Chapter 2
Workplace Diversity
Diversity
Managers need to recognize and capitalize on
differences to get the most from their
employees.
Effective diversity management increases an
organization’s access to the widest possible
pool of skills, abilities, and ideas.
Differences among people can lead to
miscommunication, misunderstanding, and
conflict.
Levels of Diversity
Surface-level diversity
◦ Demographics mostly reflect surface-level diversity, not
thoughts and feelings, and can lead employees to
perceive one another through stereotypes and
assumptions.
Deep-level diversity
◦ As people get to know one another, they become less
concerned about demographic differences if they see
themselves as sharing more important characteristics,
such as personality and values.
Example: Job Ads
Discrimination
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6725
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE PROHIBITION ON
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN WITH RESPECT TO
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT, AMENDING
FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-
FIVE OF THE LABOR CODE, AS AMENDED.
Senate Bill No. 1022ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACT
◦ Filed on July 22, 2013 by Revilla Jr., Ramon A.
◦ AN ACT PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL
ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY AND PROVIDING PENALTIES
THEREFORE
Types of Discrimination
Discriminatory policies or practices
Sexual harassment
Intimidation
Mockery and insults
Exclusion
Incivility
Type of Definition Examples
Discrimination
Policies or Practices Actions of the organization that deny Older workers may be targeted for
equal opportunity to perform or lay offs.
unequal rewards for performance Model agencies accept young
female models (not older than 20
yrs. old)
Sexual Harassment Unwanted sexual advances (verbal or Female workers are subjected to
physical conduct) that creates a hostile “green” jokes.
work environment
Intimidation Overt threats or bullying directed at Filipino nurses in the U.S. who were
members of specific groups of not allowed to speak Tagalog in
employees hospital premises.
Mockery and Insults Jokes or negative stereotypes Arab-Americans who have been
asked at work whether they are
members of terrorist organizations.
Exclusion Exclusion of people from certain job Many women employees claim that
opportunities, social events, they are not given enough
discussions, or informal mentoring responsibilities and thus no
promotion
Incivility Disrespectful treatment, including Female lawyers note that male
behaving in an aggressive manner, attorneys frequently cut them off or
interrupting the person, or ignoring do not adequately address their
varying opinions comments
Republic Act 7877
Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995
Source: [Link]/law/republic-act-7877
• AN ACT DECLARING SEXUAL HARASSMENT UNLAWFUL IN THE
EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION OR TRAINING ENVIRONMENT, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
• In a work-related or employment environment, sexual
harassment is committed when:
– The sexual favor is made as a condition in the hiring or in the
employment, re-employment or continued employment of said
individual, or in granting said individual favorable compensation, terms
of conditions, promotions, or privileges
• In an education or training environment, sexual harassment is
committed:
– When the sexual favor is made a condition to the giving of a passing
grade, or the granting of honors and scholarships, or the payment of a
stipend, allowance or other benefits, privileges, or consideration
Biographical Characteristics
Age
Sex
Race and Ethnicity
Disability
Other Biographical Characteristics
Tenure
◦ Time spent in a job or organization
◦ If we define seniority as time on a particular job, evidence
demonstrates a positive relationship between seniority
and job productivity
Religion= faith and belief systems
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Cultural Identity
◦ Link with culture of the family ancestry; cultural norms
Ability
Intellectual abilities
◦ Are abilities needed to perform mental activities – thinking,
reasoning, and problem solving.
◦ Smart people generally earn more money and attain higher
levels of education.
◦ Jobs differ in the demands they place on intellectual abilities.
Physical abilities
◦ Research has identified nine basic abilities needed in the
performance of physical tasks
◦ Dynamic strength, trunk strength, static strength, explosive
strength, extent flexibility, dynamic flexibility, body
coordination, balance and stamina
Dimensions of Intellectual Ability
Dimension Description Job Example
Number Aptitude Ability to do speedy and accurate Accountant; Financial
arithmetic analyst
Verbal Comprehension Ability to understand what is read or Sales person;
heard and the relationship of words to Journalist;
each other Interviewer
Perceptual Speed Ability to identify visual similarities and Detective; Police
differences quickly and accurately
Inductive Reasoning Ability to identify a logical sequence in Market researcher;
a problem and then solve the problem Statistical research
specialist
Deductive Reasoning Ability to use logic and assess the Judge/Magistrate;
implications of an argument. Psychiatrists
Spatial visualization Ability to manage how an object would Architect; Engineer
look if its position in space were
changed.
Memory Ability to retain and recall past Lawyer; Politician;
experiences Teacher
Physical Abilities
Strength Factors
Flexibility Factors
Other Factors
*Body coordination
*Balance
*Stamina
Implementing Diversity
Management strategies
Attracting, Selecting and Developing, and Retaining Diverse
employees
◦ Target recruiting messages to specific demographic groups
underrepresented in the workforce.
◦ In the selection process, managers need to value fairness and objectivity
in selecting employees and focus on the productive potential.
Effective Diversity Programs
◦ Equal employment opportunity and encourage fair treatment
◦ Foster personal development practices that bring out the skills and
abilities of all workers, acknowledging how differences in perspective
can be a valuable way to improve performance for everyone.
Example: L’Oréal
[Link]
n-culture-examples/
Beauty company L’Oréal has a presence in 130 countries on five
continents.
Respect for multicultural diversity is at the core of this
company’s success.
L’Oréal sponsors disability awareness workshops in India, pairs
employees with multicultural students in the Netherlands, and
offers training to young adults in vulnerable Pakistan
communities—to name just a few of its many global initiatives.
Worldwide, the company is known for offering a robust portfolio
of diversity and inclusion training for employees at all levels
around the world. The company also tops the list for gender
equality: Women at L’Oréal account for 69% of the workforce and
53% of key positions.
Reference
Essentials of Organizational Behavior
13th edition, Pearson
Author: Stephen Robbins; Timothy Judge
