Workplace Diversity

This article discusses the concept of workplace diversity, including its various dimensions such as gender, ethnicity, race, and more. It explores the potential benefits of diversity in terms of new ideas, cultural knowledge, and increased profit margins. The article also highlights the challenges that may arise from workplace diversity and suggests strategies for managing diversity effectively.

Running Head: WORKPLACE DIVERSITY 1
Workplace diversity
Name:
Institution

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Introduction
Workplace diversity is a broad concept and it has to do with more than just ethnicity and
race. Diversity involves taking into account the different characteristics and personalities
exhibited by the workforce. This includes and is not limited to; gender, ethnicity, political
affiliations, race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, education, socioeconomic status, and
geographic location. Diversity in the workplace results to a great many potential benefits as well
as potential conflicts that the business owners have to manage.
Businesses have to come up with ways of incorporating diversity without causing major
shifts in their operations. Embracing diversity includes recruiting from a more dynamic talent
pool. Workplace diversity can also be infused into advertising campaigns to ensure the
information reach every consumer in the target market (Bond, & Haynes, 2014). This diversity
brings a host of benefits to the business. Research indicates that those employees who
incorporate people from dynamic backgrounds into their workforce consequently open their
business to a wide range of new ideas. These new ideas can form the key for business
transformation and result in increased profit margins. Additionally, by having employees from
different nationalities, the business can gain insightful knowledge on the culture and operation
environment of the country they are willing to expand to (Chrobot-Mason, & Aramovich, 2013).
This will, in turn, increase the profit margins of the business. However, as the workplace
becomes diverse, it is imperative that the employees take note of training, communication and
recruitment practices. Such diverse workforces may results in problems if the aspect of peaceful
co-existence, effective communication and fostering employee relationships are not integrated
into the business (Lambert, 2016). Training the employees on diversity issues may result in an

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increase in development and training costs. Some of the issues that may arise as a result of
workplace diversity are as discussed in the following.
Acceptance and respect is a fundamental value that contributes to the success of a
diversified workforce. When this is lacking, conflict and animosity may arise (Guillaume, et al.,
2017). By accepting the different cultures in the workforce, employees can share ideas and foster
effective collaborations. This can be highly achieved through diversity and developmental
training. Issues of ethnicity are still rampant in the workplace. Some people sadly hold prejudices
against people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The business should put in place
clear company policies and regulations that prevent against prejudice (Martin, 2014). Gender
equality is another key aspect that should be considered in the workplace. Many people hold the
notion that men are preferred in a managerial position as opposed to women. In the past, there
were also discrepancies in pay with women being paid less. However, the introduction of equal
pay act has addressed this issue. Employers need to prevent gender discrimination and promote
equality through hiring and promotions.
Conclusion
The advantage of inclusion within the workplace is that it facilitates the contribution and
sharing of ideas. A business that embraces diversity provides an environment where the
employee feels comfortable to contribute and participate effectively in business operations.
Appreciating employees for their individuality will enable them to feel motivated in their work
environment. Training and personality developments assist immensely in counteracting
prejudicial tendencies that may manifest in the workplace.

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References
Bond, M. A., & Haynes, M. C. (2014). Workplace diversity: A social–ecological framework and
policy implications. Social Issues and Policy Review, 8(1), 167-201.
Chrobot-Mason, D., & Aramovich, N. P. (2013). The psychological benefits of creating an
affirming climate for workplace diversity. Group & Organization Management, 38(6),
659-689.
Guillaume, Y. R., Dawson, J. F., Otaye‐Ebede, L., Woods, S. A., & West, M. A. (2017).
Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What moderates the effects of
workplace diversity?. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(2), 276-303.
Lambert, J. (2016). Cultural diversity as a mechanism for innovation: Workplace diversity and
the absorptive capacity framework. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications
and Conflict, 20(1), 68.
Martin, G. C. (2014). The effects of cultural diversity in the workplace. Journal of Diversity
Management (Online), 9(2), 89.