Diversity: A Critique Of Workplace Discrimination

Diversity: The Ethical Choice
A Critique of Workplace Discrimination Prevention Manual
By David A. Robinson

Zoe Bishop
MGMT 485/DeSoto
November 18, 2014

America is recognized internationally for being a melting pot. It is only natural that the workplace would experience the same diversity (though it has taken quite some time to get there). While it is one thing to work in a diverse environment, it is an entirely different matter to manage one. There is a certain finesse required to successfully manage a diverse work environment, and the supplemental reading helps give a foundation of how to do that. The Workforce Discrimination Prevention Manual is a useful, but not wholly encompassing, tool to current and/or future managers
Upon hearing the words “race discrimination”, most think of quotas and affirmative action, but race discrimination involves more than this. The days of just a black-and-white society is long gone. America is a mosaic of people, blended with different ethnicities and races, and the workplace should reflect this. In fact, it is actually the law. People are guaranteed to not be discriminated against based on race, this right is guaranteed by Title VII. Robinson informs us that we should be “colorblind”. He suggests thinking of skin color as sunscreen, it is a function of climate, not brainpower. With this mindset, as a future manager, this could greatly reduce the likelihood of getting sued for race discrimination. However, in some instances, we do not get to be color blind. The example the author gives us is that if two applicants are equally qualified and the workforce is overwhelmingly white, it may prove beneficial to not be colorblind. In the unfortunate event that a minority is fired due to poor performance, it could prove to be incredibly beneficial to have a paper trail documenting that poor performance. While it should be mandatory to document all workers’ behaviors, it comes in handy should any minority wish to sue because they think that they were the victims of discrimination. Many employees are not aware that most discrimination happens in the recruiting and selection phase of employment,
In the last half century, many adult females have joined the workforce, many times doing the same work as men. Adult women make up 51% of the population; it seems only natural that the workforce should reflect this. Many of the same rules that stood true for avoiding race discrimination stand true for gender discrimination as well: no lumping people together, no stereotyping, and no belittling. It should also be noted to not refer to adult females over the age of 18 as “girls”. Most males in the workforce are referred to as “men” or “guys”, and so “girls” is seen as belittling women. It is important to treat everyone the same. Women often face a double-edged sword. If they are in lower-level positions in a company and are content staying there, they are often seen as lacking ambition or inferior. However, if a woman is in a position of authority, the words power-hungry, formidable, cold, bossy, etc. are often used to describe her. It is also important to realize women are not the only victims of gender discrimination; men can face discrimination as well. They can also file suits and win. The key is to not single out one gender. However, women get specific treatment in one area: pregnancy. Pregnancy is a form of sex discrimination as well. Companies with 15 or more employees treat it as a short term illness. A shortcoming of this book is that it fails to mention that men are often discriminated