Strategies for Managing Workplace Diversity in Recruitment

This report delves into the advantages and challenges of workplace diversity, particularly in the context of recruitment and selection within human resource management. It highlights benefits such as increased innovation and broader perspectives, while also addressing difficulties like conflicts, communication barriers, and the impact of stereotypes on team performance. The literature review emphasizes the importance of diversity management, gender equality, training, and leadership in creating inclusive workplaces. The report recommends strategies such as providing training and development, fostering open communication, and implementing buddy systems to ensure new employees feel welcome and valued. Ultimately, the goal is to transform diverse organizations into environments that promote motivation, learning, and improved performance.

Human resource management
Workplace diversity – Recruitment and Selection

Human resource management 1
Table of contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Advantages of workplace diversity.................................................................................................2
Challenges facing managers owing to workplace diversity............................................................2
Literature review..............................................................................................................................4
Recommendations to address workplace diversity issues...............................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
Today we live in the era of globalization. The ideology reflects the process of shattering
boundaries and connecting several geographical boundaries. Globalization has led to the world
being a flat place. There is constant exchange of people, technology, information and resources
from one place to another. Globalization has also led to the creation of highly diverse
organizations. Businesses are willing to recruit people from different parts of the globe in order
to widen their own horizon.
Advantages of workplace diversity.
Diverse workplaces are composed of employees coming from different racial, economic and
geographic backgrounds. The increasing number of diverse workplaces has been a boon for
businesses. People from different parts of the world come together to work. In most cases, this
has a largely positive impact on the work culture and provides employees with a platform to
enhance their learning and development within the firm.
With respect to recruitment and selection too, workplace place diversity and globalization
eliminates geographical boundaries for a business while looking for competent candidates. The
increasing competition among candidates while applying for a job have raised the standards for
the recruiters enabling firms to hire better candidates than before.
Workplace diversity gives rise to innovation and increased level of creativity in the organization.
People feel free to think out of box. Moreover, when such varied kind of people come together to
work towards a single goal, different perspectives can be put into place leading to improved team
performance. Working with people from different backgrounds can help people enhance their
learning in terms of different cultures, languages and economies at large. The experience of
working within a diverse team is fulfilling and enriching.
Challenges facing managers owing to workplace diversity
There are several benefits that come along with working in a diverse firm. However, there are
various challenges that are faced by managers that are bestowed upon with the responsibility of
handling a diverse team. It is not always easy to manage and effectively create coordination

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among people coming from varied backgrounds. The primary challenge faced by managers is
high level of conflicts. People who come from different backgrounds tend to have different
thought processes and working styles. This makes it difficult for these people to efficiently
coordinate among one another in order to work towards accomplishment of organizational goals.
Such differences lead to conflicts and adversely impact the working culture of the team. Work
culture at any organization plays a significant role in the accomplishment of organizational goals.
This culture largely impacts the morale and level of motivation among employees. It becomes
pressing for managers to ensure a positive work culture and a majority of their time goes in
resolving the existing conflicts among the team members.
There are various reasons behind these conflicts. They may result from different working styles
of employees. A lot of employees may not feel entirely accepted in the new workplace and hence
this lack of acceptance may create conflicts between them and other employees. Managers must
put efforts towards ensuring that all the employees associated with them feel welcome and are
provided with a positive working atmosphere.
The second major challenge faced by managers handling diverse organizations is
communication. Communication forms the backbone of effective teams and it is imperative that
organizations put efforts in ensuring transparent and efficient communication in their teams. In
diverse organizations, communication barriers are plenty making it difficult for team members to
efficiently communicate with each other. This can be because of language barriers or cultural
barriers. A lack of understanding about different cultures may make it difficult for people to
communicate with each other which in turn adversely impacts their performance.
Communication within an organization can be written or verbal. Either way different cultures
have different styles of communication as well as different rules for effective communication.
The difference in this culture makes it difficult for people to communicate in an efficient manner.
For example, people coming from the west prefer communicating over text messages and Emails
rather than verbal communication. Om the contrary, Asian employees are not used to taking
written messages too seriously. They prefer conducting a meeting and putting their point forward
every once in a while rather than texting. Such differences in customs of employees working in a
diverse team make it difficult for employees to communicate effectively.

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The third challenge within a diverse team is the impact of diverse team on working culture and
employee’s performance. A diverse team adversely impacts employees’ performance by
disturbing their level of coordination and making it difficult for them to work together. There are
several prejudices and stereotypes associated with different cultural, regional and racial
backgrounds. It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that such stereotypes do not impact
employee coordination and communication. Employees may not feel welcome enough within the
organization. Sometimes these stereotypes may lead to unnecessary and negative judgements
which impact team culture. A diverse team adversely impacts employee performance within a
team because they are all working out of their comfort zones. Employees take time to adjust and
understand each other better. In the meanwhile, their performance is hampered and they are
unable to perform to the best of their abilities.
Literature review
Workplace diversity is being largely accepted and even aspired for in various leading
organizations. Organizational top management works towards creating their team and
organization diverse by inviting people from different cultural, economic, racial and ethnic
backgrounds to work with the firm. (Davis et. al., 2016) Believes that Australian managers do
not necessarily understand workplace diversity very well. Organizations do not prioritize
workplace diversity management. The involvement and engagement of senior management with
the topic of workplace diversity management is tentative.
There are several efforts that managers need to put in order to ensure that workplace diversity is
effectively managed. This is imperative in order to ensure a positive working culture and
improved organizational performance. (Wrench, 2016) states that workplace diversity
management can be seen as a soft strategy that can be implemented to combat racism,
discrimination and bullying instead of practicing mainstream anti-discrimination measures. He
also forecasts that development of diversity management within Europe would follow a uniform
trajectory owing to common economic, demographic and market pressures.
Diversity management also includes ensuring equal opportunities to all genders, castes, religions
and races. Ensuring gender equal practices within the workplace are essential for effective
diversity management. Research states that female workers report a largely favourable opinions

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towards indulging in diversity management practices. This reflects upon the direct or indirect
discrimination that they face on a regular basis (Kim, Lee & Kim, 2015). They also stated that
organizational commitment had a direct relationship with diversity management efforts put in by
organizational top management. Organizations where diversity management practices were
adopted tend to be more accepting towards employees and instilled an increased organizational
commitment from them. The reasons cited for the same include positive workplace culture and
employees feeling valued and motivated.
(Rice, 2015) states that training and communication form the backbone of diverse organizations.
Inefficient communication within a diverse workforce can make it difficult for employees to
work with coordination. Therefore managers associated with diverse firms must pay specific
attention to ensuring open and transparent communication and effective training strategies in
order to sustain a diverse workforce. Trainings can include language trainings, culture trainings
as well as trainings on communication within a diverse organization. These trainings are aimed
at enhancing information that people have regarding their colleagues and thereby breaking
stereotypes.
(Guillaume et. al., 2017) have identified several variable that mangers and organizations at large
can control within their space. Workplace culture, leadership and individual differences among
employees are all variables that managers need to handle since they have control over it. They
state that leadership plays a significantly important role in creating diverse organizations an
effective place to work in. Leaders of the organization are responsible in ensuring that people
coming from different backgrounds are welcome in their organization. Workplace diversity
management trickles down in an organization from the top to the bottom. Breaking stereotypes,
fair evaluation of performances and creating a positive working culture that entails open
communication are essential responsibilities of leaders of the business.
(Barak, 2016) states that workplace diversity management is the first step towards the creation of
an inclusive workplace. If people from different backgrounds, castes, religions and genders can
come together and work effectively towards accomplishing organizational goals then the
organizations would become truly inclusive. Workplace diversity management marks the
beginning of creating inclusive workplaces. In order to do the same, employees must be valued,

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their opinions must be taken and efforts must be put to boost their self-esteem. Productive
workplaces exist when employees are encouraged to share their opinions, views and thoughts in
an uninhibited manner. If their views are considered before taking organizational decisions, then
they would have an increased sense of ownership towards the business leading to truly inclusive
workplaces.
Recommendations to address workplace diversity issues
The first part of the report highlighted issues faced by diverse organizations. The major
challenges faced by managers of diverse organizations are increasing number of conflicts, poor
communication, suffered performance and ineffective work culture. If these issues are
proficiently addressed within the firm then diverse organizations can be a source of motivation,
learning and development as well as improved performance for employees. Working within a
diverse organization is an enriching experience. There are several strategies that can be adopted
by organizations to address the issues of workplace diversity and ensure increased efficiency of
diverse workplaces. Few such strategies are recommended as below:
Training and development form the backbone of diverse organizations (Bell et. al., 2017).
Training helps employees in getting accustomed to different cultures by learning more about
them. Effective training ensures a comfortable working space with enhanced productivity.
Diverse organizations must also provide trainings to break stereotypes and improve internal
communication among employees. Internal trainings can be conducted within employees and
external trainings can be conducted by associating with other firms that offer training on
ensuring efficiency in a diverse workplace.
Many times people coming from different parts of the world may feel out of place or misguided.
This is where the management of the organization plays a critical role. Making employees feel
welcome, comfortable and valued is highly essential for a diverse organization to function in the
longer run (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The business must specifically focus on organizing highly
effective inductions wherein the new employee can feel comfortable in that space. Various
organizations have buddy systems wherein a senior employee is asked to guide and assist the
new employee and ensure that the new employee has a single point of contact for all queries
(Lopez & Gillespie, 2016). This system is also helpful in enhancing employee satisfaction.

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Open communication can go a long way in ensuring effectiveness and efficiency especially
within a diverse workforce. Transparent communication among employees can make it easy for
them to understand and work with each other (Holmes, 2017). Senior management of
organizations must ensure that they create a culture that promotes positive and open
communication throughout the entire organization. Team leaders also play a significant role in
ensuring openness and transparency in communication within their team. Feedbacks must be
given in an open manner. In fact feedbacks must be encouraged (Lefroy et. al., 2018). Employees
must be motivated to share their opinions, views, thoughts and perspectives. The culture of the
business should be non-judgemental and appreciating. During meetings, the leaders must ensure
participation from all employees and create an environment of openness and respect towards
each other.
Exchange programs in diverse firms help employees in getting a firsthand experience about
different cultures and hence makes it easier for employees to accept the transition in a diverse
team. Exchange programs are expensive and cannot be conducted on a daily basis. However, if
executed effectively, these programs can really widen people’s horizons and make them more
open to learning and understanding of different cultures and practices.
Lastly, despite the above mentioned strategies, if an employee feels out of place or discriminated
against, it is important that he or she must have a point of contact or the freedom or comfort of
reaching out to someone. Addressing these issues is foremost in depicting the organization’s
willingness towards creating a diverse firm. To begin with team leaders and managers must be
available for conversation to their employees. The top management too must employ an open
door policy within the system to ensure that employees have someone to reach out to (Newey,
2016). The open door policy suggests that all of the seniors in the organization must keep their
doors open to signify that they are available to the rest of the staff. This would make employees
feel more comfortable while they are trying to address an issue. Such practices also enhance the
level of trust that employees have on their management.
Strict policies must be implied in the organization which take actions against any form of
discrimination or stereotyping. Employees participating in such activities must be penalized and
all the employees must be made aware of the presence of such policy within the business

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(Thompson, 2016). While applying for a new job in a different country, employees often seek to
understand the anti-discrimination policy and therefore in order to encourage people to join the
business, it is imperative that the organization has an effective policy in place.
Conclusion
Workplace diversity has been prevalent in most leading organizations today. This has
predominantly been possible owing to increasing globalization and enhance use of technology
which have made the world more connected. Diversity within the workplace tends to offer an
extensive platform to employees for on the job learning. Such a culture widens people’s horizons
and enhances their learning at large. People can learn about different cultures and practices and
become more open to learning in the longer run.
However a diverse workforce can also lead to several issues like conflicting interests,
miscommunication, inefficiency in work and adverse impact on employee performance owing to
a poor work culture (Lawton & Aquino, 2015). It is imperative that businesses identify and
address these issues in an effective manner. Workplace diversity management is essential for
businesses to ensure that the employees associated with them are satisfied, motivated and
retained.
There are various strategies that can be adopted in order to ensure workplace diversity
management. This includes creating an atmosphere and culture of comfort and openness,
encouraging participating from employees and ensuring transparent communication throughout
the business. Training, development practices and exchange programs can also be organize in
order to sensitize the issue and encourage employee participation and enhance their comfort.
Workplace diversity management is the first step towards the creation of an inclusive workplace.
Therefore, it is important that businesses put efforts to maintain the diversity in the team and
ensure employee satisfaction, motivation and retention.

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References
Bell, B. S., Tannenbaum, S. I., Ford, J. K., Noe, R. A., & Kraiger, K. (2017). 100 years of
training and development research: What we know and where we should go. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 102(3), 305.
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership.
John Wiley & Sons. United Kingdom.
Davis, P. J., Frolova, Y., & Callahan, W. (2016). Workplace diversity management in Australia:
what do managers think and what are organisations doing?. Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion: An International Journal, 35(2), 81-98.
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.
Holmes, J. (2017). Intercultural Communication in the Workplace. The Routledge Handbook of
Language in the Workplace. United Kingdom.
Kim, H. K., Lee, U. H., & Kim, Y. H. (2015). The effect of workplace diversity management in a
highly male-dominated culture. Career Development International, 20(3), 259-272.
Lawton, D. S., & De Aquino, C. T. E. (2015). DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE AND THE
IMPACT OF WORK VALUES ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTI-
GENERATIONAL TEAMS. Journal on Management, 10(3).
Lefroy, J., Hawarden, A., Gay, S., & McKinley, R. (2018). Positive impacts of written feedback:
Does formal workplace based assessment add value to informal feedback?. Dr Janet
Lefroy, 139.
Lopez, P. J., & Gillespie, K. (2016). A love story: for ‘Buddy System’research in the
academy. Gender, Place & Culture, 23(12), 1689-1700.
Newey, A. (2016). Open-door policy. Professional Beauty, (JulAug 2016), 114.

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Rice, M. F. (2015). Diversity and public administration. ME Sharpe. United Kingdom.
Thompson, N. (2016). Anti-discriminatory practice: Equality, diversity and social justice.
Macmillan International Higher Education. United States.
Wrench, J. (2016). Diversity management and discrimination: Immigrants and ethnic minorities
in the EU. Routledge. United Kingdom.