Chapter 11 Flashcards
1
Q
INTRODUCTION
managing diversity
A
- managing a culturally diverse workforce by recognizing the characteristics common to specific groups of employees while dealing with employees as individuals and supporting, nurturing, and utilizing their differences to the organizations advantage
- but it means more than just hiring women and minorities and making sure they are treated equally and encouraged to succeed. It also means understanding and deeply valuing employee differences to build a more effective and profitable organization.
2
Q
DIVERSITY TODAY
sexual harassment
A
- conduct of a sexual nature that has negative consequences for employment
3
Q
DIVERSITY TODAY
Basic Components of an Effective Sexual Harassment Policy
A
- Develop a comprehensive organizationwide policy on sexual-harassment and present it to all current and new employees. Stress that sexual-harassment will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Emphasis is best achieved when the policy is publicized and supported by top management.
- Hold training sessions with supervisors to explain Title VII requirements, their role in providing an environment free of sexual harassment, and proper investigative procedures when charges occur.
- Establish a formal complaint procedure in which employees can discuss problems without the fear of retaliation. The complaint procedure should spell out how charges will be investigated and resolved.
- Act immediately when employees complain of sexual harassment. Communicate widely that investigations will be conducted objectively and with appreciation for the sensitivity of the issue.
- When an investigation supports employee charges, discipline the offender at once. For extremely serious offenses, discipline should include penalties up to and including discharge. Discipline should be applied consistently across similar cases and among managers and hourly employees alike.
- Follow up on all cases to ensure a satisfactory resolution of the problem.
4
Q
MANAGING DIVERSITY VERSUS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
affirmative action
A
- special effort to recruit and hire qualified members of groups that have been discriminated against in the past
- affirmative action and diversify are complementary, not the same
5
Q
MULTICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
monolithic organization
A
- an organization that has a low degree of structural integration – employing few women, minorities, or other groups that differ from the majority – and thus a highly homogenous employee population
- if groups other than the norm are employed, they are found primarily in low status jobs.
- Minority group members must adopt the norms of the majority to survive.
- this, coupled with small numbers, keeps conflicts among groups low.
- discrimination and prejudice typically prevail, informal integration is almost nonexistent, and minority group members do not identify strongly with the company.
6
Q
MULTICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
pluralistic organization
A
- an organization that has a relatively diverse employee population and makes an effort to involve employees from different gender, racial, or cultural backgrounds
- these organizations use an affirmative action approach to managing diversity: they actively try to hire and train a diverse workforce and to ensure against any discrimination against minority group members.
- they typically have much more integration then do monolithic organization, but like monolithic organization, they often have minority group members clustered at certain levels or in particular functions within the organization.
- The pluralistic organization fails to address the cultural aspects of integration.
7
Q
MULTICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
multicultural organization
A
- an organization that values cultural diversity and seeks to utilize and encourage it
- managers in such organizations do not focus primarily on the visible differences between employees, such as race or sex; rather, managers value draw on the different experience and knowledge employees bring the organization and hope it achieve agreed-upon strategies and goals.
- is marked by an absence of prejudice and discrimination and by low levels of Intergroup conflict.
- such an organization creates a synergistic environment in which all members contribute to their maximum potential, and the advantages of diversity can be fully realized.
8
Q
HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN CULTIVATE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
Steps for becoming multicultural and making the most of a diverse workforce.
A
- Securing top management leadership and commitment
- Assessing the organizations progress toward goals
- Attracting employees
- Training employees in diversity
- Retaining employees
9
Q
HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN CULTIVATE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
1. Securing top management’s leadership and commitment
A
- One way to communicate this commitment to all employees – as well as to the external environment – is to incorporate the organization’s attitudes toward diversity into the corporate mission statement and into strategic plans and objectives.
- managerial compensation can be linked directly to accomplishing diversity goals.
- adequate funding must be allocated to the diversity effort to ensure its success
- also, management can set an example for other organization members by participating in diverse city programs and making participation mandatory for all managers.
- The work of managing diversity cannot be done by top management or diversity directors alone
- many companies rely on minority advisory groups or task forces to monitor organizational policies, practices, and attitudes; assess their impact on the diverse groups within the organization; and provide feedback and suggestions to top management.
10
Q
HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN CULTIVATE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
2. Assessing the organization’s progress towards goals
A
- The next step is to establish an ongoing assessment of the organization’s workforce, culture, policies, and practices in areas such as recruitment, promotions, benefits, and compensation.
- as part of this assessment, managers may evaluate whether they are attracting their share of diverse candidates from the labor pool and whether the needs of their customers are being addressed by the current composition of their workforce.
- The objective is to identify areas where there are problems or opportunities and to make recommendations where changes are needed.
- many women and Asians can be at a disadvantage when aggressiveness is a valued part of an organization’s culture. Analysis might reveal that this value exists and that it excludes employees who do not share it from full participation.
- managers can then decide that the organizational values need to be changed so that other styles of interacting are equally acceptable.
- managers can also change their own behaviors to reflect this change – for example, by calling on all individuals in a meeting for their ideas instead of letting more assertive participants dominate.
- corporate values and norms should be identified and critically evaluated regarding their necessity and their impact on the diverse workforce.
11
Q
HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN CULTIVATE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
3. Attracting Employees
A
- companies can attract a diverse, qualified workforce by using effective recruiting practices, accommodating employees’ work and family needs, and offer an alternative work arrangements.
- Recruitment : Image can be a strong recruiting tool; companies with reputations for hiring and promoting all types of people have a competitive advantage.
- Work and family needs : more jobs are putting family needs the first: corporate work and family policies are now one of the most important recruiting tools; employers that offer on-site childcare report decreased turnover absenteeism and improved morale. In addition to providing childcare, many companies now assist with care for elderly dependence, offer time off to care for sick family members, provide parental leaves of absence, and offer a variety of benefits that can be tailored to individual family needs. Some companies are accommodating to the needs and concerns of dual career couples by limiting relocation requirements or providing job search assistance to relocated spouses.
- Alternative work arrangements : another way managers accommodate diversity is to offer flexible work schedules and arrangements: stiff demand for engineering talent is motivating manufacturing companies to accommodate the needs of employees with family responsibilities. Other creative work arrangements include compressed workweek (four 10-hour days) and job sharing, in which two part-time workers share one full-time job. Another option to accommodate working mothers and disabled employees is teleworking (working from home) or telecommuting (working from home via computer hook up to the main worksite). This option has been slow to catch on, but the organizations that have tried it report favorable results.
12
Q
HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN CULTIVATE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
4. Training employees in diversity
A
- traditionally, most management training was based on the unstated assumption that managing means managing a homogenous, often white male, full-time workforce.
- but gender, race, culture, age, educational, and other differences create an additional layer of complexity.
- diverse city training programs attempt to identify and reduce hidden biases and develop the skills needed to manage a diversified workforce effectively.
- The majority of U.S. organizations sponsor some sort of diversity training.
- typically, diversity training has two components:
1. awareness building :- designed to increase awareness of the meaning and importance of valuing diversity; its aim is not to teach specific skills but to sensitize employees to the assumption they make about others and the way that assumption their behaviors, decisions, and judgment.
- to build awareness, trainers teach people to become familiar with myths, stereotypes, and cultural differences as well as the organizational barriers that inhibit the full contributions of all employees; they develop a better understanding of corporate culture, requirements for success, and career choices that affect opportunities for advancement.
- in most companies, the rules for success are ambiguous, unwritten, and perhaps inconsistent with written policy. A common problem for women, minorities, immigrants, and young employees is that they are unaware of many of the unofficial rules that are obvious to people in the mainstream; for managers, valuing diversity means teaching the unwritten rules for cultural values to those who need to know them and changing the rules when necessary to benefit employees and hence the organization; it also requires inviting outsiders in and giving them access to information and meaningful relationships with people in power.
2. skill building : - is designed to allow all employees and managers to develop the skills they need to deal effectively with one another and with customers and a diverse environment; most of the skills taught are interpersonal, such as active listening, coaching, and giving feedback; ideally, the skills taught are based on the organizational assessment, so the training can be tailored to the specific business issues managers have identified; likewise, training and flexible scheduling can help managers meet the companies needs while accommodating and valuing workers who want to be able to set aside time to advance their education, participate in community projects, or look after elderly parents; tying the training to specific, measurable business goals increases its usefulness and allows managers to assess whether it is working.
- experiential exercises and video tapes, DVDs, and software often are used in the training programs to help expose stereotypes and encourage employees to discuss fears, biases, and problems; The best exercise are related to the actual problems employees are likely to encounter in the workplace.
- guidelines for diversity training :
1. Position training in your broad Diversity strategy: Training is one important element of managing diversity, but on it’s own will probably fail. Culture change means altering underlying assumptions and systems that guide organizational behavior. Training programs must be internally consistent with, and complement, other initiatives focused on culture change.
2. Do a thorough needs analysis: Do not start training prematurely. As with any training program, eagerness to “do something” may backfire unless you have assessed what specific aspects of diversity need attention first. Focus groups help identify what employees View as priority issues.
3. Distinguish between education and training: Education helps build awareness and understanding but does not teach usable skills. Training involves activities that enhance skills in areas such as coaching, conducting performance appraisals, and adapting communication styles. Education and training are both important, but they are not the same.
4. A participative design process: Tap a multitude of parties to ensure that the content and tone of the program are suitable to everyone involved. Outside consultants often provide fresh perspectives and have credibility. Insiders have specific company knowledge, sensitivity to local issues, and long-standing relationships with company members. Balance these various sources.
5. Test the training thoroughly before rollout: Given the sensitivity, even volatility, of diversity issues, use diversity councils and advocacy groups to pilot the programs. Build in ample feedback time to allow these groups to address sensitive concerns and refine the training.
6. Incorporate diversity programs into the core training curriculum: One-time programs do not have a lasting impact. Blend the program’/ content into other training programs such as performance appraisal, coaching, and so on.
13
Q
HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN CULTIVATE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
5. Retaining Employees
A
- as replacing qualified and experienced workers becomes more difficult and costly, retaining good workers will become much more important.
- A number of policies and strategies, such as support groups, mentoring, career development and promotions, systems accommodations, and accountability can be used to increase retention of all employees, especially those who are different from the norm.
1. Support groups : companies and other support to promote information exchange and social support. They also help diverse employees understand what norms and the corporate culture.
2. Mentoring : are higher level managers to help ensure that high potential people are introduced to top management and socialized into the norms and values of the organization.
3. Career development and promotions : because they’re hitting a glass ceiling, many of the most talented women in my Nordie group members are leaving the organization in search of better opportunities elsewhere. One extremely important step is to make sure deserving employees get a chance at line positions. Women in particular are often relegated to staff positions, such as human resources, with less opportunity to demonstrate how they can earn money for their employers. Career development programs that give a wide range of employees exposure and experience in line jobs can make senior management positions more available to them.
4. Systems accommodation : Managers can support diversity by recognizing cultural and religious holidays, differing modes of dress, and dietary restrictions as well as accommodating the needs of individuals with disabilities.
5. Accountability : One way to ensure that diversity efforts succeed is to hold managers accountable for hiring and developing a diverse workforce. Organizations must ensure that their performance appraisal and reward systems reinforce the importance of effective diversity management.
14
Q
HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN CULTIVATE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
mentors
A
- higher level managers who help ensure that high potential people are introduced to top management and socialized into the norms and values of the organization
15
Q
REVIEW
Describe how changes in the U.S. Workforce make diversity a critical organizational and managerial issue.
A
- The labor force is getting older and more racially and ethnically diverse, with a higher proportion of the women.
- In addition, the jobs that are being created frequently require higher skills than the typical worker can provide; thus we are seeing a growing skills gap.
- To be competitive, organizations can no longer take the traditional approach of depending on white males to form the core of the workforce.
- Today managers must look broadly to make use of talent wherever it can be found.
- As the labor market changes, organizations that can recruit, develop, motivate, and retain a diverse workforce will have a competitive advantage.
16
Q
REVIEW
Distinguish between affirmative action and managing diversity.
A
- Affirmative action is designed to correct past exclusion of women and minorities from U.S. Organizations.
- But despite the accomplishments of affirmative action, it has not eliminated barriers that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.
- Managing diversity goes beyond hiring people who are different from the norm and seeks to support, nurture, and use employee differences to the organization’s advantage.
17
Q
REVIEW
Explain how diversity, if well-managed, can give organizations a competitive edge.
A
- Managing diversity is a bottom line issue.
- If managers are effective at managing diversity, they will have an easier time attracting, retaining, and motivating the best employees.
- they will be more effective at marketing to diverse consumer groups in the United States and globally.
- they will have a workforce that is more creative, more innovative, and better able to solve problems.
- In addition, they are likely to increase flexibility and responsiveness of the organization to environmental change.
18
Q
REVIEW
Identify challenges associated with managing a diverse workforce.
A
- The challenges for managers created by a diverse workforce include decreased group cohesiveness, communication problems, mistrust and tension, and stereotyping.
- these challenges can be turned into advantages by means of training and effective management.
19
Q
REVIEW
Define monolithic, pluralistic, and multicultural organizations.
A
- Categories are based on the organization prevailing assumptions about people and cultures.
- Monolithic organization have a low degree of structural integration, so their population is homogenous.
- Pluralistic organization have a relatively diverse employee population and try to involve various types of employees (e.g., engaging in affirmative action and avoiding discrimination).
- Multicultural organizations not only have diversity but value it, and they fully integrate men and women of various racial and ethnic groups as well as people with different types of expertise.
- Conflict is greatest in a pluralistic organization.
20
Q
REVIEW
List steps managers and their organizations can take to cultivate diversity.
A
- To be successful, organizational efforts to manage diversity must have top management support and commitment.
- organizations should first undertake a thorough assessment of their cultures, policies, and practices as well as the demographics of their labor pool and customer bases.
- Only after this diagnosis has been completed is a company in position to initiate programs designed to attract, develop, motivate, and retain a diverse workforce.
21
Q
QUESTIONS
What distinctions can you make between affirmative action and managing diversity?
A
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