Managing

Diversity
 Diversity- The India Inc.
WayEnterprises and American Express have mandated their
 Bharti
recruitment agencies to have 25 % and 33% women candidates at
the interview stage.

 Infosys BPO employs 112 people who suffer from different forms
of disability and it wants to take the proportion up to 3-4% in the
next couple of years.

 A team of 24 people at Infosys BPO were taught sign language to

help them communicate with the hearing and speech impaired.

But isthisall what

 Diversity:
The concept of diversity is based on individual acceptance
and respect. It is an understanding that individuals are
unique and different.
 Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences
between people in an organization. That sounds simple,
but diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group,
age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational
function, education, background and more
Cultural diversity
Cultural diversity acknowledges the existence of broad
cultural groups within Indian culture.
Cultural diversity has been part of India's history, and
through it, India culture is constantly developing.
Elements of Diversity
 Age  Income

 Gender Education

Ethnicity Marital Status

 Race
 Religious Beliefs
Physical Ability Geographic Location
 Sexual Orientation
Parental Status
 Physical
Personality Type
Characteristic
 Workforce
Diversity:
Gender
Women in the Work Place
Women’s earnings are less
than two-thirds of the
earnings of men.

Women hold only 12%

of corporate officer
positions
 Age

• Treating people differently because of

their age
• Performance does not decline with age
• Older employees show better judgment,
and are less likely to quit, show up late, or
be absent
• Combating age discrimination may be
associated with higher levels of
organizational performance
Workforce Diversity:
Religion
India: multi cultural
country.
Accommodation for
Religious Beliefs
Providing flexible time
off for holidays
 Posting holidays for
different religions on
the company calendar
Workforce Diversity:
Capabilities and
Disabilities
Disability Issues
• Providing reasonable accommodations for individuals
with disabilities
• Promoting a nondiscriminatory workplace
environment
• Educating the organization
about disabilities and
AIDS
Managing Diversity is defined has the “planning and
implementing organizational systems and practices to manage
people so that the potential advantages of diversity are
maximized while its potential disadvantages are minimized”.
Multiculturalis
m

Multiculturalism is a system of beliefs and behaviors that

recognizes and respects the presence of all diverse groups in an
organization or society, acknowledges and values their socio-
cultural differences, and encourages and enables their continued
contribution within an inclusive cultural context which empowers
all within the organization or society.
How to Manage Diversity
Steps in Managing Diversity Effectively
Secure top management commitment
Alternative work arrangements
Increase diversity skills
Organizational assessment
Attracting employees
Accommodating work and family
needs
 Other ways to manage diversity

 Recruiting
people wit
h
disabilities.

 Work life
Balance

 Womenin

workforce
.
 Demonstrate the
Following Behaviors
 Learntheprofessional aspirationsof all team
membersandsupport their
effortstoachievethem.

 Createopportunitiesfor highly
talentedemployeesto
beexposedtoleaderswhomay not
otherwiseinteract withthem.

 Createcross-functional teams
Demonstrate the Following
Behaviors cont..
 Volunteer for community projectsthat
teach tolerance, bothdirectly
andindirectly

 Delegatefairly
Demonstrate the Following
Behaviors cont..
 Communicate and support intolerance of
inappropriate and disrespectful beh avio
r
 Evaluate performance objectively

 Consider individual needs when

enforcing company policies
and guidelines
Actions that Make a
Difference
 Talk privately with each of your employees

 Ask your staff about their preferences

 Take your staff to lunch

Ways to incorporate diversity:
Businesses find ways to incorporate diversity into their
workplaces without causing major changes to the way
their companies operate.

Incorporating diversity practices in a workplace can include

Recruitingfrom diverse talent pools to make the company
open to employees from various backgrounds.
Diversity may be infused into advertising practices to
ensure products and services are targeted to all consumers
who represent the target market, whether through print,
online, television or radio.
 Diversity Awareness Programs

Provide members with accurate

information about diversity
Uncover personal biases and
stereotypes
Assess personal beliefs, attitudes, and values
and learning about other points of view
Develop an atmosphere in which people feel
free to share their differing perspectives
Improve understanding of others who are
5-16
different
Consequences of Ignoring Diversity:
Ignoring diversity issues costs time, money, and efficiency.
 Some of the consequences can include
Unhealthy tensions between people of differing gender,
race, ethnicity, age, abilities, etc.;
Loss of productivity because of increased conflict;
Inability to attract and retain talented people of all kinds;
Complaints and legal actions;
Inabilityto retain women and people of color, resulting in
lost investments in recruitment and training.
Benefits of Workplace
Diversity
 Increased adaptability
 Competitive Advantage
 Variety of viewpoints

 Better distribution of economic
opportunity

 More effective execution

Challenges of Diversity in the
Workplace
 Increased Cost of Training
 Increase in conflicts
 Communication
 Increase in labour turnover
and absenteeism.
 Resistance to change