Chapter -1: Introduction

Diversity is difference between two or more human beings. It can be treated

as human differences due to age, gender, income, disability, marital status,

geographical area, nationality, religion, etc. The study of diversity can be

categorized in to two broad categories: (i) Primary and (ii) Secondary.

The primary category includes the differences of human beings related to age,

gender, sex, etc. These differences have an impact on initial encounters and can be

easily identify throughout the world. While, the secondary category includes education

level, religion, income level, geographical location, nationality, etc. These are not be

easily identified and have a deeper impact on person’s personality. The secondary

differences can only be identifying after some interaction and conversation.

In present modern world, every human being interacts with each other

through various modes of communication. These can be e-mail, mobile phone,

twitter, facebook, whatsapp, internet, etc., besides face to face communication.

People of different backgrounds, culture, nations are interacting throughout the

world. For effective communication and effective business practices at the

workplace these people will have to learn to be tolerant.

1.1 DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT: AN EYE VIEW

In a multicultural nation like India, diversity cannot be defined in simple

terms. This concept is greater than just differences, religion, company or position. In

some firms or companies, diversity tactics is mainly focused on the gender, religion,

and disability status while, in other companies, diversity is extended to economic

status, sexual orientation, income status, etc. But, people and managers fail to

understand the core concept which is, the term ‘diversity’ is all the differences put

together and not just few attributes.

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Wellner (2010) observed diversity is categories of differences and

similarities between one individual to another. It can include several human qualities

i.e. age, origin, religion, ethnicity and gender. These qualities show the differences

among various individuals.

Gardenswartz & Rowe’s defined four dimensions of Diversity Model for

understanding diversity in a layman style. According to him the four dimensions are

(i) internal dimensions, (ii) external dimensions, (iii) organizational dimensions, and

(iv) personality.

The internal dimension show individuals control on his basic qualities by

birth such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, and physical ability. While, the outer

dimensions shows those features that deal with their life. In this dimension, an

individual have high level of control over qualities, such as, religion, marital status,

geographic location, personal choices, recreational choices, education, manifestation,

status, and income.

The organizational dimension shows the qualities such as departmental

identity, affiliation of business, location of work, position, and work area and work

style. The qualities related with this dimension are items of the company or firm in

which a human being or individual works. The individuals can influence by this

dimension in a limited capacity because control rests with the company.

Personality is defined as qualities of a human being that are observed as

influential special consistencies in the manner in which an individual/ a human

being reacts in any given situation and over time. The personality of an individual is

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influenced by the other three dimensions of this model. The other dimensions help to

form perception, disposition and actions of a human being, as the individual

interacts with the world.

Individuals from different backgrounds interact in a business environment;

this situation creates benefits for the enterprise. These benefits can be observed in

various areas such as business relations, employee relations, strategic advantage, and

market drumming.

In a diverse business environment, individual can communicate and share

views for organizational growth and health. The exchange of thoughts and views

creates an environment of cultural acceptance that can pilot to develop relations

among one or more individuals. When human beings observe that their views and

cultures are valued for the sake of business, they take great possession in the

relations whether personal or organizational.

Diversity management is a combination of two different words ‘diversity’

and ‘management’, where, diversity is differences of human beings’ age, nature,

language, gender, income status, marital status, etc. while management is work of

planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling the management

functions. In a layman language, diversity management is a process of managing

individuals with diverse qualities at a common place. In other words, it can also be

defined as the process of understanding the differences in a business organization for

effective management.

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Similarly, “diversity management can also be defined as a process of

planning, organizing, directing and applying all the inclusive managerial attributes

for developing business environment for diverse employees, irrespective of their

similarities and differences.”1 Kreitner observed that diversity can be considered as

the various differences and similarities that exist among individuals. It focuses on

the critical problems of diversity management.

It is applicable to all individuals. It not only includes variety of variation but

the integral variety of variations that make human beings exclusive.

Diversity management requires two aspects which necessary deal with and

handle, both at the same time, in a business organisation. In these organizations,

managers are predictable to amalgamate the collective combination of same qualities

and limitations between the employees.

“The companies looking for global significance cannot overlook the impact

of diverse workforce on their capacity to solving problems diversity management

goes for recruiting variety of employees from around the world.”2 It includes

everything a business organization does that indicates its genuine attitude toward

employee’s perspectives and backgrounds about diversity.

In this situation, business organization programmes and develops a good

process for the employees as well as managers to develop a conspicuous atmosphere

around diversity, so that employees can develop a strong sagacity of whether or not

it is truly acceptable for them to bring their work in the companies.

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The managers and employees may indiscreetly act on discrimination and feel

endangered by differences among employees at workplace without diversity

management. It is planned to encourage pleasure for the variety of ideas and

personal past histories that employees bring to the workplace for their development.

When employees value these differences and learn to connect and interact across

lines of difference, they feel safe in sharing their idiosyncratic ideas, which stimulate

improvement.

Diversity management is also critical for sustainable business development

due to the ever more diverse individual evaluation of organisations on their diversity

management practices.

1.2 MEANING OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

Workplace diversity can be defined as the variety of differences between

individuals in a business organisation. The workplace diversity includes race,

personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, background, gender,

ethnic group, age, education, etc. These observations influence their communication

at workplace.

“In favour of a sample collection of employees to work effectively, business

organization HR experts require to compact efficiently with the HR problems such

as poor communication, poor adaptability, change management, etc.”3 Successful

business organizations are familiar with the necessity to act instantly and be ready to

pay out optimal resources on managing variety of employees at the workplace for

development.

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1.3 FEATURES OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

Following are the main features of workplace diversity:

1.3.1 Workforce diversity management requires creation of a business climate, in

which individuals from different culture, social backgrounds and diverse in

many other respects, can co-ordinate and work together with full co-

operation of each another.

1.3.2 It aims at making people work to the best of their potential for achieving

organizational success.

1.3.3 It rules out any discrimination among individuals from diverse environment

in any respect.

1.3.4 It is expected to work towards the best achievement of organizational goals

by using different individuals at one place.

1.4 ADVANTAGES OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

The higher management must be aware of the advantages related to the

employees for managing diverse work force in a business organization. For this

purpose, following are the main advantages of workplace diversity:

1.4.1 Higher Productivity

The high efficiency at the workplace has been one of the major issues for

management in a business organisation. “Due to own unique organisational

structure, objectives, strategies of a company, they may use these policies and

strategies to challenge the company in order to increase efficiency for organizational

success which cannot be completed without adopting diverse workforce at

workplace and managing it effectively with perfection.”4

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1.4.2 Ideas and Team work

In recent times, cooperation and team work is increasing in every business

organisation as a means of pledging better results on their performance. A single

employee can perform multiple tasks but he cannot achieve the similar speed as a

team may possibly. Each individual suggests different ideas to the higher

management and offers an exceptional view point during solving a problem at

workplace. Different perspectives effectively get the most excellent answer at the

minimum likely feasible time.

1.4.3 Growth and Learning

Workplace diversity creates situations wherein by putting up diverse ideas

the employees enhance the learning experience of the enterprise hence increasing the

growth opportunities.

1.4.4 Ability to Deal with Diverse Market

Culturally diverse employees can better understand the needs for global

market.

1.4.5 Knowledge of Employees

“Employee that comes from assorted environment has unique perceptions

and knowledge. With the help of the diverse skills, organisation can immensely take

advantage from the diverse employees by intensification.”5 The responsiveness and

efficiency of the team to adapt to the varying conditions for future growth is

enhanced. The diverse workplace culture has its own potencies and limitations.

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1.5 DISADVANTAGES OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

Followings are the main disadvantages of workplace diversity:

1.5.1 Higher Cost of Diversity Management

Diversity management at workplace could sometimes be more expensive for

high job satisfaction, when a business organisation attempts to successfully handle

the diverse employees. It experiences obligatory diversity training, during which

employees and managers get coaching on the best way to communicate with their

human resources and customers. In present times, various diversity management

programmes are accessible but these cost considerable amount of money to the

company.

1.5.2 Myriad Accommodation

If the diversity in the organization is too high the company has to employ a

fulltime employee to keep track of facilities for the employee’s requirements.

“Although the base of workplace diversity is mutual respect and self-identity, the

authority will make the way to contain each diverse employee’s request which can

be onerous for employers this makes it difficult to manage diverse workforce.”6

1.5.3 Discrimination

Discrimination exists between employees and managers at workplace but is

hidden. When an employee is being discriminated, it affects his ability to perform

well and it also affects the perception of equity and raises issues of litigation for a

business organisation.

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1.5.4 Communication Problems

Diversity at workplace can negatively impact the communication in a

business organisation. It can place a barrier in the way of effective communication,

which can cause low productivity and dampen the cohesiveness among the

employees. “Even though spending time with employees, by getting to know them

helps reduce this in some instances, exterminate communication barriers during a

long-term the co-workers orientation periods and an individual´s first impression can

be difficult to control.”7 The challenge then is to extract the very essence of diversity

and tactically manage it for the improvement of the employee and the organization.

1.5.5 Other Challenges

Due to the recognition of diverse workplace, increasing and improving

workplace diversity has become an important issue for management in the recent

years. “Since, managing diversity still remains a challenge in most business

organisations; managers tend to learn managerial skills which are required in a

multicultural working environment and prepare themselves to educate others within

their organizations to value differences.”8 From some business leaders and

managers’ point of view, diversity is a big challenge, it knows no organizational

boundary and has no limitations for problems of diverse workforce.

1.6 REASONS FOR INCREASING DIVERSITY IN ORGANISATIONS

All individuals are different from one another in one aspect or the other, so

what is the reason the term diversity has become a major point of management

discussion now? There are various reasons of this, the most prominent is that earlier

the workplace was a male dominated world with people of same region working

together. These reasons have been elaborated below:

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1.6.1 Globalization

This has resulted in an easy access of man power in all locations. The world

has shrunk to a global village and people have started travelling to far places in

search of better opportunities.

1.6.2 Migration

People are migrating to developed nations from developing and under-

developed nations, in search of jobs and better standard of living.

1.6.3 Women’s work

Modern day women are working alongside men in equal status and

responsibility.

1.6.4 Aging population

The average rate of retiring people has gone up due to better health. People

love to work after retirement also. Corporates are harping this workforce because of

their work experience and knowledge.

1.6.5 Outsourcing

With this phenomenon people from different nationalities are forced to work

together.

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1.7 DIMENSIONS OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

Though diversity cannot be contained in few attributes the major factors that

affect the diverse working force are discussed here.

1.7.1 Age

Employees in a business organization belong to different age groups this

causes diversity in workforce. In a company or business organization young

employees may be enriched with health, merit, capacity for hard-work, etc.; while

senior employees may possess more maturity than their junior counterparts and are

full of experiences of life.

1.7.2 Gender

In a business organization, male workers are usually aggressive, bold and

materialistic in comparison to females. The female workers possess sympathy for

others and are more concerned with quality of life. What is important to observe is

that people of both sex have material differences in outlook, nature, habits, etc.

1.7.3 Educational Qualification

In a business organization, employees may vary from less qualified to highly

qualified. The qualified employees have a broad outlook and are open-minded. They

are gifted with logic and rationality and usually dislike discrimination among

individuals on patty grounds of caste, colour, religion, etc. They are more capable to

handle the situations in a business organization.

1.7.4 Culture

Culture is a complex mixture of race, religion, language, social traditions,

values, etc. in a specific area. In a business organization, employees from different

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 Chapter -1: Introduction

cultural backgrounds may have ethnic orientations i.e. a sense of favouritism

towards their nation, race or tribe, which they belong to.

1.7.5 Psychology

Psychology is the type of mind that one has that makes one think or behaves

in a particular way. In a business organisation, there is variety of employees with

different psychology. Some may be optimistic or pessimistic; some may be bold or

timid or so on. Psychology may be a gift of nature or a manifestation of family

background or social affiliations to manage or handle critical situations in a business

organisation.

1.8 TECHNIQUES OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT

Following are the main techniques which a manager or an enterprise can

employ to tackle and successfully manage workplace diversity:

1.8.1 Creating Awareness of Diversity

Management must create awareness in the organisation that differences

among people as to age, sex, education, culture, etc. exist in workforce so that

employees try to understand one another in a more rational and friendly manner for

the development of a business organisation.

1.8.2 Creating Conditions for Common Organisational Culture

Organisation must have a common organisational rules and regulations for

all employees for development of a common organisational culture and climate. This

culture should be respected above the individual cultural beliefs. Such common

culture will create amix-cultural environment in which a diversified workforce can

co-exist comfortably, peacefully and happily for working together for common

organizational objectives.

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1.8.3 Programmes of Special Care for Diversified Workforce

The management of a business organization must take care the elderly

employees in the organization and arrange special work schedules to provide

convenience for female workers. These programmes increase the efficiency and

effectiveness of special care workforce.

1.8.4 Career Development Programmes

“A business organisation must organize programmes for identifying each

individual’s strengths, weaknesses and potential for career development of an

employee so that the organization can capitalize on the peculiar features of a

diversified workforce.”9 In fact, employee should be valued for their difference and

variety in a business organisation.

1.8.5 Avoiding Discriminations

A very significant technique for excellent workforce diversity management is

to avoid any sort of discrimination among employees on the basis of age, culture and

sex. It is essential that through discrimination, a range of different employees can be

managed in such a way that they work together for common goal.

1.8.6 Prevention of Sexual Harassment

With the entry of a large number of women in a business organisation, the

phenomenon of sexual harassment is usually witnessed, which management must

prevent by all means and at all costs. “Sexual harassment includes a range of

actions, like – unwelcome touching, joking, teasing, innuendoes (indirectly bad and

rude remarks), slurs, and the display of sexually explicit materials to women

employees or male employees by a group at workplace which causes low efficiency

and production.”10 It results in poor performance of a business organization.

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1.8.7 Committees of Diverse Members

In a business organization, various committees of diverse members can be

formed for evaluating and addressing complaints of employees regarding their sad

experience of working in the organization in a particular time period.

1.9 FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN IMPLEMENTING DIVERSITY

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Diversity at workplace may vary from one workplace to another as per the

rules and regulations that have been predetermined for a specific object. Some

essential aspects and traits must be taken into account when engaging into diversity

management practices.

1.9.1 Type of the Company

The type of a business organisation plays an important task in the decision

making process of the company in determining diversity tactics. Companies differ in

size and activities, and come with their own rules and regulations. Most public

companies tends to employ more workers due to their size as compared to private

companies, the same applies to other types such as limited liability companies,

unlimited companies, Government companies and so on.

1.9.2 Organisational Traditions

Organisational tradition can be defined as a combination of values and

beliefs that are shared among employees in the organisation which reflects the

company’s activities and performance. There are five components to organizational

culture that involves its practices: vision, value, people, place, and its history. Each

organizational culture is unique and different from any other company; therefore any

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decision made by a company about workplace diversity is based on the company’s

beliefs and norms, and must therefore reflect on that company. It is also a major

cause of diversity in a business organization. Therefore, for the development of a

business organization, it is essential that a good organizational culture must be

established at workplace.

1.9.3 Location of Company

It is also an important element of diverse workforce. The business

organisations that have their manufacturing units located in most parts of the world

does not seem to have much choice but to employ a stringent management policy

including workers from diverse cultures. The diversity management practices will

include the location where it is enforced hence a company might end up in having

multiple practices for different locations.

1.10 PROGRAMME FOR MONITORING WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

Human coaching plays a vital role in managing different HR issues in a

business organization. It develops employees from variety of cultural background

with the new plans and policies that they have established for the organizational

growth.

Proper coaching will serve as a bridge of interaction between employees and

managers. It also affects the organizations performance and serves as vital input in

the organisation’s policy and planning for future growth. Generally, majority of

business houses believe in workplace diversity which brings the interaction between

varieties of people with diverse ideologies and also enables a successful attainment

of objectives at the workplace, for organizational growth.

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Apart from it, few business houses oppose this objective on the basis of the

demerits that comes with diverse workforce. These employees consider that if there

is biased and preference treatment to the employees by the management, it causes

poor performance and low potency among the employees in the business

organization.

It is accurate to emphasize that diversity at workplace has greatly optimistic

employees to split their important and valuable views as well as facilitating business

organisation to earn higher future returns. But, the question is the propositions on

diverse workforce especially abroad employees.

1.11 ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR MANAGING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

Diversity management at workplace needs definite abilities which are

essential for developing an efficient and victorious diverse workforce. The managers

must understand that biased treatment will always prevail in the business

organization and cause conflicts between the employees at workplace. Managers

must recognize their own cultural preferences in a business organisation.

The managers must observe diversity as the dissimilarity among employees

and try to manage the fact that each individual is exclusive in a special way.

Moreover, the leaders or managers must be prepared to transform the organizational

culture and learn how to effectively manage the diverse workforce in order to be

victorious in the future for the growth of business organization.

Unluckily, there is not a good method by which the employees can be

transformed towards victorious and successful. Therefore, it is based on the ability

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for the recruiter or leader to figure out what is most excellent way for the

organisation and the dynamics of the workplace. Roosevelt observed that diversity

management includes an absolute process which is required for creating a positive

working environment that involves each employee.

At the time of efficient and booming diverse workforce, the leaders must

focus on the personal diversity awareness of employees at workplace. Both recruiter

or leader and employees must outline their personal qualities at workplace. A

training session of one day is not adequate to change employee’s perception.

Therefore, organisations are required to frequently design, implement, and

preserve regular training and awareness sessions for effective growth of business

organisation.

Diversity management requires more than one tactic to manage workforce.

Managers should become conscious that transformation occurs in a slow speed and

they should continue to motivate employees. Handling diversity at workplace

requires a protected environment for staff to communicate. Such facilities include

social congregation and business summits where every member finds a friendly

environment to converse freely and pay attention to other employees at workplace.

Mentoring programme should be developed at workplace in such a manner that the

employees can get benefit from it. For this purpose, regular training sessions and

seminars should be conducted for awareness of diversity management practices at

workplace. “Positive responses should be communicated to the employees after they

learnt about their mistakes and when they are victorious in implementing the

training learnt to accomplish completion.”11

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1.12 CULTURAL MENTORING FOR MANAGING WORKFORCE

DIVERSITY

In present era, culture is defined as the attributes that the human being

represents such as their views, values, behaviours, and symbols which are accepted

generally from one group to another in a country or place.

Every organization has its own culture that necessitates different form of

behaviour for various working arrangements as well as a general steer to their

business environment. A coach’s or mentor’s assignment is to help the human

resource, both newer and older, become aware of the culture in the new context.

Specially, it is the responsibility of the cultural adviser to explain to the

mentee how things are completed in the organisation and how other people should

be treated at workplace. Some business organisations usually regard the HR

Department or HR Manager as an organisation’s mentor. While, other organisation

invite an individual or group of people to act as mentors to the business.

It is essential for a successful cultural mentor that the finds out the branches

in which he or she is more interested and contented with and could surpass. Those

branches would incorporate the employee’s reflection. Based on the above, a

guide/mentor/coach is defined as an individual or a group who serves as a role

sculpts to formulate an objective for the business.

1.13 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD COACH/ MENTOR

A coach/trainer/mentor includes certain traits and limitations in their

behaviour for the development of business organisation. Due to individual

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differences, some traits that a special trainer may practice may vary from one mentor

to another mentor. However, trainer can from the different forms such as a group,

mentoring conferences, an association, a professionals, etc. Some features of a good

mentor are explained as follows:

1.13.1 Knowledge of the World

A good trainer must be aware of the outer environment of his or her business.

As good businessmen are attentive of changes that occur outside their own particular

line of business which may influence their decisions making process and actions in

the business. A good mentor maintains an attentiveness of current changes in other

career programs for the employees of long term occupational need advancements.

Awareness of the outer environment helps employees to understand the various

workforce. They can also adopt the best tools to use in mentoring each diverse

employee should positively understand his position internally and the external

perspective as well, in a suitable and efficient manner. Moreover, ability to

effectively engage in a potentially long-term relationship with each employee at

workplace irrespective of his or her opinions or background is also an essential for

his development.

1.13.2 Universal Vision

A trainer must have a broader observation of the business organisation goals

and objectives. He guides regular operation of the business. He usually looks beyond

the ordinary and considers the organisational operations as a whole to know where it

is currently positioned, where it is heading and more importantly, where it should be

going. An ideal mentor is aware that there is usually a requisite that surpasses the

task at hand of each operation.

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1.13.3 Positive Approach

Keeping out a positive mind-set towards the organizational goals and

objectives of mentoring is an important attribute of a good mentor. A successful

leader of a business organisation may not always be a successful mentor. The

mentor is very competent and believes that the mentees or employees can

substantially benefit from participation and willingly shares these beliefs with other
multicultural group of employees. The mentor must also not dispute the fact that one

culture is as important as the other and therefore must describe the same attitude
towards all employees at workplace.

1.13.4 Association Experience

Association involves the capability to build and maintain a wide contact with

business associates and leaders and advantage from the partner’s offerings and ideas
in a variety of career areas, management, and organizations over a period of time.

Association can also provide relevant information, insightful views and career-
enhancing contacts to every human being. An effective mentor do not only

participates in networking but also understands how employees can benefit from
networking at workplace. A mentor ensures that the mentee learns the importance of

networking irrespective of their cultural differences in order to establish his own

networks in his position of work in the business organisation.

1.13.5 Professional Features

A counsellor must process specialized features such as respect, duty, loyalty,

personal courage, integrity, condor, compassion, competence and commitment.

These features are highly important and must be strictly observed and applied during

the routine work life. In addition to these qualities, the mentor guides the new
diverse employees by setting a positive example through encouragement and open

communication.

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REFERENCES

1. Chen Sheying (2011), Diversity Management- Theoretical Perspectives and

Practical Approaches, Nova science publishers, New Delhi, 123-125.

2. Flood and Flood (2009), Diversity Management- Triple Loop Learning, John

Wiley & Sons., London, 69-72.

3. Klainrfeld (2010), Diversity Management at Work-Country Perspectives on

Diversity and Equal Treatment, Edward Elgar Pub. US, 25-39.

4. Mathis and Jackson (2012), Human Resource Management, Tata McGraw

Hills, New Delhi, 192-196.

5. Ban Carolyn (2013), Management and Culture in an Enlarged European

Commission : From Diversity to Unity, Palgrave Macmillan, New York,

234-245.

6. Carolyn and Soldan, (2011), Diversity Management, Tilde University Press,

London, 6-11.

7. Ivancevich. M. (2009), Human Resource Management (10th ed.), Tata

McGraw-Hill, London, 113-118.

8. Morrison (2005), The New Leaders: Leadership Diversity in America, John

Wiley & Sons, London, 275-281.

9. Patricia (2006), Successful Diversity Management Initiatives, Sage

Publications, New Delhi, 52-59.

10. Spencer Linbert (2004), The Diversity Pocketbook, Managements

Pocketbooks, New Delhi, 106-115.

11. Roosevelt Jr. (2010), World Class Diversity Management: A Strategic

Approach, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Hong Kong, 34-45.

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