Diversity in the Workplace

At the end of this session,

students will be able to:
1. Define Diversity
2. Explain how Diversity in Important to
People Management?
3. List types of Diversity
4. Cite Laws and Executive Orders
Prohibiting Discrimination
5. Describe Challenges of Diversity
6. Implement Programs for Managing
Diversity
Workforce is More Diverse than
Ever Before
More women are working than ever
before
The workforce will continue to get
younger and older
Ethnic and racial diversity is increasing
Why is Diversity Important?
The service economy
Interactions between people are key
Customer base is more diverse
Similarities between people ease process
Globalization of business
Doing business with people from around
world
The changing labor market
Company mergers and buy-outs
Types of Diversity
Gender Diversity
Age Diversity
Cultural Diversity
Sexual Orientation
Family Situations
Physical and Psychological Disabilities
Political Views
Personal Idiosyncrasies
Proportion of Women in the
Workforce 1950-2000
70
60
50
Percent

40
30
20
10
0

Year Source: U..S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Gender Diversity: Nonstandard
work
More women in workforce today than ever –
worldwide and even Pacific countries – esp
FIJI
Better educated than ever
Most “nonstandard” workers (those who do
not hold regular, full-time jobs) are women
Large % of workers paid by temporary agencies
are women
Large % of part-time workers are women
Stereotypes still remain
Glass ceiling, etc.
Gender Diversity: Wages and
Income
In USA - In 2000, women who worked full-
time, year round earned 74.3 cents for each
dollar earned by men
Over a lifetime of work, the average 25-year-
old woman who works full-time, year round
until she retires at 65 will earn $523,000 less
than the average working man
58% of the workers who benefited from the
last minimum wage increase were women
Age Diversity
As population ages, more older workers
are available
Re-entry of middle-aged women to
work
Retirees returning to supplement
pension
Internships bring in more younger
employees
Cultural Diversity
Affects values, view of the world
More than 40% of new entrants into
U.S. workforce from non-“majority”
groups
About 22% new immigrants
About 20% African-American or Hispanic
Growing international business
Employees maintain ties to national and
cultural heritage
Sexual Orientation Diversity
Approximately 10-14% of the US
workforce is lesbian, gay, or bisexual
(LGB; Powers, 2016)
Disclosure of sexual orientation is a
critical and complex decision that is
affected by many factors (Ragins et al.,
2015)
Sexual Orientation Diversity
Most discrimination laws (e.g., CRA of 1964)
do not protect sexual identity
Discrimination against employees who are or
who are perceived to be LGB is legal in most
workplaces (Button et al., 1997; van der Meide, 2000)
25-66% of LGB employees report
discrimination. This number is likely much
higher due to low disclosure rates (Badgett, 1996;
Driscoll et al., 1996; Schneider, 1987)
Other Types of Diversity
Family situations
Single employees (mothers and
others)
Physical and psychological disabilities
Americans with Disabilities Act
Political views
Personal idiosyncrasies
The pay gap, 1985-2000 median weekly
earnings of full-time workers, as a percentage
of those of white men
120
White men
100
80 Black men

60 White women
40
Hispanic men
20
Hispanic
0 women
1985 1990 1995 1999
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2000, Table 696, p. 437.
Where Women and Minorities Manage (USA)
Percentage of total, 1999 Female Black Hispanic
All occupations 46.5% 11.3% 10.3%
Managerial and professional 49.5 8.0 5.0
Executive, administrative and managerial 45.1 7.6 5.6
Public officials and administrators 51.1 14.0 4.9
Financial managers 51.1 7.0 5.4
Personnel and labor relations managers 60.4 10.9 6.3
Purchasing managers 47.4 8.9 5.6
Marketing, advertising, and PR 37.6 4.8 2.7
Educational administrators 62.5 15.0 4.8
Health care managers 77.4 8.9 6.6
Property and real estate managers 49.4 6.6 8.9
Management-related occupations 57.8 9.8 5.3

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2000 , table 669, pp. 416-418.
Federal Laws and Executive Orders
Prohibiting Job Discrimination
Equal Pay Act (1963) Equal Employment
Civil Rights Act Opportunity Act (1972)
(1964; amended Pregnancy
1972, 1991) Discrimination Act
Executive Order (1972)
11246 (1965) Americans with
Age Discrimination in Disabilities Act (1978)
Employment Act Family and Medical
(1967) Leave Act (1993)
Challenges of Diversity
Availability Challenge
In past employers could control diversity
• More people than jobs
Qualified employees have become scarce
• Employers must become more flexible
• Realize “Different does not mean deficient”
Fairness challenge
In past, typically viewed as equal treatment
• Equal Employment Opportunity
Now employers must embrace new diversity
• Essentially focus on “differences”
Challenges of Diversity
Synergy challenge
More and more group-based work
Diversity can create positive and negative
conflict
• Can facilitate creative problem-solving
• Can close down communication
• Can derail group processes
Group leaders must minimize destructive
conflict and maximize diversity of input
Strategies for Managing
Diversity
Articulate a clear diversity mission, set
objectives, and hold managers accountable.
Spread a wide net in recruitment to find the
most diverse possible pool of qualified
candidates.
Identify promising women and minorities and
provide them with mentors and other kinds of
support.
Set up diversity councils to monitor the
company’s goals and progress toward them.
Programs for Managing
Diversity: Diversity Training
Providing managers with training
How to recruit/hire diverse employees
How to orient/integrate new employees
Providing all employees with training
Realizing the differences that exist
Learning how differences affect working
environment
How to maximize productivity without
ignoring employee differences
Thank You!!
Questions?