Diversity In The Workplace
The Effects of Diversity in the Workplace
MGT 331 – Management of Human Resources
Jarrett Alexander
Professor Johnnie Barnes
December 8, 2013 Introduction
Today’s workforce is becoming more diverse as many people from different ethnic backgrounds, gender, race, religion, and age are acquiring positions in major companies. This is a major change in the workforce from previous decades since diversity then only applied to race and gender; today, the workforce has been impacted by many different classes of people all bringing something significant to the workforce as a whole. Diversity within the workplace is deemed necessary in order for organizations to remain in compliance with laws that protect certain classes from discrimination such as Equal Employment Opportunity Laws. Diversity within an organization can positively and negatively impact the overall functions of an organization. With increased diversity within the U.S. labor force, human resource practices are essential to utilize the talents, potential, and overall contributions …show more content…
Communication barriers can contribute a great deal to isolation; groups that feel they cannot communicate effectively with other groups often subject themselves only to people they can relate to. “Isolation is a characteristic that describes how unusual an individual is within a workgroup. If a group is 90% female and highly cohesive on average, the few men may not be included in the portion of the group that is cohesive and has repeated interactions” (Leonard & Levine, 2006, p. 550). Such isolation is common among certain races as well where Hispanics typically only interact with Hispanics; this isolation can result in race-specific interactions which could prohibit the organization from prospering from the ideas and talents that other groups would have to offer through
MGT 331 – Management of Human Resources
Jarrett Alexander
Professor Johnnie Barnes
December 8, 2013 Introduction
Today’s workforce is becoming more diverse as many people from different ethnic backgrounds, gender, race, religion, and age are acquiring positions in major companies. This is a major change in the workforce from previous decades since diversity then only applied to race and gender; today, the workforce has been impacted by many different classes of people all bringing something significant to the workforce as a whole. Diversity within the workplace is deemed necessary in order for organizations to remain in compliance with laws that protect certain classes from discrimination such as Equal Employment Opportunity Laws. Diversity within an organization can positively and negatively impact the overall functions of an organization. With increased diversity within the U.S. labor force, human resource practices are essential to utilize the talents, potential, and overall contributions …show more content…
Communication barriers can contribute a great deal to isolation; groups that feel they cannot communicate effectively with other groups often subject themselves only to people they can relate to. “Isolation is a characteristic that describes how unusual an individual is within a workgroup. If a group is 90% female and highly cohesive on average, the few men may not be included in the portion of the group that is cohesive and has repeated interactions” (Leonard & Levine, 2006, p. 550). Such isolation is common among certain races as well where Hispanics typically only interact with Hispanics; this isolation can result in race-specific interactions which could prohibit the organization from prospering from the ideas and talents that other groups would have to offer through