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Chapter 2. Workforce Issues of the Twenty-First Century. Objectives. Understand general population and fire service demographics Possess the ability to manage diversity effectively Understand fire service workforce issues Describe fire service organizational benefits of diversity.
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Chapter 2 Workforce Issues of the Twenty-First Century
Objectives • Understand general population and fire service demographics • Possess the ability to manage diversity effectively • Understand fire service workforce issues • Describe fire service organizational benefits of diversity
Objectives (cont.) • Create a fire service positive work environment • Utilize the concepts of alternative dispute resolution
Introduction • The changing composition of today’s workforce creates new challenges for managers, employees, and the community • Today’s workforce does not look, think, or act like the workforce of the past; nor does it have the same values, experiences, or expectations
Introduction (cont.) • If fire service personnel management practices are based on what worked well in the past, then your organization is in for some serious confrontations
Diverse Work Force • “Mosaic Society” vs. “Mass Society” • Organizations have a more diverse workforce • Not only in terms of race, gender, and ethnicity, but also in terms of age, sexual orientation, and other demographic variables
Impact on Management • People are not the same and although they want to be treated equally, this does not necessarily translate to being treated the same • Managers that have the understanding and ability to manage a more diverse workforce will be the most successful in the future
Skills Managers Need • An understanding and acceptance of managing diversity concepts • Recognition that diversity is threaded through every aspect of management
Skills Managers Need (cont.) • Self-awareness, in terms of understanding your own culture, identity, biases, prejudices, and stereotypes • Willingness to challenge and change institutional practices that present barriers to different groups
Number and Types of Fire Departments • In 2005, an estimated 30,635 fire departments operated in the United States • Of those, approximately 14% are career or mostly career, but protect 60% of the population • Large number of independent departments makes it difficult to reach consensus on many issues
Firefighter Demographics • In 2006, the United States had a total of 1,140,900 firefighters • 72 percent were volunteers (823,950) • 28 percent were career firefighters (316,950)
Firefighter Demographics (cont.) • Ninety-five percent of volunteers were in departments that protect populations of fewer than 25,000 people, and more than half are located in small, rural departments that protect fewer than 2,500 people
Managing Diversity • Is not affirmative action • Is not a program, but a process • Is not only a moral and social issue, but also an economic one • Increases performance and productivity
Values We Value • Recognition for competence and accomplishment • Respect and dignity • Personal choice and freedom • Involvement at work • Pride in one’s work • Lifestyle quality • Financial security
Values We Value (cont.) • Self-development • Health and wellness
Barriers • Stereotyping and prejudice • Ethnocentrism • Discrimination • Tokenism
Cultural Competence • Developing a set of principals, attitudes, policies, and structures that allows all individuals to work effectively and equitably with all cultures • Developing the capacity to apply cross-cultural knowledge in order to respond to and communicate with all of the cultural contexts within the organization
Flex Management • Matching people and jobs • Managing and rewarding performance • Informing and involving people • Supporting lifestyle and life needs
Affirmative Action • Polices intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at an historically non-dominant group; typically, minorities or women • Despite good intentions, flaws in the policy led to landmark Bakke case (1978)
Affirmative Action and Diversity • AA is government initiated, while diversity is voluntary and organizationally driven • AA is legally driven, while diversity is driven by organizational performance • AA is quantitative; diversity is qualitative • AA is problem focused; diversity focuses on opportunities • AA is reactive; diversity is proactive
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission • Independent federal agency created to eliminate discrimination in employment • Statutes prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, retaliation, age, and disability • Has authority to receive, initiate, and investigate charges of discrimination filed against employers
Discrimination Law • Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) • Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) • Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (Title I and Title V) • Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Sections 501 and 505) • Civil Rights Act of 1991
Challenges • The length of the work shift places individuals in close contact with coworkers for long periods of time • As a result, differences in work styles and personalities are more likely to surface • Time spent together can greatly magnify differences found among races, genders, and cultures
Opportunities • Emphasis on teamwork creates a sense of belonging • Diversity of assignments allows for professional development and flexibility to match people with jobs • Clear mission and respect of community
Prestige According to a 2008 USA Today survey, the most prestigious occupations are Firefighter – 57% Doctor – 53% Nurse – 52% Teacher – 52% Police officer – 46%
Benefits of Organizational Diversity • Allow fire departments to attract and retain the best people for firefighter and fire officer positions • Reduce exposure to and risk of legal sanctions, organizational costs, and negative publicity • Improve the quality and quantity of performance
Benefits of Organizational Diversity (cont.) • Prepare the fire department to respond to changes in and interact with the community
Benefits of Diversity Management Programs • Organizational performance • Recruiting and retention • Diverse thinking and problem solving • Reduction in discrimination complaints
Fairness Respect Trust Flexibility Sensitivity Positive Work Environment
Empower others Develop others Value diversity Work for change Communicate responsibility Successful Management
Dispute Resolution Systems • In-house mechanisms to resolve conflict among employees and managers • Proactive, future-directed, and designed to avoid legal expenses and stigma of litigation • Increase productivity and lessen chance of workplace violence
Peer Mediation • One of the most effective alternative dispute resolution techniques • Addresses disputes through teams composed of staff members trained to act as peer mediators • Usually result in voluntary settlement agreements
Advantages of Peer Mediation • Control of the outcome • Control of the process • Avoidance of legal fees • No unwanted publicity • Preservation of work relationships
Summary • The effects of increasing diversity on the population and workforce in general present a variety of issues for the fire service profession • Managers that have the understanding and ability to manage a more diverse workforce will be the most successful in the future
Summary (cont.) • The fire service work environment is different from many other occupations and as a result there are unique challenges and built-in advantages • Creating an environment in which everyone can realize their potential while being included and valued is the ultimate goal
Summary (cont.) • Managing diversity in a successful and proactive manner will result in a number of organizational benefits • In-house dispute resolution programs are proactive, future-directed, and designed to avoid both the legal expenses and workplace stigma associated with litigation
