what is diversity in the Workplace.definition and meanings

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• published: 02 Mar 2016
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what is diversity in the Workplace.definition and meanings?? Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. That sounds simple, but diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more Similarities and differences among employees in terms of age, cultural background, physical abilities and disabilities, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. Have you ever learned about another culture from someone you met at work? People from all walks of life come together in today's business world. Many companies pride themselves on having a diverse workforce, one that is made up of individuals with a wide range of characteristics and experiences. Some of the key characteristics of workforce diversity include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, ability, and sexual orientation. A company that embraces diversity can broaden its skill base and become more competitive and innovative. Workforce diversity also brings with it a number of issues and challenges. Issues and Challenges You may know someone who has experienced unfair treatment based on a personal characteristic. Discrimination occurs when someone is denied opportunities on the basis of a personal characteristic that has no bearing on job performance. Discrimination causes great harm and is illegal in most cases. It's natural that tensions will arise among individuals in a diverse workforce, so it's important for employers to have diversity management policies in place. Most large organizations have taken steps to promote diversity awareness and understanding. These diversity initiatives contribute to a positive work environment that is free from discrimination. Let's look at some of the specific issues that arise among the diverse groups in the workforce. Race and Ethnicity - Racial and ethnic minorities may have different perspectives, customs, or approaches to communication in the workplace. These differences can pose challenges for organizations that seek harmonious employee relations. Such challenges can be addressed through appropriate training and education. Gender - Women have long struggled to obtain equal pay for comparable work and to remove the glass ceiling, an invisible barrier that keeps women and other minorities out of the top managerial ranks. Women also face gender discrimination and sexual harassment, i.e. sexual advances or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Although much progress has been made to prevent such conduct, there is still a need for training and education. Age - Today's diverse workforce reflects generational differences and differing perspectives about the relationship between age and ability or professional worth. While complaints about age discrimination are not as prevalent as complaints about gender and racial discrimination, managers must still promote awareness and understanding of age differences in the workforce. Religion - Religious diversity in the workplace raises freedom of expression issues and can lead to conflicts over employee leave for religious observances. Religious discrimination suits are on the rise, so this is another important area for managerial attention. Workforce diversity is a workforce consisting of a broad mix of workers from different racial and ethnic background of different ages and genders, and of different domestic and national cultures.” 3. “Workforce diversity means that the organizations are becoming more heterogeneous mix of people in terms of gender,age,ethnicity and sexual orientation.