Workforce Diversity
1. What challenges and opportunities does workforce diversity present for managers of organisations in Australia? Illustrate your answer with reference to an example(s) where appropriate.
This essay explores the challenges and opportunities workforce diversity present for managers of organisations in Australia. Comparing to the 18th century where work diversity was “Virtually non-existent” (Wagner 2012) only then were white males seen as predominant in the workforce. But as we are entering the 21st century, businesses are beginning to understand the absolute importance of having a practice or policy that seeks to include people who are considered to be “Different from those of the prevailing constituency” (McInnes, Diversity World, 1999) Referring to those that may differ and have similarities in terms of ethnicity, race, age, sex, physical abilities and religion. It is further argued that strong diversity in businesses assist in a better understanding of desires and preferences of the ever growing global consumer market, meaning the companies productivity and strategies may increase due to the range of employee demographics. However the essay also points out that workforce diversity may increase challenges for managers and create more difficulties as an individual workers concept of norm and acceptance of cultural diversity may be hard to embrace and thus create tension and exclusion between the workforces.
Many managers use diversity hiring in the workforce as it creates more opportunities for their employees to work more effectively. This means a company may hire people of vast cultural backgrounds or religious backgrounds to benefit their company a way in which employees are able to generate similar ideas and also come up with solutions to a problem but with many perspectives and views that can help the company improve. (Bergen, Soper & Parnell 2005, p.1) indicated that results have shown economic success if directly related to diversity in an
This essay explores the challenges and opportunities workforce diversity present for managers of organisations in Australia. Comparing to the 18th century where work diversity was “Virtually non-existent” (Wagner 2012) only then were white males seen as predominant in the workforce. But as we are entering the 21st century, businesses are beginning to understand the absolute importance of having a practice or policy that seeks to include people who are considered to be “Different from those of the prevailing constituency” (McInnes, Diversity World, 1999) Referring to those that may differ and have similarities in terms of ethnicity, race, age, sex, physical abilities and religion. It is further argued that strong diversity in businesses assist in a better understanding of desires and preferences of the ever growing global consumer market, meaning the companies productivity and strategies may increase due to the range of employee demographics. However the essay also points out that workforce diversity may increase challenges for managers and create more difficulties as an individual workers concept of norm and acceptance of cultural diversity may be hard to embrace and thus create tension and exclusion between the workforces.
Many managers use diversity hiring in the workforce as it creates more opportunities for their employees to work more effectively. This means a company may hire people of vast cultural backgrounds or religious backgrounds to benefit their company a way in which employees are able to generate similar ideas and also come up with solutions to a problem but with many perspectives and views that can help the company improve. (Bergen, Soper & Parnell 2005, p.1) indicated that results have shown economic success if directly related to diversity in an
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