The face of the United States is changing every day as our
society becomes more culturally diverse. According to the U.S.
Census Bureau one out of three Americans identifies them self as a
minority, and this ratio is expected to continue to
increase. As a result, the country’s workforce has become a
mix of people with different genders, ethnicities, religions,
languages, sexual orientations, disabilities, and educational and
cultural backgrounds.
The first thing that a manager must realize is that diversity
creates added benefits and opportunities. Diversity can
enhance the business’ overall performance and offer benefits
including improved teamwork, enhanced communication, greater
creativity and higher morale among the employees. In addition,
diversity can help to create an environment where employees treat
each other with respect, decisions are fair, and discrimination is
eliminated.
WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA (WCF) offers these
solutions to effectively manage a diverse staff:
Incorporate Diversity Initiatives into All Aspects of the
Organization. Integrate diversity into all processes, core
values and strategic plans. Managers and all top executives
must take responsibility for diversity, not just the human
resources department.
Broaden Your Definition of Diversity. Beyond
visible differences such as race and gender, also consider
geographic background, sexual orientation, language, religion,
ability or disability, communication style and work function.
Raise Awareness of the Value of Diversity Among Your Staff
and Promote It. Actively promote and celebrate the fact
that you have a diverse workforce. This will illustrate to
your employees that diversity is embraced and will give them a
sense of comfort with their surroundings, leading to greater
productivity. Raising awareness will also ensure that your
employees are on board and agree that a diverse workplace is
important – even necessary for a business to thrive.
Treat Everyone as Individuals. No two people are alike.
Examine employees and recognize their strengths,
weaknesses, preferences and work style. This will allow you
to assign tasks that play to their best abilities and give them a
greater chance for success. This also allows you to limit
opportunities for failure.
Look for Opportunities to Learn. Be observant of your
employees and try to learn more about their heritages, traditions
and beliefs. This knowledge will allow you to compare the
differences and similarities of your staff and build on those for
the benefit of your organization.
Set Aside Time for Team Interaction During Regular
Meetings. Encourage all employees to take part in the
discussion and give their thoughts on how they feel things are
going. This will allow you and your staff to learn more about
each other.
Regularly Assess Your Work Environment. On a regular
basis, survey your staff regarding the current work environment and
ask questions about how comfortable they are working for you and
with other employees. This will identify any issues that exist and
give you the opportunity to address them.
Address Concerns Immediately. If a concern regarding
diversity in your work environment is brought to your attention,
address it as soon as possible. Carefully examine the
situation to ensure you know all of the facts. If a change is
necessary, take action and address the issue. This will show
your staff that you take it seriously and consider it an important
factor for the success of your company.
Encourage Diversity Management Training. If you feel your
organization needs to learn more about managing a diverse
workforce, seek out training for you and any other managers in your
business. Many organizations, including WORKFORCE CENTRAL
FLORIDA, can provide you with training and training grants to
better manage your staff.
Leaders who promote workplace diversity are more likely to
retain quality and satisfied employees, increase customer loyalty
and improve productivity and competitiveness.
