Diversity: Imperatives Continued

Let's continue to discuss these imperatives in more detail.

Imperative number 3 is to increase creativity, quality, teamwork, and innovation to respond to the needs of a diverse workplace.

• A diverse workforce is better able to respond to the needs of a diverse marketplace.
• A diverse workforce adds a strategic advantage in coming up with innovative ideas and approaches by using different perspectives.

A diverse workforce that is rewarded for its efforts is more productive.  An example of an organization that wants to increase creativity, quality, teamwork, and innovation is one that implements training to help employees develop related skills.

Imperative number 4 is to reduce costs associated with discrimination, harassment, and ignoring diversity issues.  Successfully managing diversity will not only reduce grievances and neutralize a hostile environment, but it may also lower the need for legal redress by employees, resulting in significant cost savings.

• Absenteeism, turnover, poor performance, EEO and sexual harassment charges, and labor or staff unrest cost employers billions of dollars each year.
• Increased job satisfaction results in higher productivity.
• To reduce costs associated with discrimination, harassment, and ignoring diversity issues, organizations must establish and enforce policies that clearly define zero-tolerance for discriminatory or harassing behavior.
• Managers must also model the behavior they expect from employees and ensure that employees are trained on all aspects of company policies.

Cutting to the "bottom line" of these imperatives is to have a positive economic impact on your company's bottom line!  Managing diversity successfully can result in a long-term positive economic impact.  The opposite is also true.  Organizations that place a low priority on diversity management cause them to lose talented workers of diverse backgrounds.  All managers need to understand the bottom-line value of making their organization attractive to and supportive of diversity.

Focusing on managing diversity will help organizations attain the 4 business imperatives, gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace, and ensure a long-term positive impact on the bottom line.

Until next time...






Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/