CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES OF

DIVERSTY IN ORGANIZATION DR. FARRUKH SEIR

• Diversity refers to human characteristics that makes people different.

• Diversity in workforce respect the employees unique attitude and promote sense of corporate identity.

WORK FORCE DIVERSTY

• PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT HAVING 1. DIFFERENT PHYSICAL AND

PSYCHLOGICAL MAKE UPS 2. DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTIS 3. DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS 4. DIFFERENT CAPACITIES 5. DIFFERENT BELIEFS,PERCEPTIONS 6. WEAKNESS AND STRNGTHS.

DIVERSITY Racial and ethnic group

Old and young workers

Gender

Education

Dual career families

Religion and culture

Disabilities

Immigrants

DIVERSITY IS AN ASSEST

• CREATIVITY/ innovation• COLLECTIVE WISDOM• BETTER DECISION MAKING• PROBLEM SOLVING• FEXIBILITY• Competitive advantage

• Cultural

• Organizational

• External Forces

• Important Ethical Issues

• Sexual harassment

• Discrimination in pay/ promotion

• Right of privacy

Changing Work

Force Demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, and education)

Legislation and Lawsuits

Increasing Diversity in

Today’s Organizations

Competitive Pressures

Rapidly Growing

Increase in International

Business

CHARACTERISTIC OF DIVERSITY

• Age

• Organizational Adjustment

• Gender

• Religion

• Glass Ceiling Effect

• Ethnicity

• Education

• Other

MANAGING DIVERSITY

• The effective management of diversity

is done by first developing a

multicultural organization. Then

individual and organizational levels

strategies and techniques must be

evolved

Managing diversity

• Set of activities and approaches involved in integrating diverse work force for competitive advantage of organization.

• Using diversity as strength

• Top management commitment to value diversity

challenges

• Environmental challenges

• Organizational challenges

• Individual challenges

Environmental challenges

• Rapid changes• Globalization• Technology• Work force diversity• Changing nature of work• Availability of skilled workers in growing

service industry• Changing labor markets• Family role

Organizational challenges

• Controlling cost• Improving quality• Information technology• Restructuring• Outsourcing• Team work• Mergers and acquisitions

Individual challenges

• Remaining functional, useful and productive

• Social responsibility

• Empowerment

• Exploring better prospects

• Job insecurity

Conflicting areas

• Individuals vs group formations• Resistance to change• Group cohesiveness• Interpersonal challenges• Segmented communication net work• Communication• Lower cohesiveness• Resentment• Mistrust/Tension• Stereotyping• Competition for opportunities• Glass ceiling effect

Organizational approaches

• Diversity training

• Support groups

• Organizational activities

• Mentoring programs

• Research

Diversity training

• Training designed to change employees attitude about diversity and develop skills needed to work with a diverse work force.

• Awareness of values, stereotyping influencing their behavior towards diverse groups.

• Cultural appreciation

• Isolation and intimidation of minority groups

Behavior based progrms

• Program focusing on changing the organizational policies and individual behaviors that inhibit employees personal growth and productivity.

• Cultural immersions. understanding culture values of other

groups

DEVELOPMENT OF MULTICULTURAL ORGANIZATION • Reflects the contribution and interests of diverse - cultural & social groups in its mission, operations, products or services

• Acts on a commitment to eradicate social oppression in all forms with in organizations

• Includes the members of diverse cultural and social groups as full participants, especially in decisions that shape the organization

INDIVIDUAL APPROACH TO MANAGE DIVERSITY

• Learning

• Empathy

ORGANIZATIONAL APPROAHES

• Securing top management support• Organizational assessment• Developing employees• Alternate work schedule

• Flex Time

• Compressed Work Week• Job Sharing

Flexible Starting Time

Core period Flexible and ending time

7AM 10AM 3PM

HAND WIDTH

Diversity programs

• Top management commitment, resources, interventions, publicity, advocacy.

• Structured programs.• Evaluation of programs.• Seen as cultural change, not as

one shot program