In the modern world, the workplace has become an important area of focus in management. According to business experts, the workplace is important in influencing productivity of an organization. In this respect, many of the business organizations have ensured that the workplace is well organized and managed.
In turn, this ensures an optimal use of human resource. On the same note, it is important to remember that in most organizations, there is diversity. The diversity exists in various forms; race, sexual orientation, religion, sex or sometimes age (Barak, 2010). Some analysts’ believe that physical ability and disability are a form of diversity in a workplace. With all these diversity, it is important to harness all the potentiality among the people to ensure there is equality.
According to Williams (n. d), modern business organizations are embracing diversity as one of the contemporary business practices. In most cases, organizations ensure that there are policies that in turn ensure employees are treated with dignity. From this perspective, businesses are able to outsource various experts free of bias. According to Williams (n. d), there is a general belief that employees tend to be more productive when their employers accommodate them socially and treat them fairly.
However, for employers and organizations to promote diversity within working environments, various issues are considered. First, it is essential for employees to be honest with specific information. For example, information regarding religion, race or sexual orientation requires due submission to the human resource managers during the recruitment process. This submission of information is mandatory during the initial recruitment phase.
The next step is to ensure that the organization has an already formulated policy on diversity. Employees should then be aware of this policy in form of duties and responsibilities as well as code of conduct (Paludi, 2012). In addition, the policy should be clear on what it hopes to achieve from the diversity policy. The author is very categorical on the diversity issue. For example, the author explains that promoting diversity requires a systematic approach, where all staff members, including managers, require training on diversity.
For diversity to work and be effective within an organization, all staff members are required to accommodate other people. In this respect, a bit of flexibility among employees is required. For example, employees are required to accommodate and respect of other people’s cultures. An example of this flexibility is where an employee is morally obliged to help a disable workmate.
According to Jackson (1992), some of the benefits derived from promoting diversity are that the organization is able to harness various potentials. Employees also tend to work harmoniously. This is because issues such as prejudice are forgotten easily, reducing tension among employees.
One of the long-term benefits for prompting diversity is that it improves an organization’s public image. Therefore, many business organizations tend to benefit from positive businesses partnerships with organizations that prefer diversity. Most of the potential employees prefer organizations that can accommodate their diversity. In the long-term, organizations are able to get skilled labor from such employees.
In conclusion, diversity is one of the contemporary concepts that many businesses cannot ignore. With the emergence of the globalization phenomenon, it would be inevitable to ignore diversity with an organization that intends to thrive in a highly competitive business world.
References
Barak, M., M. (2010). Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Thousands Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Jackson, S., E. (1992). Diversity in the workplace: human resources initiatives. Guilford, Ct: Guilford Press.
Paludi, M., A. (2012). Managing diversity in today’s workplace: Strategies for employees and employers. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Williams, R. (n. d). Promoting diversity in the work place. Ezine Articles. Web.
There is a new breed of human resource management that is relatively a recent entrant in business expanse due to the globalization of business that allows multi-nationals and corporations to conduct business worldwide. This is advanced business management strategized in congruence with strategic human resource management policies (Gibbon 1992).
It is a harmonized blend between strategic management and international business and aims at developing worldwide strategies mindful of international laws and global market trends for global corporations.
This requirement for a global approach to business management is necessitated by groundbreaking shifts that continue to shape global business to which management strategies must resonate in tandem with to remain relevant and competitive in the market.
Such shifts that include information revolution and arrival of environmental ethic are revolutionary and cannot be ignored. This is a human Resource Management essay that seeks to address the question of how objective equality at workplace can be promoted through recruitment and selection process of personnel.
Goals and objectives
The following are the objectives and the goals that this paper seeks to address and meet as it discusses how objective of equity can be attained and aided by the process of recruitment and selection.
To investigate the effect of equality at workplace during selection of personnel.
To determine ways in which equality at workplace can be promoted through the exercise of recruitment and selection of personnel.
To investigate the relationship that such equality has with Human Resource Management practices
To given insights on the mechanisms through which the objective of equality at work could be promoted through recruitment and selection
The Concept of Recruitment and Selection
For there to be a specific study of how objective of equity can be improved by recruitment and selection, it is imperative for there to be a concise consideration and assessment of what constitutes recruitment and selection first.
Recruitment is a central concept in the act f Human Resource Management and one that stands alone in its pursuit of determining the best qualified and best-suited personnel to be employed for specific areas of a company’s operation.
The whole process of recruitment and selection if it were to be defined the definition would have to incorporate the process of making predictions concerning behaviours of prospective personnel on which the basis of their selection would be predicated (Newell 2005).
The kind of predictions that is involved in recruitment is a unique one; more like the one that is witnessed in actuaries when it comes to determining insurance premiums rather than the kind of prediction, that is observed in crystal ball gazers.
This is so because the kind of prediction that is employed during recruitment is one that is based on professional judgments which requires that there is a systematic assessment of what makes the individual under scrutiny outstanding in capacity, personality and overall contribution as well as assessment of the given requirements of the organizational post seeking to be filled by such a person (Newell 2005).
Newell (2005) in his article Recruitment and Selection gives further incredible insights as regards the central role that recruitment has in human resource management and how it directly may help in assisting attain and improve objective of equality.
One of the key insights that is brought out in this article is the fact that recruitment and selection have traditionally been viewed as a process that helps organizations to accurately match a given individual applicant to the jobs that are outlined needing filling.
This process is what the author calls a ‘Psychometric Model’ which focuses on the job as the intended end for which selection and recruitment is a process that helps meet this end by systematically coming up with the correct person with the required qualifications and capacities that is rightly qualified to meet that vacant place in an organization (Newell 2005).
Here the author further adds that the critical element to watch here is the employment of a specific selection method that is appropriately relevant and appropriate to predict ‘good’ employees for a given job correctly separated from ‘bad’ employees. This requires that these methods that are chosen have sound psychometric properties that depict them as both valid and reliable (Newell 2005).
The UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development shade further light to this concept of psychometric approach of recruitment and selection practice while talking about the importance of the approach recommends that “Care should be taken to use techniques which are relevant to the job and the business objectives of the organization.
All tools used should be validated and constantly reviewed to ensure their fairness and reliability” (Newell 2005, p. 116).
This is the approach that has been taken and adapted by the current employment structure whereas opposed to the importance that was given to the physical skills of the applicant in previous models, this approach places greater emphasis on social skills which is due to the fact that current market trends and requirements indicate that there is greater importance of one’s social competencies as regards interpersonal, communication, and social skills for the benefit of the employee and the customer (Watson 1994).
In fact to authenticate this surmise, a case study by Callaghan and Thompson (2002) as recorded by Newell, realized that in fact in the Call Centre Recruitment that was studied, the criteria that was used for selection and recruitment of personnel was based on the following factors in order of priority: personality trait, verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills and technical skills (Callaghan 2005, p. 117).
With the foregoing assessment and discussion, it is clear that the objective of equity can be to a large extend be promoted through the practice of recruitment and selection.
Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2005) claim that organizations can achieve objective of promoting equality at work through development of recruitment and selection processes that satisfy and conform to regulations and legislation on equality and inclusion strategies on human capital management (Torrington, Hall and Taylor 2005).
For an organization to demonstrate compliance with equality legislation, the organization has to demonstrate availability of ongoing reviewed working practice documentation on organizational commitment and values of diversity.
The capacity of organization to demonstrate commitment should be based on capability to demonstrate capacity to improve organizational processes and performances subject to human capital participation and involvement in diversity and inclusion strategy development with regard to equality in human capital selection and recruitment (Torrington, Hall and Taylor 2005).
Employee participation in development of strategy for equality recruitment and selection results into employee increased awareness on the organizational business model and business case that makes it possible for employees to understand and take active role in implementation and promotion of the equality in selection and recruitment.
This provides environment for employees to demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior and develop organizational identity hence increased organizational employee ownership.
In addition to this, for there to be appropriate reinforcing of objective of equity Watson (1994) suggests that recruitment and selection procedures should be structured towards capacity for demonstration of organizational values on equality as a function of recruitment and selection strategy through development of a work environment that is meaningful and relevant to diverse workforce (Watson 1994).
The work environment should promote capability of employees to exploit their full potential without regard on social identity as a function of employee gender (Walby 1988); employee race and ethnicity; employee nationality, disability and age (Thornley 2003); employee sexuality, beliefs, traditions and marital status (Kirton and Greene 2000) and employee political affiliation (Adnett 1996, p. 61).
The capability of an organization to develop a structured equality and diversity objectives via recruitment and selection should satisfy different legislations and regulations.
The organization ought to ensure ongoing evaluation and assessment of the equality in selection and recruitment by contracting an agency to be conducting equality analysis of the organizational selection and recruitment processes to identify position of the organizational equal opportunities policies and diversity and inclusion strategies towards promoting different facets of equality.
The organization could develop internal equality monitoring programs that should be structured towards fostering fair employment and treatment order 1998 and race relations (amendment) act 2000. The organization should invest in internal analysis of organizational capacity to ensure equality programs satisfy Disability Equality Duty 2006 and Gender Equality Duty 2007.
The organization could achieve objective of equality by conducting equality monitoring data on age, religion, beliefs and sexual orientation towards management of homophobia and employee harassment on basis of gender, marital status, race, traditions and color (Walby 1988).
The organization should monitor efficiencies of its equality monitoring programs through ongoing reporting on equality monitoring. Monitoring ensures organizational practices conform to regulations and legislations with regard to employment equality (age) regulation 2006, Employment Equality (Sexual orientation) regulation 2003 and Employment equality (religion and beliefs) regulation 2003) and equality acts.
Another approach to the topic question is to view equality objectives as an avenue to demonstrate procedures that are followed during recruitment and selection (Campbell et al. 1996). Organization ought to document procedures for selection and recruitment, develop framework for policy adjustment and capability for addressing employee concerns through development of equality policy on employee management and conduct.
The equality policy should demonstrate capacity for equal opportunities for employees and future employees, through a documented framework for training, recruitment and promotion. As a result, the organization should demonstrate compliance with codes of practice with regard to equality legislation and capacity to satisfy statutory provisions on equality objectives on recruitment and selection (Gibbon 1992).
This means equality regulations should be complied with to ensure minority groups are represented. The equality objectives should clarify and illustrate rationale for managing discriminatory behavior and incidents through increased awareness on standards of equality policies and non-tolerance to sexist and racist behavior (Aube and Rousseau 2005, p.193).
Equality Objectives Foundation for Recruitment and Selection
Newell (2005) advanced an argument that equality objectives towards recruitment and selection should demonstrate conformity to theoretical framework on recruitment and selection best practices.
As a result, recruitment and selection standards should conform to essentialism theory and system theory through demonstration of equal opportunities through development of objectives towards elimination, prevention and control of employee harassment and victimization.
The foundation of equality objectives are provided for by different equality regulations and legislations that seek to protect employment on basis of the following factors:
Age
Disability
Gender Reassignment
Race
Pregnancy and Maternity
Partnership
Sexual Orientation
Sex
Religion or Belief
Marriage and Civil
Equality Objective Alignment to Organizational Culture
Cockburn (1992) indicates that equality objectives on selection and recruitment practices should demonstrate organizational culture and mechanism culture is aligned to values that govern processes and operations. As a result, equality objectives should be structured towards promoting values of equality objectives and rationale for development of procedures for achieving values of equality objectives.
This means equality objectives should clearly define rationale of implementing equality rights and capacity for aligning organizational systems on equality objectives to essentialism and system theory.
Principles for Recruitment and Selection
Gibbon (1992) claims equality objectives should be structured towards utility of principles of recruitment and selection. Adoption of equality objectives should not translate into failure of recruitment and selection processes to contribute into acquisition of organizational positions without consideration for employee competencies with respect to experience, qualification, attitudes on teamwork and innovation.
As a result, equality objectives should be structured towards compliance with employee recruitment and selection legislation and regulations on service equality and diversity and inclusion policies. This means eligible candidates for a given organizational position should have access to vital information on the position in order to enhance cross-gender participation.
Gibbon (1992) argues that equality objectives should demonstrate “enforcement of policies and procedures that are fit for selection and recruitment goals” with increased emphasis on “clarity and transparency of communicated information on the organizational vacant position” (Newell 2005, p. 126).
In addition, Kirton and Greene (2000) indicate that recruitment and selection should satisfy organizational identified requirements for equality and diversity without merely fulfilling equality objectives at the expense of organizational performance.
Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2005) advanced argument that equality objectives should demonstrate capability for the organization to achieve culturally diverse workforce; adopt strategies that could contribute into delivery of psychological contract, enhance employee involvement and engagement hence capability for increased employee retention.
Competencies of an Equality Objective on Workforce Diversity
Gibbon (1992) argues that equality objectives should be structured towards realization of a committed diverse workforce and should enhance capacities for employee citizenship behavior.
The organizational equality objectives should provide a reflection of diverse integrated workforce that should identify requirements for diversity and profile of employees towards achievement of a diversity and inclusion strategy (Damanpour 1991).
Equality objectives on recruitment and selection should demonstrate organizational technical competency development through use of social networks to communicate on organizational equality objective statement. Employees have increased awareness on rationale for equal opportunities as work environment that doesn’t compromise on discrimination subject to need for fair and equal treatment.
Contrary, organizations ought to identify limitations to attainment of equality objective through compliance with regulations on equality with regard to race, sex, and disability acts which have created environment where positive approaches to diversity and inclusion management could not be accounted for (Watson 1994).
The rationale for implementation of equality objectives on recruitment and selection ought to be a continuous process subject to ongoing measurements and results assessment.
Aube and Rousseau (2005, pp.192-196) claims that equality objectives should be structured towards achievement of organizational learning culture, development of workplace equality roles and responsibilities and alignment of equality objectives to organizational or business strategy (Newell 2005).
In addition, Gibbon (1992) claims that success of equality objectives towards sustainable recruitment and selection policies depend on management support for equality culture. As a result, management ought to demonstrate commitment to equality objectives through increased input towards increased equality accountability, ownership of equality schemes and governance.
The equality objectives sustainability is dependent on organizational investment and documented performance metric measures for recruitment and selection.
The equality objectives with regard to selection should provide foundation for employee participation, rationale for employee professional and personal development, management of cultural barriers to equality objectives and development of supportive diversity and inclusion strategy (Baron et al. 2006).
Newell (2005) argues that equality objectives towards sustainable recruitment and selection should be supported by a functional business case and model that supports equality objectives. Business case that supports equality should form benchmark for achievements of equality objectives with regard to recruitment and selection strategy.
An equality strategy has capability to decrease employee victimization, productivity and performance index that contribute into gradual decrease of legal cases arising from employee suits on discrimination and harassment (ILO 2009). Equality objectives ought o outline rationale for employee dispute management; contribute into development of employee relations programs, employee referral programs and employee rewards programs.
Using Equality policy to Develop Roadmap for Recruitment
Newell (2005) claims that organizations should structure equality objectives for recruitment through use of pro-Mosaic II assessment tool towards capacity for realizing equality in the workplace. Pro Mosaic II assessment tool provides an organization with opportunity for creating a roadmap that could be used to develop framework for base-lining equality, diversity and inclusion strategy.
This means an organization equality policy should provide rationale for determination of status of equality objectives, communication of measurements of individual employee performance and productivity as well as teamwork performance. Thus, equality policy should provide objectives for recruitment that should be used towards internalization of organizational diversity and inclusion strategy (Damanpour 1991).
Equality policy should inform on rationale for organizational self assessment and objectives deliverable towards implementation of diversity and inclusion strategy, improvement of recruitment and selection strategic planning, and implement initiatives that enhance and create value to diversity and inclusion strategy and identify what could create value to the equality policies and plan based on the organizational cultural mix.
Outcomes of Pro Mosaic II surveys should help organizational equality policy and objectives towards realization of continuous improvement in terms of benchmarking capacity to deliver sustainable framework for equality, diversity and inclusion strategy which positions the organization to achieve employee ownership and gain from employee retention rate and value.
Organization could utilize collaboration model in order to exploit values of equality strategy. Incorporation of collaborative model enhances capacity to gain from organizational networks and transfer of knowledge.
The Element of Leadership in Recruitment and Selection
Goffman (2006, pp.131-3) claims equality objective should be structured towards achievement of objective of equality in employee skills and competencies. Thus, equality objective should demonstrate a working framework where recruitment and selection contribute into attraction of competent leaders to tasks.
The equality objective based on leadership capabilities should contribute into provision of equal opportunities of employees for training and development that should result into capacity for internal promotion of employees.
Thornley (2003) advanced argument that equality objectives should be structured towards development of employee development support programs that should prepare employees for future organizational opportunities hence equality objective should demonstrate capacity for alignment to motivational theories (Thornley 2003).
The equality objective should highlight leadership programs, mentorship programs and coaching strategies towards improvement of employee competencies. The equality objectives with regard to recruitment and selection should provide multi-entry paths or qualification to a given employment position (Walby 1988).
According to Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2005), the organization should implement work placement programs that should help the organization to identify the best candidates for different emerging positions in the firm. Work placement provides a knowledge pool that the organization could use to develop its human resource competencies (Adnett 1996).
Conclusion
From the preceding discussion, it is clear that the goals of the research were achieved and its objectives justifiably met. This has been shown through a detailed determination of the various mechanism through which objective of equality could be promoted through recruitment and selection.
To summarize the above discussion, there are two models that clearly indicate the areas through which recruitment can promote equality of equity. The paper has also appropriately met the four objectives and goals that it set out to achieve.
Firstly, in the course of the discussion, it has been overtly shown that the objective of equality at workplace takes the center stage in the current recruitment procedures as they play an essential role in this process.
Also, there have been different ways, no less than seven, ways in which objects of equality can be enhanced and promoted by the process of selection and recruitment of personnel into organizations to fill specific vacant posts (Damanpour 1991).
It has also been shown in the preceding discussion that there is a clear relationship between equality and Human Resource Management since among the central aims of HRM strategies and policies, equality, fair representation, defense for employees’ rights and privileges are the issues that are central to it, therefore, tying object of equality closely to Human Resource Management practice.
Finally, the paper has also adequately given much insight to mechanisms through which objective of equality at work can be promoted through recruitment and selection. This in finality, therefore, indicates that indeed object of equality can be promoted in a number of ways through the process of selection and recruitment of personnel into different job positions in various organizations.
References
Adnett, N., 1996. European Labour Market. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman, pp.60- 62.
Aube, C. and Rousseau, V., 2005. Team Goal Commitment and Team Effectiveness: The Role of Task Interdependence and Supportive Behaviors. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 9(3), pp. 189-204.
Baron, et al., 2006. The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Performance. In: V. U. Druskat, F. Sala, and G. Mount, eds. Linking emotional intelligence and performance at work: Current research evidence with individuals and groups. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, pp.3-19.
Campbell, et al., 1996. The Substantive Nature of Job Performance Variability. In: K.R. Murphy, ed. Individual Differences and Behavior in Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 258–299.
Cockburn, C., 1992. In The Way of Women. London: Macmillan, pp.16-45.
Damanpour, F., 1991. Organizational Innovation: A Meta-Analysis of Effects of Determinants and Moderators. Academy of Management Journal, 34(4), pp. 555-590.
Gibbon, P., 1992. Equal Opportunities Policy and Race Equality. In: P. Braham, A.
Goffman, E., 2006. The Presentation of Self. In: D. Brissett, C. Edgley, D. Brissett and C. Edgley, eds. Life as Theater: A Dramaturgical Sourcebook. 2nd ed. New Brunswick: AldineTransaction, pp.129-139.
ILO, 2009. ILO Standards on Occupational Safety and Health. Geneva: ILO.
Kirton, G. and Greene, A-M., 2000. The Dynamics of Managing Diversity-A Critical Approach. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 13-42; pp. 99-120.
Newell, S., 2005. Recruitment and Selection. In: S. Bach, ed. Managing Resources. 4thed. Oxford: Blackwell, pp.115–147.
Rattansi, R. and Skellington, eds. Racism and Anti-Racism: Inequalities, opportunities and policies. London: Sage, pp.235-251.
Thornley, C., 2003. Labour Market Policy and Inequality in the UK. In: D. Coffey and C. Thornley, eds. Industrial and Labour Market Policy and Performance: Issues and Perspectives. London: Routledge, pp.83-108.
Torrington, D., Hall, L. and Taylor, S., 2005. Human Resource Management. London: FT Prentice Hall, pp.120-138.
Walby, S., 1988. Gender Segregation at Work. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, pp.22- 23.
Watson, T., 1994. Recruitment and Selection. In: K. Sisson. Personnel Management. Oxford: Blackwell, pp.185-216.
Organizations are institutions which are set up and established based on a certain set of objectives with the aim of ensuring that the vision for which they are set up are obtained or realized. It is worth noting that organizations are institutions which are established and run by human beings.
In this case the success or failure of an organization to reach the stated objectives lay in the hands of the people who are concerned and more importantly in the leader who spells the vision to the members who are within the organization. As an entity, organizations have their own cultures and systems of operation.
This implies that there are organizations which operate on principles which ensure that needs of the staff plus the customer or client based are realized and there are other organizations which may not have that aspect at all. Differences are bound to exist amidst people who hold different ideologies and opinions about certain aspects.
This is an important aspect in organizations because it gives the organization an opportunity to work and gel in a unique and diverse manner. However, there are cases whereby these differences bring about conflict. These conflicts arise when there is no common ground and consequently cases of inequity crop up among personnel.
Inequity may be defined as a situation in which a person perceives that he or she is receiving less than he or she is giving, or is giving less than he or she is receiving. This leads to the experience of tension, and tension motivates a person to act in a manner to resolve the inequity. Eventually the image of the company is harmed as well as the productivity of the employees.
It is important as an administrator to work towards ensuring that any form of inequity is resolved. There are several strategies which can be used in resolving inequity and restoring equity to the situation . As an administrator these are some of the strategies that might be put to use.
These include altering the person’s outcomes, altering the person’s output, altering the comparison other’s outcomes, altering the comparison other’s inputs, change who is used as a comparison to the other, rationalize the inequity and leave the organizational situation.
It is important for an administrator to select a strategy or a set of tactics. This is not an easy issue, it is an issue which is very sensitive and which has got long term consequences, thus as the administrator grapples with formulation of a strategy and tactics to restore equity, the range of consequences of alternative actions must be taken into account.
This is the only way which will ensure that the effects of the inequity involved are put into consideration and at the same time the parties which feel aggrieved are catered for amicably.
Arriving at a conclusion on how to deal with the issues which are faced within an organization is quite important. This is because it enables the person to be in a position of developing strategies that are ethical and establishing a decision making process which caters for the needs of all the persons concerned. In essence ethics in organizations cannot be overlooked because it informs the process of arriving at the desired decision.
Ethically, arriving at the right decision entails identifying the root cause of the problem at hand. This is done by developing a step by step approach towards resolving the arising conflict. In this process one has to begin with a consideration of the uncertainties involved in any ethical problem.
Secondly the generation of alternative solutions to the problem which at times may entail separating the defining problem and gathering more information towards resolving the conflict and lastly always acting under time pressure to ensure that these conflicts are brought under immediate control.
References
Cooper, T. L. (2011 ). The Responsible Administrator: An Approach to Ethics for the Administrative Role. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Nelson, D. L., & Quick, J. C. (2007). Understanding Organizational Behavior. California: Cengage Learning EMEA.
Many researchers highlight the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace (Shakhray 2009; Macdonald 2004). However, both concepts are more than a buzzword; they determine whether organisations would enjoy the benefits of creative thinking, or not (Macdonald 2004). It is essential to understand the importance of diversity and equality in the workplace because the world is becoming more diverse and many organisations are learning to manage employees from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds (Kumra and Manfredi 2012). Multinational organisations are championing this trend because they do business globally (Shakhray 2009). Some countries also require registered companies to uphold such principles and practices.
For example, the UK law prohibits employers from discriminating on their employees. Such provisions are included in the Equality Act, Race relations Act, Sexual discrimination Act, Disability Discrimination Act, and the Human Rights Act (TJL 2014). The US and other countries also have similar legislations. They outline the minimum standards required of organisations to embrace equality and diversity in the workplace. From this background, this paper investigates the benefits of equality and diversity in the workplace by understanding how it benefits organisations, employers, and employees alike.
Benefits to Employers
The confidence to do the work
Albeit indirectly, equality and diversity programs in the workplace are important to employees because they help to reassure them that they would not experience discrimination in the workplace (TJL 2014). This benefit gives them an opportunity to look forward to career progression and fair consideration when they seek new placements in an organisation. This provision also gives them confidence that their aptitude would be the main consideration when their employers consider them for new positions.
Provision of Right Tools
Equality and diversity programs are beneficial to employees because they allow them to get the right tools needed to complete their jobs. For example, such programs allow employees to have flexible working hours, thereby increasing employee efficiency (TJL 2014). For disabled employees, an equality and diversity program would provide them with facilities to conduct their duties as well.
Increased Morale
Kumra and Manfredi (2012) say that equality and diversity boost employee morale because workers are bound to be motivated when they know there are no barriers in an organisation. Kumra and Manfredi (2012) also explain the underpinnings of this advantage by saying that most organisations that adopt the principles of equality and diversity often help their employees to understand that their value to the organisation depends on their contributions. This fact (alone) motivates employees to work better and harder. Comparatively, organisations that do not promote fairness, or condone discriminatory practices, are likely to demoralise their employees in this regard (TJL 2014).
Diverse Employee Pool
Kumra and Manfredi (2012) say the benefits of equality and diversity programs in an organisation are equal for employers and employees alike. Employers stand to benefit from such programs by having a creative and dynamic employee pool. Granted, having a diverse workforce is beneficial to employers because they could provide them with different perspectives regarding how to manage different organisational issues (TJL 2014).
Improved Communication
Shakhray (2009) says diversity improves communication in the workplace because employees from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds respect one another. In such circumstances, employers would have created a more pleasant working environment for their workers. This advantage promotes teamwork in the organisation and improves employee cohesiveness. Macdonald (2004) adds that cohesive employees are productive employees. This advantage is beneficial to employers because it would help them to reap the benefits of having a cohesive workforce.
Reduced Risks of Lawsuits
The ACAS (2014) says that most employers who are hesitant to adopt equality and diversity in the workplace are likely to suffer damages from lawsuits, based on discrimination and similar exclusionary practices in an organisation. Indeed, the most vulnerable employer groups are those that promote discriminatory practices, based on sexual, gender, and religious practices (or any other basis of discrimination). The ACAS (2014) adds that most employers who cannot justify their human resource decisions, or act arbitrarily without heeding to modern recruitment, hiring, or promotion practices, are bound to be similarly vulnerable to lawsuits. Indeed, the victims of such discriminatory practices are bound to make a claim against such employers. Embracing diversity and equality in the workplace is one line of protection for employers against such lawsuits. Therefore, employers are bound to benefit from such a protection.
Benefits to Organisations
Positive Image
Equality and diversity programs have diverse benefits. TJL (2014) says the greatest benefit to an organisation is the portrayal of a positive image. Indeed, companies that are perceived to be fair and diverse have a more positive image compared to companies that are authoritarian, or do not condone diversity in the workplace (Shakhray 2009). In fact, many organisations prefer to project an image that associates with the principles of equality and diversity in the workplace. Particularly, this is true for organisations that operate in democratic countries. Companies that adopt equality and diversity also foster communication and cohesiveness in the workplace. Concisely, Kumra and Manfredi (2012) say such companies are often preoccupied with fostering fairness, dignity, and respect for their employees, employers and other stakeholders in the company.
Increased Consumer Market Share
Johnson (2014) says that most organisations, which promote equality and diversity, are likely to reap the benefits of having an expansive consumer market because research shows that many consumers often prefer to do business with companies that promote fairness and equality. This view supports the assertions of Johnson (2014) who says companies that promote the “social good” and refrain from promoting their profit-making objectives are likely to “win the hearts” of many consumers. Companies that have adopted corporate social responsibility (CSR) have often benefitted from such findings (Shakhray 2009). They equally benefit from capturing a greater market share than their competitors (who are mainly preoccupied with achieving their profit-making objectives). Therefore, organisations that promote equality and diversity are bound to benefit from the same advantages.
Reduced Employee Turnover
Organisations that promote fairness and equality are likely to benefit from low employee turnover (Macdonald 2004). This benefit emerges from the advantages highlighted in this paper concerning how employees are likely to benefit from equality and diversity in the workplace. Already, this paper has shown that most employers who adopt the above principles in the workplace are likely to have motivated employees. Researchers have reported a direct correlation between motivated employees and low employee turnover (Macdonald 2004; Shakhray 2009). Therefore, by having motivated employees, companies are likely to benefit from low employee turnover.
Foster Innovation
The correlation between innovative companies and diversity resonates with the ideas of Malcolm Forbes (a publisher), who says, “Diversity is the art of thinking independently together” (ACAS 2014, p. 1). In line with this assertion, Forbes cautions organisations from restricting employee innovation and organisational growth by promoting one way of thinking (ACAS 2014). To overcome this challenge, he says, “Having a diverse workforce with people from different racial, educational and social backgrounds and a diverse age range opens a wealth of possibilities and helps to encourage creativity and foster innovation” (ACAS 2014, p. 1). This assertion shows that diversity fosters innovation.
Competitive Advantage
Embracing diversity and equality helps organisations to develop a competitive advantage, as opposed to other organisations that do not embrace the same values and principles (Macdonald 2004). This advantage closely relates to the benefits that most organisations enjoy by capturing an expanding market share (by embracing diversity). Granted, by interacting with a diverse customer pool, organisations are able to better develop products and services that meet the needs and requirements of their customers (Macdonald 2004). By developing these competencies, organisations are bound to develop competitive advantages, as opposed to companies that do not have the experience of interacting with a diverse customer pool (ACAS 2014).
Summary
Equality and diversity are important concepts in human resource management. They affect all aspects of organisational performance. Albeit part of modern business practice, equality and diversity are essential to organisational success. This paper shows that these practices are beneficial to employers, employees, and organisations alike. Here, employees could benefit from increased morale, increased access to the right tools for work, and improved confidence. Most of these benefits underscore the advantages that most employers could enjoy from adopting the same principles. For example, increased employee morale and improved confidence helps to improve communication in the organisation. Similarly, increased employee morale helps to boost employee productivity. Organisations also benefit from an improved corporate image and increased innovation in the same regard. Overall, although this paper differentiates the advantages of equality and diversity across three corporate groups (employers, employees and organisations). Most of these benefits are interrelated. Therefore, embracing diversity is beneficial to employers, employees and organisations alike.
References
ACAS 2014, The benefits of having a diverse workforce. Web.
Kumra, S & Manfredi, S 2012, Managing Equality and Diversity: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Macdonald, L 2004, Equality, Diversity and Discrimination: How to Comply with the Law, Promote Best Practice and Achieve a Diverse Workforce, CIPD Publishing, New York.
Shakhray, I 2009, Managing Diversity in the Workplace, Books on Demand, New York.
Business organisations should support the idea of equality in the workplace. Diversity is critical because it promotes the level of business performance. Business firms should provide a powerful working environment to its employees. Such an environment will ‘empower, mentor, support, and address the needs of different employees’ (Kirton & Greene 2012, p. 36). A proper mentoring program ‘will increase the opportunities for professional and personal development’ (Kirton & Greene 2012, p. 36). A diverse working environment increases an organization’s performance (Employees’ Health and Safety Responsibilities 2014). The employees will also present adequate competencies in order to improve the level of performance. This approach will ensure every workplace becomes innovative, creative, and successful. Managers should therefore work hard in order to improve the level of diversity.
Responsibilities of the Employer
Use of Proper Managerial Functions to Promote Diversity and Equality
Many employers work hard in order to support their employees. According to Kirton and Greene (2012, p. 42), ‘every employer should embrace the best managerial practices’. Such concepts make it easier for different managers to achieve their organisational goals. They should also use similar concepts in order to increase the level of diversity. The first unique management function is planning. Employers should ensure every department has female and male employees. A proper planning strategy will encourage more managers to empower their employees. The practice will eventually promote the level of equality.
A proper staffing strategy will ensure every firm hires competent individuals from different backgrounds. The approach will ‘also introduce new ideas in the working environment’ (Kirton & Greene 2012, p. 42). These individuals ‘will work together in order to produce the best outcomes’ (Shen et al. 2009, p. 241). These employees will eventually make the targeted firm successful. Many employers use this strategy to promote diversity in their companies. The practice will ensure every organization hires more employees from different backgrounds.
Employers should also create the best organisational culture. This culture will ensure every employee focuses on the best outcomes. A proper organisational culture will encourage more employees to work together. The employees will ‘also focus on the best outcomes’ (Monks 2007, p. 84). Employers and managers should use these concepts in order to promote diversity in their organisations. The practice ‘will also address the needs of different employees’ (Monks 2007, p. 84). Our firm promotes the best organisational culture. This approach has made the company successful.
Use of Policy Implementations
The government has presented ‘several legal requirements in order to promote the issue of equality’ (Monks 2007, p. 46). These legal frameworks ‘make it easier for many employers to deal with abuse and discrimination’ (Monks 2007, p. 84). Some of these ‘laws include Equality Act, Human Rights Act, and Disability Discrimination Act’ (Monks 2007, p. 46). These legal practices encourage many companies to deal with their challenges. Business managers should also ‘use these policies in their companies’ (Monks 2007, p. 89). This fact explains why managers and employers should always use these policies. Such laws will ensure every organization promotes the concept of equality.
Our employers have been using the above laws in order to support every employee. Business organisations should use appropriate policies in order to promote the idea of diversity. For instance, companies should use the best practices whenever hiring new employees. Every company should hire competent individuals with the required skills (Pollitt 2009). This practice has increased the level of diversity in our firm. Every ‘employer should use the best diversity programs’ (Monks 2007, p. 6). Such ‘programs should also focus on personal development, training, and better working environments’ (Equality and Diversity at Work 2014, para. 8). Managers ‘should also form diverse teams’ (Monks 2007, p. 88). These approaches will ensure every company achieves most of its goals.
According to Pollitt (2009, p. 242), ‘a company that fails to apply these legal requirements will encounter different challenges’. This fact explains why many companies promote such policies. Some companies ‘have also introduced new frameworks in order to support their employees’ (Equality and Diversity at Work 2014, para. 12). This approach will eventually produce the best goals. A company that promotes the idea of diversity will achieve its goals within a short period. The approach will also motivate and empower more employees. This practice will encourage them to support one another. Our managers have been using the above strategies in order to improve the level of diversity.
Responsibilities of the Employee
Respecting the Values of Other Employees
Poor Employee Relations (PERs) can ‘result in many organisational problems’ (Pollitt 2009, p. 58). Many employees tend to abuse others. Such issues are usually common in different nursing institutions. Every ‘junior employee faces specific difficulties such as discrimination, abuse, and mistreatment’ (Employees’ Health and Safety Responsibilities 2014, para. 5). Our managers have been using the best strategies in order to promote the concept of diversity. Such managers encourage their employees to work as teams. The practice encourages them to focus on the best organisational goals. This approach has made it easier for the company to achieve most of its goals. Employees should use different approaches and ideas in order to promote the concept of diversity.
Every employee should be ready to respect his or her workmates. Respect is ‘a powerful virtue that can produce the best relationships in every institution’ (Pollitt 2009, p. 58). The practice also reduces the level of discrimination. Respect makes it easier for many ‘individuals to address their challenges in a professional manner’ (Monks 2007, p. 4). They will also deal with discrimination and abuse. Our company has been recording a very low employee turnover. Many employees in our company respect one another. The employees use the best ideas and strategies in order to achieve their goals (Employees’ Health and Safety Responsibilities 2014).
This discussion explains why ‘every individual should become a change agent in his or her working environment’ (Monks 2007, p. 4). This practice will eventually produce the best organisational culture. This effort will eventually make every working environment successful. Many ‘individuals from different backgrounds will work together in order to achieve their goals’ (Pollitt 2009, p. 89). Every employee should promote the concept of diversity in his or her company.
Creating Diverse Teams
Teamwork is a powerful strategy that can make every company successful. Teamwork is necessary because it empowers many employees within an organisation. Every employee ‘should use teamwork in order to achieve the best outcomes’ (Monks 2007, p. 6). A diverse team ‘attracts competent individuals from different cultural, religious, and geographical backgrounds’ (Shen et al. 2009, p. 245). These individuals will work hard in order to achieve the best goals. They will also share their skills and experiences. This practice will encourage them to deal with various problems such as discrimination and abuse (Kirton & Greene 2012). The ‘workers will also address their common problems’ (Shen et al. 2009, p. 245). The workers will also support one another in order to achieve the best goals.
Every employee should also interact with different individuals from various backgrounds. Every employee should ‘also join a cohesive team’ (Monks 2007, p. 6). The practice will reduce the level of discrimination. The targeted employees will also promote the best workplace ethics. The individuals will ‘also empower their teammates’ (Shen et al. 2009, p. 245). Teamwork is therefore a proper approach that can improve the level of equality (Kirton & Greene 2012). Our company encourages its employees to form new teams. Our company also uses the best training programs in order to empower every employee. These practices ‘have addressed most of the challenges affecting different employees’ (Shen et al. 2009, p. 245). This practice has encouraged many stakeholders to support our firm. The above practices have made it easier for our company to achieve its goals.
Conclusion
The absence of diversity in a working environment will result in many challenges. Some challenges such as ‘discrimination and abuse will always increase the rate of employee turnover’ (Monks 2007, p. 6). The government uses several laws in order to promote the idea of equality. That being the case, employers should use such laws in their respective companies. The practice will support the needs of many employees (Monks 2007). Every employee should become a change agent in his or her workplace. The practice will also encourage more employees to form diverse teams. Such teams will address most of the obstacles affecting different companies. These recommendations will ensure every company becomes profitable.
Kirton, G & Greene, A 2012, The Dynamics of Managing Diversity, Routledge, New York.
Monks, K 2007, The Business Impact of Equality and Diversity: The International Evidence. Web.
Pollitt, D 2009, Diversity in the Workforce, Emerald Group Publishing, New York.
Shen, J, Chanda, A, D’Netto, B & Monga, M 2009, ‘Managing Diversity through Human Resource Management: An International Perspective and Conceptual Framework’, The international Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 235-251.
Critical appraisal of the competing drivers of diversity into organizational strategy and policy
The Abu Dhabi Health Service Company plays a very critical role in ensuring that every citizen of this great country has access to affordable Medicare through a mandatory health insurance policy. The firm employs numerous people to work in various departments as it seeks to achieve success in making medical products accessible to all. The firm has been experiencing a trend where diversity is increasingly becoming common. The United Arab Emirates, especially the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has experienced an influx of immigrants coming from all over the world for various reasons. The trend has seen cases where this firm employs people from different cultural and social backgrounds. According to a report by Unceta and Medrano (2010), SEHA is one of the firms in the Middle East that have been keen on hiring highly skilled employees to help improve their service delivery. The emphasis that was previously laid on citizens of the country has been relaxed as the firm tries to improve its efficiency. This has increased the diversity of its workforce.
Managing diversity in the workplace is one of the most challenging tasks. The management of SEHA has to ensure that it understands its employees and provides a perfect environment where they can undertake their duties without feeling intimidated. According to Vedder (2006), when managing employees from diverse cultural and social backgrounds, there are a number of factors that should be considered. For instance, religious beliefs and practices cannot be ignored by the management. Muslims always consider Fridays as a holy day meant for prayers. As such, the management will need to ensure that they take this day off work to go and pray. Among the Christians, the official day of prayer is always on Sunday. They can afford to work on any other day of the week, but they have to be given a day-off every Sunday so that they can go to church. Hindus and Buddhists also have their special days of prayer. To some managers, this may be an insignificant issue that can easily be ignored. Given that this country is predominantly Islamic, everyone can be given a day-off on Fridays. However, what such a manager will be ignoring is the fact that some of the employees highly cherish their day of prayer. They may agree to follow the set guidelines, but this may affect their morale. They will consider the management autocratic and unconcerned about their religious needs.
It is clear that managing competing drivers of diversity may be challenging. However, they have to be incorporated into organizational strategy and policy. The management can come up with a flexible strategy that allows the employees to choose any day of the week when they feel they have to spend the whole day away from their normal duties. This will be a sign that the firm appreciates the diversity that exists at the firm and that it is keen on protecting the interests of all its employees (Wilson, 2007). This policy will be very helpful to this firm economically because it will remain operational throughout the week. Another critical issue will be the way male and female employees interact while they are in the workplace. There are strict Islamic codes of conduct that define how men and women who are married should interact and dress. The management will need to come up with a policy that will be a compromise. Employees from other religious practices should not consider the policy too prohibitive to be bearable. On the other hand, the Islamic community, including clients who are served on a daily basis by these employees, should not consider the policy too liberal. Having a compromise between these two extremes will help in creating a workplace that is accommodating to all.
Analysis of equality and diversity strategies to develop an inclusive culture
According to Godwin and Kemerer (2002), issues of equality always arise in the workplace. Sometimes a section of the employees may feel that they are more qualified to get special treatment than others either because of their nationality, race, religion, or any other demographical factors. It is the responsibility of the management to create an organizational culture where all the employees feel that they are equal. The management will have to develop an inclusive culture where demographical factors are not considered as classes of identification. On the contrary, diversity should be used as a strength in this firm. For instance, by allowing employees to choose a day within the week that they will not come to work, it is an indication that the firm respects diversity in religion.
The inclusive culture will also promote teamwork within the firm. SEHA can be more efficient in delivering its duties if its employees work as a team. Segregation and discrimination only promote a poor work culture where employees cannot address different tasks as a unit (Solomon, Levine-Rasky, & Singer, 2003). This means that whenever they are faced with circumstances where they have to work together, then their hatred will cloud their judgment and ability to deliver quality services to the clients. The culture of inclusivity and equality will make the employees appreciate their diverse backgrounds and understand that this cannot be changed. They must learn to work as a team at all times. This will create a positive workplace environment. The management will also find it easy to coordinate these employees when there is this cohesion.
Promotion is one of the ways that the management is supposed to use to show equality and the culture of inclusiveness. The majority should not be promoted just to please them and make them more committed to the firm. On the same note, the minority should not be promoted just to show them that the management is concerned about them. This may create hatred among the employees. All promotions should be based on merit. The management should develop a peer-review system where employees also participate in reviewing the performance of their colleagues at work before they can be promoted. This will promote fairness at this firm.
Models of diversity management
Various models can be used to manage diversity at SEHE. The model can be leadership-based or employee-based. The leaders of this firm will need to embrace the Transformational Leadership Model to promote the new culture of inclusivity. They should inspire the employees and motivate them towards embracing a new thought towards the issue of diversity. This model enhances the promotion of new thinking and creativity by challenging old operating methods. The old practices where religion was considered a major factor that defined the social class of the employees at this firm should be challenged by the leaders. They should make the employees realize that they have more to lose when they fight or when they consider each other to belong to different social classes. They should be charismatic enough to achieve this. They must demonstrate to the employees that, indeed, the culture of inclusiveness will help take this firm to the next level. This way, employees will appreciate the need to embrace one another irrespective of their cultural differences.
On the part of the employees, the firm should introduce the development of diversity competencies programs. This program will involve a critical analysis of the existing culture among the employees with the view of using them to transform the operations of the firm. The employees themselves will be expected to integrate and identify the strengths of the cultural practices of their fellow employees. They should then come up with ways through which the strengths can be tapped in order to help address various weaknesses of the firm. For instance, it is a common belief that the Germans are always thorough when it comes to the issue of quality. Wheeler (2004) confirms that Germans indeed have unique work ethics that are not common in other parts of the world. This quality should then be translated into an actual practice that can be emulated by other members of this organization. The concept should be fun, and everyone is expected to enjoy it. This way, diversity at this firm will be used to promote the efficiency of the workforce.
References
Godwin, R. K., & Kemerer, F. R. (2002). School choice tradeoffs: Liberty, equity, and diversity. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Solomon, R. P., Levine-Rasky, C., & Singer, J. (2003). Teaching for equity and diversity: Research to practice. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Unceta, A., & Medrano, C. (2010). Equality, equity, and diversity: Educational solutions in the Basque Country. Reno: Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada.
Vedder, G. (2006). Managing equity and diversity at universities. München: Hampp.
Wheeler, M. B. (2004). Unfinished business: Race, equity, and diversity in library and information science education. Lanham : Scarecrow press.
Wilson, T. (2007). Diversity at work: The business case for equity. Toronto: Wiley.
Attaining equality in the workplace environment goes a long way in ensuring meaningful relationships that bolster the employees’ productivity. Specifically, equality in the workplace environment means treating individuals similarly regardless of their differences based on sex, gender, age, race, sexual orientation, physical disability, religion, or nationality (Acker 446).
Notably, the elements of gender and racial disparity in the workplace atmosphere are critical contemporary issues owing to their influence on interpersonal and inter-professional relationships. For this reason, through the continued efforts of the management, organizations endeavor to realize the parity of the two critical aspects of equality that entail gender and race (Mullings 49). However, several barriers derail the move towards achieving racial and gender equality within the workplace atmosphere. In this light, this paper seeks to identify the prevailing obstacles to the full attainment of racial and gender equality in the workplace setting.
Barriers to the Attainment of Racial and Gender Equality in the Workplace
In the US, Title VII of the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act stipulates against any forms of inequalities in the workplace setting. A diverse workforce contributes to the productivity of an organization to a considerable degree. However, existing barriers have made it challenging to treat employees in the same way thus, undermine collaborative working. Concerning the issue of gender equality, some disequilibrium still manifests as women continue to experience discrimination in the form of sexual harassment besides other forms of victimization based on their gender. Additionally, individuals from different racial backgrounds have not yet acquired equal treatment as portrayed in employment and promotion biases among other notable aspects of discrimination (Kabat-Farr and Cortina 122).
Axiomatically, the career choices and pay gaps existing in the workplace environment considerably undermine the full attainment of gender equality. In this regard, the fields of study chosen by women and men in their higher learning endeavors influence the career areas they enter which translate to income disparities. Today, as women and men get into employment, some occupation areas get skewed by gender owing to the existing stereotypes about the kind of roles pursued by women and men besides the flexibility associated with the different functions. Consequently, women have become considerably represented in the sectors of the economy that remunerates them poorly, thus subjecting them to vulnerability, dependence, and financial insecurity as compared to their male counterparts or coworkers (Zanoni et al. 18).
What is more worrying today, women in the same type of work or job description with men irrespective of the industry continue to earn lower salaries compared to the latter as the trend also manifests in the bonuses, performance payments, performance rates, and overtime. As such, the existing unfavorable nexus between occupation and pay regarding men and women goes a long way in inhibiting the full consciousness of gender equality in the workplace (Kabat-Farr and Cortina 125).
Undoubtedly, ethnic and cultural diversity in the workplace fosters the quality of work (Barak 92). However, in the US, African American men offering their input on a full-time basis and throughout the year in similar occupations as their White counterparts get an average of 72% of the latter’s income. Shockingly, the wage ratio between African American and White women in the workplace environment stands an average of 85% thereby unmasking the existing inequalities (Mullings 78).
The primary barrier that contributes to discrimination based on race rests in the policies that are perceived neutral to racial differences at the institutional level. Nonetheless, neutral racial policies have considerably disadvantaged Black Americans in the workplace setting since race-associated biases still exist without conscious wakefulness thereby affecting cognition and behavior. Further, some employers encourage organizational cultures that disregard individuals for employment based on their race thus, hindering the efficiency of corporate and statutory policies that foster equitable opportunities for employment.
Strategies to Remove the Barriers
The identified barriers to gender and racial equality within the workplace atmosphere requires the development of approaches that would curtail the prevalence of the existing disparities. In this concern, the need to raise awareness on the issue regarding the abandonment stereotypes associated with career paths suitable for men and women holds water in combating racial inequality in the workplace (Huffman, Cohen, and Pearlman 258).
Additionally, to combat the barriers to racial equality at work, employers need to embrace the essence of cultural diversity implying that there in need to provide equal employment opportunities and reasonable remuneration regardless of one’s racial background (Barak 112). Further, ensuring that employees observe the provisions of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as well as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, would considerably mitigate the barriers to gender and racial inequality within the workplace surroundings.
However, the identified strategies that seek to bring about change at the workplace could face several obstacles and thus, further undermine the attainment of equality. The main obstacle to such initiatives would probably emanate from the senior leaders’ inadequate support, employees’ resistance to change, weak support and compatibility with middle management, and inadequate planning and change management resources (Acker 449). Therefore, implementing the strategies for change towards fully realizing equality in the workplace would require considering the potential obstacles revealed when engaging in the planning aspect of change management.
Conclusion
Gender and racial inequalities as seen in the various forms of disparate treatment at work hinder the attainment of a diverse workforce geared towards productivity. As such, the engaging in awareness-raising approaches besides enforcing the legislations pertaining equality would significantly eradicate the vice at the workplace. Nevertheless, change managers need to identify the foreseeable obstacles that would undermine the full embracement of racial and gender equality in the workplace environment.
Works Cited
Acker, Joan. “Inequality Regimes Gender, Class, and Race in Organizations.” Gender & Society 20.4 (2006): 441-464. Print.
Huffman, Matt, Philip Cohen, and Jessica Pearlman. “Engendering Change: Organizational Dynamics and Workplace Gender Desegregation, 1975–2005.” Administrative Science Quarterly 55.2 (2010): 255-277. Print.
Kabat-Farr, Dana, and Lilia Cortina. “Selective Incivility: Gender, Race, and the Discriminatory Workplace.” Gender and the Dysfunctional Workplace 39.6 (2012): 120-134. Print.
Mullings, Leith. On Our Own Terms: Race, Class, and Gender in the Lives of African-American Women, Oxford: Routledge, 2014. Print.
Zanoni, Patrizia, Maddy Janssens, Yvonne Benschop, and Stella Nkomo. “Unpacking Diversity, Grasping Inequality: Rethinking Difference through Critical Perspectives.” Organization 17.1 (2010): 9-29. Print.
The development of globalization processes accentuated the role of such concepts as equality and diversity in organizations. In order to understand the impact of these phenomena on the organization’s progress and its operations in the industry, it is necessary to discuss equality and diversity in detail. Equality is associated with the idea of equal opportunity when each person has the right to access and use resources available to everyone (Richard, Roh, & Pieper, 2013).
In addition, the idea of equality in the society and organization is also associated with the fair treatment when all people are discussed as having the same possibilities, rights, and duties (Martin, 2014). In its turn, diversity can be defined in the context of differences that make all individuals unique (Richard et al., 2013).
These differences are related to age, gender, race, social status, and many other factors that are elements of diversity, and they are important for social and organizational frameworks. Equality and diversity are discussed as connected notions because equality can be achieved in a case when diverse persons are treated in the same manner, but they are also regarded as individuals with their own attributes, needs, and interests.
From this point, diversity means that all people are different, and they should be treated with respect in spite of their particular features. In this context, the notion of diversity is connected with the idea of equality. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the promotion of equality and diversity in organizations is also one of the critical tendencies of the modern business world, and its aspects need to be discussed (Al-Jenaibi, 2012). The principles of equality and diversity are promoted in many modern organizations, and it is important to evaluate specific competing drivers that contribute to incorporating diversity into the strategy of the UAE-based company and discuss the elements of diversity in relation to the labor market.
Competing Drivers for Incorporating Diversity into the Strategy
Diversity in organizations became actively discussed during the recent decades as a characteristic feature of the managerial strategy. It is possible to identify the competing drivers that have caused companies all over the globe to incorporate the principles of diversity in their strategy. The drivers are competing because they can be divided into external and internal ones (Podsiadlowski, Groschke, Kogler, Springer, & Van Der Zee, 2013).
Globalization is discussed as one of the main external drivers of promoting diversity in organizations because this global process has influenced all aspects of the business development. Thus, globalization can be viewed as a process when a company recruits employees from different regions of the world and enters foreign markets (Richard et al., 2013). In this context, the globally oriented organizations should accept and promote the idea of diversity in order to achieve the success, and the principles of diversity become the part of the company’s strategy.
Another external competing driver is the development of technology. Today, organizations are not limited in their recruitment strategies, connections with suppliers, partners, and customers, as well as approaches to controlling operations. All these processes are possible because of the development of communication technologies (Podsiadlowski et al., 2013). The consequence of the focus on communication technologies is the access to more diverse people whose needs and interests should be addressed with reference to the organizational strategy.
The internal driver of diversity is the goal to increase the competitive advantage of the company. The reason is that diversity promoted in the organization is discussed as associated with many advantages because diverse employees have different skills and abilities. They demonstrate the critical thinking and propose unique ideas and innovative approaches (Al-Jenaibi, 2012). As a result, managers often choose to integrate diversity in the strategy and policies and promote its principles to use benefits of working with talented employees. It is important to discuss how these drivers influence the development of the UAE companies.
Julphar is the UAE-based pharmaceutical company that is one of the leaders in the Gulf region. The company was founded in 1980, but it expanded its operations in many countries all over the globe (Julphar, 2016). Today, the company is known as the promoter of the ideas of diversity in the business world of the UAE. The competing drivers that cause the managers of the company to integrate the diversity principles and rules in the policies and strategy are the same as in other organizations. Globalization has influenced the development of the UAE as the country with the high rate of diversity in companies.
It is important to note that, in the UAE, “expatriates account for 90% of its population, including residents from South Asia, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Iran, Northern Africa, and Western countries” (Al-Jenaibi, 2012, p. 1). It is possible to state that the ethnic and cultural diversity of the workforce is the characteristic feature of the UAE labor market that is a consequence of globalization and reduction of economic barriers. As a result, Julphar employs more than 1,400 workers, and they represent more than 22 nationalities (Julphar, 2016). The company’s policies include statements to guarantee equality and avoid discrimination in treating diverse employees.
Technology is another driver that also influenced Julphar. The pharmaceutical company implements the latest technologies in the production processes, and diverse professionals, who have skills in working with technologies, are actively recruited by the company’s managers. Furthermore, the focus on increasing the competitive advantage is also important, and the company pays much attention to recruiting the staff while concentrating on persons’ unique skills, qualifications, and potential (Julphar, 2016).
In this context, the employees’ age, gender, ethnicity, and social status among other factors cannot influence the managers’ decisions. In order to promote diversity in the company, managers also organized the training and talent development programs for diverse employees to improve their skills and enhance performance, as well as create comfortable environments (Julphar, 2016). All these approaches contribute to improving interactions and minimizing conflicts between employees, and as a result, it is possible to speak about the effective teamwork.
Elements of Diversity and Labor Market
Diversity is the multidimensional phenomenon that includes many components that are taken into account when managers discuss possibilities for diversity in their organizations because all these aspects make people different. These elements are age, gender, race and ethnicity, physical abilities, religion, social status, education, sexual orientation, parental status, and location (Richard et al., 2013). In the labor market, all these factors can play the key role when managers choose employees without orienting to the principles of diversity. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between these elements of diversity and the labor market.
The problem is in the fact that many organizations avoid hiring middle-aged persons. In this context, it is possible to speak about discrimination. In the UAE and other Gulf countries, gender discrimination is observed when managers choose to recruit less qualified males instead of educated females (Al-Jenaibi, 2012; Brady, Kaiser, Major, & Kirby, 2015). Education also plays an important role because women are often less educated than men in the Gulf countries.
The problem of the social status is also related to the question of education. As a result, the labor market in the UAE is oriented to young males with the high potential and education (Al-Jenaibi, 2012). However, the labor market reflects diversity in terms of the number of ethnicities represented in it. The cultural diversity is a characteristic feature of any society, and in most cases, labor markets are highly diverse in terms of races and ethnicities.
The principles of equality and diversity also support the rights of people with different physical abilities. However, the problem is in the fact that, in many countries, the number of positions proposed to persons with limited abilities is rather small. While focusing on the aspect of religion, it is possible to state that in the UAE companies, the religious diversity is accepted and promoted because it is closely connected with the cultural and ethnic diversity (Martin, 2014).
Furthermore, employees are not discriminated because of their geographical location, and companies hire professionals having various nationalities and backgrounds. However, the situation can be different in other countries’ labor markets where the percentage of expatriates is comparably low (Brady et al., 2015). Still, while focusing on such elements as the sexual orientation of employees and their parental status, it is possible to state that the UAE labor market is rather conservative in this context.
In spite of the fact that discrimination is prohibited in the UAE companies, people’s declared sexual orientation and their parental status can influence the managers’ decisions regarding recruitment (Al-Jenaibi, 2012). In this context, the parental status of women often becomes a barrier to obtaining the desired position, and the modern labor market includes the limited number of women having children of the school age. The similar situation can be observed in other countries where managers prefer to recruit young unmarried males without children.
In Julphar, the principles of equality and diversity are reflected in the company’s policies, and managers promote diversity while hiring representatives of different nationalities, referring to the persons’ experience rather than gender and age. In this context, the candidates’ education can be discussed as an important factor to influence the manager’s decision (Al-Jenaibi, 2012; Julphar, 2016).
Human resource specialists in Julphar support the idea that the management of diversity is a controversial task, but it has many advantages, including the improved performance of employees, as well as their increased productivity and creativity. The modern labor market is diverse, and it is important not to ignore the impact of such diversity elements as age, gender, education, race, and social status among others on the company’s performance because of the focus on employees’ creative thinking, cooperation, and improved decision-making (Podsiadlowski et al., 2013).
In spite of the fact that some employees’ differences and qualities remain to be desired by managers, the modern labor market allows for selecting diverse candidates who can use their unique features to contribute to the company’s development (Martin, 2014). In this context, it is important to pay attention to creating equal and comfortable conditions for all employees in order to use their potential. From this point, companies need to reflect diversity of the labor market while concentrating on proposing flexible human resource management practices and policies.
Conclusion
Equality and diversity are important aspects of the organization’s treatment of employees. In this context, equality is achieved when diversity among employees is recognized and addressed appropriately. Managers need to accept differences of all employees and focus on their individual features, but they also need to treat them equally. In this case, it is possible to develop the holistic approach to managing diverse workers who are the characteristic feature of the modern global and national labor markets.
From this point, the competing drivers of diversity are globalization, the development of technology, and the focus of companies on increasing their competitive advantage. Thus, globalization processes have led to the easy migration of employees having different cultures, races, religions, and experiences. The development of technology has contributed to increasing the demand for diverse employees, as well as hiring them. The concentration on the competitive advantage has made firms focus on diversity strategies in order to respond to the market and industry realities.
Julphar is among the UAE-based companies that employ diverse workers and support diversity as the component of the corporate strategy because of its advantages. In addition, all elements of diversity, including gender, age, race, religion, physical abilities, education, social status, and sexual orientation among others influence the modern labor market. Although there are frequent cases of discrimination in companies, the global tendency is associated with the focus on diversity and equality in treating employees in spite of their differences.
References
Al-Jenaibi, B. (2012). The scope and impact of workplace diversity in the United Arab Emirates: A preliminary study. Geografia: Malaysian Journal of Society and Space, 8(1), 1-14.
Brady, L. M., Kaiser, C. R., Major, B., & Kirby, T. A. (2015). It’s fair for us: Diversity structures cause women to legitimize discrimination. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 57(1), 100-110.
Julphar. (2016). Home page. Web.
Martin, G. C. (2014). The effects of cultural diversity in the workplace. Journal of Diversity Management, 9(2), 89-97.
Podsiadlowski, A., Groschke, D., Kogler, M., Springer, C., & Van Der Zee, K. (2013). Managing a culturally diverse workforce: Diversity perspectives in organizations. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 37(2), 159-175.
Richard, O. C., Roh, H., & Pieper, J. R. (2013). The link between diversity and equality management practice bundles and racial diversity in the managerial ranks: Does firm size matter? Human Resource Management, 52(2), 215-242.
There are different laws governing the relationship between employers and their employees. It is agreeable that many employees have expressed their concerns due to the increasing cases of inequality, discrimination, and abuse in the workplace. It has always been the duty of organizational leaders to address the issues affecting every employee in his or her working environment. Leadership is a critical practice that encourages managers to show “total” commitment, address problems at the place of work, and guide their employees. The problem of inequality and discrimination at the workplace continues to affect many employees and workplaces. Policymakers and organizational leaders should reexamine this problem and come up with the best incentives to deal with it.
It is the employer’s duty to treat his or her employees equally, fairly, and without prejudice. Employers should have proper guidelines and laws determining the relationship between their organizations and employees. Today there are many employees complaining because their organizations do not protect them from different forms of workplace abuse and discrimination. For example, most of the minority groups such as women and disabled persons continue to face challenges in their places of work. This is a “real life” issue because it continues to affect many organizations today. For instance, there are different forms of discrimination in my organization thus making it hard to realize most of the targeted goals and objectives. This problem calls for new strategies and ideas in order to make every organization profitable and successful. A satisfied employee will always be productive. The employee will always support the needs of his or her workmates.
That being the case, managers should use different leadership concepts and theories in order to deal with this issue. The first leadership approach is the use of relationship theories. These theories of leadership are necessary because they focus on the relationship existing between leaders and their employees in an organization. According to these theories, leaders should inspire and motivate their employee. The approach will help them establish new teams and treat each other fairly. These theories of leadership encourage managers to promote the best moral standards and ethical practices. This leadership theory is necessary because it helps leaders and managers promote the best relationships at the workplace. The approach will significantly reduce instances of discrimination and abuse. Organizations and government agencies should embrace this theory in order to have a “transformation”.
Contingency theories are also useful towards addressing this problem. According to the theories, leaders can examine the existing situations at the workplace and use the best managerial concepts. Leaders motivate and influence their employees in order to achieve a specific goal. It is the duty of leaders to examine every situation accurately and use the best ideas or concepts. This will help them achieve the targeted goals. Whenever there is discrimination or abuse in the workplace, the theory encourages leaders to address the situation accordingly.
These leadership approaches can address most of the challenges affecting many employees today. Leadership is a powerful tool because it brings individuals together by addressing their differences. The strategy makes it impossible to achieve a common goal. New policies are necessary towards making employers responsible for the welfare of their employees. A satisfied employee will always work hard in order to achieve the organization’s goals. In conclusion, the above strategy will address this “real life” issue.
Individuality is valued at Telus, and the company appreciates variety within its employees, the organization, as well as the communities in which they reside, work, and service. In order to be a prominent representative in the framework of equality and inclusion, the corporation admits the importance of ensuring that its staff, at all levels, demonstrates the variety of customers and communities (Telus Corporation, 2019). The staff is able to bring their complete selves to work and express their talents and originality with confidence, as well as trust, because the company cultivates an environment of acceptance, respect, and tolerance (Strandber, 2019). In a climate of increased competition and client choice, a diversified and inclusive atmosphere encourages originality of thinking – the birth of innovation.
There are some particular activities that the company tends to undertake to reach a greater extent of diversity and equality. For instance, it establishes collaborations with other industry groups such as SenseAbility, Magnet, and Indigenous Link so that there could be the opportunity to broaden the corporation’s employment prospect pool. Telus creates work aids in order to assist managers in understanding better how to help people with disabilities, as well as brainstorms improvements to the job ads, career webpages, and learning. It also advances the number and quality of females and diverse applicants within the scope of technical and managerial roles, involving the establishment of several Diversity and Inclusiveness awards for women and minorities in innovations (Telus Corporation, 2019). Moreover, the company has enlisted the help of over 7,000 teammates through its Team Member Resource Groups in order to advance inclusiveness inside the firm, as well as in the communities it serves and works, throughout the globe.
Telus has been successful in implementing practices in terms of equality and diversity. There are numerous indicators – subsequent from the facts above – that confirm such a suggestion. The company’s policy and establishing documents show that Telus pays attention to this dimension and is a leader in this vein. The described approach is a generally accepted practice for corporations that aim to be significant in terms of sustainability. The only visible and possible limitation here is that while focusing on equality and diversity of the staff – without appropriate HRs – professional skills that contribute to the firm’s profits most may not be as significant as they should.
Value Creation and CSR
The company leverages information from virtual guides to guarantee that Telus makes data-driven choices and initiatives in the best interests of its consumers. The corporation has set new records for 4G and 5G internet speeds, outperforming South Korea’s indicators in this regard (Telus Corporation, 2021a). The firm’s worldwide unrivaled fiber infrastructure and technologies are improving not only urban Canada but also rural country’s regions. Because of the Telus data network, these regions’ broadband network is faster than any metropolitan market in the US.
The corporation is collaborating with a number of healthcare organizations to develop new products and expand the greatest healthcare environment possible. It has spent $3 billion in the Canadian medical sector over the previous ten years (Li, 2022; Oli, 2021). The company’s digital platform technology allows healthcare providers and patients to communicate and share health data. Due to its impartiality, such technology gives its consumers access to a variety of merchants and services. The way healthcare practitioners communicate with their clients has altered as a result of this (Joseph et al., 2021). The firm has just released a new Mental Health app for its team, which gives them access to multiple specialists who can offer psychological support during these trying moments of the pandemic.
The firm also formed a business entity named TELUS Agriculture, which delivers innovative technology-based services for food production, delivery, and distribution throughout the world. It also links and enables producers and individuals in the agribusiness industry to use innovative data systems to supply customers with healthier products. The company’s culture and strategic planning procedures integrate a CSR viewpoint (Samsung, 2022). The firm dedicates itself to ensuring that it helps the communities in which it operates while still chasing their business’ prosperity, making them international innovators in Social Capitalism. The corporation reports achievements in the framework of human rights, employment, ecology, and anti-corruption measures, which illustrates its commitment to the communities in which it operates as a signatory to the UN Global Compact.
Telus accomplishes this through investments in sustainability and promoting its for-good initiatives, such as Mobility for Good. The corporation was important in delivering a swift reaction during the current COVID-19 crisis, investing $150 million to assist Canadians through these unusual times (Telus Corporation, 2021b). In order to assist in guiding its response to Covid-19, the company has formed a Medical Advisory Council comprising experts in pandemic management, healthcare, contagious diseases, e-health, and health policy (Billedeau & Wilson, 2021). The firm’s strategic plan and culture are based on the belief that success in business requires not just offering unrivaled performance, dependability, and availability of world-class broadband services to consumers but also doing charitable work (van Luijk et al., 2020). The corporation has established unrivaled customer retention and achieved industry-leading achievements by putting clients and communities first.
Within the scope of value creation and CSR, it seems that Telus demonstrates notable performance as well. There are pieces of evidence that reveal the firm’s impressive attainments in this regard. The company’s reports contain developed and consistent sections that refer to the mentioned issues. Again, there are no severe limitations that could adversely affect Telus’s affairs. The only possible problem that it may face is that such an emphasis on the variety of collaborations could shift the corporation’s primary strategic line backward.
Risk Governance
The company tends to demonstrate quite a significant risk governance and oversight systems in place, with risk supervision roles stated in the Board of Directors’ policy handbook. This Board is in charge of identifying major risks to the firm, as well as overseeing the development of systems and procedures that successfully detect, analyze, and mitigate such risks. The corporation’s risk management culture is built on clear risk assessment and open dialogue, which is backed up by the Board and Executive Team (Telus Corporation, 2021a). Responsibility for risk evaluation and risk information reporting is in the risk governance methodology. Telus possesses the competencies needed to enable successful decision-making across the business thanks to retraining and awareness initiatives, suitable resources, and risk advocates.
Telus employs a multi-step strategy, sharing responsibilities across the business and understanding that successful risk assessment is changing and critical to meeting the strategic and operational goals. Executive and operational leadership are required to incorporate risk governance into key decision-making procedures (involving strategic planning) and daily operations. Risk mitigation and regulatory functions exist throughout the company in areas such as finances, administration, information and trust (including privacy), safety, and other business operating sectors. These groups create rules, offer guidance and insight, and collaborate with managers to oversee the architecture and implementation of controls.
The firm faces both dangers and possibilities as a result of occurrences both inside and outside the company. It endeavors to minimize taking on excessive risk and to match risks with corporate plans, goals, principles, as well as risk tolerances. In turn, Telus wants to capitalize on any possibilities that may arise (Telus Corporation, 2021a). Through managing performance, business operations, and appropriate responses, which might involve reducing, shifting, preserving, and averting risks, tries to efficiently decrease the risk exposures. The visible limitation here is that the attempt to get benefits from arising risks may hinder the smooth and developed processes of risk governance.
Intellectual Property Protection
Telus wants to make sure that its intangibles in the fields of innovativeness are significant. It properly uses, safeguards, and appraises them in order to maximize their worth. The company uses a mix of legal protections provided by copyrights, trademarks, patents, and other patent laws, so as contractual obligations under licensing agreements, to secure the intellectual property (Telus Corporation, 2021a). In copyright violators cases, large damages can be granted, and plaintiffs may have to pay a lot of money to defend or settle the case.
The firm’s legal team provides advice on and manages risks associated with claims and potential asserts, vigorously defends class action lawsuits and numerous different cases, prioritizes settlements in appropriate circumstances, evaluates the business operations on a regular basis, and keeps track of legal regulations that may be risky. They look for and secure contractual safeguards that are in line with industry standards to assist limit the hazards of intellectual property breaches, and they fight to preserve the corporation’s rights via litigation and other ways (Telus Corporation, 2021a). Hence, in the legal dimension of intellectual-property protection, Telus seems to have no considerable limitations or gaps.
References
Billedeau D., & Wilson J. (2021) COVID-19 and corporate social responsibility: A Canadian perspective. In Leal Filho W. (ed.), COVID-19: Paving the way for a more sustainable world (pp. 23 – 41). Springer.
Joseph, R., Bruni, A., & Carvalho, C. (2021). Health City: Transforming health and driving economic development. Healthcare Management Forum, 34(1), 21–25.
van Luijk, N., Giles, A.R., & Hayhurst, L.M.C. (2020). Extractives industry and sport for development: How is right to play promoting environmental sustainability in indigenous communities in canada? In Wilson, B. and Millington, B. (eds.), Sport and the environment (pp. 47-66). Emerald Publishing Limited.