Abstract
Managing diversity in the workplace is an important faucet for running a successful business. This essay explains the different complexities on gender, age, religion, occupation, and is a guide for understanding the differences in people.
Diversity Paper As a manager in today’s workplace, managing diversity is as important as meeting deadlines and completing initiatives. “Diversity refers to difference in people, including their age gender, race, religion, cultural background, education, mental and physical disabilities, sexual orientation and other dimensions,” (Hitt, Black, & Porter, 2012, p. 187). In many cases, effectively managing diversity will directly attribute to a business’ success or failure. To manage diversity effectively, managers must get acquainted with today’s changing workforce demographic. In this paper, diversity will be explored with highlights on gender, age, religion, and occupation.
Gender
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, gender is defined as, “Sex or the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex.” Early on in childhood, gender could perhaps be the first adolescent distinction between one group or another (boys or girls). Then as people mature and enter the workforce, gender starts to play itself out in other types of scenarios. Gender Focus, gender diversity, the “glass ceiling” are a few different ways that gender affects individual behavior in the workplace. “Gender focus represents the extent to which people in a country value masculine or feminine traits...Masculine traits value activities that lead to success, money and possessions. Feminine traits value activities that show caring for others and enhance the quality of life,” (Hitt, Black, & Porter, 2012, p. 64). Within the US, generally there is a masculine work ethic with a high propensity to work more hours and exercise less time off with vacation. The goals of prosperity through hard work is
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