Workforce Diversity
Human Resource Practices And Workforce Diversity:
An Empirical Assessment
Brian D'Netto and Amrik S. Sohal
Monash University, Victoria, Australia
Diversity is progressively a more important factor/issue in organisational existence. Because around the world organisations are becoming more diverse in terms of the gender, race, ethnicity, age, national origin and other personal characteristics of their members. In Australia, this trend of diverse work force is escalating. However, recent research into diversity management practices in the Australian manufacturing industry indicated that the performance of these manufacturing organisations was only mediocre (Dagher et al., 1998). This denial of diverse people management problems creates an atmosphere leading to incompetent utilisation of large numbers of employees. This paper was intended to measure whether organisations in Australia are using effective human resource practices to manage workforce diversity.
Diversity management accentuates structuring specific skills, producing policies and drafting practices that get the best from every employee. It adopts a coherent environment in organizations and aims for effectiveness, productivity and ultimately competitive advantage. Managing diversity means establishing a heterogeneous workforce to perform to its potential in an equitable work environment where no member or group of members has an advantage or a disadvantage (Torres and Bruxelles, 1992). Through effective integration of diversity management principles in the key human resource functions of recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal and remuneration, an organization can effectively manage workforce diversity.
Successful organizations can be benefitted from workforce diversity by creating an organizational environment which draws people from diverse labour markets. Managing diversity promotes competitive edge by recruiting the best people for the job, regardless of
An Empirical Assessment
Brian D'Netto and Amrik S. Sohal
Monash University, Victoria, Australia
Diversity is progressively a more important factor/issue in organisational existence. Because around the world organisations are becoming more diverse in terms of the gender, race, ethnicity, age, national origin and other personal characteristics of their members. In Australia, this trend of diverse work force is escalating. However, recent research into diversity management practices in the Australian manufacturing industry indicated that the performance of these manufacturing organisations was only mediocre (Dagher et al., 1998). This denial of diverse people management problems creates an atmosphere leading to incompetent utilisation of large numbers of employees. This paper was intended to measure whether organisations in Australia are using effective human resource practices to manage workforce diversity.
Diversity management accentuates structuring specific skills, producing policies and drafting practices that get the best from every employee. It adopts a coherent environment in organizations and aims for effectiveness, productivity and ultimately competitive advantage. Managing diversity means establishing a heterogeneous workforce to perform to its potential in an equitable work environment where no member or group of members has an advantage or a disadvantage (Torres and Bruxelles, 1992). Through effective integration of diversity management principles in the key human resource functions of recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal and remuneration, an organization can effectively manage workforce diversity.
Successful organizations can be benefitted from workforce diversity by creating an organizational environment which draws people from diverse labour markets. Managing diversity promotes competitive edge by recruiting the best people for the job, regardless of