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Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity in the Workplace. The Role of Communication in a Diverse Workplace. Statistics to Ponder . The Hudson Institute, Workforce 2000: 5/6 of those entering the workforce in the year 2010 will be women and minorities

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Diversity in the Workplace

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  1. Diversity in the Workplace The Role of Communication in a Diverse Workplace

  2. Statistics to Ponder • The Hudson Institute, Workforce 2000: 5/6 of those entering the workforce in the year 2010 will be women and minorities • In the federal workforce, white males 44%, white females 26%, 8% African American males,10% African American women, only 6% Hispanic men and women (2004 stats) • Survey of top corporate jobs in Chicago finds only about 15% (boards and executive positions) are held by women (Boeing, Sears, Walgreen, Allstate, Kraft) (2004) • Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women in top management show 35% higher ROE and 35 % higher total shareholder return • The private sector will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on diversity training this year

  3. Diversity Categories Protected or “suspect” classes: • Gender • Age • Ethnicity/Race • Physical Abilities • Religious Affiliation • Sexual Orientation

  4. Some Hypothetical Examples • A professional African American male comes to work with his hair newly done in corn rows. It is widely interpreted by his rural, white co-workers as representative of a prison or gangster culture. Some workers complain to managers about being afraid.

  5. Hypothetical #2 • A Latina manager complains that her mostly Asian subordinates don’t respect her because when she addresses them, they do not look her in the eye.

  6. Metaphors for Diversity • melting pot • multicultural stew • patchwork quilt • tributaries leading to a mighty river • assimilationist policies versus policies which truly celebrate differences (The Borg versus The Federation)

  7. Flaws in Diversity Training • Targeted at SWAMs • Unitary in nature, one size fits all • Dogmatic in philosophy, looking to change hearts and minds • Often conducted by women/minority trainers • Perpetuates victimage • Often seen as “diversity penance”

  8. Communication Training to Enhance Diversity • The Wrong Way--U.S. DOT confrontation style program, suspended in 1993 • The Right Way • ethnocentrism awareness • monitoring language • ability to tolerate ambiguity • conflict training

  9. Successful Diversity Training • Needs to be integrated into the overall business plan • Needs to recognized as an organizational commitment, top to bottom • Thomas (1992): diversity training is about enhancing a manager’s capability to tap the potential of a diverse group of employees. • Use teams of trainers

  10. The Nature of Resistance • Resistance is unavoidable • Resistance provides protection • Resistance is a source of energy • DT should work with resistance • bring it to the surface • “honor” the resistance (“I understand how this could be a problem for you”) • explore methods for resolving it

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