Reducing Resistance to Diversity in Organizations

In this article, we explore strategies to reduce resistance to diversity in organizations. We discuss the importance of diversity training and maintaining flexibility in the workplace. Additionally, we highlight the benefits of offering equal opportunity to employees. By implementing these strategies, organizations can create a positive work environment and achieve their goals.

Managing workforce

Diversity
How can resistance to diversity be reduced in organizations?
In the workplace, it is important to reduce the resistance to diversity so that it could be easy to
achieve the set targets and goals. There are different strategies that should be taken into
consideration so that diversity can be boosted. One of the strategies is related with training that
should be considered by the management as it will help in reducing the resistance to diversity.
Training should be given to the employees and the programs should be designed in such a way
that it boosts the coordination among the different employees from the different backgrounds. By
offering training to the employees it would be easy for them to know about the different cultural
backgrounds which will positively impact the working pattern of the employees (Vescio et al.,
2003). Through training the change can also be seen on the behavior of the employees towards
each other. Training gives guidance to the employees to deal with the different situations that can
directly reduce the resistance in relation to the diversity. Also, it will help in the companies to be
more inclusive which can help in maintaining the retention efforts. It can also assist the
individuals in considering the advantages of being more diverse. So, it can be stated that one of
the best strategy that should be considered by the company is to emphasize on diversity training
as it will help to create positive environment in the workplace (Alhejji et al., 2016).
The next strategy on which the company should emphasize relates with maintaining flexibility in
the working schedule so that it could be easy to attract the pool of candidates towards the
organizational operations. To boost diversity in the workplace the employees should be offered
flexibility so that they can interact with each other and can conduct the activities with a positive
attitude. In relation to this rewards should be offered so that resistance to diversity can be
reduced. It has been analyzed that the issue related to diversity takes place when there is a feeling
of biasness in the mind of the employees (Ely and Thomas, 2001).
In this context, it is important to emphasize on rewarding the employees through their
performance. Equal opportunity should be offered to the employees in relation to the incentive
criteria as it will help in minimizing the resistance of employees towards the work. It can be said
that equal opportunity offered to the employees can help in creating positive relationship among
the employees of the different backgrounds and also it will help in attaining the set goals and
objectives (Herring, 2009). Therefore, it can be concluded that these are the strategies that should
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be considered by the higher authority so that resistance related to diversity can be reduced in the
workplace.
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References
Alhejji, H., Garavan, T., Carbery, R., O'Brien, F. and McGuire, D., 2016. Diversity training
programme outcomes: A systematic review. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 27(1),
pp.95-149.
Ely, R.J. and Thomas, D.A., 2001. Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diversity
perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative science quarterly, 46(2),
pp.229-273.
Herring, C., 2009. Does diversity pay?: Race, gender, and the business case for
diversity. American Sociological Review, 74(2), pp.208-224.
Vescio, T.K., Sechrist, G.B. and Paolucci, M.P., 2003. Perspective taking and prejudice
reduction: The mediational role of empathy arousal and situational attributions. European
Journal of Social Psychology, 33(4), pp.455-472.
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