Managing A Diverse Workforce Case Study 2022

Running head: MANAGING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
MANAGING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE: AN ANALYSIS OF THE CASE STUDY
“L’OREAL S.A.: ROLLING OUT THE GLOBAL DIVERSITY STRATEGY”
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
L’Oreal’s diversity strategy and the firm’s overall strategy............................................................3
L’Oreal and Change readiness.........................................................................................................4
Biggest challenges facing Balustre-D’Erneville..............................................................................6
L’Oreal and Diversity promotion....................................................................................................7
Importance of creating an inclusive and diverse workplace for the corporations...........................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
As stated by Dupuis (2017), diversity management is an important construct that the
different corporations are required to follow on the score of their international business
operations not merely because the legal framework of the different nations demand so but
because of the plethora of benefits offered by the same. Kim and Park (2017) are of the
viewpoint that the effective usage of the framework of diversity helps the corporations to
improve their organizational or workplace culture, enhance employee engagement, facilitate the
exchange of skills among the workers and others which in turn enables them to substantially
improve the individual productivity of the workers and thereby their overall performance as well.
More importantly, it also helps the corporations to target the different diverse customer bases,
understand their needs, demands, requirements, take the insights of their diverse workforce for
modifying their products or services, marketing strategies, business strategies and others for the
purpose of earning a higher amount of success and others (Özbilgin & Chanlat, 2017).
The resultant effect of this is that the different corporations are increasingly integrating
diversity management within the core business strategies followed by them so as to gain a higher
amount of success. However, the issue arises since it had been seen that the high resistance from
the workers which the corporations receive for the enhancement of workplace diversity and also
the increased amount of disputes or conflicts that they face on the score of enhancement of
workforce diversity often deters the corporations from the usage of diversity management (Mor
Barak et al., 2016). These issues notwithstanding the benefits offered by diversity management
far outweigh the issues associated with the same and thus it is seen that the different corporations
are extensively taking the help of the same. The purpose of this paper is to undertake an analysis

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of the global diversity management strategy of L'oréal through the usage of the case study
“L'oréal S.A.: Rolling out the Global Diversity Strategy”.
L’Oreal’s diversity strategy and the firm’s overall strategy
Cho, Kim and Mor Barak (2017) are of the viewpoint that the corporation in order to get
the best results from the diversity management strategy that they follow need to ingrain or for
that matter to integrate the same within the overall business strategy that they had follow. This in
turn helps the business corporations to effectively utilize the framework of diversity management
while being able to achieve their overall business goals or objectives through the usage of the
same (Holck, Muhr & Villeseche, 2016). The case study under discussion here indicates that the
overall strategy of the corporation L'oréal is “to eliminate all forms of discrimination anywhere
in its operations around the globe and to increase the overall diversity of the entire multinational
corporation” while being able to increase the overall growth of the corporation. This strategic
vision had been formulated by L'oréal in the light of the fact that the revenue earned by the
concerned corporation from the different emerging nations which consists of diverse clients is
37% of its overall business revenue.
More importantly, it had been seen that in the face of increase in the percentage of
customers from diverse backgrounds who purchase the products offered by the corporation it is
seen that the concerned corporation had felt the need of recruiting people from diverse
background who would help the corporation to formulate product strategies, marketing strategies
and others for targeting the same. Furthermore, unlike the other cosmetic corporations L'oréal
does not take the help of any beauty standards which are meant specifically for the white skinned
people and this in turn had helped it to have a large number of customers who are from the

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different sections of the society. However, at the same time it needs to be said that for the
effective exploitation of this particular target market the corporation needs the help of a diverse
workforce which in turn would provide it with insights that will enable it to capitalize on the
needs, demands and the requirements of this particular customer segment and also influence their
attitude or buying behavior. In addition to these, it had been seen that the effective usage of the
framework of diversity management while helping the corporations to fulfill their obligations as
business corporations also helps them to substantially improve their brand image as well. This is
important since in the present times it had been seen that because of the large number of product
or service related options that are available to the customers they have started to focus on the
aspect of brand image. Thus, the corporation L'oréal also intends to influence the buying
behavior or for that matter the attitude of its customers through the effective usage of the
framework of diversity management. In the light of these aspects, the diversity management
framework had become an important requirement that the concerned corporation needs to follow
and is also in alignment with the business strategy of the corporation which is intended to help
the corporation to attain a higher level of growth while helping it to maintain its competitive
advantage within the cosmetic industry.
L’Oreal and Change readiness
Errida and Lotfi (2020) are of the viewpoint that for the purpose of effectively
implementing different kinds of changes the corporations are required to take into account the
aspect of change readiness. Adding to this, Iqbal and Asrar-ul-Haq (2019) have noted that this
helps the corporation to ensure the fact that the different individuals related to the corporation are
ready for the change that is being undertaken by the same. In the particular context of the case
study under discussion here, it is seen that the different workers of the corporation L'oréal are

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ready for the implementation of the diversity management strategy of the corporation with its
workplaces. For instance, Balustre-D’Erneville and George-Axelle Broussillon organized a
seminar not only to offer the required information to the different managers of the corporation
under discussion here regarding the diversity management strategy formulated by it and also to
gauge their readiness for the acceptance of the concerned strategy as well. Interestingly, the
majority of the managers who participated in the seminar thought that an effective diversity
management strategy is important for the corporation and would also help the corporation to
accelerate the pace of its growth as well. The remark of one of the manager wherein he said that
“I think that the seminar was useful and we will make an effort to be more understanding in our
workplace” is important to note in this regard.
However, at the same time it needs to be said that there were various managers who were
not very keen regarding the diversity management strategy and thought that it was just a waste of
time since they were already burdened with numerous tasks and the implementation of the
diversity management strategy would merely add on to their workload. This becomes apparent
from the comment “I understand and support the need for diversity as a strategy. But
implementing it when there are day-to-day pressures is going to be tough even if I support it
wholeheartedly” which one of the manager gave in response to the diversity management
strategy. Thus, it can be said that not all the managers or for that matter the members of the
corporation under discussion here are ready for the change or for the implementation of the
diversity management strategy. However, this hurdle can be overcome by making the managers
realize the benefits that they would be getting through the usage of the construct of diversity, the
manner in which it would accelerate the pace of organizational growth and others. In addition to
these, they also need to made aware that this is no longer a choice since he different policies as

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well as the mandates of the national government of the different nations of the world had made it
mandatory for the corporation to take into account the aspect of workplace diversity and thereby
enhance the same within their workplaces.
Biggest challenges facing Balustre-D’Erneville
Samdanis and Özbilgin (2019) are of the viewpoint that despite the plethora of benefits
offered by the construct of diversity management and also the enhancement of workforce
diversity it is seen that there are many corporations which does not take the help of the same
because of the issues or for that matter the challenges associated with the usage of the same.
Adding to this, Mehng, Sung and Leslie (2019) have noted that the biggest challenges that the
different corporations face related to diversity management are related to the legal aspects but
associated with the cultural differences between the various workers. For instance, because of
these cultural differences it is seen that the enhancement of workforce diversity inevitability
entails with itself an increase in the number of cross-cultural miscommunication, disputes,
conflicts and others within the workplace among the different workers (Trittin & Schoeneborn,
2017). This even becomes apparent from the case study under discussion here wherein it is seen
that Balustre-D’Erneville herself acknowledges the fact that “the biggest issues facing L’Oréal
seemed to be neither legal nor regulatory in nature….Balustre-D’Erneville believed the main
obstacles to be cultural differences between countries and a low-level awareness of the benefits
that a diversity strategy could bring”. In the light of this particular remark it can be said that the
biggest challenges that Balustre-D’Erneville faces can be grouped under two categories.
The first category is associated with the challenges related to the cultural differences
among the different workers of the corporation. This can be explained on the basis of the fact

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that because of the differences in cultural values, traditions, ideologies and others followed by
the workers cross-cultural miscommunications, conflicts, disputes and others are bound to arise.
These if not managed or for that matter handled adequately by the corporation can adversely
affect the growth or for that matter the development of the corporation. Referring to the disputes
or the conflicts which might arise during the enhancement of workplace one of the managers
who attended the seminar says that “I understand and support the need for diversity as a strategy.
But implementing it when there are day-to-day pressures is going to be tough even if I support it
wholeheartedly”. Another important challenge that Balustre-D’Erneville is related to the aspect
of lack of understanding of the benefits that the effective usage of the framework of diversity
management would offer to the corporation. This becomes apparent from the comment of one of
the managers in the seminar who stated that “This is more of a French concept and some of the
directives may not be relevant in some regions”. These two in short are the most important
challenges that Balustre-D’Erneville is likely to face.
L’Oreal and Diversity promotion
Firstly, I would begin by making everyone understand the benefits that they stand to gain
through the effective usage of the construct of diversity management. Recent researchers have
shown that the majority of the corporations as well as the individuals are not completely aware of
the benefits or for that matter the advantages which are being offered by the effective usage of
diversity management or the enhancement of workplace diversity and thus they do not use the
same (Weisinger, Sowa & Word, 2017). Thus, I would specifically emphasize on the different
benefits that the effective usage of the same would offer to the corporations like the enhancement
of productivity, achievement of the overall business goals or objectives, improvement of brand
image and others. More importantly, I also like to make everyone aware of the fact that as per the

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legislative system of the different nations of the world discrimination of any form is a legal
offense and thus the corporations should not discriminate in terms of offering employment
opportunities, the manner in which they treat the workers within the workplace and others.
Thirdly, the corporations have the opportunity to fulfill their social obligations as business
corporations and also make a positive contribution towards the society by effectively undertaking
diversity management and also by enhancing the workplace diversity of their workplace
(Aggarwal et al., 2019). Furthermore, I would also organize various seminars wherein I would
highlight the manner in which everyone can make a positive contribution towards the effective
management of diversity within a corporation.
Importance of creating an inclusive and diverse workplace for the corporations
Garg and Ganesh (2018) are of the viewpoint that there are various reasons because of
which it had become important for the corporations to create an inclusion as well as a diverse
workplace wherein the workers from would not have to face any discrimination, stigmatization
or any other kinds of evils. This is important since it helps in the creation of the kind of
workplace culture wherein the workers are being able to maximize their potential or for that
matter attain self-actualization and thereby make a positive contribution towards the overall
growth of the corporation (Kim & Park, 2017). Furthermore, this also provides the opportunity to
learn new skill sets from their colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds which in turn not
only improves their individual work performance but also the overall organizational performance
which in turn helps the corporations to achieve their business goals or objectives as well (Mehng,
Sung & Leslie, 2019). More importantly, by creating an inclusion and diverse workplace the
corporations also have the opportunity to enhance the engagement among the employees as well
which not only improves the work motivation of the workers but also their job satisfaction level

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as well (Cho, Kim & Mor Barak, 2017). In addition to these, it had also been seen that the
national government of the different nations of the world had also formulated various policies,
regulations, mandates and others because of which the corporations are required to undertake
inclusion and also enhance the diversity of their workplace by offering employment to the
individuals from the diverse minority and ostracized groups. These in short are some of the most
important reasons which had made it important for the corporations to create an inclusive and
diverse workplace.
Conclusion
To conclude, diversity management is an important concept which the different
corporations are required to use for facilitating the overall growth or development of their
corporation. For instance, it is seen that the effective usage of diversity management helps the
corporations to improve their brand image, improve their organizational culture, improve their
performance, helps in the achievement of the overall business or strategic goals or objectives and
others. These in turn have propelled the different corporations to make diversity management an
integral part of the overall business strategy which is being followed by them. However, at the
same time it needs to be said that there are various challenges like enhancement of workplace
disputes, conflicts, lack of awareness regarding the benefits offered by the same and others
which hinder the usage of diversity management by the corporations. These aspects of diversity
management become apparent from the above analysis of the same in the particular context of
the case study “L'oréal S.A.: Rolling out the Global Diversity Strategy”.

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References
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