Value of Diversity in the Workplace
Value of Diversity in the Workplace
SOC/315
Abstract
The global workplace has made diversity a significant issue. Companies have to adjust how they operate so they can accommodate the diverse customer base that is growing. It is important for any organization to consist of employees who can bring different skills, abilities, and culture to workplace. Developing effective intercultural communication within the workplace will allow the connection between employees and customers with different cultural backgrounds and languages.
Introduction
In today’s society, a diverse workforce is needed to accommodate the different multicultural backgrounds that make it up. The value of diversity in a workplace is important because of the different sets of skills and backgrounds a company has to offer when trying to solve conflicts and provide effective solutions. This paper will recap an incident that happened at an insurance agency because of the lack of diversity, along with the ramifications, and strategies that may have facilitated a more successful resolution.
Diversity issue in the workplace I have experienced how lack of diversity in the workplace can cause conflict for the organization. A few years back I worked for an insurance agency in south Louisiana. The agency consisted of the head agent and owner, who is a male, and four women who worked for him, to include myself. One day a Hispanic couple came in to purchase some insurance policies for their home and vehicles. The issue was the couple spoke only Spanish. The percentage of Hispanics in south Louisiana was very low at the time and there was not a high demand for bilingual employees who spoke Spanish. Because of the lack of diversity in the office, none of the employees spoke fluent Spanish to help the potential new customers. The employees who knew a little Spanish tried to communicate as best they could but to no avail. The couple became very angry at the insurance agency’s poor attempt
SOC/315
Abstract
The global workplace has made diversity a significant issue. Companies have to adjust how they operate so they can accommodate the diverse customer base that is growing. It is important for any organization to consist of employees who can bring different skills, abilities, and culture to workplace. Developing effective intercultural communication within the workplace will allow the connection between employees and customers with different cultural backgrounds and languages.
Introduction
In today’s society, a diverse workforce is needed to accommodate the different multicultural backgrounds that make it up. The value of diversity in a workplace is important because of the different sets of skills and backgrounds a company has to offer when trying to solve conflicts and provide effective solutions. This paper will recap an incident that happened at an insurance agency because of the lack of diversity, along with the ramifications, and strategies that may have facilitated a more successful resolution.
Diversity issue in the workplace I have experienced how lack of diversity in the workplace can cause conflict for the organization. A few years back I worked for an insurance agency in south Louisiana. The agency consisted of the head agent and owner, who is a male, and four women who worked for him, to include myself. One day a Hispanic couple came in to purchase some insurance policies for their home and vehicles. The issue was the couple spoke only Spanish. The percentage of Hispanics in south Louisiana was very low at the time and there was not a high demand for bilingual employees who spoke Spanish. Because of the lack of diversity in the office, none of the employees spoke fluent Spanish to help the potential new customers. The employees who knew a little Spanish tried to communicate as best they could but to no avail. The couple became very angry at the insurance agency’s poor attempt
References: Greenberg, J. (2004). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions. The Multicultural Advantage: Career Management and Job Info for Professionals from Diverse Backgrounds. Retrieved from http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/recruit/diversity/Diversity-in-the-Workplace-Benefits-Challenges-Solutions.asp