and employer. Each
time an employee moves into a new role, industry or company, they
bring their previous work experiences and skills with them.
For employers, it’s often beneficial to attract talent with diverse

work experience, even hiring out-of-market candidates. Such
experiences can help your team better understand different aspects of
your own industries or reach new customer markets, so don’t count
candidates out just because they have different workplace
experiences.
34. SKILLS
Skill set is a less obvious type of diversity, but one that is hugely
important to the recruitment process. Depending on their professional
history, candidates will have a particular skill set. However, based on
their personal experiences and background, they’ll have a vastly
different set of strengths that can benefit your business and culture.
Suss out individual skills — emotional intelligence, budding leadership
abilities and the like — to create a positive culture that allows
employees to excel.
While some skills are innate, others are learned. In the workplace,
we tend to focus on the skills that directly apply to one’s specific role.
However, there are a number of other skills an individual picks up on
through their personal interests and experiences that make them
excellent at their job. If you are able to hone in on these unique skills
and encourage employees to bring them to work, your team will surely
excel in innovation and creativity.
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III. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. Diversity provides benefits to the employees and employers as
well.
2. Companies across the board are taking steps to create an
equality and diversity strategy.
3. The number of factors that define diversity is truly unlimited.
Throughout an individual’s life, the unique biological and
genetic predispositions, experiences and education alter who
they are as a person. These nature versus nurture interactions
are what diversify and evolve the human race, allowing
individuals to connect and learn from each other.

Instructions:
1. Write a poem about the benefits of diversity to the employees.
2. Write a short Tigsik about the benefits of diversity to the
employers.
3. Research at least three companies in the hospitality and
tourism industry. Illustrate how these companies address
4. Choose at least 10 types of diversity that you feel very
significant in the Hospitality and tourism industry work place.
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LESSON 5
CHALLENGES OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE
1. Identify the challenges of diversity in the workplace.
2. Compare and contrast the different solutions to diversity challenges in
the workplace
3. Propose solutions on how to address diversity challenges in the
workplace.
II.DISCUSSION
Companies across a range of industries are embracing a more diverse
workforce; but with these benefits also come some key obstacles to
overcome, as there are many challenges of managing diversity in the
workplace. Below are the most common challenges of diversity in the
workplace which are important to consider.
1. Communication barriers
Hiring employees from a range of cultures and backgrounds has

fantastic benefits for businesses; but can occasionally result in
communication or language barriers within a team. This can sometimes
lead to frustration amongst employees and productivity loss.
2. Employee requirements
Whether it's a VISA or specific cultural requirements, hiring

employees from different countries can be tricky; especially if you are a
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relatively young company. As well as posing a logistical challenge, it's
important to remember that these accommodations can also sometimes
be an added business cost to factor into your hiring plans.
3. Gender equality issues
Salary inequality between men and women has been a huge topic
of discussion in recent years. Individuals that are treated unequally can
become demotivated and often choose to leave, causing increases in staff
turnover. The Equal Pay Act aims to prevent gender equality issues by
ensuring companies pay equally between women and men for equal work.
It is also important for employers to ensure the same equality is practiced
during the hiring process as well as with career progression in terms of
opportunities offered and promotions.
4. Generational differences
In teams where there is a wide age range, especially if the company

is recruiting graduates, there many be some generational differences or
generation gaps. This could potentially hinder discussions on certain
subjects; millennials account for the majority of UK workers, which
is evolving today’s corporate culture. This is something to consider when
you start your graduate recruitment plans, as individuals from other
generations might struggle to adjust to any changes that occur. To bridge
the gap between generations, promote an office culture where all views
are heard and sustain a collaborative environment.
5. Conflicting beliefs
Conflicts can arise in the workplace due to differences in religious,

political or cultural beliefs, and unfortunately discrimination and prejudice
still occurs in some corporate environments.
6. Disability discrimination
The workplace can be tough for employees with a physical or

mental disability. In a recent study on disability and employment 12%
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of employers are concerned that disabled employees will take more time
off work and 19% believe that it is expensive to hire individuals with a
disability due to costs involved in adapting the workplace. With many
offices not fully equipped with wheelchair access or no allowances for
dogs, disabled individuals are still widely discriminated against today.
7. Isolated individuals
Sometimes employees can feel left out or isolated when groups of

other individuals with similar backgrounds and characteristics, form
'cliques' or social circles.
8. Time consuming implementation process
When thinking about the disadvantages of diversity in the

workplace, one of the key issues is that implementing a diversity in the
workplace policy can be a lengthy process involving research, time and
resources. It can also work out quite costly, if you decide to offer training
to help bridge skills gaps for example. This can make it difficult,
particularly for small businesses and startups to launch a diversity
strategy. However, there are always smaller, less costly positive changes
that can be made to ensure all employees feel included and have a voice.
9. Resistance to change
In most companies it is common to find certain individuals that are

resistant to change. "This is the way we've always done it" doesn't mean
that it's the right way to do it now; however sometimes it can be difficult
to convince these individuals that change can be a good thing which can
inhibit the progress of a diversity and inclusion strategy.
How to promote diversity in the workplace?
We have established that there are some workplace diversity
challenges employers face, but they are not impossible for companies of any
size to overcome. Now we explore some potential solutions to these diversity
challenges in the workplace:
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1. Identify the problems
Make the challenges of diversity an urgent topic of conversation;

whether they are discussed in a weekly senior management meeting or
shared amongst the whole team for feedback. Frequently assess and
evaluate your diversity processes and make improvements accordingly.
2. D&I strategy for success
Develop a clear D&I strategy. We recommend you seek advice and

feedback from a diverse range of people in the business when it comes to
your diversity and inclusion in the workplace strategy, individuals from
different departments are likely to have different opinions!
3. Involve the whole team
When launching your diversity and inclusion strategy, it is a good

idea to get input elsewhere across the business wherever possible. You
could consider starting a diversity and inclusion team internally to ensure
you are meeting the standards, aims and objectives you've set out. It
might also be a good idea to do a regular 'desk swap' whereby you move
individuals around, helping to prevent 'cliques' from being formed.
4. Initiate mentoring schemes
Initiating a mentoring scheme can help to increase employee

satisfaction and retain top talent and is one of the least costly diversity
strategies that can be implemented to ensure all employees feel included
and have a voice. Find out more about how a mentoring scheme could
benefit your business.
5. Offer training programmes
Offer a clear, professional development structure to all employees.

Bridge the digital skills gap between generations by offering
computer learning training or offer language training for employees that
are non-native English speakers. It might also be a good idea to offer
diversity training to certain team members, particularly within
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management or the HR department, helping to ensure they show
compassion to colleagues in distress.
6. Hire bilingual or multilingual employees
Employing multilingual or bilingual staff can also help bridge the

gap between different cultures and resolve any language barriers
between English and non-English speaking employees.
7. Implement initiatives for gender equality
Businesses have a duty to demonstrate equality in the workplace

and prevent gender discrimination, particularly with regards to hiring both
men and women, paying equal salary and offering the same opportunities
and promotions to both men and women. Encouraging more women to
work in tech is another prime example of encouraging gender equality in
all job roles.
8. Accommodate disabilities
Support physically or mentally disabled individuals by providing

disabled access, allowing service dogs at work and offering other
initiatives to build a diverse workplace. Find out other ways to manage
mental health in the workplace.
9. Hold people accountable
It is important to hold people accountable if they are not embracing

workplace diversity and inclusion or if they are discriminating against
employees who have different characteristics or different ethnic or
religious backgrounds to their own. Put rules in place and stick to them, if
there are individuals who do not accept a diverse office environment, then
prove that you will not tolerate this behaviour. Employees may need to be
regularly reminded to keep personal beliefs and opinions separate to
work, to help reduce the risk of disputes in the office.
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10. Factor in costs and time restraints
Ensure that you factor in all potential costs and time restraints
during the initial planning stages of your diversity and inclusion strategy.
This will ensure that all your plans go ahead smoothly and prevent any
costly, unwelcome surprises further down the line.
V. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. Companies across a range of industries are embracing a more
diverse workforce; but with these benefits also come some key
obstacles to overcome, as there are many challenges of
managing diversity in the workplace.
2. We have established that there are some workplace diversity

challenges employers face, but they are not impossible for
companies of any size to overcome.
VI. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

Instructions:
1. Among the different challenges of diversity in the workplace,
what are the top 3 most challenging for you? Explain the
reasons.
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2. Among the different challenges of diversity in the workplace,
what are the top 3 least challenging for you? Explain the
reasons.
3. Select at least five solutions to diversity challenges in the
workplace, compare and contrast your chosen solutions by
giving concrete examples and situations.
4. Provide your own solutions to the top 3 most challenging
LESSON 6
MANAGING DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE
1. Explain the importance of managing diversity in the workplace.
2. Identify and explain ways on how to manage diversity.
3. Recognize the value of managing the diversity.
4. Design sample sensitivity training and zero tolerance policy.
II.DISCUSSION
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Managing diversity in the workplace presents a set of unique
challenges for HR professionals. These challenges can be mitigated if an
organization makes a concerted effort to encourage a more heterogeneous
environment through promoting a culture of tolerance, open communication
and creating conflict management strategies to address issues that may
arise.
For leadership to effectively manage diversity in the workplace, they
need to understand their backgrounds and how their behavior and beliefs
can affect their decision-making within a diverse environment.
Tips for managing workplace diversity:
1. PRIORITIZE COMMUNICATION
To manage a diverse workplace, organizations need to ensure that they

effectively communicate with employees. Policies, procedures, safety rules
and other important information should be designed to overcome language
and cultural barriers by translating materials and using pictures and symbols
whenever applicable.
2. TREAT EACH EMPLOYEE AS AN INDIVIDUAL
Avoid making assumptions about employees from different

backgrounds. Instead, look at each employee as an individual and judge
successes and failures on the individual’s merit rather than attributing
actions to their background.
3. ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO WORK IN DIVERSE GROUPS
Diverse work teams let employees get to know and value one another
on an individual basis and can help break down preconceived notions and
cultural misunderstandings.
4. BASE STANDARDS ON OBJECTIVE CRITERIA
Set one standard of rules for all groups of employees regardless of

background. Ensure that all employment actions, including discipline, follow
this standardized criteria to make sure each employee is treated the same.
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5. BE OPEN-MINDED
Recognize, and encourage employees to recognize, that one’s own

experience, background, and culture are not the only with value to the
organization. Look for ways to incorporate a diverse range of perspectives
and talents into efforts to achieve organizational goals.
6. HIRING
To build a diverse workplace, it is crucial to recruit and hire talent from

a variety of backgrounds. This requires leadership and others who make
hiring decisions to overcome bias in interviewing and assessing talent. If
organizations can break through bias and hire the most qualified people,
those with the right education, credentials, experience and skill sets, a
diverse workplace should be the natural result.
Tips for hiring a diverse workforce:
 Incorporate a diverse interview panel to ensure candidates are chosen
solely based on suitability for the position.
 Managers should be trained on what can and cannot be asked in an
interview. For example, questions about an applicant’s personal life,
such as which church they attend, their romantic life and political
beliefs, are off-limits.
 Get creative when recruiting. For example, if an organization would like
to hire more women in the engineering department, they could reach
out to professional groups that cater to women in engineering and ask
to advertise open positions in their newsletter or member
communications.
 Policies and Practices. Organizations that embrace diversity also
need to ensure that there are policies and practices in place to protect
employees’ rights and stay compliant with government regulations. It
is essential for an organization to think about the impact that company
policies and practices have on a diverse group of employees.
Companies should create a way for employees to give feedback with
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surveys and suggestion boxes to gain a better understanding of how
employees feel about diversity policies. Any feedback received, both
positive and negative, is valuable. Companies need to be ready to
adapt and change policies that may be interpreted as obstructions or
not helpful for employees. In addition to the written policies, it is also
essential to ensure that the non-official “rules” of an organization are
thoroughly explained to all employees to communicate company
values and culture to all workers effectively.
7. DOCUMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Properly documenting diversity policies is an effective means of

communicating an organization’s stances on diversity. Once concrete
plans are ready to be implemented, documents that outline each policy
should be included in the employee handbook. Diversity policies should
be reviewed with every new hire, and when updates to policies are made,
they should be shared with current employees as well.
Employee handbooks should cover diversity in the following
sections:
 Code of conduct should outline the company’s policy toward diversity
 Non-discrimination policy lets employees know about diversity
 Compensation and benefits policy
 Employment conditions and termination
8. ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY
Having a diverse workplace means that off-color jokes about

ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or religion need to be met with zero-
tolerance enforcement. Slurs, name-calling and bullying employees for
any reason has no place in today’s workplace. Policies should be put in
place to handle misconduct and communicate to employees that this type
of behavior will not be tolerated.
Organizations will also need to make sure employees feel safe
reporting any instances of inappropriate behavior by co-workers by
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establishing a formal complaint policy, so employees know how to report
misconduct to the proper authority within an organization.
9. SENSITIVITY TRAINING
Employees need to be aware of how to coexist with a diverse range

of people, as well as be cognizant of cultural sensitivity, to achieve
harmony within a diverse workplace. Sensitivity training can help an
organization manage diversity in the workplace by helping employees
become more self-aware, which plays a vital role in helping employees
understand their own cultural biases and prejudices.
Benefits of sensitivities training:
 Helps employees examine and adjust their perspectives
about people from different backgrounds
 Employees can learn to better appreciate the views of
others
 Shows employees what actions are offensive and why they
are perceived as such
 Teaches employees how to calmly communicate that a co-
worker has offended them and how to resolve the conflict
properly
 Explains to employees how to apologize to a co-worker if
they have indeed offended them unknowingly
 All employees should be included in sensitivity training;
adding specific training for managers makes it even more
impactful. Some companies also offer sensitivity training
online.
10. STAY ABREAST OF DIVERSITY LAWS
Managing diversity in the workplace means that businesses need to

keep abreast of changing employer-related laws and trends, especially
diversity-related changes. Organizations should regularly review internal
policies, especially those around harassment and equal opportunity, and
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make sure they reflect the most current laws and regulations. If an
organization has an international or multi-state presence, it is necessary
to track regional changes to laws and regulations as they vary from
country to county and state to state.
Conclusion
Encouraging diversity is the way forward for organizations. In a
global talent market, businesses that can successfully manage diversity in
the workplace will have a definite competitive advantage over others in
terms of differentiation, innovation, and employer branding.
III. KEY TAKEWAYS

1. Managing diversity in the workplace presents a set of unique
challenges for HR professionals.
2. For leadership to effectively manage diversity in the
workplace, they need to understand their backgrounds and
how their behavior and beliefs can affect their decision-
making within a diverse environment.

Instructions:
1. Write a 100-word Critical Essay about the significance of
managing diversity in the workplace.
2. Create and design an example of the following:
1. Zero Tolerance Policy
2. Sensitivity Training
LESSON 7
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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE
1. Explain the concept of inclusion in the workplace.
2. Identify and explain ways on how to improve diversity and inclusion in
the workplace.
3. Recognize the value of improving diversity and inclusion in the
workplace.
II.DISCUSSION
Diversity in the workplace statistics show that most companies need to
desperately consider aspects of inclusivity to create a diverse workforce.
Improved diversity and inclusion policies mean better engagement and
employee retention.
1. Use the “Inclusive Workplace Model”

What’s the difference between diversity and inclusion in your
workplace? If your company doesn’t score high inclusivity marks, you
risk alienating some of your workforce.
For example, consider the employee who’s a native Spanish
speaker but doesn’t feel entirely comfortable to speak any language
other than English in workplace common areas. Or the breastfeeding
mother just returning to work who has no space to pump her breast
milk. Or the Muslim employee who feels insecure about maintaining his
daily prayer routine on company grounds.
When your employees feel they have to hide or mask core parts of
themselves at work because they feel unsure, unsafe, or invisible, it can
take a toll on motivation, engagement, and (ultimately) employee
retention and turnover rates.
Diversity in the workplace statistics show that most companies
desperately need to consider aspects of inclusivity as part of their
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efforts to create a workforce that reflects a variety of backgrounds and
experiences.
When your employees feel they have to hide or mask core parts of
themselves at work because they feel unsure, unsafe, or invisible, it can
take a toll on motivation, engagement, and (ultimately) employee
retention and turnover rates.
2. Evaluate your executive team – Do they portray diversity and
inclusion?
How diverse is your executive team?
The makeup of your executive team is a huge signifier to the rest of
your workforce (not to mention your customers, partners, and other
stakeholders). The top management of a company speaks volumes about
your culture.
Accordingly, it is essential to have diversity among top management
that is diverse. Are men and women equally represented? What about people
from various cultural and religious backgrounds?
A survey report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found among the
Fortune 500 companies, only 24 CEOs are women, which represents just 5%
of the total number of CEOs. The same report pointed out that, among the
500 CEOs, only three are black, another three are openly gay, and one
identifies as a lesbian.
As an HR professional, you may not have much control over your
executive team; but if you do have the means to make a case about diversity
and inclusion to the C-suite, you should. And you can help your executives
communicate with employees authentically and transparently.
A survey report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found among the
Fortune 500 companies, only 24 CEOs are women, which represents just 5%
of the total number of CEOs.Click to Tweet
3. Acknowledge and honor multiple religious and cultural practices.
Introduce a policy for honoring a variety of cultural and religious
practices.
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You can do this by focusing on holidays and celebrations. This Forbes
article suggests designating a special refrigerator to keep Kosher food items
separate, for example. And the Society of Human Resource Management
(SHRM) notes some companies still give Christmas Day off, but also offer
“floating holidays” to accommodate the religious preferences of all
employees. (Speaking of Christmas, make your holiday party
nondenominational.)
Again when employees feel satisfied with and supported in their work
environment, the company benefits from higher employee retention.
What is the Modern Intranet?
4. Foster a company culture where every voice is welcome, heard,
and respected.
Most often employees quit jobs when they feel that their authentic self
and uniqueness is not appreciated or valued. As such, it is vital to create an
environment where they feel a sense of connectedness to the company and
its people.
Employees need to feel free to express themselves based on their unique
perspectives. Companies must make sure employees feel included and
respected regardless of their
 age,
 gender,
 race,
 religion,
 sexual orientation,
 physical conditions,
 cultural background or
 country of origin.
When it comes to supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace,
don’t play favorites, practice basic courtesy, and pay special attention to
how you can embrace non-discriminatory practices and policies. Employees
feel included when they feel “safe” to voice their concerns and opinions
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without fear of victimization. The freedom of expression without fear also
empowers companies to not just listen to but also actively embrace diverse
viewpoints.
One great way to do this is to invest in a workforce communications
platform. By integrating all your communications channel into one platform,
you will reach each worker on their preferred channel. You will truly help your
workforce feel connected and included in larger company initiatives and
goals. Also, you will gain insights from unified analytics to understand how
best to meet their needs and help them thrive. And you’ll provide a
personalized employee experience that is inclusive and allows all voices to
be heard.
5. Open a dialogue about gender pay inequality.
Want a culture of inclusion built on trust and transparency? Get ready
to talk about gender and potential pay disparities, and possibly reveal some
of the company’s data points around compensation.
Gender pay equity is a big point of contention at many companies.
Workforce trust and a sense of inclusion are built around a company’s
transparency in its policies and communication about those policies. For
companies that have gender pay imbalance, it is important to open the
communication channels so that employees can give their feelings and
opinions. Additionally, present to them with clarity, the strategy the company
is or will be using to address the gap. That way, they will feel safe knowing
that the company is committed to taking action to bridge the gender pay
gap.
It is crucial to avoid being defensive in presenting your company’s data
around such policies. If data is skewed for a variety of factors (such as
maternity leave vs. untaken paternity leave, for example), explain this the
employees in a straightforward, clear way.
Gender pay equity is a big point of contention at many companies.
Workforce trust and a sense of inclusion are built around a company’s
transparency in its policies and communication about those policies.
59

6. Welcome a multilingual workforce.
Imagine being part of a working environment where almost everyone
regularly speaks a language not native to you?
If you truly want everyone to feel included, make sure you take into
account language barriers and preferences. Global companies deal with this
sort of thing all the time; let’s say they have different teams, working in
different countries, speaking the same language … but they want to invite all
those teams to participate in a virtual event.
What language should be spoken by the person who introduced that
event? What language will your CEO make her speech in?
Global companies know to offer translation services so that everyone
can understand what’s being said and also feel included. (If the CEO speaks
multiple languages, she might opt to leverage that in her speech as well.)
But just as important in small companies is simply to make sure everyday
employees feel secure and comfortable communicating in whatever
language they find most suitable for them, especially in common areas or
during company-sponsored or sanctioned events.
As a long-term approach, having a multilingual workforce may call for
educational opportunities for workers to learn other languages. This might
sound prohibitively expensive but think of it as an investment that yields
returns in due time.
It is also a good idea to consider applicants’ language skills during the
recruitment process. For example, with the same qualifications, it might
make more sense to hire an individual who speaks more than one language.
7. Foster diverse thinking.

When you make an effort to hire for diversity, you put your company in
a good position to think in culturally diverse ways. But for diverse viewpoints
to really stick, you must account for inclusivity.
This is important because different people from different backgrounds
and generations sometimes have vastly different perspectives on all sorts of
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issues, from what they choose to wear to work, to how they compose an
email, to the kind of feedback they give on employee reviews, to what kinds
of ideas they pitch in meetings. So it’s not just important for an individual
employee or even a small team or department to understand thinking
patterns; it’s also important that they know and understand how other
people at the company think.
Embracing diverse thinking is useful in generating ideas and getting
useful feedback while at the same time creating an environment where
everyone feels relevant and part of a shared mission.
8. Build a multigenerational workforce.
Today, millennials make up the vast majority of the workforce. Having a
workforce that recognizes and accommodates multiple generations is
essential in building a diverse and inclusive workforce. And while millennials
are generally known for being tech savvy, bear in mind this generation
encompasses ages 22 to 38. The older millennials might not have the same
proficiency with tech tools as their younger counterparts.
You can really see this at work in communications practices.
Sometimes certain employees are more comfortable using social channels,
for example, or group chat functions. On the other hand, employees of older
generations might not embrace such communications channels so readily.
Again, communications professionals can invest in a workforce
communications platform to easily and efficiently create and send messages
via channels that employees prefer; this will help communicators craft
messages that will appeal to all generations, and encourage engagement.
Having a workforce that recognizes and accommodates multiple
generations is essential in building a diverse and inclusive workforce
9. Reflect everyone’s needs and preferences at everyday
gatherings.
In addition to holiday parties, many offices celebrate minor holidays
(like Halloween) or events like birthdays. Whenever you have even a casual
company event, be sure to include food and beverages that everyone can
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eat and drink. For instance, include both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
during events, and you may want to avoid hosting offsite events at bars.
(Happy hours can be held in bar/restaurant spaces.)
Also, not everyone likes to celebrate birthdays, so be sure to ask the
employee what he or she prefers (and never reveal the employee’s age or
year of birth). Make sure employees know such events are optional. For
example, some employees may suffer from intense shyness and would panic
at the thought of having to attend a work-sponsored karaoke event.
This doesn’t mean you have to forgo small, ordinary celebrations
altogether. But asking proper questions about preferences and offering a
variety of food and drink options will go a long way in making such
experiences more inclusive.
10. Strengthen anti-discriminatory policies.
A Harvard Business Review survey found that 75% of respondents
found that superficial policies and language was insufficient to truly institute
real change. They believed that leadership commitment and strengthening
anti-discriminatory policies were critical. Also, every organization is different,
so a tailored approach makes sense for success.
11. Make your workspaces inclusive.
You can establish gender-friendly bathrooms and restrooms and also
set up dedicated nursing rooms for mothers. (Mothers should not have to
book a conference room or hide in the bathroom.) A nursing room needs a
door that locks, a comfortable chair, covered windows, proper ventilation,
and a special refrigerator to store the pumped milk.
12. Eliminate bias in the evaluation process and promotion
opportunities.
A large body of research shows that the hiring process is unfair and full
of bias. Much of it is unconscious sexism, racism, and ageism. If left
unchecked, it can harm your company. Iris Bohnet, director of the Women
and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School and author of What
Works: Gender Equality by Design explains, “Seeing is believing… If we don’t
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see male kindergarten teachers or female engineers we don’t naturally
associate women and men with those jobs, and we apply different
standards” when we hire, promote, and evaluate job performance.
“Managers have to learn to de-bias their practices and procedures.”
Some strategies to combat bias include:
 Rewriting job descriptions so they are gender neutral and use words
that strike a balance of gendered descriptors and verbs
 Create a blind system of reviewing resumes so you don’t see
“demographic characteristics”
 Set diversity goals as an organization, which will help you track your
progress
13. Segment employee engagement surveys by minority groups.
The annual pulse survey is common among companies, but many
neglect to segment that data according to gender, generation, ethnicity,
geography, and others. By only looking at total numbers, HR pros may miss
the whole picture and an opportunity to identify issues pertaining to those
groups.
14. Use independent groups to conduct focus groups.
Focus groups are a good way to collect qualitative data and gain
deeper insights into employees. By using an outside facilitator, employees
may be more comfortable speaking freely, and the outside company will
maintain a neutral position.
15. Personalize one-on-one discussions.
One of the best ways to learn what employees care about is one-on-
one talks with their manager. In order for these discussions to truly be
effective, managers must have an “open door” policy. Workers need to feel
comfortable in speaking their mind honestly and openly.
Managers (and leaders in general) can do this with authentic executive
communications. By showing they too are human, employees will feel
comfortable speaking up and trusting their leadership.
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III. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. Diversity in the workplace statistics show that most
companies need to desperately consider aspects of
inclusivity to create a diverse workforce. Improved diversity
and inclusion policies mean better engagement and
employee retention.

Instructions:
1. What is the importance of inclusion in the workplace?
2. In your own view, what is the most effective ways of
improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
3. Why is there a need to improve diversity and inclusion in
the workplace?
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LESSON 8
CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Define cross-cultural communication.
2. Explain the sources of miscommunication.
3. Identify the strategies for effective cross-cultural communication in the
workplace.
4. Differentiate the key pieces of advice to navigate cultural meaning.
5. Enumerate and explain the role of communication in managing
organizational diversity
II.DISCUSSION
Introduction
Culture is a way of thinking and living whereby one picks up a set of
attitudes, values, norms and beliefs that are taught and reinforced by other
members in the group. This set of basic assumptions and solutions to the
problems of the world is a shared system that is passed on from generation
to generation to ensure survival. A culture consists of unwritten and written
principles and laws that guide how an individual interacts with the outside
world. Members of a culture can be identified by the fact that they share
65

some similarity. They may be united by religion, by geography, by race or
ethnicity.
Our cultural understanding of the world and everything in it ultimately
affects our style of communication as we start picking up ways of one’s
culture at around the same time we start learning to communicate. Culture
influences the words we speak and our behavior.
Cross Cultural Communication
Cross cultural communication thus refers to the communication
between people who have differences in any one of the following: styles of
working, age, nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
Cross cultural communication can also refer to the attempts that are made to
exchange, negotiate and mediate cultural differences by means of language,
gestures and body language. It is how people belonging to different cultures
communicate with each other.
Each individual can practice culture at varying levels. There is the
culture of the community he grows up in, there is work culture at his work
place and other cultures to which one becomes an active participant or
slowly withdraws from. An individual is constantly confronted with the clash
between his original culture and the majority culture that he is exposed to
daily. Cultural clashes occur as a result of individuals believing their culture is
better than others.
Cross cultural communication has been influenced by a variety of
academic disciplines. It is necessary in order to avoid misunderstandings
that can lead to conflicts between individuals or groups. Cross cultural
communication creates a feeling of trust and enables cooperation. The focus
is on providing the right response rather than providing the right message.
When two people of different cultures encounter each other, they not
only have different cultural backgrounds but their systems of turn – talking
are also different. Cross cultural communication will be more effective and
easier if both the speakers have knowledge of the turn taking system being
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used in the conversation (For example: One person should not monopolize
the conversation or only one person should talk at a time).
LarayBarna’s Sources of Miscommunication in Cross Cultural
Exchanges
1) Assumption of similarities: This refers to our tendency to think
how we behave and act is the universally accepted rule of behavior.
When someone differs, we have a negative view of them
2) Language Differences: Problems occur when there is an inability
to understand what the other is saying because different languages
are being spoken. Talking the same language itself can sometimes
lead to discrepancies as some words have different meanings in
various contexts, countries or cultures
3) Nonverbal Misinterpretation: The way we dress, the way we
express ourselves through our body language, eye contact and
gestures also communicates something. A simple gesture like
nodding the head is considered to be YES in certain cultures and NO
in others
4) Preconceptions and Stereotypes : Stereotypes involves putting
people into pre-defined slots based on our image of how we think
they are or should be. It may consist of a set of characteristics that
we assume that all members of a group share. This may be true or
may be false. But stereotypes may lead to wrongful expectations
and notions. A preconceived opinion of another can lead to bias and
discrimination
5) Tendency to evaluate : Humans tend to make sense of the
behavior and communication of others by analyzing them from
one’s own cultural point of view without taking into consideration
why the other person is behaving or communicating a certain way
6) High anxiety : Sometimes being confronted with a different
cultural perspective will create an anxious state in an individual who
does not know how to act or behave and what is considered to be
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appropriate (For example: A Japanese man and an American having
a business meeting where both are unsure of the other’s cultural
norms)
To reduce the above barriers to cross cultural communication, one can
take the effort to develop one’s listening skills. This will ensure that we start
hearing the real meaning of what is being said instead of understanding at
face value. Becoming aware of our perceptions towards others will ensure
that we take steps to not prejudge a person or stereotype them. By
accepting people and their differences and acknowledging that we don’t
know everything will make us open up to people and their differences
resulting in us using contextual information for better understanding.
Seeking feedback and taking risks to open up channels of communication
and being responsible for our feelings and actions will go a long way in
ensuring that miscommunication is mitigated.
STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

WITHIN THE WORKPLACE
We often take for granted the way we communicate with one another.
Similar to everything else we learn, the way we make interpretations, create
assumptions and form decisions is based on our cultural upbringing. In a
multicultural organization, how employees communicate can set the tone and
foundation for a learning culture. As discussed in my previous blog about the
various types of communication challenges that arise, it is critical to promote
a work environment that supports business and customer needs, while
instilling unity and high employee morale.
A productive workforce means creating an environment that supports
diversity, while balancing the pressures of management, time and cost. There
are many resources that provide communication tactics in a culturally diverse
organization. However, I believe getting down to the basics is the best way to
understand and implement techniques. I came across an article in AG
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Professional, “Multicultural Communication Tips for Today’s World,” that
simplified the best way to promote effective communication. Below are four
simple tips to keep in mind when interacting and communicating with others
in your organization.
1. Keep an open mind
2. Have at least some knowledge of people’s cultural backgrounds
3. Practice active listening
4. Watch your nonverbal communication
5. Maintain a personal touch
It is important to understand the way people comprehend, communicate
and make decisions across different types of cross-cultural backgrounds.
Although it may be difficult to interpret certain statements and behaviors,
there must be a significant emphasis placed on the concept of acceptance and
open mindedness.
“The key to success is understanding and accepting the differences on a
multicultural team, and then using them to enhance the way the team
analyzes situations and makes decisions,” said Kelley Holland, in a New York
Times article, “How Diversity Makes a Team Click.”
We tend to be unaware of our own biases, placing stereotype and
cultural assumptions on others. Creating an organizational awareness by
providing diversity training ensures employees learn to be culturally mindful
and gradually adaptable when communicating with people of different
backgrounds.
Employees need to feel not only accepted, but valued in an
organization. By attentively listening to the concerns and viewpoints of others,
employees will start to feel confident in the workplace. Active listening means
paying attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues. According an article in
Forbes, high-context cultures (Central European, Latin American, Asian, etc.)
tend to incorporate their message through context, interpretation and non-
verbal cues. On the other hand, low-context cultures (most English-speaking
countries) expect direct messages face-to-face. Business leaders who
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recognize the importance of diversity training and take the time to make their
employees feel appreciated, gain the benefits of a multicultural organization.
Alongside establishing effective communication within the workplace,
expressing interest in aspects of an employee’s life outside of the office can
create a strong relationship. Regardless of cultural differences, people want to
feel like they are a part of a community. Effective internal communications in a
culturally diverse organization means being able to share and exchange ideas
based on mutual awareness, respect and credibility. Implementing diversity
training to improve communication in the workplace is mutually beneficial for
employees and the organization, ensuring a high level of productivity and
return on investment.
With the increased globalization in everything we do, it is essential to
establish and maintain effective cross-cultural communication. Workplace
diversity can clearly create more opportunities than challenges. That said, we
should place a strong emphasis on developing employees who are consciously
aware of cultural differences and how to embrace to surface those
opportunities.
KEY PIECES OF ADVICE TO NAVIGATE CULTURAL MEANING

Do Your Homework Before a cross-cultural meeting, do some research.
Gain some knowledge about the culture of your business partner. It is amazing
how many people visit countries to do business completely unprepared — and
then are surprised when things quickly unravel!
1.Don’t Assume Everyone Speaks English.A common problem in
international relations is the misunderstanding that happens because of the
belief that everyone speaks the “international language” of English. In fact,
everyone uses English words with his or her own native meaning. As
playwright George Bernard Shaw said, even the United States and United
Kingdom are “two countries divided by a common language.” A lot of the
time, we are not speaking the same language at all!
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2.Understand That Everyone Has Different Meaning
Systems .We interpret words or concepts in different ways depending on the
knowledge structures we’ve internalized from our cultures. In other words,
people act in a way that makes sense to them in the world they live in — in
their meaning systems, which are sometimes called “frames of meaning.”
Always check meaning when working with international partners, especially if
they are from a very different culture.
3. Make Sure You “Negotiate Meaning”. In Anglo-Saxon cultures, a
deadline was originally a cut-off point for delivery, and you were dead if you
didn’t reach it. These days, while the consequences are less severe, the word
indicates a set point in time by which you must complete something.
However, “deadline” does not connote this strong cut-off point in many other
cultures and languages, so confusion can arise.
“Global employees need to have confidence, optimism and cooperation
to build strong relationships and negotiate across borders..”
An Anglo-Saxon contract is a piece of paper signed by two parties in
which no one can change a single word once he or she has signed it. In Asia,
however, you can change contracts and deadlines if circumstances change.
There is a famous story of Japanese and Australian delegates negotiating a
contract for sugar. When sugar prices dropped, the Japanese wanted to revisit
the contract, and the Australians replied, “A contract is a contract.” This
misunderstanding led to a great deal of unhappiness.
Role of Communication in Managing Organizational Diversity

Communication is indeed an effective tool which plays an important
role in binding employees together. Communication plays a crucial role in
breaking the ice among employees, bringing them closer to each other and
thus managing organizational diversity. An individual may belong to any
religion or community, but it is his/her power to communicate which helps
him know about his fellow workers. It is essential for individuals to talk and
share their experiences. Unless and until, they do so, they would never be
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able to enjoy their work and treat it as a mere source of burden. Believe me,
if employees are asked to work in isolation, they would attend office just for
the sake of it.
In today’s scenario of fierce competition, employees need to
discuss, brainstorm ideas to reach to innovative solutions which
would not only benefit their respective teams but also help their
organization to outshine its competitors. Communication in fact
helps you to express your ideas and viewpoints. Do not say a “yes” if
you feel it is not correct. Remember, freedom of expression is the right of
every employee and you just cannot deprive anyone of the same.
It hardly matters whether the individual is a Christian or a Muslim, has
recently joined the organization or is there for quite some time, is an MBA or
just a graduate. What is more important is whether he/she is able to do
justice to the roles and responsibilities assigned or not? Let individuals come
out with their ideas, opinions and also have a say in organization’s major
decisions.
One of the most common reasons of misunderstandings and
conflicts at the workplace is lack of communication between them
and their superiors. Superiors need to communicate with their team
members on a regular basis not only to regularly monitor their performance
but also motivate them to come out with their best every time. Individuals
feel left out and demotivated when their Bosses do not have the time to talk
to them. Effective communication enables information to reach all related
employees in its desired form. Do not interact with only the top level
employees but with every individual associated with organization.
Individuals need to communicate effectively to know about
each other’s customs, traditions, religions, culture and so on. If you
do not allow them to sit together and talk, trust me, they would treat each
other as enemies and would find it extremely difficult to work in unison. How
would an individual know that the person sitting next to him, who though
belongs to a different religion is his fellow worker and is also working for the
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same motive i.e. to achieve organization’s goals and objectives and also for
respective career growths? He/she would come to know only when you would
allow him/her to communicate effectively with counterparts. Effective
communication ensures individuals from varied backgrounds, religions;
communities or age groups share a strong rapport and do not face problems
working together. Individuals, when effectively communicate seldom fight
and solve half of the problems themselves. They escalate the matter to their
superiors only when it is really serious and requires their intervention. In a
way, effective communication not only manages organizational diversity but
also leads to a positive ambience at the workplace. There are situations
when some or the other misunderstandings among team members might
arise, but it is always better when employees sit face to face, talk and clear
the same at the earliest. The productivity is in fact more when employees
communicate effectively with each other.
III. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. Culture is a way of thinking and living whereby one picks up a set of

attitudes, values, norms and beliefs that are taught and reinforced by
other members in the group.
2. Cross cultural communication thus refers to the communication
between people who have differences in any one of the following:
styles of working, age, nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual
orientation, etc.
3. We often take for granted the way we communicate with one another.
Similar to everything else we learn, the way we make interpretations,
create assumptions and form decisions is based on our cultural
upbringing.

Instructions:
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 Provide a clear and proper front page, with your name:
1. Using acrostic, define C-R-O-S-S- C-U-L-T-U-R-A-L – C-O-M-M-U-N-I-
C-A-T-I-O-N
2. Among the different sources of miscommunication, which is the
most dangerous or alarming source of miscommunication? Why?
3. How are you going to maximize and ensure that the different
strategies for effective cross-cultural communication in the
workplace are implemented?
4. What is the significance of communication in managing
organizational diversity
LESSON 9
COMMUNICATION & DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE
1. Explain workplace diversity.
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2. Recognize the importance of diverse workforce.
3. Promote workplace diversity.
II.DISCUSSION
Having cross-cultural communication skills in a diverse workplace are

absolutely essential. Having clear, effective communication between co-
workers, managers and executives creates an equal opportunity workplace,
in which a diverse set of individuals are empowered to excel. Inclusion and
respect for everyone in the workplace stands to benefit performance and
working conditions. Challenges of communication in a diverse workplace
are common – but solvable.
Workplace Diversity Explained
Diversity comes in many different forms in business. Gender roles,
race, different culture groups - and even migrant workers - are represented
in diverse workplaces. Essentially, any business environment operating
without a uniform, looks like a group of employees that has diversity in the
workplace.
This means that nearly every business in the United States - which is
not run by a very small number of people – is likely to have some level of
diversity in the workplace. If two sisters open a small business together,
they have a workplace without diversity. The same applies to two brothers
or even a couple of friends.
Outside of these small-business cases, every business operation must
meet the standards of an equal opportunity workplace, according to anti-
discrimination laws created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This means that
businesses must hire without discriminatory practices and must offer offer a
safe workplace that's void of discrimination.
In order to operate without discrimination, employees and managers
must have communications skills and communications systems. Without a
baseline for communication, discrimination will always be a dark possibility
in the workplace.
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Benefits of a Diverse Workforce
The benefits of diversity in the workplace are evident for many
businesses. Diversity brings fresh ideas and a multicultural view to the work
environment. It can stimulate creativity while also serving the greater
marketplace.
If a business builds products for a diverse set of cultural groups,
having a relatively small group of employees working on those products and
marketing tactics is advantageous. The business can utilize first-hand
experience and empathy from the market-test group to build a better
product.
They can then build more relevant, genuine messaging for marketing
campaigns. Relating to the market audience is more effective when
developers and marketers actually understand that audience group.
In most instances, the business benefits via inclusion, because a
melting pot of ideas and creativity is capable of bringing more vision to the
production process. But in a job that requires no creativity, diversity issues
do not necessarily change the outcome. Communication remains very
important, regardless of the job functions in a diverse work environment.
Develop Listening Skills
Working in a diverse environment requires excellent listening skills.
Every cultural group communicates differently, and great co-workers and
managers will listen to each other before speaking.
To truly understand each other and communicate authentically, it is
important to take the time to listen and to ask meaningful questions. This
process is slower than communication between two people from the same
cultural group and background – but the investment of time spent doing
this can offer significant emotional rewards.
Listening develops the ability to communicate more clearly and to better
understand individuals and groups from different cultural groups.
Ultimately, this saves time in the future, as problems are more easily
resolved in an adaptive, responsive work environment.
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Listening is a skill that requires time and patience. Pay close attention
to others, take notes and take the time to digest information before
responding. Digesting the information first means that you can formulate an
appropriate response that has accounted for different cultural groups and
gender divisions in the workplace.
Encourage Self-Expression
Self-expression is difficult for anybody at work, but this is especially
true for minority groups in a business. Encouraging positive self-expression
improves working conditions, by giving a voice to everyone.
This practice is inclusive, and should apply to all workers. It is,
however, more difficult for minority groups to always feel free to speak
freely. Common solutions to this problem include annual reviews, one-on-
one meetings with managers, and an HR department that encourages
communications.
The most difficult aspect of expression is the fear of repercussions or
of being judged. Utilize anonymous tools to open a line of communication
for individuals who want to express concerns or positive outcomes without
shining a light on themselves. A simple box for employees to put
anonymous notes or feedback about the company is very effective.
In large workplaces, the feedback box works very well; remaining
anonymous with a small employee population, however, is more difficult. In
this instance, using a more hands-on approach to problem solve with
individuals is a workable approach.
Challenges of Language Barriers
In the global business environment, linguistic barriers are a major
issue. In a domestic workplace, language is less of a problem, but some
linguistic barriers can still prevail. When multiple languages are involved,
systems are required to make the business run, while also supporting a
diverse group of workers.
For example, a business that relies on temporary work visas to fill
seasonal positions will have linguistic barriers, and the business may even
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have a work force from numerous differing cultural groups that include a
variety of languages.. This creates linguistic barriers within the subsets of
workers, resulting in communication that becomes difficult for diverse
employee backgrounds.
In this case, creating training manuals to represent every language –
while also using ambassadors as a point of contact – can help overcome
some of those linguistic issues. Solving the issues completely is not entirely
possible, especially with a seasonal workforce, which changes each year.
In a multinational or global business model, having multiple locations
around the globe create an inherently diverse work environment. The
location independence may also isolate each population, so that even
though the workforce is diverse, the differing cultural groups are often
separated from each other when they are not at work. However, these
groups must communicate at work so that they can work together. This
means creating a mutual point of contact in each workplace to merge the
cultures and open translatable lines of communication.
The Holistic Vision
Equality in a diverse workplace requires equal standards for every
employee. Building a holistic vision means stepping back to view the
workplace without bias. See it from every perspective and use that vision to
build empathy and understand about the roles played by every employee,
including minority groups.
Using the holistic vision to find underrepresented or misrepresented
people in the employee pool is productive. Apply that information to
construct systems, which ensure that everyone has equal access to benefits
and programs that are specifically used to create equal ground for
everyone.
Ultimately, approaching diversity and communication in the
workplace by first stepping back to observe and better understand the
existing dynamics, is a valuable skill set for managers and executives.
Uniform Training and Expectations
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Managing expectations and setting a training regimen that places
everyone on equal footing, is an important element for communicating in a
diverse environment. This means that it's important to train everyone under
the same set of standards and implementing clear rules and operating
procedures. This again is subject to the anti-discrimination laws created by
the Civil Rights Act. Before the laws were created, discrimination based on
race and sex were common, legal practices.
These systems hold everyone accountable, regardless of sex, race or
cultural background. It’s a simple approach to doing business by the book,
and it creates a baseline for accountability. The rules do not however, deal
with daily interactions and relationships but they do create a foundation
approach to efficiencies and operating procedures.
When everyone is held to the same standard, questions regarding
discrimination are removed from the equation. Implementing clear
procedures is difficult in creative and subjective job roles – but in most
situations, the process is simple.
For example, every dock worker at FedEx is tracked, based on how
many trucks that worker loads or unloads in a given shift. All of the trucks
are the same size; everyone has the same equipment available and the
process is consistent across the board. So, that in a results-based
environment with simple daily tasks, diversity is not a factor, because
everyone works independently.
Workplace Sensitivity Training
The Human Resources department in every business is tasked with
encouraging and enforcing equality. The HR team can create sensitivity
training programs to teach communication skills while bringing everyone
together.
The training programs create value by raising awareness about
specific communication problems. They also highlight issues that are often
overlooked by the general employee population.
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Training focused specifically on inclusion and communication are
important. Also, clearly demonstrating the differences between acceptable
and unacceptable conduct sets a precedent for future conflicts. HR can fall
back on the sensitivity training when reprimanding poor behavior in the
workplace.
Strategic Mentor Programs

Utilizing strategic mentors is one of the better ways to introduce new
employees to a diverse and potentially uncomfortable workplace. Focus on
mentors that are successful and respected to take the new workers under
their wing.
Mentors can quickly teach new personnel the appropriate means of
communication along with specific job roles. Corporations operating in
multiple countries often use mentor programs when an employee moves
into a position in a foreign location.
These programs can work as a one on one mentor or more of a group
setting depending on the company and their specific needs. For example,
an employee based in the United States that is moved to an office in Japan
will benefit from a local mentor who has undergone the same process.
The mentor can teach the employee about local customs, work
processes and show them around the city. Having an understanding point of
contact makes the transition much easier. Adapting to a new culture is not
easy and the mentor helps communicate the process until the employee is
comfortable and adapted.
Attitude Is Everything
Finding effective ways to communicate in a diverse workplace is often
a simple matter attitude. Having a positive attitude toward coworkers is a
great starting point. Genuine intent also helps, because you truly care
about having an open, meaningful line of communication to achieve
productive outcomes.
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Simply approaching communications with an open mind and a
willingness to listen is often enough to gain respect and to have reciprocal
communications in business. Positive attitudes are infectious and are good
for everyone involved.
Focus on praising great work and do not use a condescending tone or
punishment for mistakes. Use that energy to encourage learning and
improvement over time. Taking the time to recognize great work – while
building positive morale around the success of a diverse group – will build a
team mindset.
Communicating With Body Language
Even though a positive, outgoing attitude is great for communicating,
using body language also should be considered. Your body language is
especially important when interacting with different cultural groups.
In the workplace, touching is simply off-limits. Touching can easily be
interpreted as sexual harassment, and it also makes some people
uncomfortable. Keep your hands to yourself in a professional setting -
outside of the basic handshake. The only exception is between longtime
friends, who are mutually comfortable with a hug or pat on the back. Unless
you are absolutely certain, however, stick to basic formalities.
Body language while speaking is great for making a point and expressing
emotion. Consider the audience first, however, to ensure that you are not
overreacting or misrepresenting the context of the conversation. In some
cases, remaining low-key when it comes to body language is a good idea.
Again, the context and comfort level with other parties involved is
important.
III. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. Having cross-cultural communication skills in a diverse

workplace are absolutely essential. Having clear, effective
communication between co-workers, managers and executives
creates an equal opportunity workplace, in which a diverse set
of individuals are empowered to excel.
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2. Diversity comes in many different forms in business. Gender
roles, race, different culture groups - and even migrant workers
- are represented in diverse workplaces.
3. The benefits of diversity in the workplace are evident for many
businesses. Diversity brings fresh ideas and a multicultural view
to the work environment. It can stimulate creativity while also
serving the greater marketplace.

Instructions:
1. Write a 100-word descriptive essay about workplace diversity.

2. Explain the importance of diverse workforce.
3. Make a slogan promoting workplace diversity.
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LESSON 10
PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
1. Describe the principles of organizational communication.
2. Relate the significance of organizational culture to organizational
communication.
3. Discuss the four BEs of effective organizational communication.
4. Value the importance of having an effective organizational
communication.
5. Design a communication plan for a company.
II.DISCUSSION
Having cross-cultural communication skills in a diverse workplace are
absolutely essential. Having clear, effective communication between co-
workers, managers and executives creates an equal opportunity.
You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t benefit from
studying at least some principles of organizational communication. Simply
put, this field examines communications in an office or work setting that
lead to a clearer understanding of virtually every human process that
occurs there. This understanding can enhance leadership skills and lead to
increased workplace productivity.
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Formal Communication
Every organization has formal communication. Think of your
organizational flow chart that clearly delineates the chain of command and
thus information flow. Internal memoranda and policy manuals are also
examples of formal organizational communications. This communication
flows downward, such as from management to staff, or upward, from staff
to management. There is also horizontal communication occurring among
employees at the same level, such as in task forces or work groups.
Informal Communication
Informal communication occurs naturally and usually unconsciously
within organizations on a daily basis. Office grapevines or casual colleague
lunches are examples of informal communications. These communications
are necessary for, and indicative of, a relaxed organizational culture but
should not be so pervasive that they replace formal communications.
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication has an increased importance in
organizations as telecommuting or online communications become more
popular. This method of face-to-face communication allows the participants
-- the senders and receivers of messages -- to process all communication
operators such as verbal and non-verbal communications. Verbal is how
something is said, such as volume and inflection of the voice. Non-verbal
includes facial expressions, eye contact and body language. Having access
to these communication cues can eliminate confusion and
misunderstandings.
Organizational Culture
Organizational culture is an unspoken network of understanding that
defines an organization’s norms and standards -- a reality that has been
created over time. An established culture is important for communication
because it clarifies expectations for certain norms and behaviors and can
even increase productivity. If a leader tries to change the culture, she has to
do so strategically, understanding what is important to change and leaving
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alone those elements that aren’t significant. Employees who have
difficulties operating within a certain culture, or reject attempts to change
it, can feel a dissonance that can lead to conflict.
The “Four Be’s” of Effective Organizational Communication
Regardless of an organization’s focus or size, communication is often
identified as an area for organizational improvement. Why, when sharing
information is easier in many ways than it has ever been, does
communicating effectively remain such a common organizational challenge?
In many ways, it’s not surprising. Communication preferences vary
across individuals; some prefer written information, whereas others may
prefer talking. Interests may also vary; what one employee wants to know
about might differ from what matters to another person. And then there is
the matter of consistency; since managers have different communication
styles and approaches, information flow can vary significantly across
departments and locations where employees work. Despite these variations
in communication preferences and practices, there is a straightforward path
to improved organizational communication. This approach is based on four
foundational principles I call the “Four Be’s”: be reliable, be honest, be
timely, and be interactive.
1. Be Reliable
Ensuring that communication occurs regularly and predictably is a core
practice for building organizational trust. In selecting approaches to enhance
information flow across their organizations – such as by holding a quarterly
staff meeting or sharing a weekly newsletter – leaders should carefully
consider the ability to reliably deliver on the promise. Otherwise, announcing
a new initiative that is not executed as expected or sustained for a
meaningful period of time will only serve to undermine the environment of
trust that improved communication is intended to enhance. Being reliable
also includes following through and reporting back on previously discussed
items where future actions or developments were planned.
2. Be Honest
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Honest communication is key to organizational transparency. Even if
communications are occurring regularly, if they don’t address employees’
interests or address what’s really on their minds, they can feel empty or
even breed mistrust. Sometimes the burning issue is something that remains
in an uncertain state or a topic that leadership cannot yet fully discuss. In
this situation, staff members are likely to appreciate their leaders’
acknowledgement of the issue, even if they don’t know all the answers. An
honest statement about what is known, with a plan for sharing further
information when available, will go far toward establishing transparency as
an organizational value.
3. Be Timely
Another way to ensure that organizational communications are relevant
and meaningful is to strive for timeliness. A broad interpretation of timeliness
reveals opportunities to communicate along the organization’s ongoing
timeline:
 Before: What advance notice or preparation can you provide to staff
so that they will be well positioned to meet upcoming demands and
take advantage of key opportunities?
 During: What is occurring that may prompt employee questions or
require further clarification?
 After: What milestones have recently been accomplished that can be
celebrated, learned from, or built on for further success?
Organizations typically have room to enhance communications at each of
these phases, but the “during” phase can be particularly challenging when
something is underway that is unclear or possibly worrisome to staff. In these
cases, remarking on known information in a timely manner is better than
saying nothing until every answer is known, but rumors have long since
spread across the organization.
4. Be Interactive
Ensuring that an organization consistently shares relevant information
in a timely and transparent manner is fundamental to strong organizational
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communication. But pushing information only gets an organization so far. To
create real engagement, communication should be a two-way, ongoing
conversation. In-person interactions are a very powerful and critical
supplement to emails; one in-person interaction with a leader can enhance
the power of all other types of communications for an employee. Internal
social business platforms offer another approach for fostering information-
sharing and connections among an organization’s busy and often dispersed
members.
The “Four Be’s” offer a solid foundation for improved organizational
communication. Stay tuned for more blog posts that will describe strategies
for putting these principles into action.
V. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. Having cross-cultural communication skills in a diverse

workplace are absolutely essential. Having clear, effective
communication between co-workers, managers and
executives creates an equal opportunity.
2. Organizational culture is an unspoken network of
understanding that defines an organization’s norms and
standards -- a reality that has been created over time
3. Regardless of an organization’s focus or size,
communication is often identified as an area for
organizational improvement
VI. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

Instructions:
1. Write a lyric of a song describing the principles of organizational
management.
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2. Write a 200-word Feature Article about the significance
organizational culture to organizational communication.
3. Discuss the four BEs of effective organizational communication. As
a future tourism industry practitioner, how would you apply it to
your work?
4. Assuming that you are the manager of any tourism establishment.
Then you encountered problems within your organization, wherein
your employees are quarrelling and could not settle their work
issues, how are you going address this problem?
LESSON 11
Cultural Diversity Management in
Tourism
1. Define diversity and culture.
2. Describe the dimensions of cultures across different countries.
3. Create an infographic on cultural differences of different nationalities.
II.DISCUSSION
As business has become exclusively internationalized and globalized
over the past years, the issue of workforce diversity has also gained more
popularity. The complex and dynamic business environment requires
interaction among people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
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Competitive corporations cannot allow themselves losing talented and skillful
employees due to discriminatory preferences or practices. The customer
base has become more diverse as well and as service industries, tourism and
hospitality are exposed even to a greater extent to the challenges of the
heterogeneous labor market of the 21st century. In tourism industry the
contact with the customers is vital, so corporations need to recruit
employees who are able to understand and relate to the customers’ needs.
The main purpose of managing diversity in business is to bring out the best
of employees, in a non discriminatory, fair and just environment, for the
benefit of the individuals as well as the prosperity of the whole company.
The futurist Jamais Cascio gives the main reasons why workforce
diversity has become so important. These are the shift from manufacturing
to a service economy, the globalization as well as the innovative business
strategies and the increasing demand on teamwork. In addition there are the
mergers and alliances acting on a high international level and of course the
changing labor market conditions.
2. Definition of Diversity and Culture

In general diversity is 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”. Due to the
increased diverse nature of workforce in the contemporary tourism industry,
managing heterogeneous employees has become an important competitive
tool. Diversity could only be of a benefit to both companies and their
employees when managed well. Although there are many management tools
in this particular area, there is unfortunately no “cookbook approach”, and
managing diversity remains an organizational challenge.
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The private German foundation Bertelsmann Stiftung, which sees itself
as a driver of social change, has conducted a survey on the topic of
workforce diversity. The main objective of the survey is to assess the status
of diversity management in German corporations and compare it on an
international level to Europe, UK, USA and some other countries. The survey
represents a standardized questionnaire in German and English, whose
target group are top 600 of German companies and top 600 of international
ones. The study was conducted between March and June 2007. The
importance of the following diversity criteria to a company is ranked on a
scale from 1 (no relevance) to 7 (highest relevance): age, disabilities,
gender, culture, religion and sexual orientation. According to the chart in
figure 1. Germany is obviously behind UK and USA concerning all criteria,
though when it comes to differences in age, physical abilities, religion and
sexual orientation the other European countries show less relevance than
Germany. However, the most neglected differences among employees are
their religion beliefs and the sexual orientation.
Although German corporations are not in the leading positions their
progress in the area should still be recognized and hopefully continued.
This written paper focuses on the cultural differences among
employees in tourism and hospitality, as managing across cultures has
become an inseparable and a very important part of this industry. However,
the term culture in its complexity could be quite confusing. A dictionary
definition of culture incorporates many elements like history, common traits,
geographical location, language, religion, race, hunting practices, music,
agriculture etc. This makes culture and cultural differences very hard to
define. Peter Brooks, an interdisciplinary scholar, tries to embrace the
complexity of the term through an interesting analogy. Everyone knows what
a tree is - it has some parts one sees immediately, like branches and leaves,
and some parts which need a closer and deeper observation - these could be
the birds’ nests, the bark with lichen on it and of course the life giving roots
under the ground. This example shows that the most important aspects of
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culture, like the roots of a tree, are hardly recognizable at first. 4 Thus, the
meaning of culture should not be simplified.
When different cultures collide on the workplace this might have a
great impact on the whole well-being of a company. Cultural awareness could
therefore be very useful and even profitable for corporations. In a
multicultural environment the employees’ cultural backgrounds would affect
how they act, communicate, work in teams, determine their approach to
time and task completion. The Germans for instance believe that the truth,
even if unpleasant, will achieve a success, while English give priority to not
“rocking the boat”. To Chinese, there is just no absolute truth. 5 When
greeting, Japanese only bow to each other, and could find it inappropriate to
shake hands like their western colleagues do. Germans highly value time and
punctuality, while Spanish often tend to be late. Religion beliefs could also
contribute to cultural gaps between employees, e.g. the Muslim who has to
pray 5 times a day and keep daily fasting during the month of Ramadan.
These and numerous others are examples for cultural differences which
people come across in the everyday business life.
Dimensions of Culture
The different relations between cultures are formed in seven different
dimensions according to Fons Trompenaars, which is a worldwide
acknowledged authority concerning intercultural management.
Universalism versus sectionalism
For example you go by car with a really good friend and he runs into a
food passenger with 50 km per hour even though only 30 were allowed.
There are no witnesses. Would you keep it secret in court to protect him or
not? Both North America and Europe would approach this problem almost
exclusively universal and would not protect their friends in court. However
Africa, Latin America and Asia would approach the problem sectional.
In universal cultures, rules are more important than relations. The
contracts have to be observed strictly and only the people who follow the
91

rules and the contract provide confidence. More over, there is only one truth
and reality on which you have agreed. Business is Business. If you have to
manage universal cultures:
 Do not consider the non- personal flowers of speech “Let's keep at
business” as impoliteness!
 Go after consequence and consistent work flows!
 Aspire at fairness by managing all similar cases equally!
In sectional cultures, relations are more important than rules are.
Contracts have to be modifiable and only people who accept changes
provide confidence. There are different perspectives of reality, concerning
this of each partner. Further more, relations have to develop. If you have to
manage sectional cultures:
 Do not consider individual flowers of speech “We have to get to know
each other” as small talk!
 Create informal networks and create individual comprehension!
 Aspire at fairness, by handling all cases individually!
Collectivism versus individualism
In collective cultures, the delegates decide after consulting. Ideally,

staff members do their work in groups with divided responsibility and staff
members spend their holiday in groups or with family.
If you have to manage collective cultures like Egypt, Mexico, India or
Japan:
 Praise the whole group and avoid to overpraise individuals.
 Remind your team of superior objectives, which apply to the whole
group!
In individual cultures, the representatives decide immediately. Ideally,
staff members work on their own and feel individual responsibility. Further
more, staff members spend their holidays alone or with their partner. If you
have to manage an individual cultures like Israel, Canada or the USA:
92

 Try to harmonize the individual needs with the must of the
organization.
 Implement methods with individual incentives like Pay for Performance,
or Management by Objectives!
 Praise particular performance and profit individually!
Neutral versus emotional
In neutral cultures, people do not want to uncover their thoughts and

feelings. Their inner tension can be reflected in their attitudes or their
faces. Physical contact, gesticulation or facial expression are often off-
limits. If you have to manage neutral cultures like Ethiopia, Japan or Hong
Kong:
 The absence of emotions does not mean that your partner is
disinterested, but only that he tries to hide his strategy
 The whole conference refer to the offer, not to you as individual!
 Avoid personal and expressive behavior which is incompatible with
high status!
In emotional cultures, people uncover their feelings and thoughts and
this creates transparency. A spirited behavior is admired and physical contact
as well as facial expressions are the rule. If you have to manage an
emotional cultures like Egypt, Spain, France or Russia:
 Enthusiasm, readiness to agree or vehement denegation do not mean
that your partner has already taken a decision
 The whole conference refer to you as individual and not to the topic or
the offer. - Avoid factual and cold behavior, which is interpreted as
disrespect and social alienation!
Diffuse versus specific
In America, people or friends avail themselves without asking of
allowance to open your fridge, because here, it is a public area. In
Germany it is a private area and it would be seen as impolite to use
somebody else´s fridge without asking before. In the diffuse cultures,
93

reputation and status of someone is integrated in a large dimension also
in other areas of life. Partners take part both in their public and private
areas. If you have to manage a diffuse oriented culture:
 Find out about the history, the background and the imagination of
future of the diffuse culture!
 Pay attention to some ones title and his age no matter which topic it is
about!
 Notice that private affairs have an impact on business affairs!
III. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. As business has become exclusively internationalized and

globalized over the past years, the issue of workforce diversity
has also gained more popularity. The complex and dynamic
business environment requires interaction among people from
diverse backgrounds and cultures.
2. In general diversity is 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”.

Instructions:
1. In your own words, briefly define diversity and culture.
2. Create an infographic on
LESSON 12
94

WORKPLACE DIVERSITY IN HOSPITALITY & TOURISM
1. Understand workplace diversity in hospitality and tourism.
2. Analyze the influence of workplace diversity in hospitality and tourism.
3. Appreciate workplace Diversity in Hospitality and Tourism.
II.DISCUSSION
Globalization has enhanced the diversity experienced in the
hospitality and tourism industry because of its multicultural nature. Tourism
involves the movement of people from their usual surroundings to places of
interest either within the country or across international borders for leisure,
business, fun or adventure. Hospitality, on the other hand, involves
providing services such as travel, accommodation and entertainment to
meet the needs of tourists. Hospitality and tourism aims at optimizing the
experience of tourists in cultural environments that differ from those of
their home countries or regions.
Experts contend that by 2050, minority groups in the U.S. will become
a majority of the population. Hispanic populations have already exceeded
40-million individuals, and Arizona is projected to become a minority-
majority state by the year 2027. As a business owner—or a business-
hopeful in the hospitality sector, you are particularly sensitive to changes in
immigration patterns. You and your staff come into contact with people
from all walks of life and are expected to navigate cultural differences with
ease.
Understanding Workplace Diversity in Hospitality and Tourism
Hospitality and tourism present a unique opportunity to understand
new cultural experiences for both employees and the tourists. It is
important for the personnel to understand and appreciate different cultures
to enhance the nature of their interactions with tourists of different
cultures, religions, races, creeds, colors, ages, genders and sexual
orientations. It is for this reason that businesses plying their trade in this
95

industry must endeavor to train their personnel to appreciate and
accommodate people from diverse backgrounds around the world. As such,
workplace diversity not only facilitates easy understanding of different
cultural, social and economic perspectives but also enhances the delivery of
satisfactory services through communication and observation.
Influence of Workplace Diversity in Hospitality and Tourism
The workforce composition in the hospitality and tourism
establishments is definitely vast and diverse. Indeed, it is necessary to
employ people from all walks of life and nationalities so as to nurture
workplace diversity that portends positive influence and enhanced
productivity in the hospitality and tourism industry. Workplace diversity also
enables businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry to nurture and
portray a positive image of inclusive equal employment opportunities for all
without regard to race, gender or nationality.
Appreciating Workplace Diversity in Hospitality and Tourism
Workplace diversity in the hospitality and tourism industry is
enhanced through visions that promote equal employment opportunity to
cater for the different nationalities in the market. The industry gets to
appreciate the world's socio-cultural and economic differences through the
recruitment of people of diverse backgrounds. As such, businesses in this
industry need to establish organizational policies that not only discourage
discrimination but also encourage intercultural activities such as cultural
educational programs and forums. Businesses also should employ
organizational structure that comprise of people from different regions and
races and spread key appointments to qualified staff from across the board.
The Importance of Workplace Diversity in Hospitality and Tourism
Tourism, and the broader hospitality industry, provides an opportunity
for employees and tourists alike to engage in new cultural experiences and
to gain insights into how other people live. For employees to interact with
people of broad cultural backgrounds, including varying races, creeds, ages,
colors and sexual orientations, it is important for them to appreciate
96

cultural differences. To this end, and as someone interested in the
hospitality industry, it is crucial that you train your personnel to embrace
people from diverse backgrounds.
More to the point, workplace diversity reinforces and encourages
understanding of different cultures and cultural backgrounds and enhances
hospitality by giving staff invaluable contact with varied cultural
backgrounds. Indeed, it is ideal to employ people from all walks of life and
from many nationalities in the hospitality industry especially. Doubtless,
workplace diversity also helps you cultivate a positive reputation among
your clientele, and this is a concrete benefit.
Workplace diversity in the hospitality industry is achieved through
codified guidelines that promote equal employment opportunity regardless
of age, sexual orientation, race or creed.
Benefits of Diversity in the Hospitality Industry
Let’s look at the concrete benefits. First off, attracting talent from a
broad range of candidates gives you the best chance of hiring stellar
employees. Limiting your talent pool by shortlisting from a specific group of
people isn’t a great strategy for finding the best and brightest. Look at it
another way: in nature, a species has the best chance of survival when it
has diverse genetic interplay going on. At the end of the day, your business
is much the same.
Additionally, a diverse workforce allows for positive organizational
culture. Illustrating that hard work, initiative and out-of-the-box thinking will
be rewarded regardless of race, creed or sexual orientation promotes good
morale, and good morale always pays dividends. What’s more, the higher
level of psychological engagement from motivated staff feeds on itself and
builds momentum over time.
A welcoming workplace encourages employee loyalty, which can help
you retain talent and cut turnover down. You’re no doubt aware that
turnover can be a business killer. Indeed, if you aren’t careful, turnover can
become one of your main expenditures, and it is especially damaging over
97

time. By promoting diversity, you can build a stronger corporate culture
that will encourage team members to stay when they might otherwise
leave. Imagine for a moment that an employee gets an offer from another
company for a higher salary. If the other company has a dubious corporate
culture relative to yours, you may stand a chance of retaining the
employee.
Being in the hospitality industry, it may be obvious that you would do
well to retain staff who speak multiple languages and who are fluent in the
customs of various cultures. However, this is an important point, and it
shouldn’t be understated. By encouraging a diverse workforce, you may
well position yourself as a standout operation. A smaller language barrier
means one less thing for your clients to worry about as they travel.
Naturally, cultural diversity won’t happen on its own, and the benefits
above don’t come about without some effort. You should plan from the
outset to consciously encourage diversity. And keep in mind that while
some of these benefits occur in parallel, some must be achieved before
others can be attained. For instance, changes to your overall company
culture takes time, and the benefits of a diverse company culture won’t
show up overnight.
Encouraging Diversity in the Workplace
As an operator in the hospitality industry, you have a leg up when
trying to make your operation more diverse. Since your industry requires
flexibility due to long operating hours and seasonality, you have every
reason to embrace cultural differences that may demand flexible schedules.
Don’t fight it—embrace it, and use it as a reason to diversify your
workforce.
Below are a few other tips you can use to cultivate diversity.
 Question yourself. When hiring, firing or promoting, ask yourself if
you would be making the same decision if the person’s cultural
background were the opposite of what it is.
98

 Acknowledge differences. People are different from one another,
and there’s nothing wrong with that. Don’t shy away from these
differences, and keep in mind that part of acknowledging diversity
is acknowledging different personalities and managing styles.
 Seek out mentors for your staff. If you have underrepresented
staff, connect them with a mentor of similar background, ideally
within your own organization. Doing so can increase their
confidence.
 Practice being blind. When considering personnel for department
head positions, practice looking at credentials alone. Then, if two
or more candidates appear equally qualified, it may make sense to
make the choice that promotes diversity. You’ve covered your
bases and criticism that you made the choice for the sake of
diversity will be invalid.
 Consider Implicit Bias Training. This training helps staff recognize
and acknowledge when their decision making is influenced by
cultural—and often unconscious—biases. Offering implicit bias
training to your entire staff can result in measurable benefits.
 Encourage your executive team to perform self-evaluations. Ask
your leaders to check their social networks. Are most of their
connections their own race, age, sex or creed? This exercise can
help staff recognize areas in which they can be more inclusive.
 Recognize the value of multiple perspectives. A diverse staff gives
you access to a wide array of perspectives. Use this to your
advantage.
 Bolstering your workplace diversity can yield measurable benefits,
but you have to work for it. The hospitality industry tends toward
inherent diversity, but don’t let this lull you into complacency.
There’s always room for improvement—and remember: this is a
long term investment. You won’t see returns right away. But if you
stick with it, your business will be stronger and more robust
99

III. KEY TAKEWAYS
1. Hospitality and tourism present a unique opportunity to

understand new cultural experiences for both employees and
the tourists.
2. The workforce composition in the hospitality and tourism
establishments is definitely vast and diverse
3. Workplace diversity in the hospitality and tourism industry is
enhanced through visions that promote equal employment
opportunity to cater for the different nationalities in the
market.

Instructions:
1. Explain the importance and influence of diversity in hospitality and
tourism.
2. Why is it important to recognize the value of multiple perspective?
100

REFERENCES
https://www.giveagradago.com/news/2020/12/what-is-diversity-in-the-
workplace/424. Date of Access: February 4,2021
https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/beginning-human-relations/s14-01-
diversity-and-multiculturalism.html. Date of Access: February 4,2021
https://managementhelp.org/interpersonal/multicultural-diversity.htm. Date
of Access: February 4,2021
https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/what-is-cultural-diversity/. Date of Access:

February 4,2021
https://www.managementstudyguide.com/role-of-communication-in-
organizational-diversity.htm. Date of Access: February 4,2021
https://trainingindustry.com/blog/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/strategies-for-
effective-cross-cultural-communication-within-the-workplace/. Date of
Access: February 4,2021
https://www.trainingindustry.com/content/uploads/2021/03/GlobalTrainingEbo
ok.pdf. Date of Access: February 4,2021
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/communication-diversity-workplace-
11389.html. Date of Access: February 4,2021
https://www.communicationtheory.org/cross-cultural-communication/. Date of
Access: February 4,2021
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-diverse-culture-work-force-
https://www.grin.com/document/179843. Date of Access: February 4,2021
https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/diversity-examples-challenges-diversity-
https://www.evansconsulting.com/article/2014/10/the-four-bes-of-effective-
organizational-communication/. Date of Access: February 4,2021
101

https://builtin.com/diversity-inclusion/types-of-diversity-in-the-workplace.
Date of Access: February 3,2021
https://www.talentlyft.com/en/blog/article/244/top-10-benefits-of-diversity-in-
the-workplace. Date of Access: February 3,2021
https://www.peoplescout.com/insights/managing-diversity-in-workplace/.
https://socialchorus.com/blog/15-ways-to-improve-diversity-and-inclusion-in-
the-workplace/. Date of Access: February 3,2021
https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/cross-cultural-communication .
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THC 8

NERWIN R. IBARRIENTOS, Phd

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

This course describes the skills, knowledge and performance outcomes

required to manage multicultural diversity in workplace that covers

organization’s diversity policy, encouraging diversity within the work teams

with respect and sensitivity, and to address cross-cultural misunderstanding

awareness and diverse understanding when serving customers and working

with colleagues. ( CMO 62 s 2017)

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Lesson 1 Cultural Diversity – Defined 4

Lesson 2 Diversity in the Workplace

Lesson 3 How to Value Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Lesson 4 Benefits of Diversity 21

Lesson 5 Challenges of Diversity in The Workplace 40

Lesson 6 Managing Diversity in The Workplace

Lesson 7 Diversity and Inclusion in The Workplace 51

Lesson 8 Cross Cultural Communication

Lesson 9 Communication & Diversity in The Workplace

Lesson 10 Principles of Organizational Communication

Lesson 11 Cultural Diversity Management in Tourism

Lesson 12 Workplace Diversity in Hospitality & Tourism

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Cultural diversity is synonymous with multiculturalism. Multiculturalism

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

2. Confidence And Growth. When students participate with people

3. Preparation For The Future. If a workplace has done the

4. More Empathy.Interacting with people who have diverse

Benefits of Cultural Diversity

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

III. KEY TAKEWAYS

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

1. not well defined or understood at work,

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

III. KEY TAKEWAYS

IV. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

In today’s highly diverse organizations, the ability to work with people

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

III. KEY TAKEWAYS

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

IV. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE FOR EMPLOYEES

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

TYPES OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Hiring individuals with varying disabilities and experiences will

Multicultural Diversity in Workplace for Tourism Professionals by Dr. Nerwin R. Ibarrientos

Employee wellness is becoming a major trend in the HR space,