Wiki Page, Multicultural Diversity in the Workplace for the Tourism Professional: Topic 1 Historical perspectives of diversity in the workplace.-4

Wiki Page
2022-09-21T17:33:47+08:00

Welcome to our first topic of MODULE 1: Foundations of Diversity in the Workplace

Lesson Proper

Read and listen to the powerpoint presentation with audio narration:

Foundations of Diversity in the Workplace

of Module 1 ( Meaning of Diversity- Disadvantages of Workforce Diversity)

of Module 1 ( How is Workplace diversity today- Concluding definition and foundation of DIVERSITY

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE
(according to Encyclopedia of Business and Finance, 2nd ed.)

Having distinct or unlike elements.

Employing people who may be different from each other and who do not all come from the same background.

The differences may be those of national origin, physical appearance, religion, education, age, gender, or sexual orientation.

When did it start? How?

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (USA)

Makes it illegal for organizations to engage in employment practices that discriminate against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

Mandates that employers provide equal employment opportunities to people with similar qualifications and accomplishments.

Executive Order 11246 (1965, USA)

Requires government contractors to take affirmative action to overcome past pattern of discrimination.

Eradicated the policies that formally permitted discrimination against certain classes of workers.

Increased the cost to organizations that fail to implement fair employment practices.

By the late 1970s and into 1980s, Many companies began offering training programs aimed at “valuing diversity”

During the 1990s, diversity rhetoric shifted to emphasize the “business case” for workforce diversity and managing diversity became a business necessity

In the Philippines,

The legal and policy environment on diversity may be described as positive and reflective of international conventions and are quite comprehensive for some sectors especially on women.

There are several landmark legislations and policies to ensure that women, persons with disabilities and indigenous people are empowered and given equal access to economic, social and political opportunities.

According to the Philippine Constitution (Bill of Rights)

“No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”

Full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and the promotion of full employment and quality of employment opportunities for all are also guaranteed.

ADVANTAGES OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

Broaden employee perspectives

Strengthen the teams

Offer greater resources for problem resolution

Increases the opportunities for creativity & innovation

Improve the product quality

Contribute to broader range of contacts & information sources

DISADVANTAGES OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

Conflict among co-workers

Diminishes group cohesiveness that may result to absenteeism and turnover increase

Discrimination

Harassment

Reduce communication

How is workplace diversity today?

Types of Organizations

Monolithic Organization

* has a homogeneous workforce which is composed of mostly (white) males holding most of the managerial positions while women and minority members hold a very small number of these same positions.

* Minority members and women are often confined to lower-paying, subordinate positions

* Does little to integrate women and minority members prejudice and discrimination are likely to occur.

Plural Organization

* More heterogeneous and it takes steps to include members of cultural backgrounds who are not members of the majority group.

* Give preferential treatment when hiring and promoting minority members, fair and equal opportunities for advancing within the organization, and review of compensation to ensure fair treatment.

* However, there is still little representation of minority members in management positions.

* There might be inter-group conflict

Multicultural Organization

* Integrates minority members into all levels within an organization.

* The thinking is that because both minority and majority members are evenly distributed within an organization then this should lead to an elimination of prejudice and discrimination.

* Must perpetuates the idea that not only diversity being accommodated for, but it is valued.

Theories of Diversity Management/ General Approaches to Diversity Management

Institutional Theory of Diversity Management

To determine an organization’s structure one can not separate the social environment found within an organization.

That the behavior of employees in organizations and organizations themselves have limiting factors such as legislation, laws, rules, regulations, and social and professional norms.

Because laws require organizations to become diverse they must prove to both individuals within the organization and individuals outside of the organization that they are conforming to these laws and norms.

Resource Based Theory of Diversity Management

The main focus is how the implementation of diversity will affect organizational resources, physical capital, financial capital, human capital, and corporate capital resources.

Organizations that are more diverse gain an advantage compared to organizations that are homogenous.

Organizations that are diverse gain several advantages over organizations who fail to implement diversity policies.

Specific Approaches to Diversity Management

The Practitioner/Consultant Approach

Focuses on the positive aspects of how making the workplace more diverse can increase productivity.

Find qualified workers, making the workplace a more diverse environment helps employers make minorities and other potential employees who may be qualified more available and noticeable.

If the workplace is diverse than these more diversified employees should be better able to understand what their diverse customers want.

The Mainstream Approach

Supported by social-identity theory (describes group membership and behavior within a group) and self- categorization theory (people stereotype themselves by attributing to themselves the attitudes, behaviors and other attributes they associate with membership in a particular group)

The integration-and-learning perspective focuses on generating positive inter-group relations, feelings of being valued and respected by other group members, and having employees feel positively about their racial identity in the workplace

Diversity is a set of conscious practices that involve:

Understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment.

Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from our own.

Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing;

Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others;

Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination.