Diversity in the Worplace

The world's ever growing increasing change in diversity pushes for a change in the work environment, as well. This increasing globalization requires more interaction between people from diverse cultures, beliefs and backgrounds. People are working in a more dynamic marketplace these days; more and more are now part of a worldwide economy making their marketplace the most diverse it has ever been. So, how does a company conform and make adjustments in order to keep up with this ever-changing diverse marketplace?

Diversity is a key component to the workplace these days. Acknowledging it is one thing, but understanding the importance of developing a diverse workforce can be essential to a company's success. Our nation and our workforce are both becoming more diverse. The share of people of color in the United States is increasing; more women are entering the labor force; and gay and transgender individuals are making vital contributions to the diversity of our economy. Businesses that embrace this diversity have a more solid standing in the marketplace than others.

The benefits of having a diverse workforce is the variety of experiences and perspectives that come from these differing individuals. Everyone has different experiences in life, whether it is their upbringing or culture, differences in race or religion, mental or physical abilities, heritage, age, gender, sexual orientation and many other characteristics, they all play a significant role as to what they can contribute. It is important for a Human Resource Manager to understand the importance of how these dimensions affect performance, motivation, success and interactions with others. For instance, many universities pride themselves for their campus having diversity. The University of California, San Francisco's Principle of Community states,

"We recognize, value and affirm that social diversity contributes richness to the University community and enhances the quality of campus life for individuals and groups. We take pride in our various achievements and we celebrate our differences."

This university believes its community benefits tremendously in term of morale, outside-the-box thinking, greater teamwork and creates an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect. Developing this same mantra in the workplace provides the same benefits and can create a successful leading workforce.

A diverse workforce combines workers from different backgrounds and experiences that together envelope and emerge a more creative, innovative and productive workforce. This allows companies to draw upon the nation's diversity to strengthen their bottom line. In today's economy, diversity is the key ingredient to developing a strong and inclusive company that is built to withstand and last.

There are many benefits that need to be carefully examined in order to encompass the full understanding and potential of the necessity of creating a diverse workforce. One of the many things to consider is that by developing a diverse workforce drives economic growth. The nation's human capital substantially grows as more women, racial and ethnic minorities, and gay and transgender individuals enter the workforce. A McKinsey & Company study showed that, "the increase in women's overall share of labor in the United States - women went from holding 37 percent of all jobs to 47 percent over the past 40 years, which accounted for about a quarter of the current gross domestic product (GDP)." (Kerby, Burns)

By bringing together different individuals from different backgrounds and experiences this diverse workforce can also capture a greater share of the consumer market. Businesses can more effectively market themselves differently to consumers because of the differences diversity brings to the table. Developing a diverse, but effective workforce can help businesses cater to new markets because of the diverse knowledge and intellect from your diverse workforce allowing the business to increase their market share.

Established businesses that have withstood crashing economies over the decades are now facing a new challenge if their workforce is not diverse. One of the main reasons for this is most candidates interviewed are often referrals from current employees making the range of personalities very narrow. When current employees refer candidates it is usually someone who is very similar to them, which means your workforce may not have the most qualified workers. Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates, however, can change that drastically. When companies recruit from a diverse set of potential employees, they are more likely to hire the best