Celebrate Diversity Month

Greetings from the Global Issues Committee!

April is “Celebrate Diversity Month” and was started in 2004 to recognize and honor the diversity that surrounds all of us.  By celebrating differences and similarities during the month of April hopefully individuals will get a better and deeper understanding of each other.

Since this month is especially set aside to celebrate diversity I felt it appropriate to focus on diversity in the workplace and more specifically how diversity in the workplace can lead to improved management of people.

A diverse workplace has many benefits. Typically, we think of race when diversity is mentioned, but diversity includes the entire set of differences between employees and individuals: race, gender, ethnicity, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, educational level and more. These differences can assist in the development of ideas, which in turn can help an organization grow. When organizations embrace and respect diversity the benefits can be long-lasting and far-reaching. From the positive effects on productivity to the ability to change, embracing diversity can allow management to focus on institutional goals and achieve success.

Improve Problem Solving

Embracing workplace diversity will only enhance your office and, on a larger scale, your institution. Employees from diverse backgrounds bring individual talents and experiences which allows the group to brainstorm problems and ideas from different perspectives, which leads to improved problem solving.  Instead of management struggling to find solutions to problems, employees will have better success at resolving issues.

Adaptability

Diversity in the workplace can make employees more accepting and adaptable to change. When employees learn to respect individual differences not only can it increase office productivity but it can also lead to an improved office image, according to a study by the University of Florida Extension Office. Instead of clashing with one another, employees learn to accept their differences and work together. They learn to value differences, which can also help eliminate discrimination as well as help employees to be more flexible to changing demographics and demands.

Productivity

In the study by the University of Florida Extension Office they concluded that “respecting individual differences can increase productivity.” Increased productivity through the acceptance of diversity can eliminate waste and allows an institution to meet its financial goals which may lead to increased wages and benefits. These types of incentives may make employees happier which generally means they will work harder; making them easier to manage.

When institutions encourage diversity, employees are inspired to perform at their highest level. Institutional goals can be set with a good chance they will be met. Employees who strive to do the best job they can make it easier for management to assign tasks, delegate authority and remain confident that jobs will be completed in a timely manner.  An institution made up of diverse employees who work well together can better meet the needs of their customers leading to a higher return on their investment.

References:

Green, Kelly A., Mayra Lopez, Allen Wysocki and Karl Kepner. (October 2008). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools.  University of Florida IFAS Extension. 

Greenberg, Josh.  (2004). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions. AlphaMeasure, Inc. 

Jeff Daniels, Committee Member, Global Issues, jeff.daniels@pnc.com
Joan Bailey, Committee Chair, Global Issues, bailey.joan@spcollege.edu