Diversity in the Workplace: Challenges and Solutions

This assignment delves into the complexities of diversity in the workplace, analyzing both its positive and negative implications. It examines issues such as cultural differences, communication barriers, and conflict resolution. The report proposes recommendations for managers and team members to foster a more inclusive and productive work environment through initiatives like informal communication, clear role definitions, and mutual respect.

Running head: DIVERSITY 0
DIVERSITY

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................................1
Types of diversity at the workplace:............................................................................................................1
Respect for diversity in team:......................................................................................................................2
Strategies for addressing issues:.................................................................................................................3
Advantages of diversity in team:.................................................................................................................4
Recommendations:.....................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion:..................................................................................................................................................5
References:..................................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction:
Diversity can be defined as the difference in the people that works at the workplace. Differences
can be in the age of the people, work environment and working style of the people, cultural
background of the pope, etc. This essay discusses about the various factors that affect the
diversity and the issues that develop sue to diversity the team. The later part of the discussion
focuses on the issues that raised among the team members and the recommendations have been
made at the end so that effective performance can be availed from the team with diversity.
Types of diversity at the workplace:
There are different types of diversity at the workplace with regard to different factors1. It has
been analysed that diversity at the workplace is increasing day by day because of globalization
and urbanization. Some of factors that categorize the diversity at the workplace are:
Age: Organization these days hire the new generation people along with the old people so that
different thinking process can be used in creative way. Baby boomers and millennial along with
generation X people are working together in the organizations.
Culture: Culture is the basic element that also categorizes the employee at the workplace.
Different people works in the organization that have different cultural background and religion.
They have emotional connection with their religion and culture and thus have different emotional
intelligence level.
Education level and skills: different people that work in the organization have different
educational level2. It is not possible that every person have similar skills thus it is required by the
organization to categorize the employees according to their education and skills. This
categorization also helps the company to delegate the relevant duties and work to the people with
relevant educational level.
1 Green, K. A., López, M., Wysocki, A., & Kepner, K. (2011). Diversity in the Workplace.
2 Chuah, J. V. H. (2013). Diversity in the workplace.

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Gender: Gender is one of the important mad major factors that categorize the employees working
in the organization. Numbers of women workers are also increasing one a days. The companies
also have to make different policies for different gender.
Physical abilities: It is another element that brings level of diversity at the workplace3. Some of
the physical abilities are actable by the organisation such as a person sitting on the wheel chair, a
person with disabled leg etc.
Respect for diversity in team:
It is required by every member of the team to respect the diversity exists amongst the team
members. It is not necessary that every member of the team have same gender, similar cultural
background and similar thinking processes. The diversity in a team is bright up by the company
so that different types of ideas can be generated to resolve the issues. It has been analysed that
respecting the diversity and the differences among the team helps in bringing the people
together4. If anyone of the member does not respect the differences in the team then it may
generate conflicts amongst the team members. This will result in undesired outcomes that will
not be beneficial for the organization. As far as the cultural differences are considered, it should
be realised by the members that every people have emotional attachments with their culture and
thus respecting each other's culture will create sense of understanding and emotional connect
among the people. It has been said that if you respect others they will respect you and respect
cannot be asked for, it can only be earned. Thus for earning that respect, it is required to give
respect to the other person in the team.
3 Bell, N. S., & Narz, M. (2007). Meeting the challenges of age diversity in the workplace. The CPA
Journal, 77(2), 56.
4 Ilmakunnas, P., & Ilmakunnas, S. (2011). Diversity at the workplace: Whom does it benefit?. De
Economist, 159(2), 223.

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Strategies for addressing issues:
Various issues can be generated at the time when the different people work together in a team. It
becomes difficult for the managers to manage such team with diversity. Some of the issues that
can be generated are:
Cultural barriers: This is major barriers that can generate at the time when the people with
different cultural background work together5. It has been analysed that culture is the basis for a
person’s thinking and it affects the thinking process, the people with different culture may think
differently about the similar situation. Thus it creates cultural barriers amongst the team.
Communication and language barriers: communication is very important if people work in a
team. In the organization, the internal communication plays very important roles because lack of
communication results in misunderstanding and thus restricts the information flow. This may
hampers the performance of the employees as well6. If there is lack of communication among the
team members who are working for common gaols because of the difference in their accent and
language then it becomes big problem for the team to work effectively. In this case, the managers
have to play their role and train them about each other's language and allow them to
communicate informally so that they can develop bonds and understanding with each other.
Difference in age: Age is the major factors that affect the thinking process and working style of
the people. The young generation has different way of working while old generation people work
in formal manner. If both these generation works together then it may create a mess because both
prefers different type of work style. It is required by them to make understanding between each
other and respect each other’s knowledge.
5 Harvey, C. P., & Allard, M. (2015). Understanding and managing diversity: Readings, cases, and
exercises. Pearson.
6 Brislin, R. W. (2008). Working with cultural differences: Dealing effectively with diversity in the
workplace (No. 51). Greenwood Publishing Group.

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Advantages of diversity in team:
Increased creativity: As many people with different thinking process work together they develop
different types of ideas for a single issue. Diversity in the team results in more creative idea
development and enhances the quality of the outcome. This is because direct pope, thinks
differently about the issues and thus alternative options can be available with the team.
Learning: As there are many people works in a team, different people have different working
style and different skills7. They can teach each other about different skills sets they possess thus
it develops the team as well as the team members individually. When a single project is allotted
to a tea, the different risk has been played by different employees having different skills. Thus
having this diversity makes the other people to learn new skills from each other.
Flexibility: If the people with similar thinking process work together than they will look at the
problem in similar way. People with different thing thinks differently and thus come up with
different solutions. This enhances the flexibility of the team to generate the solutions.
Recommendations:
As discussed that diversity in team leads to many issues thus it becomes very difficult for the
managers to manage such teams. Several recommendations have been made for the employees
and the managers to practice so that team can perform effectively:
Informal communication: It is required by the team members to communicate informally with
reach other, this helps them to understand each other and thus it results in better bonding
amongst them
Clarification of roles and duties: The major issue that may generate is because of the role
confusion. If all the members of the team knows that they have a particular role to play and a
particular duty to be conducted then they can work according to their duties. This helps in better
performance8.
7 Fassinger, R. E. (2008). Workplace diversity and public policy: Challenges and opportunities for
psychology. American Psychologist, 63(4), 252.
8 Blustein, D. (2013). The psychology of working: A new perspective for career development, counseling,
and public policy. Routledge.

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Respect to each other: respecting the diversity and the differences among the team helps in
bringing the people together. If anyone of the member does not respect the differences in the
team then it may generate conflicts amongst the team members. This will result in undesired
outcomes that will not be beneficial for the organization.
Conclusion:
It has been concluded from the report that with the globalisation and removal of barriers between
the countries, more and more people are shifting in different countries for work this results in
diversity at the workplace, this diversity generates many issues such as cultural issues,
communication issues, etc. these issues need to be resolved by taking initiates such as informal
meetings, proper training etc.
References:
Green, K. A., López, M., Wysocki, A., & Kepner, K. (2011). Diversity in the Workplace.
Chuah, J. V. H. (2013). Diversity in the workplace.

DIVERSITY 7
Bell, N. S., & Narz, M. (2007). Meeting the challenges of age diversity in the workplace. The
CPA Journal, 77(2), 56.
Ilmakunnas, P., & Ilmakunnas, S. (2011). Diversity at the workplace: Whom does it benefit?. De
Economist, 159(2), 223.
Harvey, C. P., & Allard, M. (2015). Understanding and managing diversity: Readings, cases,
and exercises. Pearson.
Brislin, R. W. (2008). Working with cultural differences: Dealing effectively with diversity in the
workplace (No. 51). Greenwood Publishing Group.
Fassinger, R. E. (2008). Workplace diversity and public policy: Challenges and opportunities for
psychology. American Psychologist, 63(4), 252.
Blustein, D. (2013). The psychology of working: A new perspective for career development,
counseling, and public policy. Routledge.