Implementing a diversity management programme.[check] This checklist provides a framework for setting up a diversity management programme in an organisation. It is aimed at managers in all areas and at all levels. Definition The concept of diversity encompasses any sort of difference between two or more people. Differences might exist in terms of race, age, gender, disability, geographic origin, family status, education, social background--in fact, anything that can affect workplace relationships and achievement. The management of diversity involves the implementation of strategies through which a network of varied individuals are knitted together into a dynamic workforce. The approach goes far beyond that required by equal opportunities legislation by recognising an infinite number infinite number a number so large as to be uncountable. Represented by 8, frequently obtained by 'dividing' by zero. of differences between people and focusing on the individual rather than various disadvantaged groups. Recognition of diversity within the workforce enables a more positive use of a major organisational resource, people. Advantages of diversity management * A diversity management programme will encourage compliance with legal requirements eliminating discriminatory dis·crim·i·na·to·ry adj. 1. Marked by or showing prejudice; biased. 2. Making distinctions. dis·crim behaviour in the workplace. * It will enable an organisation to keep pace with social and demographic changes, such as increasing numbers of female, ethnic minority and older workers in the labour market. * Employee recognition can lead to empowerment em·pow·er tr.v. em·pow·ered, em·pow·er·ing, em·pow·ers 1. To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority. See Synonyms at authorize. 2. , motivation and commitment, and therefore to competitive advantage for the organisation. * By encouraging the individual talents of each person it strengthens the pool of human resources The fancy word for "people." The human resources department within an organization, years ago known as the "personnel department," manages the administrative aspects of the employees. on which a company can draw. * Since diversity management encourages employees to feel more valued and more content in their work, labour turnover is lower and savings on recruitment and training costs are made. * A diverse workforce is better equipped to serve a diverse customer base and diverse markets. It also facilitates entry into the global marketplace. * Diversity management can create a flexible workforce, which can be more productive. * Successful diversity management can benefit corporate image. * Diversity management can underpin an organisation's social responsibility. Disadvantages of diversity management * If handled insensitively in·sen·si·tive adj. 1. Not physically sensitive; numb. 2. a. Lacking in sensitivity to the feelings or circumstances of others; unfeeling. b. , a diversity programme may invade in·vade v. in·vad·ed, in·vad·ing, in·vades v.tr. 1. To enter by force in order to conquer or pillage. 2. employees' privacy. * Implementation of a diversity programme may, in the short term, be expensive. * Deep-seated prejudices may be brought into the open, causing short-term tension. * Conflict and ill-feeling may result from a poorly handled programme. Action checklist 1. Gain top level support Approach the directors and managers in your organisation and convince them of the advantages of diversity management. Present both the business and social cases for a diversity initiative. If necessary, conduct high level diversity awareness training to develop the commitment of key decision makers. 2. Assign financial and human resources to the programme Don't underestimate the time and money that will be needed, and look to the long term--the programme will spread over years rather than months. At this stage, identify as many facilitators as possible who can act as change agents to lead the initiative and cascade it throughout the organisation. 3. Decide what you want the programme to achieve and set goals accordingly Methods used to produce diversity management goals could include consultation, brainstorming, benchmarking, or literature reviews. Ensure that goals are specific and achievable. Examples might be: * increase the proportion of women in our workforce to 50% * enable more flexible working practices, eg more homeworking * facilitate recruitment from a wider geographical or cultural area. Gain the support of employees for these goals, and relate them to the organisation's overall vision and mission statements, and to any other initiatives which are going on in the organisation, such as quality management. 4. Establish current levels of diversity management in your organisation Plan and conduct a diversity audit to gauge existing levels of diversity management. You will need to assess both qualitative and quantitative evidence, focusing on people, processes and strategies. Find out: * which kinds of difference affect the ability of individuals to achieve their working potential in your organisation * to what extent these differences create disadvantages or advantages for employees * how the procedures and strategies of the organisation affect different groups of employees. Some data gathering methods include: * questionnaires--design these with your target audience in mind, and ensure anonymity and privacy for respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. . * individual and group interviews--consider who should conduct these and how to create an informal and frank atmosphere. * focus group discussions--you could, for example, talk to groups of female, disabled, ethnic minority or older employees. * unobtrusive observation--a discreet dis·creet adj. 1. Marked by, exercising, or showing prudence and wise self-restraint in speech and behavior; circumspect. 2. Free from ostentation or pretension; modest. walkabout walkabout a dummy syndrome in horses; usually pyrrolizidine alkaloses caused by crotalaria poisoning. Affected horses walk compulsively, head press, appear blind and walk into objects. They do not respond to usual external stimuli or commands. can be very revealing. * document surveys--examine written procedures, personnel records, customer complaints, publicity material and any other documentary evidence A type of written proof that is offered at a trial to establish the existence or nonexistence of a fact that is in dispute. Letters, contracts, deeds, licenses, certificates, tickets, or other writings are documentary evidence. within the organisation. * benchmarking--look in organisations similar to your own for examples of best practice to follow and of bad practice to avoid. 5. Conduct a gap analysis Review the audit results and establish how great the difference is between your current position and your goals. 6. Identify areas where change is needed Work out the forms of action which will be needed to achieve your goals. You may need to make changes to: * processes--for example, revising the recruitment procedure * working arrangements--for example, introducing flexi-time, childcare facilities, time off for family responsibilities, more homeworking * attitudes--for example, combating inter-cultural prejudice and improving inter-cultural communication * physical environment--for example, creating better access for disabled workers and customers, introducing interdepartmental in·ter·de·part·men·tal adj. Involving or representing different departments, as of a business, an academic institution, or a government: "the petty interdepartmental squabbling that surrounds the making of . . . rest rooms, revising office layout. 7. Write a diversity policy Use these broad change ideas together with your diversity goals to compile To translate a program written in a high-level programming language into machine language. See compiler. a concise written diversity policy. The policy could cover: * a definition of diversity * reasons why it is important * the goals of the diversity management programme * the ways in which the goals will be achieved. Communicate the policy to employees and all stakeholders Stakeholders All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. . Post a copy on every staff noticeboard noticeboard notice (Brit) n → Anschlagbrett nt , in the staff handbook, and, if you have one, on the company intranet. It is only when the stated values Stated Value A value that, instead of being par value, is assigned to a corporation's stock for accounting purposes. Stated value has no relation to market price. Notes: and policies are embedded Inserted into. See embedded system. in the day-to-day activities of the organisation that any measure of success can be claimed. 8. Compile a detailed diversity action plan Define the finer details of the programme, specifying exactly how the planned changes One of the foundational definitions in the field of organizational development (aka OD) is planned change: “Organization Development is an effort planned, organization-wide, and managed from the top, to increase organization effectiveness and health through planned will be brought about. Hold brainstorming sessions to produce ideas for action, then compose com·pose v. com·posed, com·pos·ing, com·pos·es v.tr. 1. To make up the constituent parts of; constitute or form: an implementation plan which coordinates and timetables the action to be taken. Make sure the plan includes regular reviews--decide what should be measured and monitored before the programme starts and make data gathering an ongoing part of the plan. 9. Set the programme in motion Communicate the plan to employees and put it into action. Appoint programme coordinators and publicise Verb 1. publicise - call attention to; "Please don't advertise the fact that he has AIDS" advertise, advertize, publicize announce, denote - make known; make an announcement; "She denoted her feelings clearly" their role, giving employees a point for feedback and information. 10. Monitor and review Monitor the programme over twelve months, and adjust the plan as necessary. Where problems occur, review the diversity policy and decide whether it should be amended. 11. Establish an ongoing programme Schedule an ongoing diversity programme for the long term. Allow for the programme to be fluid and change as the organisation's internal and external contexts change. Make sure that diversity remains a high profile issue and work towards its internalisation Noun 1. internalisation - learning (of values or attitudes etc.) that is incorporated within yourself internalization, incorporation learning, acquisition - the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge; "the child's acquisition of language" within the organisation. Diversity management should become a natural part of everyday life. Dos and don'ts for successfully managing diversity Do * Communicate at all stages of the programme. Ensure that employees, managers, customers, shareholders, and other stakeholders are kept informed, as their support is vital to the programme's success. * Involve everyone. This is not just an issue for the personnel department or senior managers but should concern people throughout the organisation. * Make use of established change management processes to carry through the programme. * Look to the long term. Changes which involve attitudes will not happen overnight, and you should expect the programme to last for years rather than weeks or months. * Be prepared to invest money, time and resources to achieve your goals. Don't * Mistake equal opportunities for diversity management. The equal opportunities approach will form a part of any diversity initiative but the programme should go far beyond traditional equal opportunities issues. * Design the diversity goals and policies for 'them'. But for 'us'. Diversity is about inclusiveness, and you should aim the programme at everyone in the organisation--including yourself! Useful reading Books Equality diversity and discrimination: how to comply with the law, promote best practice and achieve a diverse workforce, Lynda MacDonald London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the leading professional body for those involved in the field of personnel, training and development. Membership of the CIPD is highly respected and widely accepted by employers as a requirement of practice. , 2004 Diversity scorecard: evaluating the impact of diversity on organizational performance Organizational performance comprises the actual output or results of an organization as measured against its intended outputs (or goals and objectives). Specialists in many fields are concerned with organizational performance including strategic planners, operations, Edward E Hubbard Burlington Mass.: Elsevier Butterworth Heinmann, 2004 Being positive about age diversity at work: a practical guide for business London: Department of Work and Pensions, 2002 Diversity training handbook: a practical guide to understanding and changing attitudes Phil Clements and John Jones London: Kogan Page, 2002 Journal articles Diversity as a strategy, David A Thomas Harvard Business Review Harvard Business Review is a general management magazine published since 1922 by Harvard Business School Publishing, owned by the Harvard Business School. A monthly research-based magazine written for business practitioners, it claims a high ranking business readership and , Sep vol 82 no 9, 2004, pp 98-108 Implementing a diversity strategy, Kay KAY Kick Ass Year KAY Kansas Association of Youth Allen Equal Opportunities Review, Feb no 126, 2004, pp13-19 Thought starters * List ten differences between yourself and a close colleague. Consider how these differences affect your working life. * In what ways, if any, does your organisation cater for these differences? * Could your working arrangements, working environment, company policies and procedures Policies and Procedures are a set of documents that describe an organization's policies for operation and the procedures necessary to fulfill the policies. They are often initiated because of some external requirement, such as environmental compliance or other governmental be improved to lessen less·en v. less·ened, less·en·ing, less·ens v.tr. 1. To make less; reduce. 2. Archaic To make little of; belittle. v.intr. To become less; decrease. any negative effects caused by these differences? * Do you feel respected as an individual in your workplace? Is this respect evident from all levels of the organisation? |
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